Hotel Sal de Mar

We ate at the hotel every day, and the food was delicious. The rooms were amazing and that view, wow! The owner went out of her way to make our stay perfect, and the service was the best we’ve ever had. Bring an SUV for the drive up, though that seems to apply to all the hotels around here. We’re definitely coming back!

The pictures and features looked nice, but we had a terrible stay and checked out early because we couldn’t sleep. Dogs barked through the night, and our room and bed were crawling with insects. We didn’t feel safe walking around after dark because of the wild dogs, and the steep, rough roads made getting there difficult. We damaged our rental car on the road. The neighborhood felt bad, and the hotel is far from the sea. Staff didn’t speak English. We got no refund or apology. For the price, the value in Mexico was abominable. Keep looking elsewhere.

This was just right for a few days of recharging in a cute, comfortable bungalow with a terrace and a charming hammock. The caretakers were kind and welcoming. If you’re after rest instead of lots of excursions, it’s a good fit. We’d been in a very hot Airbnb in Mazunte right off the street, so finding this place felt like a dream. I didn’t feel I needed AC, but it can get very hot here and sometimes cooling the room down helps. Getting there takes some planning. Tell the taxi exactly where to drop you, or you might end up at the staircase entrance, which isn’t great with luggage. With a backpack, the short hike is fine. The area is still developing, and places off the beaten path can be a little challenging, which is part of what that means.

It was a lovely, quiet place, and leaving early to find somewhere closer to the beach took some second thoughts. But the steep hill is a real obstacle. It’s too far and tiring to pop back for a shower or nap, which made relaxing harder. While we were there, the road had washed out and they hadn’t put another route in place, so parts of the walk were a scramble. There was no help taking bags down the hill at checkout, and a quad bike shuttle or something similar would have helped. The building and rooms are lovely, and the service was good. The quiet also means you don’t see many people around. Some windows need better screening from other rooms or the terrace for privacy. On our last day, the water was cut off and there was fresh paint in the pool.