Villas Bambú by Isa

This old-school hotel was clean, comfortable, pet friendly, and good value overall. There are rules and notices everywhere, and you can’t bring in food or alcohol unless you buy it from their little shop. Hot water was limited, the internet slow, and the Jacuzzi didn’t work. I wouldn’t come back.

The room was advertised with a kitchenette, but there wasn’t one. There was even a sign threatening a $100 peso fine for eating in the room. Breakfast was advertised too, but what we got was a cracker. The sheets were stained, and one had a hole. The wifi didn’t reach the room. We were told to park in a gated area, but when we checked out, nobody was available to open the gate so we could leave. The hotel’s location on Google Maps is wrong, and the hotel itself uses Google Maps to direct people there. Check their website and street view if you like. The hotel isn’t behind that wall. They say on their website that 99.9% of guests are satisfied and 100% would stay again. I’m amazed their customers have had such low expectations. If you have any expectations at all, I’d avoid this place to save yourself the disappointment. They charged my card before we arrived, despite telling us it wouldn’t be charged until then. Our confirmation letter said the pet fee was $130 pesos, but they charged $175 pesos even after we showed them the letter. The letter also said they would match prices with other hotels. On top of the $175 fee, we’d paid a separate $200 peso pet deposit. At checkout, the girl at the desk, who was on her cell phone, had to check the room before returning the deposit. She never put the phone down, even while walking off to inspect the room and chatting away.

It’s a very quiet, unusual neighborhood, and the property is nicely tucked away. The grounds have cabins and 2 pools. The hosts were very helpful, and I plan to come back someday. Everything else was flawless, though wifi was weak in the cabin at the very end. Be sure to lock the deadbolt, since the knob isn’t designed to be secure.

A quiet, pet-friendly place with pleasant gardens and a nice pool. Our cabaña-style room was large. There’s a pizza place and a seafood restaurant nearby, and Walmart is 5 minutes away. Downtown Chetumal is 10 minutes north.