Isla Mujeres is a tiny island that floats in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea just a few hundred feet off the shores of Cancun. The pace of life here is slowed, a lot of people get around on golf carts and there are restaurants, hotels and excursion companies lining the powdery white sands. If you’re heading to the extraordinary island, you’re going to want to stay somewhere equally serene and beautiful.
We have just the place for you. hotel Las Palmas somehow encompasses everything that we love about budget travel, and yet uses lots of comforts expected from high-end luxury lodging. If you’re on your way to Mujeres, you can’t beat this hotel!
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The Rooms
We stayed in the King room which is a bit out of the backpacker spectrum at $100 / night, but Las Palmas also has a few budget rooms for just $65 / night, which is a very good deal on this island. The room was spacious, clean and bright with large windows on two of the four walls. The shower room was also a good size and the shower was incredible, with reliable, high pressure hot water all day and all night.
The bed was spectacular as well and you guessed it… king sized! A large mural spanned the rear wall of the room behind the headboard and there were some tasteful decorations on other walls. There was also a TV, fridge, closet and ample dressers and furniture to adequately fill the room and bring it to life.
The Staff
Safari, the owner’s daughter, gave us a superb welcome to the hotel and told us everything we needed to know about Las Palmas, the neighbourhood and the island while we waited for our room to be readied.
The owner, Kate, was also very sweet and treated us very kindly while we were there, even showing interest in our blog and our lifestyle. The cleaning staff worked hard to keep the place spotless and while some of them didn’t speak English, they were quick to smile and say “hola!” when we returned to the hotel after a day at the beach.
The Las Palmas family (Left to Right: Kate, Safari, Dania)
The Location
Unless you’re set ideal on the sand, you can’t get a much better location than Las Palmas. In fact, I may go as far as to say that the street that the hotel is on is better than the sand because it’s set ideal across from a group of tasty street-food stands and the fruit and veggie market. Playa Norte (the nicest beach on the island) is just a 3 minute walk from the hotel and there are lots of great restaurants within a few hundred meters of the front door.
Just Meters From Sunsets like This!
The Amenities
If you can think of something that you’d expect from a hotel, then Las Palmas probably has it. There’s a small but charming pool, a huge kitchen for guests to use, hammocks, games, wi-fi, massage treatments and more. They even offer guests complimentary coolers and large towels to take to the beach!
When we visited, the wi-fi wasn’t working in the rooms which can be frustrating, but Safari and Kate informed us that their router was down during our stay and usually it works better around the hotel. Wi-fi was, however, still available in the lower common area.
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The common Areas
Hotel Las Palmas had communal areas out the wazoo. There were so lots of great places to hang out, swing in a hammock, eat meals and meet other travellers that it made it hard to leave each day. The rooftop terrace has a beautiful (though heavily chlorinated) pool and a 4-poster bed best for relaxing, or gazing up at the stars at night.
There is also a large kitchen on the roofing with everything you would need to cook a good meal. The hotel also sells chocolate bars, snacks, beers and pops on the roof, some of which are more affordable than you’d ever find in the store. All purchases are based on the honour system which we love as well, when you take a beer, leave the proper pesos in the tin can that’s in the fridge… very cool!
We observed that a new area was being built on an even higher terrace and we’d love to see what it looks like when it’s completed. If you want a room that has the comfort of a hotel, with the communal family feel of a hostel / homestay, then Las Palmas is the place for you.
The Cost
The cost of the hotel was of great value for Isla Mujeres, as budget hostels cost around $50 – $60 USD / night for double rooms. The below rates are inclusive of 19% tax. during low season there is a discount of $10 USD on a lot of rooms.
High season rates – Dec 1, 2013 to may 31, 2014:
One King Bed – $100 us dollars per night
Two double Beds – $100 us dollars per night
King bed with bunk-beds – $100 us dollars per night
King with Street-view Balcony room – $110 us dollars per night
Budget room (One double Bed) 1 person – $50 us dollars per night
Budget room (One double Bed) 2 people – $65 us dollars per night
Penthouse Rooms
Original dream – $120 us dollars per night
Mexican dream – $130 us dollars per night
Room with a view – $150 us dollars per night
Our final Thoughts
Without a doubt, hotel Las Palmas is one of the nicest hotels we’ve ever stayed in (and we’ve been travelling considering that 2008 so that says a lot). We loved the communal areas, the sensational rooftop terrace, the comfy bed and the funky, guest house feel. We’ve always loved boutique hotels because of the special ambiance, and this place feels like a high-end boutique hotel and a good-value hostel all-in-one.
Safari and Kate have done an outstanding job of creating an oasis that matches the appeal and tranquility that Isla Mujeres uses its visitors. We looked at a few other hotels during our stay on the island and Las Palmas was BY far the best. If you’re heading to this fantastic island, it would be a shame to miss staying at this hotel.
Contact Information:
Hotel Las Palmas
Address: Avenida Guerrero 20, Isla Mujeres, 77400 Isla Mujeres, Q.R., Mexico
Phone: +52 1 998 236 5803
Website: www.laspalmasonisla.com
For a lot more information on where to sleep, what to eat and what to do on Isla Mujeres, click here!
A special thanks to hotel Las Palmas for hosing us during our stay on the island. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain our own, despite any complimentary services received.
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