the place and staff are pleasant but burdened by cheap management which makes the hotel undesirable. spotty maid service, no TV, air conditioning in only some rooms, smelly toilets, no beach towels. IF YOU BOOK HERE DO IT BY THE NIGHT BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE FULL PAYMENT FOR THE WHOLE STAY AND WILL NOT ALLOW YOU LEAVE FOR ANOTHER HOTEL WITHOUT FULL FORFEITURE. there are several nicer hotels in the area at less price.

Our family of 5 (three teenagers) made a spur-of-the moment decision to stay on Isla Mujeres for our final night in Mexico, and a friend suggested we might find accomodations at the Francis Arlene. Virginia at the front desk greeted us, and within minutes we were changing in to our suits and headed for the beach. She had a triple available for the teens, and my husband and I had a king room. She actually gave me a discounte on the posted prices without my even asking. The rooms are super clean -- some have air condition and television -- and some don't. You might also ask for a room on the main floor if you're someone who can't or doesn't want to climb stairs. Because it's owned by a local Mexican couple, the amenities are typical of that country -- you won't find face cloths, hand towels, shampoo, etc. You should plan on bringing your own products, beach towel, blower dryer, etc. The fellow who owns the hotel is a member of one of the founding families of the island, has been mayor of the island, lived in the US at a young age, and is extremely interesting to talk with once you get to know him. This hotel is a short walk to Playa Norte and a block away from the walking path that runs along the rocky shore and open sea. We walked 2 blocks down the street to the local market in the morning, where we purchased fresh-squeezed fruit juices and great sopes, huaraches and panuchos for very little. The Hotel is an easy stroll from the ferry pier. You can haul your own luggage or snag one of the guys with the triciclos and he'll take your bags right to the hotel. We plan to return to the Francis Arlene later this year and will reserve one of the rooms with kitchen.

The location is fine - the best beach on the island is only a few minutes walk away and the restaurants and bars are about two blocks from the property. The room we had was not expensive, we paid $255 for three nights - we had a/c and a little fridge, cable tv and wi-fi, although the wi-fi was not very strong and took ages to get any data downloaded. It was just after traveling extensively around the Yucatan Pennisula this was the least appealing place I stayed at.

Some of the little things that could be easily improved on were: the linens were very old, there was no bed protector, the towels (only two bath towels, no hand or face towels) were also stained and ripped, there was two cheap bars of facial soap and no other toiletries, and the room, although surface clean was covered in dust on the doors and walls. The staff seemed nice but I'll try somewhere else on next visit.

I stayed at this hotel, in a non-airconditioned room for one night only. It was very clean, perfect temperature, and my bed was comfortable. I went around and looked at other hotels in the area, and for the price, found this one to be a good value for what you get. The pretty decor adds character. When you enter your room, they even have the swan towel animal and a few soaps for you waiting. The bathroom was also very clean. I felt very bad because I had to leave this hotel early, due to an emergency, and did not get to properly clean the room or leave a tip for the maid (which is the tradition).

The people who work at the front don't speak good English - so it's helpful if you know Spanish! They are lovely and can give you an excellent deal on a room. The night guard was the only part I did not like about this place. He understood that I needed some help and did nothing to explain where I could go if I was sick at that hour (the hospital was down the street), and he also refused to let me turn on the hall light so that I could find my way to my room at night without stumbling in the dark. Basically, he creeped me out and was not very helpful, but he was not a dangerous person or anything. Since this guard is there late at night, you are most likely not going to need to interact with him, and all the daytime/early evening staff seemed nice and friendly. It is good for you to know that in general, I found that Isla Mujeres is one of the safest places to be on this planet. Think about it, the island is 4 miles long, with one main road, everyone knows everyone on the island, and there really is no where to run.

Overall, I would recommend this hotel. $40 in high season for a clean, quiet, and comfortable room (and probably cheaper in low-season), so it's hard to go wrong. The air-conditioned rooms are more expensive, more likely have mold, so unless you go in July/August, you can probably just use the ceiling fan and be fine.