Villa Mozart y Macondo

The room was bare and small, so we kept our suitcases on the floor. We had to push to get curtains for the bright window and hot water in the shower, which took three days. There were no extra amenities like a pool or a place to gather, and the rate was high at 100.00 US dollars per day. Despite the seaside description, this basic hostel-like hotel is more than half a kilometer and 157 stairs from the beach, with no water view.

The garden is beautifully cared for, really like a little jungle, and the rooms are clean with daily service. Staff were very nice, and breakfast was lovely. It’s also just a few steps from popular Carrizalillo beach and the bars and restaurants along Boulevard Benito Juarez.

This rundown hotel’s published rating doesn’t match the stay. We had no cabinets or drawers, so lived out of our suitcases, and the floor was painted concrete. The room wasn’t very clean. There were no curtains to block the sun, so we woke at sunrise, and the WiFi was extremely slow, frequently dropping and needing to reconnect. We also noticed some visitors had a dog in their room. It isn’t on the beach. You walk 300 meters, then go down a very steep 157 stairs to reach it, and the beach access wasn’t as described. The hot water was off; after four days of complaints, they turned it on. At arrival there were heated arguments demanding cash in advance, and staff said they couldn’t charge credit cards, which was all we had. We said we’d pay the next day, and then a credit card machine appeared. Be prepared, no one speaks English, and the attitude was hard-nosed.

Angelica, Ale, and the rest of the team are locals, and I’m glad to support them. In Puerto, I’ve seen a lot of gentrification and colonization happening in real time, with many businesses and restaurants owned by “extrajeros,” or non-locals. This hotel feels more like a local community than a hotel, tucked into a little jardin. It’s only steps from Playa Carizalillo, though I wish I’d made more of that during my two nights. I liked being closer to “El Centro” than I’d been in La Punta. My room was nearest the cafe, so I woke when the staff arrived and the morning music began for diner and residents. Their chocolate con agua caliente is lovely and frothy, easily the best chocolate con agua I had in Puerto. The room was clean and spacious for a solo traveler. The bed was two smaller twins pushed together. The shower, sink, and toilet were all together, which felt pretty nice after tighter quarters during my stay in Oaxaca de Juarez. The water warms up after a few minutes, and with a cold shower and the fan on I always felt cool. Such a special place, laid-back and not bougie. They treat you like family. Gracias para todo Angie y familia!