Playa La Media Luna Hotel

Positives: Great location directly at the beach and short walking distance to the famous Playa Norte and down town with many restaurants and bars. Great view towards the sea from the room and pool area. Nice pool and there was available sun beds for all guests at this time of...

Positives: Great location directly at the beach and short walking distance to the famous Playa Norte and down town with many restaurants and bars. Great view towards the sea from the room and pool area. Nice pool and there was available sun beds for all guests at this time of the year (unlike the experience others have described in their reviews). Really great to watch the sunset and its spectacular colours over the sea. Negatives: The hotel and especially the room are worn out and should be modernised. Smell of damp, mold and anti-insect spray in the room. Unfortunately it is not allowed to swim in the sea in front of the hotel because of the many rocks.

I have wanted to stay here for years as the location seemed so quiet yet so close to all the action and North beach. First off the good things. Our room was basic but super clean! And our patio overlooking the pool and amazing ocean view was fantastic. Housekeeping was...

I have wanted to stay here for years as the location seemed so quiet yet so close to all the action and North beach. First off the good things. Our room was basic but super clean! And our patio overlooking the pool and amazing ocean view was fantastic. Housekeeping was great and never disappointed us. They seemed to run out of bedspreads half way thru our week long stay and we ended up with an old brown blanket for a bed covering for the last half of the week. Our door had a large gap under it so I used a towel in the floor to stop any creepy crawlies from coming to visit. Air conditioner, fridge, coffee pot and shower all worked great and the water pressure was fantastic. Why I won’t return had nothing to do with the room and everything to do with the ambiance. The staff (excluding housekeeping) seem bothered that you are even there. I have never felt more unwelcome as I did with the staff of this hotel. Not a welcome, or a hello, heck even when we checked out not a thank you or hope you come again. Everywhere else on the island people are friendly but not at this front desk. The ‘continental breakfast’ does not exist, the room now seems to be used by staff as a lunch room (although there is a coffee urn you can use) . The outdoor areas show major signs of neglect. The wooden walkways and stairs to the rooms remain unswept. The walkway to the beautiful pool included a hole with an old piece of plywood over it and an abandoned mattress leaning against the wall. The outdoor bar is rotten and the wood veneer is peeling. Such little things BUT it certainly would be easy to fix. I wait all year for my visit to this lovely island but felt like an unwanted guest at this hotel.

Nice hotel and good location. We walked from the ferry and were able to check in early. It was a little convoluted getting to our room, having to walk to the back building and up 2 flights of narrow stairs. The room was spacious and cool. Bathroom was a decent...

Nice hotel and good location. We walked from the ferry and were able to check in early. It was a little convoluted getting to our room, having to walk to the back building and up 2 flights of narrow stairs. The room was spacious and cool. Bathroom was a decent size although the toilette was cramped next to the shower. Shower pressure was on the weaker side but the temperature was good. The bed was on the harder side but did have a thin pillow top. Pillows were decent. There was a fridge, microwave and coffee maker with coffee filter pods. The patio was spacious although the view wasn’t that great. The blackout shades worked really well. House keeping came daily. There was a filtered water dispenser in the lobby and floor below us. Brewed coffee was available in the lobby every morning. There was plenty of parking in front of the hotel. Lounge chairs were available around the pool and on the beach. The beach area was small and somewhat rocky but nice to lay out with access to the water. Check out was at noon but you can store your luggage. Pros: location to restaurants, ferry and Playa Norte, beach access Cons: stairs to get to room, shower pressure

This is a fairly intimate hotel - it never felt busy or crowded, and the secluded beach in front of the hotel felt like our own. Yet it just steps away, a very short walk on the beach to be on the lagoon of Mia Reef and then on to...

