Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Mar de Luz

A few blocks from the beach, this family-focused property boasts three swimming pools, equipped kitchens, and comfortable rooms of varying size and style. Bright, pastel-hue standard rooms have two queen-size beds and most have kitchenettes; top-floor rooms have a small living room with checkered sofas and a double bed; the cozy split-level rooms with kitchenettes and stone walls are reminiscent of European bed-and-breakfasts. The Dutch owner is dedicated to cleanliness and provides lots of amenities, such as poolside grills, a kids' game room, a large open-air reading lounge, and inexpensive tours. If you don't mind the climb, request an upstairs room with a balcony overlooking the pool.