Real Mayab Hotel & Bungalows

The tacos tasted okay, but getting to them meant waiting for the group to finish ordering drinks, then joining a slow line. Drinks cost extra with the included buffet, as the tourist pricing on the wall explained, and servers pushed most people to order them. Before the meal, a photographer took pictures of everyone. After we visited Chichen Itza, he got on our tour bus to sell a bottle of Mayan Yaax Kin drink for $20 USD with your photo on it. Real Mayab Hotel was our tour group's first mid-morning stop in the Yucatan. It also has a Mayan tourist shop selling obsidian, trinkets, alcohol, and a cleansing ceremony. We spent a while looking at trinkets that were supposedly made by local families, with their names written on the tags. After that visit ahead of Chichen Itza, I can see why people call this a tourist trap.

The food was already great, and the buffet staff made the visit even nicer with how kind and welcoming they were. I'd recommend it to families, couples, or anyone wanting to try authentic Mexican food. Pro tip, steer clear of the gift shop if you don't want to buy anything :)

The pork at the Cenote restaurant there is traditionally cooked, with lots of options. Selva maya is beautiful and a lot of fun, so I highly recommend it, but avoid this place. The food here looked nasty, the service was awful, and the women at checkout were frowning and not courteous. The things they sell are way overpriced. We paid over 120 USD for two bracelets, a hat, and sodas for four, and the exact same things were a tenth of the price down the road. I can't say enough bad things about this place. They're not Mayan people, so don't buy from them. They make deals with tour groups to force visitors to stop here. They had no food options like the ones at Cenote. Don't go!

The pork tacos were awesome, and the rice and beans were good. Everything else was just fine. We were taken here for lunch on the way to Chichen Itza and were bummed to find what felt like a tourist trap, with locals trying to sell their stuff. I wouldn't stop if you don't have to.