El Nido Holbox

El Nido - meaning 'the nest' in Spanish - couldn't be a more fitting name for this hotel and our entire stay! Upon entering the lobby and check-in area, we were stunned at the thoughtful design, artful décor and lush landscaping - it felt like we had stepped into another, more peaceful place. Our second floor room came with a balcony (and seating) perfect for morning coffee or catching glimpses of the ocean and beach, which is just a short 5 minute walk away. Our room was plenty spacious for two people, always clean and provided with bottled water - our own little nest after a day in the sunshine. During our week-long stay, Isla Holbox experienced an intense windstorm and some flooding, especially in the main part of town also resulting in many area hotels losing power. That was not the case at El Nido, due to their solar power and other alternative (eco) power options. Even though we couldn't get into town as easily with islands' roads partially flooded, we were perfectly happy to relax at the pool and continue enjoying fresh, delicious food from the hotel restaurant & bar! Note - the hotel restaurant is a separate business entity and is cash only. The hotel itself does accept cards, i.e. for check-in. We did plenty of research before visiting Isla Holbox and were hopeful that Hotel El Nido was going to be a most relaxing, peaceful and special getaway - we were not disappointed! Every one of the hotel staff were warm, welcoming, friendly, and we enjoyed interacting with them immensely! They truly helped make our stay memorable!

We booked a balcony room, but upon initially seeing it we felt it lacked some basic hotel amenities I would expect for the price, including a full length mirror, fridge and desk w/chair. The staff were great at relocating us to a patio room that had the above amenities (except the fridge). We unfortunately arrived to rain storms, and Holbox isn’t well equipped for this type of weather. Nearly every road in the town flooded making travel around the island very difficult and expensive. El Nido is around a 25min walk into the centre of town but with the flooding, the walk was much more difficult and taxis were reluctant/refused to take us to and from the hotel. Another qualm was the food. Whilst breakfast was good, we had lunch there. We felt it was below average and very expensive for what it was. We previously ate at Nomad (a 15min walk) where the food was far superior and more affordable. My final issue is with their payment facilities, they only accepted cash, whilst Holbox has a reputation for cash only, we actually found that every other restaurant or beach club we visited accepted cards. The cash only policy is out-dated. The review might sound harsh, but let me assure you that every other element of our stay was great. The staff were helpful and kind, the rooms cleanliness was spotless and pool facilities were great. We also appreciated the quietness and privacy of our room. A couple improvements could make El Nido an exceptional stay.

A peaceful, immaculately designed and decorated retreat with a highly attentive and welcoming staff, good food, and excellent lounging and pool spaces. Staff constantly checked in on us to make sure we were cared for, and the breakfasts were wonderful — coffee, fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries, and a selection of made-to-order plates. We also had a quick lunch before checking out that was tasty. Rooms are minimalist but had all of the necessities, including great fans and AC units. The pool and lounge areas were a real highlights for sure — great vibes for relaxing, reading, and hanging out, just bring or buy some bug spray. Some important to note things about hotel location and the island in general: the hotel is located in a more remote area of the island, so it’s super peaceful and serene with easy access to the bioluminescence bay, but it takes some work to get into town — either a 10-15 min walk or slightly shorter by side-by-side taxi (~250MXN one way). This also means there are more bugs, mosquitos especially, but the staff offers bug spray for purchase. It had rained the day before we arrived, so many of the roads had 4-12” deep puddles spanning the entire width which made walking to town challenging. Good hikers or heavy duty water shoes like Chacos would be great to have.

We had a wonderful stay in El Nido. Beautiful accommodation with very friendly staff. The hotel is not near the center but if the streets are good you can walk over. Otherwise you can just take the funny taxis. Thank you guys for three wonderful days

The Perfect hotel! The rooms are amazing, the ambience, the Vibe, the staff 🤩🤩 Carlo the dog is my new friend. 2 minute walk to the beach that has the best sunset on the Island. Perfect for travelers wanting Peace and quiet! Higly recommend This hotel :-)