Posada el Refugio

My boyfriend and I had a private room with a comfortable bed, fan, shower with a little hot water, and a TV that worked, though we didn't use it. There was parking on site and an easy walk into the town center. The boat tour of the lake's main attractions was great. It's a nice, spacious place on the outskirts, with cool guests and a really relaxed vibe. That laid-back feeling extends to how the place is looked after, but it didn't bother me.

We told the hotel through Booking.com that we'd arrive at 4 am, and they said that was no problem. But when we got there, the place was locked and nobody answered the phone. We were left outside in the dark for more than an hour while Booking.com tried to sort it out, then heard the hotel claimed it was fully booked. I'm furious and annoyed at how they treated us. This hotel shouldn't be in business. I'd give it zero stars if I could, and strongly advise staying away.

We had a confirmed Booking.com reservation and arrived on the booked day, only to be told by a young girl waiting there that the place was full and had no room for us. She blamed Booking.com for selling rooms they didn't have. She wasn't even slightly apologetic, and the rest of the family didn't help either. Nobody offered to help find us somewhere else. We had to ask to use the Wi-Fi to book another place, but it was unusable, so we walked around Bacalar with our luggage looking for somewhere to stay. Another couple arrived while we were there with the same problem. Why confirm bookings if you're full, and why not message guests to tell them? The customer service was awful. The people were rude and ignorant, and took no responsibility for their mistakes. AVOID.

At 8 in the morning, a friend of the owners came over for breakfast and switched on the TV loudly while guests were sleeping. Nobody seemed to care. I left the next day, but it seemed to be a regular thing, with people talking loudly around the tent area. Be aware, buddies!