ABOUT US

SUSAN DE LIMA
Susan, originally from Canada, has lived in Playa del Carmen since 2004. Her adventurous spirit has lead to many exciting  life experiences with travels to Jamaica, Central and South America, Mexico, and beyond. After travelling south almost every winter for more than 15 years Susan dreamed of living the Caribbean lifestyle.  An opportunity to start her own company presented itself, and she welcomed the challenge. With years of experience in the service industry (including social services!) and always entertaining friends, family and strangers that passed through Playa del Carmen, Susan decided to expand on the idea. Having experience with a variety of food types and genres of cooking she has now developed her menus with original recipes that reflect her style of cooking with the fresh flavours of Mexico. She is a wonderful chef, hostess and a fountain of knowledge about tours, activities and dining in the area. Therefore it was only natural that she combined all these characteristics to create a top notch catering and concierge service in Latido de Mexico.

MONICA HARTLIEF
Originally from Amsterdam, Monica chose the sunny skies of Mexico in 1999. Or more accurately she chose the the warm Caribbean waters as she pursued a career as a recreational dive instructor. She completed her PADI OWSI in 1999, and is now an accomplished diver with the highest level of training as a PADI Course Director. Prior to moving to Mexico, Monica worked as a project manager and consultant for various ICT and telecommunications companies in the Netherlands. But all of our life experiences prepare us for the next adventure, and with her professional experience in project management and consulting work, Monica has great attention to detail as well as a keen knowledge of the area and community. With her focus on detail and organization she was the natural fit to run the property management and vacation rental side of things for Latido de Mexico, and being fluent in 3 languages only adds to her expertise.  

As a team Monica and Susan bring diverse backgrounds to the forefront and this in turn creates a unique balance that brings the client a company that is reliable, friendly, and efficient.

OUR TOP PICKS

We are commonly asked which establishments we like to frequent, so we put together a list of some of our top picks in Playa del Carmen!  

JOHN GRAY'S PLACE
Monica’s all time Playa favourite. Consistent great food and excellent wines. Located on Calle Corazon (off 5th avenue between 12th and 14th street). Closed on Sunday’s.

AH CACAO
A coffee shop with so much more. Known for their Mexican chocolate and other sweet treats. Two locations: on 30th street and 5th avenue (our favourite) and on Constuyentes and 5th avenue.

DIRTY MARTINI LOUNGE
Check out this local hang out that has a European bar feel. Excellent drinks like martinis, top shelf cocktails, and a wide selection of beer served by their wonderful staff with great music. It’ll keep you coming back! … Well, it does for us!  Located on 1st Avenue between 10th and 12th street.

THE GLASS BAR
If fine dining with excellent service is what you are looking for the Glass Bar is sure to please. The wine list is so extensive the menu has an index! Located on 10th street between 1st and 5th avenue.

BABE'S NOODLES AND BAR
Thai food with a Swedish twist in Mexico? You bet! A funky restaurant with great food at great prices! Two locations, one on 10th street between 5th and 10th avenue and the other on 5th avenue between 28th and 30th street.

IL PESCATORE DA ILEANA
This restaurant has been around for a long time and the real home-made Italian food here is consistent and unequalled. Don’t forget to try the specials of the day and the tiramisu. Located on 10th avenue and 24th street.

ERA ORA
We have many great Italian restaurants in Playa but none of them have pizzas as good as this one! Located on 1st avenue between 12th and 14th street. Closed on Sunday's.

DAC VEGETABLE AND FRUIT MARKET
Not only the best produce in town but also wonderful Mexican food (lunch) as well as excellent fruit shakes and smoothies. DAC is located on 30th Avenue and Constituyentes, it generally closes around 7 pm.

AJUA
Our top pick for Mexican and Mayan Cuisine. The varied menu will be sure to please everyone. With live music almost nightly and the most fun waiters around you will definitely have a night to remember. They also have a fabulous space to accommodate larger groups and weddings. You can find Ajua on 4th street between 5th and 10th Avenue.

YOGA BY THE WAY
If you think yoga is boring and not really excersise, we suggest you take a class at the Yoga by the Way studio. They teach Vanyasa yoga and this will give you a better and more complete workout than many hours spent at the gym. On top of that the studio is a beautiful place and Ellen de Jonge is one of the best yoga teachers I've ever taken a class with. Click here for schedules and location.