Aloha Mazatlan

I went to Sands Arena Hotel in April for spring break and wanted somewhere near the beach so I could see the Ocean. I expected a big, traditional building with comfortable rooms, but the room was better than I thought it would be. It felt pretty modern and, thankfully, had a refrigerator, stove, and air conditioning.

A great restaurant right next door made the stay convenient, and together with the clean, well-managed hotel it felt like good value. The place itself is austere. I arrived on a Sunday evening and was struck by how many people were on the seashore promenade and avenue. They had a room available, so I stayed about five nights. I would've stayed longer, but a couple of busloads of tourists arrived one day and I hadn't reserved my room. It worked out, since I moved away from the town center toward some newer, fancier hotels.

A 3 star hotel can feel like a 4 star place when the local owner cares. The staff at every level were hardworking and friendly, the restaurant was busy and excellent with fairly cheap prices, and the pool was heated, which is rare. My room was clean and had a view of the sunset. That's how.

Being close to the beach is a plus for the location. But cleaning was my biggest concern, they didn't seem very attentive to it. The sheets were dirty and looked like they hadn't been changed since the previous guests. The room also stayed dark even with the lights on.