City Express by Marriott Villahermosa

The rest of the stay was okay. At check-in, though, four people at the desk were helping one group decide whether to stay while I waited with a reservation, despite having an early flight the next day.

They were painting two rooms on our floor, and we smelled paint all night. Our room was very simple, dirty, and had no light. Breakfast was poor too. They said they had no forks, and much of the food they offered was missing. I also saw staff mixing water into the orange juice. There were no vegetables or fruit for dinner. The room was very expensive compared with other places. An unforgettable experience, in the worst way.

There’s a pool you can use, though you have to watch the hours if you want to enjoy it. This is a nice little hotel close to almost everything, with a sister hotel next door, and both are owned by Marriott. My one complaint: no ice, and Tabasco in April is freaking hot, close to 41 celsius.

We paid $80 and came away unsatisfied and annoyed. The rooms are small and basic, with no fridge, and the windows don't open. The pool closes at 8 pm. It seems suited to a short business stop or overnight sleep, not families. Check-in took over 60 minutes. The receptionists were nice, but extremely slow and didn't speak English. Poor value for money.