This is a fairly intimate hotel - it never felt busy or crowded, and the secluded beach in front of the hotel felt like our own. Yet it just steps away, a very short walk on the beach to be on the lagoon of Mia Reef and then on to Playa Norte and its beautiful expanse of sand and selection of beach clubs. It is short walk to anything - to restaurant streets like Hidalgo, to convenience stores, bank machines - it felt like a great location, but a little hidden. We like being right next to Hotel Secreto and its lovely rooftop terrace, which welcomes visitors for drinks between 5-9. There is no restaurant in this hotel - however in the morning there is free coffee in the lounge, there are water coolers to refill bottles, and there is a bar fridge to keep drinks and snacks. Standouts for breakfasts included Oh My Brunch, North Garden, and Lola Valentina, which were a short walk. We had a garden view room, which was very tranquil, the generous balcony had a hammock, and we looked on to an inner court with a pool. The room had everything one would expect, along with large shower, lots of storage space, and very comfortable beds. Were I to return, I would be curious to try the king size bed with the balcony that faces the water. Note that this hotel faces towards rougher waters, but we enjoyed watching the waves, on some days it attracted people taking photos and videos of the crashing waves. There is a nice walkway along the water heading south to continue to admire these waves. And no worries about not being able to swim, because you are so close to Playa Norte, it is just a short walk around the corner. A hotel that I would recommend to anyone.

Starting with the good.. the view is fabulous! There are 3 pools (1 is hidden) and a beach that you basically have to yourself! You can’t swim in it as it’s very rough waves and rocky but there are little pools of water that form around the rocks that you...

Starting with the good.. the view is fabulous! There are 3 pools (1 is hidden) and a beach that you basically have to yourself! You can’t swim in it as it’s very rough waves and rocky but there are little pools of water that form around the rocks that you can wade in and see little fish. It is very close to Playa Norte and Hidalgo Street which I liked. The beds were very comfortable best pillows I’ve had at a resort. The bad..we reserved The room with a Discover card (over a month in advance) that we planned on paying with, only to be told they don’t take Discover once we arrived so we had to put it on our Debit/Credit Visa card. You’ve had our card, a quick phone call or email and we would’ve been prepared for $800 coming out of our main checking account! Then they require a $200 deposit for room issues but don't take “debit” cards so there went $200 of our cash we had to pay as all we brought were Visa and Discover. Figured 2 major credit cards was fine! Then we rented a golf cart from the front desk, we paid about $50 more than anyone else on the island! They just called an island rental for us (not the hotels own carts). Told we could pay cash or Visa only to be told later by a different front desk person that it HAD to be cash! You get 2 beach towels and was told you can change them out anytime however every time we went to change them out, they were always being washed. Very frustrating. The hotel is very dated but that’s to be expected on a island and unless you talked to staff, nobody went out of their way to say hello. In all it was fine but make sure wherever you go on the island you make sure what form of payment they take. And bring tons of cash! A few other minor issues but nothing huge. It’s great for the price at the end of the day just wish we were told about all the forms of payments expected since they DID accept our Discover for the hotel reservation

We had a great stay at this hotel—it was the perfect fit for our trip! The location is ideal, right in the heart of everything you’d want to experience on the island. The pool was lovely—super clean and well-maintained. Our only small gripe is that the hotel faces east, so...

We had a great stay at this hotel—it was the perfect fit for our trip! The location is ideal, right in the heart of everything you’d want to experience on the island. The pool was lovely—super clean and well-maintained. Our only small gripe is that the hotel faces east, so if you're looking to catch the sunset, you'll have to head elsewhere, but that’s something out of the hotel's control. There was some confusion about getting towels. On our first day, the hotel ran out, and we weren’t informed that there’s a specific time you need to pick them up. It wasn’t until it happened again the next day that staff finally explained the policy to us, which was a bit frustrating. However, once we knew the system, it wasn’t an issue. Overall, the hotel felt very safe, and we would definitely stay here again.

