Hotel Casa Puerta De Mar

I was there for three nights and chose a balcony room after reading that the windowless rooms were small. It had plenty of space, high ceilings, and a sofa area with a big TV that made it feel homey. The location is right on Calle 59, about 5-10 minutes on foot from the light rail station, and check-in was quick with very friendly staff. The downsides were a somewhat dirty toilet and WC, very weak water pressure, and restaurant noise below that was unbearable, with music and singing going on all night. I'd recommend staying here to friends, but only in a balcony room.

The family suite was spacious and a good deal for $80 USD each of Monday through Wednesday nights when I was traveling solo. It had two large beds, bright big windows, a fridge, a sitting area with a dirty sofa, and a tiny balcony overlooking Calle 59. On Thursday it wasn't available, so I paid $74 for a much poorer-value tiny room. Its twin bed filled almost half the space, the windows faced a small ventilation shaft, and the bathroom was tiny. Other hotels offer rooms like that tiny one, so you need to be able to get an upgrade or something better here.

Calle 59 is a brilliant spot, with lots to do nearby, about 5 minutes from the Tren Maya light rail station and the sea, and 10-15 minutes on foot from the central market. We booked the family suite, which was huge, with 4m ceilings, a nice sofa and good natural light. The little rooftop lounge pool was great for cooling off, and there was a station downstairs with coffee, tea and biscuits. The shower was pretty dismal, though, so not everything was perfect.

The family room had lots of space and a balcony looking over the car-free street, and I liked the rooftop pool, coffee, chamomile tea and biscuits downstairs, and the good air conditioning. The location was great too. But the room wasn't clean when we arrived: there were dirty cups and the bathroom bin hadn't been emptied after the previous guests. The shower water was cold and only came through about 10 holes in the head, spraying in different directions. The room is advertised as 80sq meters, but it's closer to 50m. It still feels roomy, just smaller than claimed.