Shamalay Bacalar

Dienna was such a sweet host. She communicated well and helped us quickly whenever we had a question. You can really see how much love and passion she puts into the stay, especially in the beautiful garden. We had an amazing time and would absolutely do it again!

The tent was comfortable, clean, and romantic, and the pool and kitchen were nice and clean too. The hosts were friendly and ready to help. It's a little outside the centre, but walkable, and we felt safe at night. There was some road noise, but it was totally fine for us. A wonderful place to stay!

We booked two nights at Shemalay Nomade Experience in Bacalar, June 20-22, as part of our honeymoon. After the long trip from Cancun, we arrived at 8 PM to a tent that was unbearably hot. The portable AC barely worked and was extremely noisy, and a power outage right when we arrived made an already exhausting situation worse. What upset us most was that the Booking.com listing didn't clearly say the toilets and showers were shared and outside. That wasn't acceptable for this kind of stay, especially on our honeymoon. We spent over two hours trying to find somewhere else late at night, then left and paid for another hotel in Bacalar ourselves. When we contacted the host, they acknowledged the situation and told us to find another hotel and request a refund through Booking. The major disappointment was that the host then refused the refund after telling me to request it there; I have screenshots of our discussion. This was by far the worst experience of our trip in Mexico. Please check the listing details carefully and consider other options for a special occasion. Sorry for the long review, but I think it's crucial to help future couples avoid having their holiday ruined. Thank you.

We loved the location and surroundings, though the road nearby was a bit noisy. The host was really great, friendly, and energetic, and we negotiated a fair price for our one night. I feel for her on this adventure, and wish Shamalay Bacalar the best. But I can't recommend it until the conditions improve. We planned four nights and left after one. After a past flood, mold had developed in our king size tent, and the others looked affected too. Opening every window and running the fan on high nonstop helped the air quality somewhat, but even the bamboo and wicker floor mats smelled moldy. The canvas fabric had been cleaned, but the mats and some furniture need to be thrown out, while anything salvageable needs sanding and repurposing. Our lampshades had visible fuzzy green mold, as did the bed frame. That's a potential major health hazard for unsuspecting guests. I developed a sore throat during our stay, and it was gone the night after we reached our next accommodation. I don't want to leave a negative review, but I need to be honest about the current conditions. Until the tents are cleaned further, the furniture replaced, and the mats discarded, ventilation won't make the air healthy. Mold is a serious health concern and can take a long time to recover from, so I wanted other travelers to know. I'll update this review if things improve.