i just came from cancun 2 days ago. and i stayed in this hotel so let me tell you that the service was really bad ..

when we came to the hotel people were very rude and as we were going to our room we notice that the housekeeping personal did not have a cart so all the semi clean towels were all on the floor by the stair way.. also they do not have elevators and the rooms do not have a fridge, microwave, iron etc..

then when we went to the restaurant some of the servers were very rude, but the worse part is that when they tell you how much it is. they add the tip without telling you, so you will tip them twice.. because they do not bring a bill to you.. and there excuse is that they do it all by computer.. but when you do it by hand they always charge you more than what it actually is.

so if you go to the hotel sotavento be very careful because they will try to rob you.

The sotavento hotel is full of charm. It is a little more quaint than most of the resorts in cancun, however it is a great place to stay, especially on a budget. The workers are very helpful and friendly, and the food is great. The breakfast that is included is delicious, and they are very helpful in finding excursions and restaurants for you.

Sir:

Had intended to write a comment about the hotel before I left, but the logistics of preparing to catch a flight truncated that thought. I would like to say that I found the hotel a pleasant surprise. I only expected a cheap hotel to stay at away from the noise and incessant hustle of Cancun centro, as a rest stop to facilitate a direct fast flight to New England rather than being forced to hang around airports all day as is required by flying out of Merida, Yucatan. The staff was friendly, helpful, and accommodating in every way without demeaning feigned subservience. The neat tropical gardens were a wonderful screen to block out the sight of the mega structures that comprise most of the hotel zone, creating a real impression of being in a tropical habitat far from the madding crowd. The restaurant/bar palapa served the role well as a place to relax and linger over coffee or beer while enjoying the proximity of the marine ambience. The wireless connection in the palapa was adequate for e-mail and far more pleasant than a lobby or in a room. The “continental” breakfast was unexpected, to have eggs and sometimes bacon included was a total surprise, to not have donuts or 3rd rate pastry was a godsend. As a final positive experience the clientele were extremely compatible, being Mexican, European, Australian and Asian vacationers or business trvelers. There was a shared recognition that nobody was there as Conde Nast fantasy guests on vacation and for the price it would be pretty hard to beat. Those who expect eggs Benedict with lamb rack on the side as the breakfast offering should stay elsewhere and be prepared to pay the price. It met my purposes perfectly so I would have to say a 5.0. I was sufficiently accommodated to prompt me to stay over again when I returned from Boston a month later and avoid arriving in Merida late at night.

Initially I liked this place. I specifically chose to be further away from the craziness of the hotel zone as this was just a one-nighter at the end of a business trip. I had been to Cancun once before for two days and hated it...far too noisy, way too many people, and far too obnoxious for my liking. The hotel is basic, but adequate. It is quiet, like I wanted, and the grounds are really quite pretty. In the morning, a tour guide working for the hotel offered to take me on a tour of the mangroves for $30. I thought, why not, it's different and what a great way to end an already fantastic trip. His boat was right at the hotel dock. I realized quickly, that even though this was his job, I had made a big mistake. He basically accosted me. After demanding to be taken back to the hotel for 15 minutes he finally took me back. Being perfectly aware of the corrupt police culture in the area I did not report the incident as it would have been more trouble than it was worth. Instead, I had the front desk order me a taxi which took me to the airport 6 hours ahead of my scheduled flight. The Yucatan Peninsula is an amazing place, but Cancun is seriously corrupt. If you want to stay here, check the reviews of your hotel for safety issues.