Love this hotel! Great location! Within walking distance to shopping and restaurants. The pool is fantastic with beautiful view and a great beach..although not swimmable..but you can walk around the corner to Playa Norte beach…about a 5 minute walk. What is great about this boutique hotel is that it is...

Love this hotel! Great location! Within walking distance to shopping and restaurants. The pool is fantastic with beautiful view and a great beach..although not swimmable..but you can walk around the corner to Playa Norte beach…about a 5 minute walk. What is great about this boutique hotel is that it is quiet and private but close to everything. We booked a king Oceanview room. You can hear the waves from your room if you open your slider. We were on the third floor at the end. Room #30. The room was very spacious with plenty of drawers and storage for your clothes. A nice size refrigerator that stayed really cold and great A/C that operated by remote control. Which was great if you are in the bed and need to adjust. You have to climb steps to your room which did not bother us but they have someone carry your luggage for you..so that was great! Great maid service. Cleaned our rooms every day and replenished towels. You are given a card to exchange for beach towels everyday. Pretty nice beach towels. This hotel actually has 3 pools. One larger and smaller pool on the ocean and a third one in the center of some garden view rooms. We were at the hotel during the tropical storm so the bar at the pool was closed for most of the time but we had a few nice hours and the bar was open and we got a delicious margarita. Only con..no internet or WiFi…due to the weather. We will definitely be back.

This place perfectly checks all the boxes for us! It's close to the action, but from our balcony is was silent, just the wind and waves. We had one of the jacuzzi suites, plenty of hot water, we used it a lot. Note that if you've got a balcony, the...

This place perfectly checks all the boxes for us! It's close to the action, but from our balcony is was silent, just the wind and waves. We had one of the jacuzzi suites, plenty of hot water, we used it a lot. Note that if you've got a balcony, the tile out there is slick when it gets wet. This place isn't the Four Seasons, so don't come expecting that. House keeping came in daily and cleaned up our room, floor was clean. We don't need the bells and whistles, and who goes to Isla to sit in their room..... Most of the employees were wonderful, especially the young woman at the front desk. I say most, because we had one older man working the front desk that gave us such a hard time about wanting to exchange towels. Bro, it's a towel, is this really worth the hard stance. Not a big deal. This leads me to my only suggestion, after my experience and reading other reviews, y'all just need to get some more beach towels, it's a simple fix:) Love the location and yes we'll be back!

We recently spent three nights at this hotel while we explored and relaxed on Isla Mujeres. The hotel is well located on the north east side of the top of the island, meaning it is well placed for the famous Playa Norte and accessing the restaurants and bars in town,...

We recently spent three nights at this hotel while we explored and relaxed on Isla Mujeres. The hotel is well located on the north east side of the top of the island, meaning it is well placed for the famous Playa Norte and accessing the restaurants and bars in town, but quiet and secluded enough on its own beach cove, which while you can’t swim there, affords a peaceful retreat from the crowds. It’s like having the best of both worlds - great access and tranquility. The hotel has a nice pool looking out to the sea and comfortable rooms, albeit leaning to the more basic side. A couple of observations: - There is no breakfast facility here, but lots of good places close by - Coffee Break and Oh My Brunch were both good. - While there are coffee machines in the rooms and one near the reception, they only offered single use polystyrene cups when we were there, which is very disappointing given the need to protect the island’s ecosystem and environment. - The tv has a couple of Spanish language channels, which is fair, and the “smart tv” functions (ie Netflix) didn’t work. Not a major point, as we were out exploring all the time. - The reception staff could be friendlier and more present/visible, especially as they make you wear a plastic tag/wristband to ensure only hotel guests use the facilities/for security reasons. We saw the hotel cat at the door more than we did staff members!

I have stayed at many places on Isla Mujeres, mostly on Playa Norte. When we arrived on March 31 for second week of our trip, we thought we would give this hotel a try disappointed. The hotel staff, was the rudest, seem like they didn’t want us there. The hospitality...

