Nirvana Hotel - Cancun Hotel Zone

After a long journey, we arrived at 3:00 AM with a confirmed reservation through Booking, only to be told the hotel was overbooked and had no room for us. We were offered another hotel, but only if we paid an extra $350. This wasn't our fault, and being left without the room we'd reserved in the middle of the night was extremely stressful and unacceptable. A very disappointing experience.

This is a good budget choice. We stayed a few days for spring break, and our room was spacious and decent. Every room has a balcony view. I just wish there were carpets instead of hard floors. The front desk service was decent, and the receptionists generally understood English. Water was the main problem. Pipe issues meant it was out several times, including one whole day, until a water truck came to fix it. The receptionist said when our supply failed, the whole hotel and nearby homes lost water too. The shower itself had hot and cold water when the supply was working. The neighborhood in the hotel zone felt very safe, including the walk back from the bus stop at night. The nearest bus station is about a 15-minute walk or less, and local food shops and a pharmacy are nearby. Laundry is right next door for 200 pesos. They estimated next-day pickup, depending on how busy the waitlist was, and the laundry person speaks English perfectly. Personally, I'd choose this over a cheaper hotel in downtown Cancun.

The room smelled awful, and every shower sent bathroom water flooding across the room. There was no blanket either. It was quiet at night, though the main road was a 15-minute walk away. The cleaning lady did a really good job: she made the bed daily and left clean towels. Breakfast felt overpriced at $12. There's also a cute little grocery store next door.

We stayed four days, and for two of them a burst water pipe left the hotel with no water at all. Management didn't have the courtesy to tell us or offer compensation. They also charged more to the card than the amount shown for the room, so watch the payment closely or they can easily cheat customers. The service was poor, and they don't value their guests. This hotel is pathetic, stay away at any cost.