THE CABANAS
One of the first things Sirena said to me was, "well this place isn't for everyone." And she's right; if you're looking for a sterile 5 star resort, Cancun is only a few hours north and you'll be happier there.

I was a bit apprehensive going with Sirena's after some of the negative reviews, but for the price and the adventure, we went for it. Some of what has been written is true; you will find bugs in your cabana (at least we did in the Casa Chica) but these are authentic bungalows, with no artificial ventilation. The mosquito nets do work, and are necessary if there isn't a breeze blowing, and be prepared for what you might find in the jungle, which is essentially where you're staying. (By the way, off the beaten path in Hawaii you will also find bugs, geckos, and etc. inside homes and hotel rooms...it comes with the climate)


That being said, Sirena is a wonderful hostess who instantly made my wife and I and our two small children feel welcome and at ease. My 4 yr old daughter loved following Sirena around the garden and Sirena seemed to genuinely enjoy her company. The garden (if you can call it a garden) really makes-up the entire property. You feel like you're part of it, rather than just enjoying it from a distance. There are so many beautiful flowers, plants and trees, and if you ask, Sirena knows them all. Coming from the frozen north, my kids loved the ants outside our door (we didn't see any inside, but were careful not to leave food out). As for the sheets being clean, I'm confident that Sirena does clean the rooms, bedding, towels, etc. between guests, but in Punta Allen, as with other tropical places, there is a bit of a funk that seems to cling to the mattresses and linens. It's a warm, humid environment, inside and out and this is just one of those things that seems to accompany paradise. You won't find many clothes dryers here either, so as the clothes dry on the line, they absorb the smells of the environment. You will not find much water pressure anywhere in Punta Allen, (or anywhere outside of the hotel zone in southern Mex. for that matter) as everyone must use cisterns for water storage and you only get what pressure gravity provides. It is adequate, but don't plan-on soaking for a half-hour in the shower.

THE FOOD
Take Sirena's advice on the restaurants. We ate at Muiere Viejo (I think this is how it's spelled) the first night and were impressed. The lobster was good (although the portions were a bit small) and the shrimp nachos were huge and absolutely incredible. I highly recommend trying this dish! There was a little carnival going-on in the town square while we were there so we had amazing fresh churros for desert both nights; without question the best I've ever tasted! We ate at Casa de Ascension the second night and enjoyed it there as well. While not right on the beach, Alberto runs a very clean and well-kept establishment and is certainly no slouch in the kitchen. We enjoyed everything we were served here as well.

THE FISHING
Augustine is a hard-working and knowledgeable guide, and easy to spend the day with. He speaks pretty good English and was very patient with my constant, "como se dice..." (I like to add to my Spanish vocabulary while I'm being poled around looking for fish.) My day of fishing was hampered by bad weather, but I still had one good shot at permit, caught a few bonefish, and a nice barracuda. As with all flats fishing, one day just isn't enough to really get the most of an area and I'm looking forward to fishing a few more days with Augustine in the future.

SUMMARY
In short, Posada Sirena is truly a unique and beautful place. Just keep in mind that it is in a small village in Mexico, not the hotel zone in Cancun or Hawaii. Sirena couldn't be any nicer or more genuine, but she is also very direct and honest (which are virtues I can appreciate) and she expects to be treated similarly by her guests. We found her to be a beautiful person with a fascinating history, who blends well with the little piece of paradise she's carved for herself in Punta Allen.

Our bug bites will heal quickly, but I hope the experience my family and I shared at Posada Sirena will linger until we can return.

What an amazing addition to an already amazing adventure. This hotel is one of a kind, and you won't get better service anywhere in Punta Allen. The rooms are clean, beautiful, spacey and you can save money by using the kitchen. Sirena is a great resource for any info that you might need. The fly-fishing is what brought me to Punta Allen, and I would not stay any where else. I stayed in all of the rooms, and spent a total of 10 days there and have nothing bad to say.

In January of 2010, My partner and I stayed at Posada Sirena in Punta Allen. It was a wonderful experience. Her rooms and cottages are rustic but clean and well equipt. She has everything, just move in. Sirena herself is a wonderful hostess, she goes out of her way to make sure your stay is comfortable. She is delighfully interesting. You need to hear her story. Sirena can help you with all activities in Punta Allen. She knows the scoop on everything. I beleive her prices are fair, and would highly recommend this Posada.

We absolutely loved it. The four of us stayed in the Casa Chica, it was really colorful and the perfect vacation house. We are used to camping so the room was very nice but maybe not for those used to staying in a fancy hotel. The whole place was a big garden and the shade was wonderful to relax in. Not to sound flaky, but it felt very magical with the beautiful garden and sirena's mermaid story. We had everything we needed in the kitchen and every morning we bought fruit and ate breakfast outside in the garden. Sirena was wonderful to talk to, she had the best advice on what to do and where to go. We were there during Semana Santa (easter week) and every night there was a big party going on on the square which was about 100 feet away. If loud music is a problem you probably wouldn't want to come during this week. But if you want to adventure it's the perfect time to go, we had a blast. I would definitely reccomend it we had an amazing time and i didn't want to leave. I definitely hope to go back some time. p.s. I don't have any pictures to post because our camera was stolen at the airport