I have stayed at many places on Isla Mujeres, mostly on Playa Norte. When we arrived on March 31 for second week of our trip, we thought we would give this hotel a try disappointed. The hotel staff, was the rudest, seem like they didn’t want us there. The hospitality at this establishment was the worst that I have ever experienced on the island. The pool area was beautiful however they had 12 to 15 chairs to sit around the pool, the rest of them which were on the side of the building were all broken. When I arrived there and checked into my room, I literally called the hotel that we had just stayed at to see if they had any rooms available because I didn’t want to stay here. When I asked the staff if we could check out early and just pay for the day that we had been there they told me that all accommodations are nonrefundable.

We are here for our 2nd stay at this property. It is a great place to stay without breaking the bank. The location is perfect and peaceful yet a short walk to hildago. It has 3 pools that are very nice! We have had both the ocean view room and...

We are here for our 2nd stay at this property. It is a great place to stay without breaking the bank. The location is perfect and peaceful yet a short walk to hildago. It has 3 pools that are very nice! We have had both the ocean view room and the garden view room. Both rooms have been clean and the A/C is super cold! The water pressue is good here and our water has been steamy hot! We will be back again!!

My wife and I stayed in early December. I had stayed there on an earlier visit 20 years ago and was eager to see it again. It has expanded a little, but still embodies the relaxed small-hotel charm that helped cause me to love Isla Mujeres years earlier. It is...

My wife and I stayed in early December. I had stayed there on an earlier visit 20 years ago and was eager to see it again. It has expanded a little, but still embodies the relaxed small-hotel charm that helped cause me to love Isla Mujeres years earlier. It is close to the restaurants and amenities of town but quiet and tucked away at the end of its own leafy lane. There are three small pools, and a lovely deck overlooking a little beach toward the east, perfect for evenings under the stars or morning coffee watching the sunrise. The rooms are spacious, with refrigerators and coffee makers, and balconies with comfy hammocks. Purified water dispensers and beach towels are convenient. A little cafe area downstairs provides coffee, tea, and a microwave. The staff was friendly and attentive. The location is perfect. It feels secluded, but Playa Norte is just a couple of blocks away, and the calm waters of Playa Secreto can be reached directly from the hotel’s beach via a verdant path along the sea. The hotel’s own beach is too rocky for swimming, but has crystal waters and sandy tide pools with tropical fish. The guests were friendly and chill, mostly independent travelers and couples. The hotel is not fancy by modern Riviera Maya standards, but is romantic and embodies the laid-back charm of the island. For the money I wouldn’t stay anywhere else, and I hope it still has the same spirit in another 20 years.

Dated but a real gem! We had the king jacuzzi room and it was beautiful! Large room and balcony..or I should say patio …which had three chairs, two lounge chairs, a small table, and the jacuzzi, all with an amazing view. Toiletries provided are soap and shampoo (no conditioner or...

Dated but a real gem! We had the king jacuzzi room and it was beautiful! Large room and balcony..or I should say patio …which had three chairs, two lounge chairs, a small table, and the jacuzzi, all with an amazing view. Toiletries provided are soap and shampoo (no conditioner or lotion so bring your own). We travel a lot, and I must say that our room attendant, Ivan, was the best we have ever had. He was excellent! Our room was always so well cleaned every single day. We even received a clean bedspread every other day. It would be nice if there was a snack bar or restaurant on site. The jacuzzi was temperamental but nice just the same.

First time experience at this facility and it was a good one. We were on the 2nd floor king room with view of courtyard and sea. The room was clean and comfortable. We had no hot water but alerted the staff and it was immediately fixed! AC was awesome. You...

First time experience at this facility and it was a good one. We were on the 2nd floor king room with view of courtyard and sea. The room was clean and comfortable. We had no hot water but alerted the staff and it was immediately fixed! AC was awesome. You can’t find a better place with access to beach walking, a short walk to services and close up views of the sea!

