Hotel Xcalak
I would…read moreprobably never have chosen this hotel nor given it a second thought. The local people in charge of the conference I attended booked the room. It just doesn't look like the kind of place I would choose. I normally go for a brand I know or that has sufficient reviews to give me confidence to stay. However I was pleasantly surprised with the cleanliness and comfort.
If you're looking for a touristy place or one with lots of amenities, this place is NOT for you. But if you're looking for a clean and decent inexpensive place to sleep, you should consider Hotel Xcalak (pronounced "EeshcahLAHK")
Most rooms only have windows facing the hall, except for a small vent window in the bathroom leading to an exhaust "chimney". The only rooms with windows to the outside street (on the 2nd and 3rd floors) are rooms ending with the number 6, 7 and 8.
Rooms have: bed, night stand, desk with chair, small flat screen TV, cable, A/C, wifi (requires password), multiple electric outlets, closet, sink, bathroom with toilet and shower, hot water, towels, soap bar, shampoo, mirrors. One of my pillows was a little lumpy, but I "massaged" it into a passable form.
Rooms do NOT have coffee maker, ice, landline phone, microwave, refrigerator, pool, nor any other amenities. Nothing decorative in the room. It's a shower and sleep space. If they offered more I'd award more stars. I was impressed with their cleanliness and friendly staff.
There is a small convenience store directly across the street, and the Pantoja Restaurant (which I did not try) is on the ground floor. An OXXO is 5 blocks away, a rather long walk, but it has more to offer.
I found the personnel to be friendly and helpful.
Hotel Xcalak is located 1 block from the Museum of Mayan Culture and the open market. You can find most anything at the open market which is actually under a roof. Numerous other stores including a pharmacy are also nearby.
The sounds from the hallway resonate off the tile floor, so if there is a lot of movement you may need to keep your AC or a white noise app going.
Overall, if you're in need of a good night's sleep that's easy on the wallet (only 450 pesos, roughly $24 at the time of this writing), you should consider Hotel Xcalak.
