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Tag Archives: Yucatan

Hotels in Mexico

12 / 20 / 159 / 2 / 17

Casa Tia Micha

Casa Caribe

Stella B & B

Breakfast at Hotel Amaite and Spa

Casa Tia Micha

Cabañas Bambu


I put this list together on boutique hotels in Mexico while booking another trip to Mexico and remembering how annoying it is to look through hotel reviews. Especially if you are like me and want the finer things in life— on a writer budget. Sure, Trip Advisor is awesome until you end up at a hotel in “the most charming seaside village” Amy has ever visited only to realize it’s a cheesey, dilapidated port town and that YOU DON’T KNOW WHO THE F AMY IS OR WHAT KIND OF SEASIDE VILLAGES SHE’S EVER BEEN TO.

But, if you are reading this blog you probably know me, or at least know my taste in food. So I figured I can be helpful with hotels too.

I like places that are walking distance from food and away from tourist strips, that are safe and clean, have charm, owned by nice people, and provide good value. I should note that I often stay with people in Mexico, so when I’m not doing that I’ll pay a little more if I can avoid annoying young backpackers, will feel safe, and like my room enough to spend several hours writing in it.

Here’s a list of a few places I’ve stayed, updates are made as I travel.

Morelia:
Casa Xola


There are a few things that make a hotel memorable and one of those is an epic rooftop— and Casa Xola’s is paradise. This four-bedroom boutique hotel is a few blocks from the plaza central and each room is thoughtfully decorated with artesania. On the rooftop enjoy the outdoor kitchen and lounge, a fireplace, and views of the cathedral peaking above the layers of tropical plants (mango and papaya trees included). Breakfast, enjoyed at a large dining table in the kitchen, is included: a variety of fruit, cereals, and yogurts were available and the owner, Arleigh will make eggs upon request. All rooms have bathrooms and wi-fi, and the beds are super comfortable.

Oaxacan Coast: If you want to stay in the San Agustinillo area, Bambu is the place.

Cabañas Bambu


There are 6 cabins, all different and all facing the ocean. I’ve stayed in a lot of cabins on the beach, and these are beautifully constructed with high ceilings and plenty of privacy. In the center of the property is a communal kitchen with a big wood table and it’s nice to chat with other folks as you’re making a meal. The beach is clean, nearly empty at sunrise and not too crowded otherwise. Memo, the owner, is originally from Mexico City but has been here for a while and he and the whole staff are great people.

San Andres Huayapam: Just 20 minutes from Oaxaca, this little town is a quick getaway and also a great place to sample tejate— the cacao drink seen around Oaxacan markets served in jicara cups. The rosita de cacao, an important ingredient in the drink, grows here. Hotel Huayapam Yuu Spa is a former private residence on top of a hill overlooking Oaxaca. There’s a beautiful restaurant serving classic  food from the region, a lovely pool, and tropical plants everywhere.  I didn’t try the temezcal, but a curandera from nearby comes to run it every day.

Tijuana: TJ is an odd place to look for accommodations, many of the options are away from Avenida Revolucion and are generic chain hotels. La Villa Zaragosa is right near the center of things. There is nothing fancy about it but it’s cheap, clean and safe. $45 for double room/night.

Mexico City: The well know Red Tree House was booked, so I explored many options for B&Bs in the Roma and Condesa area. I was staying by myself and knew I would be walking all day so I wanted something a little luxurious, in a neighborhood I knew. Stella B&B was perfect. It’s a 1930s house set behind a gate and tropical courtyards with seven rooms. I stayed in room number 5 and opened my door to bouganvia covered steps every morning. $89/night.

Hotels in Yucatan

HolBox: We stayed at Hotel Amaite for five nights after booking a deal on Expedia and we were super pleased with the value. For our price range it was absolutely the best bet on the beach. Nice rooms with balconies and good breakfast with fruit, homemade bread and jam and coffee. Julie does yoga on the balcony during sunset, it’s dreamy (and sweaty). With the deal our stay averaged $60 for a double room/night.

Valladolid: Casa Tia Micha is a restored colonial home in the center of Valladolid that is well cared for and charming down to every last hand-painted tile. I paid $100 for a night, which was a little steep for Valladolid but for the palace-like room I got it should have been a small fortune.

Isla Mujeres: Hotel Cabañas Maria del Mar is one of the best deals on the beach, and in a quieter area on Playa Norte. The wi-fi is pretty lame, you have to go next door to an outdoor bar to use it and even then it is slow. But I looked around and this was the most affordable but non backpacker-y place on the beach and I was really comfortable. I got a deal for $60/night.

Cancun: I stayed in the most awesome airbnb in a real neighborhood in Cancun. Owned by a very attentive family. I found several tasty cheap places to eat around here. $42/night when most people are paying a million dollars to stay on the nasty strip?? Yes please.

Puerto Morelos: This is a sweet town to stay if you are flying out of Cancun in the morning but don’t want to actually be in Cancun (which was how I felt one night). Only 30 minutes away by bus. Be aware that there is not much swimming here, it’s all reef. Casa Caribe has pleasant, airy rooms across from the beach and offers cooking classes too. $75/night.

More coming soon!