We really like the hotel, located in a quiet area but walking distance to everything. Very comfortable bed, not a beach for swimming in front of it but you still can go in the water and not busy . They have a resident cat that welcomes you at the lobby.

Would stay here again. Hotel setting is beautiful with pool & beach access- very relaxing. Rooms were perfect, and hammocks on balcony a welcome touch. Staff were friendly & helpful. Location is pretty central although the walk up the drive is a little rustic. The only criticism would be when...

Would stay here again. Hotel setting is beautiful with pool & beach access- very relaxing. Rooms were perfect, and hammocks on balcony a welcome touch. Staff were friendly & helpful. Location is pretty central although the walk up the drive is a little rustic. The only criticism would be when booking, it said construction would be starting September 1st but it had already started when we arrived in August and was a little noisy at times but not the worst.

The only good thing about this hotel is the location…beautiful view from many of the rooms & pool deck, and close to many restaurants. Beyond that, it is among the worst hotels where I’ve ever stayed. Yes, it could have been dirtier, but who wants to have black feet if...

The only good thing about this hotel is the location…beautiful view from many of the rooms & pool deck, and close to many restaurants. Beyond that, it is among the worst hotels where I’ve ever stayed. Yes, it could have been dirtier, but who wants to have black feet if you walk around barefoot in the room a few minutes after cleaning them in the shower, and who wanted to walk around the pool deck which is never swept, has bird poop splattered on it, and have ants walking all around. When we first arrived, there were not nearly enough umbrellas for shade at the pool (about 6) and a number of them were broken; also a number of umbrellas stands were broken as well so they inserted a curtain rod or rebar to help stabilize the umbrella. When they finally received some new umbrellas, they were small, but worse yet, they didn’t fit the umbrella stands so there were flying umbrellas when it was windy; one woman almost got harpooned and my husband was hit in the head. They also did add some shading to one area of the pool deck…above the dirty couch and dirty chairs. For some reason, birds seem to fly over the hotel…and poop, on the tables, on the chairs, on the pool deck…none of which are ever cleaned. One time, I wanted to exchange my beach towel for another and they said no…until I said that a bird pooped on it and they begrudgingly gave me a new towel. They didn’t empty the garbage cans very often at the pool…so we avoided the area where the garbage was…too many ants on the ground and chairs. Also, they do no maintenance by the pool…the palm trees desperately needed to be pruned and have overripe coconuts removed. One small coconut did fall on my husband’s knee. I did notice that a number of guests who stayed there, went to a different beach every day. We saw guests trying to fix the broken umbrellas, and scoop out debris from the pool with a net. Regarding the pool: My husband started itching after going in the pool, but he is sometimes is allergic to the chemicals used in pools. When I went in the pool, after a little while, I started itching too…it wasn’t until I rinsed off at the outside shower that I stopped itching; I never went in again. Then we realized that we never saw anyone cleaning the pool. And the pool bottom did feel a little slimy. They do clean the room daily, but the broom and mop are such poor quality that they can’t do a good job. They only give you worn out bath towels, no hand towels. And after taking a shower, the bathroom floor got enough water on it to make it a bit slippery. I almost forgot to mention….bugs in the room (mosquitoes, tiny ants). I had to use bug spray in the room. They only gave you 1 room key and you could not latch the door without locking it…so if my husband left the room earlier than me, he would have to lock the door so that I would have privacy, but then I couldn’t leave the room later to join him because I had no key to lock the door with. With poor wifi, it was very tough to let him know that I was ready to leave the room. There is also very poor wifi in the lobby. Also, who wants to stay at a hotel where the staff is not friendly at all (except for the bartender at the pool and one person who cleans the rooms). I speak some Spanish and I made it my mission to be as friendly as possible so that I would get a smile and a “Buenos dias”. It didn’t happen. One evening, we even saw the owner of the hotel as she returned. I said Buenos Noches first, and I barely received a “Buenos Noches” back. The Mexican people are so beautifully warm and the staff probably isn’t because the owner isn’t. The free coffee is good in the morning, but they don’t like to refill it when it is empty…and one time, at 10:00AM, they said no. Security: although they give you wrist bands so that only guests can use the pool, etc., there were a number of people whom we saw use the pool & pool chairs, and walk through the hotel without wrist bands on. There was NEVER anyone at the front desk, unless you rang the bell for help. There are dogs and cats around the hotel, in case anyone has severe allergies. And, If you read anything about this hotel is “adults only”, it is not. I’m sure that you are wondering….why did we stay? We were with friends who have stayed there a couple of times, and at first, we didn’t want to offend them by saying how terrible this hotel was. But then, after a bit of time, we did ask to see if they would give us any money back if we left (as you can guess, the answer was no). And lastly, I think that we would have left without getting any money back, some other friends were going to visit Isla for the day so we wanted to see them. Believe me, we were counting the days. This hotel has good “bones”…great location, but so poorly maintained. I can’t understand why there are a few people who go there year after year…don’t they know that you can get better CLEAN hotels at roughly the same price? Perhaps it is the need to get away from the cold in the US and have a beach vacation, but when part of the beach is in the hallways and your room, it is not pleasant.

