Villas Picalu Lodge

We just got back from a seven-day family trip to Playa del Carmen. We booked this B&B thinking it was the same Villas Picalu we stayed at in 2012, but very little of that old place remains. The original Villas Picalu was sold to Alberto and Sonia after the previous owners, Alejandrina and Roberto, expanded their business to Holbox island. Alejandrina and Roberto made guests feel at home. The rooms used to be large and lovely, and breakfast included fresh fruit and juice, Mexican bread, homemade coffee, and eggs cooked however you wanted. The current location is different, and the house felt below average and in need of maintenance. The rooms are very small. In the suite, the AC couldn’t cool both rooms, and one was so hot it was practically unusable. The bathroom faucet had stains that looked like dirt. The owners said it was a water problem and tried cleaning it more, but it still looked the same. The curtains were hard to open and close and didn’t cover the window fully. The AC also switches off whenever you leave the room, so we had to turn it on again many times a day. The WC was the smallest I’ve ever seen, and the lid wouldn’t stay up, which was really uncomfortable for my husband. The couch was old and broken. The dog was another serious concern. Sonia said it was completely safe for my three-year-old daughter to pet, but it tried to bite her without being provoked. They didn’t apologize and said, “well, he is trying to know her.” Sonia’s parents were also staying there and seemed angry with us, as if they didn’t want us there. Sonia tried to be nice, but Alberto was rude and unwelcoming. Breakfast was practically nonexistent. Everything cost extra, even coffee, unless you wanted the awful instant coffee mixed with boiled water. Fresh fruit and juice were extra too. When we asked for two eggs each, Alberto seemed annoyed and brought one plate with all four eggs for us to serve ourselves. We ate there only the first morning, then skipped the included breakfast and went to a delicious local restaurant instead. We planned to stay six nights but couldn’t take it and found somewhere else, leaving after four unhappy nights. We’ve stayed at many B&Bs in Mexico, Spain, France, and the USA because we love the welcoming feeling, and this was my worst experience. The owners don’t seem to know how to make guests feel at home or offer the little extras. Instead, they charge guests for them. I’m pretty sure Alberto or Sonia will deny this or make excuses, as they have with other bad reviews. Their bitter, aggressive replies to unhappy customers make me expect the same treatment from them. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this B&B.

I was concerned I’d arrive late because something always delays me at CUN airport, and the car rental took 90 minutes. Alberto and Sonia replied quickly, assured me they could meet me after 11 p.m., and even gave me a wifi password in case my phone didn’t work. Alberto stayed up to show me around, which I appreciated since they had to be up early. The place has been beautifully renovated and is very clean and welcoming, with what looks like brand-new AC and TV. It’s close to Under the Jungle dive shop, in a safe gated community where I felt comfortable leaving my luggage in the rental car for the first time in Mexico. Restaurants are just a short walk away.

We had a lovely week here and would be happy to stay again someday. It was clean, tidy, and everyone was very friendly. Alberto and his wife shared some great places to visit, and we were glad we followed their suggestions.

The hosts were wonderful, and the place was very clean. We had a pleasant stay and would definitely recommend this bed and breakfast to anyone visiting Puerto Adventures.