Diving Lodge Puerto Morelos

The rooms are large, with a shared balcony overlooking the sea, but they’re dated and only have basic facilities. Breakfast was disappointing and didn’t offer much variety: a cup of coffee, fruit or orange juice, scrambled eggs plain or with ham, white bread, potatoes and refried beans. Changes to the menu cost extra. Getting into town takes about 45 minutes on foot along the beach, or an hour by road. Taxis cost 350 pesos for a ten-minute trip, much more than we expected. When we visited in June, the beach had so much seaweed that the air smelled of fish. The hotel’s stretch was covered, while other hotels along the beach managed the seaweed for their guests. The staff were generally unwelcoming, though Luis was really helpful. At arrival, the receptionist asked for an additional 30 pesos per night in cash as an environment tax, even after we showed it was included in our booking fee. When we questioned it, the reason changed to a cleaning fee, then the charge was dropped after more questions. The hotel felt dated and overpriced, and we wouldn’t recommend it even for a short stay.

The ocean view is the best part. The bed was comfortable and breakfast was OK, but everything else needs sprucing up or replacing. The photos look quite good, which made the disappointing condition more of a letdown. The drive to the hotel is terrible. I can only imagine how nervous you’d feel trying to find your way there for the first time at night. I wouldn’t recommend it unless, like us, you need a one-night stay near the airport. You need a car.

We had a fabulous four-night stay. The room was large, comfortable and clean, and the huge balcony had a hammock and a chair to relax in. Ask for the third or fourth floor if you want great views. The pool is just steps from the ocean and never felt overcrowded. The beach itself is small and has lots of seaweed, so it’s not great for lounging, but having the pool right there made that fine for us. The food was great, though the menu is limited. Puerto Morelos is easy to get to, with lots of bars and restaurants and a really nice grocery store for other necessities. We biked to town in about 30 minutes because walking an hour along the beach was too hot, and taxis weren’t cheap at 300 pesos one way. The hotel staff were so kind and helpful, and the cost was super reasonable. Staying here was a great alternative to an all-inclusive. We used what we saved on the hotel to explore town, and we’d 100% stay again.

What makes this an easy four-star stay for me is the setting and the people. It feels very secluded, the pool is stylish, the rooms are roomy, and the balconies have fantastic views. The staff and waiters were amazing, especially Fernando and Marcos. The food was really, really good, even though a few menu items weren’t available, and drinks were good and reasonably priced. The front desk can get you a taxi; Uber isn’t an option. I also felt very safe, with guards around and other hotel properties nearby that have plenty of security. Getting around is the tradeoff. It’s far from downtown Puerto Morelos, so you’ll need a taxi unless you fancy an hour’s walk each way. The beach route is about 2.4 miles, which we walked one day, and seaweed made it an interesting stroll. At certain times of year, especially April, the seaweed can be bad and the ocean apparently isn’t swimmable across Cancún then. Since the hotel is so far out, you’ll mostly eat at its very good restaurant, though you can stay downtown for dinner and taxi back. At night, the road isn’t well lit or paved, but I still wouldn’t worry about safety. For me, it’s above three stars but short of five, a solid four.