Hotel El Copal

We went for the food and the atmosphere, and really liked the meal. They’ve done a great job making the place feel elegant while keeping it close to nature. The owner showed us around, including the cute bungalows. We saw crabs walking around, and the ocean is just down below. There are a lot of steps, but the view is amazing, and the staff were great. Wear sunscreen, you’ll burn. It took me only about 45 minutes to get noticeably darker.

The view from our cabin was beautiful, and the two men who helped carry our luggage down were great. Apart from that, we were disappointed and left a day early because we’d had enough. We had dinner at the restaurant. The food was okay, but when other customers left, the manager shouted that they hadn’t tipped, loud enough for everyone to hear. It felt disrespectful and wrong. Our vehicle was damaged in the badly maintained parking lot. When I asked the front desk if she knew anyone who could help fix it, she said she did but wanted money just to give me his information, so I dropped it. The road to the lot is horrible, so bring a 4x4 if you drive there. I paid the balance in cash, but they had no change. They said they’d give it to me later and never did, which gave the place a money-hungry look. The cabins were in good condition, but there was no privacy. We had to crouch while showering so people at the pool or walking to the restaurant wouldn’t see us. I had my young daughter with me, and that felt very unsafe. The bathrooms have dry toilets, basically holes in the ground that smell. We could even smell ours while trying to sleep. The cabins also had signs saying they weren’t responsible for lost items, which made us wonder why anything would go missing. It felt sketchy, so we packed everything whenever we went out.

The sunset and views at El Copal are spectacular, among the best in Mazunte. We went for that, and it’s a wonderful place to take in the scenery. If you’re not staying there, as others have said, you have to spend 300 MX each. We were fine with that for a busy hotel when the views are worth it. The food didn’t live up to the setting. We all ordered fish, but the pieces were very thin and cooked far too long, leaving them dry. I’d still recommend going for the views, just don’t expect much from the food.

We liked the value so much that we’d come back. It feels like a little resort, yet you can still walk into town, and we felt safe doing that at night. The view is unreal, and it’s quiet. Food is average, though the fish tacos are some of the best around. Service was a mixed bag, ranging from amazing to rude. The internet was slow and unreliable. It’s a good fit for a younger couple who won’t mind a dry toilet and shower. About 10m.