Sotavento Hotel & Yacht Club

Sotavento Cancun is a small value hotel consisting of 13 one-, two-, and three-story buildings (but no elevators). It has simple, unpretentious architecture and decor, manicured outdoor gardens, and trails throughout the property. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a tiny village where everyone knows and greets each other. The lobby doesn't have much in the way of seating aside from some uncomfortable wooden benches. Gardens with tropical flora create a relaxing setting, while open spaces and well-distributed rooms contribute to a generally quiet atmosphere. Popular among scuba divers, the hotel has an on-site dive center and it is common to see people taking dive lessons in the pool area.

Located on the lagoon side of Cancun, the Sotavento is a 15-minute walk from Playa Langosta. A 100-yard walk away is the main avenue of the Hotel Zone, where the public transport goes all the way to the nightlife and shopping areas. Beaches, small restaurants, convenience stores, car rentals and even a Catholic church are within a 10-minute walk. Across the street is the Embarcadero, one of the main ferry terminals to Isla Mujeres and also the place where several pirates' night shows are held. There is a traditional theater also in this area, with frequent artistic performances, mostly of local interest and in Spanish. A scuba diving center located on-site takes guests on customized excursions along the Caribbean Sea. Cancun International Airport is about a 30-minute drive and downtown Cancun is less than 15 minutes away.

The property features 90 Standard Rooms distributed in 13 buildings around the property. All rooms have two double beds (there are no king-size beds available) and they all are air conditioned (you must insert your old-fashioned key to turn the air-conditioning on). Rooms situated on the ground floor have a small terrace surrounded by vegetation and furnished with two chairs and a table for outdoor dining, but upstairs rooms have a much smaller balcony. There are some rooms with lagoon views but they are subject to availability. Every room comes with a safe deposit box, a flat-screen TV, and a shower with good pressure and hot water. Free Wi-Fi is supposed to be available but the in-room signal may be weak to nonexistent. It's worth noting that the Aquamarina Beach Hotel across the avenue can provide ocean-view rooms and even basic all-inclusive plans for a few extra dollars.

Sotavento Cancun has an outdoor swimming pool and a paddling pool surrounded by tropical flora as well as several umbrellas, loungers, and dining tables. The pool area is open until the early evening, so it can be a great choice after a sightseeing tour. The on-site restaurant is right next door and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a decent selection of Mexican dishes and room service. Built in a tropical style, the restaurant is an open space with a thatched roof. It overlooks the marina, the lagoon, and the yachts, offering a relaxing atmosphere, but sometimes a few birds may come around the food if it is unattended.

The hotel also features a full-service dive center with scuba lessons, diving tours, and even PADI certifications but it is run by an outside company. Public bathrooms are at hand right in the lobby, and around the corner from this area is a book shelf with a miscellaneous selection that can be borrowed during your stay. Free and reliable Wi-Fi is available in the lobby, but the in-room signal isn't nearly as good. Beside the hotel there is a small convenience store selling all kinds of snacks, beverages, and typical fast food for real Mexican prices.