Otoch Béek

The AC worked and it was a cheap place to stay, so I can’t complain too much. Still, keep expectations low. The caretaker was a really nice guy, but the room had only two outlets total, hundreds of ants got in, and we weren’t given towels.

We weren’t disturbed at night, though the place is a little close to the main road. The basic rooms were good, and they gave us a packed breakfast since we were heading to Calakmul early. It’s good value for a stop on the way there. Restaurante Al Xital was very good, especially for this location, and the nearby Mayan temples at Becan are worth seeing too.

Mischa, the pregnant cat, curled up in my lap during the complimentary breakfast. The place was so peaceful I could hardly imagine leaving, and our hostess was lovely and spoke English with us. Someone was always on the property keeping things up. It feels like a labor of love that’s still being improved. We paid around $30 US, which felt completely worth it. The beautifully landscaped grounds have at least two duplexes set aside for backpackers and tired travelers. We had cell service and would definitely stay again. I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops and catching up with Mischa. The room is small, more like a private hostel room with its own bathroom, which is larger than expected. The shower pressure is low, and because it uses electricity, be careful if you try to change the shower head. My advice is to leave it alone. The bed and pillows were really comfortable, but the sheets were a bit small. The pretty pillowcases seemed more decorative, with large buttons on one side, and there was just one easy-to-reach outlet for charging devices.

It’s a nice house with a beautiful garden around about half of it, and the host was very friendly and attentive. It’s a good base for visiting Calakmul. It did feel too pricey, though, and the rooster woke us several times in the middle of the night.