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In Between Meals on Holbox

7 / 30 / 157 / 31 / 16

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It would be easy to spend most of your day lounging in a beach hammock on Holbox. But then you miss smobbin’ around in a golf cart to find the perfect popsicle.

Here are some things to do and snack on in between meals:
Sunset at El Chiringuito
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To make friends on the island look no further than El Chiringuito. It’s on the corner of the beach where the hotels end and the locals gather on a washed up log to watch the sunset. The drinks are big, frozen, made one at a time in a blender and with almost too much care for a place with swings and hammocks for seats. Order whatever they have on the chalkboard, it usually involves mango or mint.

Find Saborines (or bolis)
There’s this fantastic frozen snack I’ve mentioned before on my blog only under the name of bolis, but in holbox they seem to be called saborines. I think boli also means blow job, but I’m not sure which came first. They are essentially paletas in free-form, in plastic bags. You will see signs for them. In all the tropical flavors of coco, guanabana, mamey, nance and more. I saw a handwritten sign for some a few blocks from the plaza but no one was at the front of the house, so I wandered into their patio and a mother and daughter pulled out a few from the freezer.

Take a Boat Trip
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There are a few boat trips you can take from the island. The typical (and most affordable) has three stops: a bird reserve, a cenote and isla de la passion, where you can walk in shallow turquoise waters for a mile and take lots of selfies. Others will take you to see the whale sharks (usually June to September) and there’s another that will take you to the point where the Gulf and the Caribbean meet, called Cabo Catoche. That one is more pricey, but includes a meal made right on the beach and takes up most of the day. We went with the Cooperativa Turistica “Pulperos del Caribe”. When you book your tour be sure to talk to the owner Karateka, he’s got a wealth of knowledge about the island and as his side hustle does animal rescue. As I was interviewing him he got a call about a baby alligator stuck at the pier, so we hopped on bikes to go find him and help him out of the area. Note: baby alligators are scarier than I imagined.

Sip on that Paleta and Juice

“I know, let’s get some mango and coconut paletas and some passion fruit juice, and dump them all in a cup with that havana club you bought.” A good friend says yes to that. And then after buzzing around on our golf cart gathering all the supplies, plus wandering into a creepy convenience store that has two fridges of nothing but coca cola (of course, Mexico) comes up with the brilliant plan of celebrating a well-made mush of frozen drink by riding around in circles, or as we call it in the Bay, doing donuts. We found Paleteria Ancona, where they make everything right there in the morning.

Drink Cocos
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All you boozers bearing your souls to your bartenders, I just found one better. His name is Jorge and he has a coconut cart. During my second Jorge encounter I found him surrounded by older women as he hacked their coconuts with his machete (that sounds way more violent than I intended it to). A young hot guy passed by, arms full of produce. “The best coconut vendor in all of Holbox!” he said, and then asked Jorge if he needed limes, and insisted on dropping off a big bag. Jorge, embarrassed that he didn’t have cash, asked if he could settle up with him later. “Me and you were born settled!” said the hot lime man. With that Jorge and the women started discussing karma. They did not leave for a while, even after drinking their coconuts. I stayed to talk, but also because I was hoping the hot lime man would come back.

Jorge comes walking down the beach usually around 1 p.m. yelling “cocooooos.” His cocos are always cold (and fresh, he gets them himself every morning) and if you bring your coco back to him he’ll chop up the meat for you with a sprinkle of lime and chile.

Chase the Murals
Just before we arrived there was an international public art festival and people from all over descended on the island to paint murals. Which means that a new piece of artwork surprises you around every corner— covering houses, empty buildings and storefronts.

Dance at Tribu
If you haven’t been to an island jam session, you haven’t had the full island experience. This hostel has a balcony bar with live music almost every night, often performed with audience participation. If you’re lucky, you might catch a rendition of “hit the road yack.”

Rent a Golf Cart (go crazy)
You can grab a golf cart almost anywhere for about $50 for four hours. It’s entirely worth it to see the various sides the island. We liked the beach near the hotel Los Nubes and the beach at Punta Coco. If you haven’t been to a Mexican cemetery, pay a (quiet and respectful) visit to this one. Graves are painted in pastel colors and tropical flowers lean over the walls. Just make sure there’s a number to call on your cart in case it breaks down.
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Do Yoga with Juli
Every day at sunset that I wasn’t drinking or going out to eat (so, most days) I did yoga with Juli on the balcony of my hotel. The classes were challenging and refreshing. When I was there she was offering classes at Hotel Amaité and Casa Las Tortugas.

Talk to People
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People are friendly on Holbox, don’t waste that. Plus, there are people working here who come from all over Mexico, so you’ll learn a lot about the rest of the country, as far away as it seems.

On my last day I was looking for someone who would have pity on a gringa and take me out fishing with them. Someone told me to go find an older man at the third house from the pizzeria on the right of the plaza. The house, as a lot of houses are in Yucatan, was open, with two men swinging in hammocks in the living room. The family, including a grandma, mother, brothers, and a toddler were eating ceviche and before I even stated my purpose, they invited me in. Turns out, they were a third generation holbox family. No one was going fishing that day, but they did sit with me for an hour and answer all my questions about life on holbox.

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Hi! I'm Ferron Salniker. Storyteller, event producer, and chilaquiles-enthusiast.

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