Hi! I remember you!
Let's see....well, we have always stayed in town in Playa. The first two trips we stayed at the El Tukan Condotel - it is now an AI, fairly small and basic, small courtyard pool, comes with beach club passes to Kool....if you can get this as a great, cheap package deal it might be perfect if you are not overly fussy. The location is perfect, on Fifth around Calle 14. Often offered as the cheapest package from tour operators in Canada.
Other than that we stayed in condos twice- both in the North End, which we prefer...the Royal Palms on Fifth and Calle 26, and last August we stayed at Arena Blanca between Fifth and Tenth and Calle 38. For more info, google 'Royal Palms condos Playa del Carmen' and 'Arena Blanca condos Playa del Carmen'. Other good ones we would stay at are Las Palmas on Calle 26 and...oh heck, there are tons!
Maggie