Hotel Sol Playa is a very nice, quiet and cozy little place. Rooms are clean and have everything you need: a huge bed, A/C, ceiling fan, TV with some English channels, toiletteries and towels, and even a small kitchen (not that you need it - the hotel has a restaurant downstairs, and the food is very good!!). They offer a delicious breakfast - not just a typical continental toast and jam, but omelettes, pancakes and freshly-squieezed orange juice (included in the room price, which was awesome!). The yard is very beautiful too, with orchids and other plants making it look like a tropical forest.
The beach is a 3-5 min walk and is nice, clean and not crowded. You'd have to walk about 15 min to get to all the shops and restaurants in Playa Del Carmen but didn't seem to be an issue for us. There isn't much in the area (it's residential + local businesses), but if you want to stay away from all the hustle and bustle of downtown PDC and don't mind walking, it would work great for you. We actually enjoyed the non-touristy feel here. A very pleasant stay!
Highly recommend this place for a relaxed, non-all-inclusive, local-feel stay in Playa del Carmen!