Great location and view! Just stayed for the second time and will stay again. Couple of minor improvements would help. There is no way to get the sand off your feet before entering the room. Yes there is a foot wash coming off the beach but by the time you...

Great location and view! Just stayed for the second time and will stay again. Couple of minor improvements would help. There is no way to get the sand off your feet before entering the room. Yes there is a foot wash coming off the beach but by the time you walk on the sandy rocks to your room you are tracking sand inside. I never saw them sweep or wash the rocks. My hairdryer only blew cold air and friends room had no hair dryer. Only one side of the bed had a night stand. Bartender was great at the pool!

This was a fantastic boutique hotel, in Isla Mujeres. The hotel is located right on its own small beach, around the corner from the busy Playa Norte beach. It has a beautiful pool overlooking the ocean and wonderful balcony rooms with terrific views. It is only blocks away from many...

This was a fantastic boutique hotel, in Isla Mujeres. The hotel is located right on its own small beach, around the corner from the busy Playa Norte beach. It has a beautiful pool overlooking the ocean and wonderful balcony rooms with terrific views. It is only blocks away from many restaurants and shops, but is private and a quieter place to relax.

I killed a fly on the wall and the ants ate the fly so it was totally gone in an hour. One advantage of having ants in your room! While sitting at the pool I was crapped on 3 times by birds. Not the resorts fault but still unpleasant. The...

I killed a fly on the wall and the ants ate the fly so it was totally gone in an hour. One advantage of having ants in your room! While sitting at the pool I was crapped on 3 times by birds. Not the resorts fault but still unpleasant. The beds were comfortable and the room was large, plus drinkable bottled water and good free coffee was provided. Other than the nice quiet air-conditioning and great view I only have issues. Everything was dirty even the room floor. When you walk from the shower to the bed your bare feet are already dirty. The room was filled with mosquitoes so you get a lot of bites while you sleep. We used a full can of off bug repellant to survive our stay. Most all the umbrellas were broken so people got up before dawn to reserve their chair and umbrella by putting a towel on the chair. The resort got a few new umbrellas but the old home made holders did not hold them in so on a windy day I got hit very hard on the head. I asked at the desk if I would get any money back if I left early. The answer was "no" because you did not cancel a week before. There was no interest in finding out if anything was wrong. Some of the staff were pleasant but most were not. The one really good employee was the young man at the pool bar. He was always very helpful setting up chairs etc. I took a picture of some pool side tables that had not been wiped off or cleaned during our stay. Look carefully and the nice table has lots of bird droppings. No one would think of wiping them off. I was amazed to find that many guests are regulars. I just can't imagine why.