Hotel Scappata

The restaurant is one of the better options along the beach, and possibly in all of Progreso, though I didn’t explore far from the shore. The staff were helpful and accommodating, and the hotel is clean, modern, and in a central spot right on the beach. I chose it because I could get a room facing the water. I think only three of the upper-floor rooms have a beach view. It’s not a luxury five-star resort, but it’s a very good place to stay and I’d come back. I was told the building is about three years old.

The suites are spacious and clean, with a really comfortable bed. We had one of the hotel’s two suites, and the daily housekeeping and soft towels were nice. Our family came along, though, and their rooms were much smaller. Noise was the biggest drawback. We faced the pool and heard loud music from 9am, usually stopping around 10 or 11pm. Guests shouting in the hallway sounded right outside because the rooms are so poorly insulated. Later at night there was traffic, and now and then someone on the malecon would blast music from a speaker at 3am. The bathroom also smelled like sewer every day, so we kept its door shut. The location is great, right on the malecon across from the beach. The hotel seems to be one of the better options in Puerto Progreso, but expect noise. We also found the restaurant very overpriced: 80 euros for six drinks and three starters, including guacamole and bruschetta. We ate at other places on the malecon after that.

Our king room has a lovely ocean view through two big windows, but chaise lounges sit right outside, so there isn’t much privacy if you want to sit there. For $290 USD, I was surprised there was no dresser. There’s a clothes rack, but we’ve had to live out of our suitcases for three days. I was told this room doesn’t come with one, although cheaper rooms do. I’ve stayed in everything from economy motels to luxury hotels and have never had a room without a dresser. There’s also no mini-fridge or microwave, so we had to empty the mini-bar to make room for our food. The room itself is nice, but those missing basics are frustrating.

The hotel is small and nice, and since we didn’t spend much time in the room, its size was fine. Still, a few things made the stay annoying. The rooftop pool server never came by, so we had to go downstairs for drinks several times. At check-in we were given a lot of rules, including that beach towels had to be picked up and returned to reception or we’d be charged. Kind of a hassle. Prices were steep. Four Palomas came to about 1200 pesos, and each beer stein was charged as three beers even though it held only about 2 1/2. I think each stein cost around 600 pesos. Maybe they don’t sell draft beer, or something was broken, but the beer was overpriced too. They also watched us closely if we tried to bring a cooler. You’re better off renting chairs and a tent from other merchants for 400 pesos and bringing your own cooler. The beach cabana staff knew I was staying at the hotel but didn’t give me the guest discount. They got me once, then tried again the next day. I noticed and called them out. We ended up going elsewhere for food and drinks and avoiding the cabanas.