Barb

Does anyone have any suggestions for hotels at Isla de Mujeres? I have been to Cancun and hoping Isla de Mujeres is more of a Mexico Island experience. I want to stay directly on the beach. Thanks for any help.

Shell

Barb: I stayed on Isla last May and plan to spend another night there during an upcoming trip this August. My first warning is that all hotels on the island are extremely rustic -- many hotels don't have A/C, only a few have pools, and none have phones or TVs that I'm aware of. So if you're looking for Cancun luxury, you'll be disappointed. On the other hand, since you've visited the island you know how laid back it can be -- a big plus in my book. I know you said you'd like oceanfront, but again, it's not the same on Isla as it is in Cancun. We stayed at Cabanas Maria del Mar on Playa Norte, but couldn't see the ocean as the hotel's only two stories high and the palms block the view. Same story with Na-Balaam. Posada del Mar is across the street from the ocean (facing Cancun) -- this is where I'm hoping to stay this time as it's close to Playa Norte and it has a pool (I'll be traveling with a teen) and it's cheap (in the $35-$40/night range). The Cristalmar is another option -- it's a three- or four-story hotel on the ocean with a rather large pool, but it's on the Sac Bajo peninsula instead of being in town, so you'll have to take a taxi. If you'd like to view hotel ratings, check out www.cancunmx.com. They have a Hotel Survey section. You can also e-mail me for more info. <BR> <BR>Shell

Mar

Posada de Mar is the only place I have stayed on Isla and I would highly recommend it. The location is great, the rooms are large, comfortable and air conditioned (also phones), the pool and pool side bar are charming, and the staff was wonderful. I've stayed there on both of my trips to Isla and can't wait to return.

Shell

Mar, glad to hear that about the Posada del Mar. Actually, after much research on the Internet, that was my first choice but it was sold out, as we went down when there was a fishing regatta in town. We walked by and thought it looked nice enough, and it's close to Playa Norte. Did the air conditioning work very well (I'm going in late August)? At the Maria del Mar, our wall unit was in really poor condition and barely cooled the room. Plus, it had big cracks between it and the wall, so we got bit up by the skeeters. Also, the hotel didn't have any kind of security boxes -- just security envelopes that they said they put in a safe at night. I suppose it's the same story at Posada del Mar?

Dan

Barb; <BR>I just returned from the Yucatan and <BR>stayed for two days on Isla Mujeres in <BR>a beautiful condimunium on Playa Norte. <BR> <BR>It was rather expensive, $100.00 per night, but compared to Cancun it was a <BR>great value. It had central air, cable <BR>TV, full kitchen/bar,living room, dining <BR>room, and one bedroom with a double bed <BR>and the other with two bunk beds. The <BR>rooms overlook Playa Norte and a <BR>beautiful pool w/ poolside bar. <BR> <BR>I wish I could tell you the name, but <BR>it doesn't have a sign like hotels do. <BR>To get there, you just get off the ferry <BR>and head north. You'll go maybe 1/2 mile, and at the end of the road <BR>there'll be a big arch- the property is <BR>through the arches straight ahead. It's <BR>a dark brown colored building about 3 <BR>stories high. I was told that these are <BR>time share condos, so availability may be limited. Also, minimum stay is two <BR>nights. <BR> <BR>I love Isla Mujeres, and I hope you have <BR>a good time! <BR>