Casita de Maya Boutique Hotel

Casita de Maya is an intimate two-story boutique hotel centered around a small swimming pool in a cute courtyard. Guests enter the property through a stone archway that leads to a casual lobby area. A bar and comfy furniture serves as the reception area. The space is set up like a living room with a large flat-screen TV, book exchange, and extensive DVD library. Coffee is set on the bar every morning, and there's free filtered water but cocktails and beer aren't available. The small dipping pool has a waterfall feature that provides ambient noise to the space. Colorful flowers, plants, and hand-painted signs add splashes of color, as does a hand-painted mural of the island. Second-story rooms are accessed via a wooden staircase near the entrance of the hotel. The American owner, Daniel, lives on-site and is more than happy to provide directions, restaurant recommendations, and answer questions about Cozumel.

The majority of visitors here are international couples on vacation. Kids are welcome, but families with small children should note that rooms on the ground floor lead directly to the pool without a safety gate. 

Casita de Maya is as close to the airport as you can get in Cozumel, but doesn't look or feel like an airport property and on our visit we weren't disturbed by planes or noise. The hotel is in a mostly residential neighborhood that's perfectly safe for walking at night and there are a handful of local shops and restaurants, like Diego's Taqueria, within a five-minute stroll. It's a bit farther to the Playa Del Carmen ferry terminal and waterfront, which is about a 10-minute drive from Casita de Maya. The hotel is flanked by a car rental agency and an upscale residential house that looks more like a hotel than a private home at first glance. There are two uncovered parking spaces at the hotel and ample street parking. 

Each of the five rooms (three on the first floor and two on the second floor) at Casita de Maya are surprisingly spacious for a small property and stocked with extras like a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, DVD player, and mini-fridge. Strong and quiet air-conditioning and ceiling fans in both the bedrooms and bathrooms cut down on humidity. Decor varies from unit to unit with a Mayan theme tying each together. Each room has an alcove behind the bed painted with a bright accent color and decorated with sculptures or statues. Look for Maya-style statues on the small cutouts between the showers and bedrooms. Large showers and toilets are in a separate room, while huge vanities are placed in the bedroom. Many rooms have enormous built-in closet spaces with shelves and hanging rods. The upstairs Ocean and Wind rooms were completed in 2014; the Ocean Room is the most beautiful on the property with blue-tile inlay and river rock floor in the bathroom. Rooms are spotlessly clean and well-maintained.

There aren't many features at this small boutique hotel and the best one may be easy to miss. Daniel, the owner, works with a local chef who makes delicious, authentic breakfasts like juevos rancheros and seafood dinners. The caveat is that meals must be ordered the day before, and the food is then delivered piping hot to the hotel at a arranged time. Guests get free passes to Playa Azul Beach Club, about a 10-minute drive from the hotel. For those who don't want to drive in order to swim, there's a small dipping pool in the courtyard. Wi-Fi is free and fast and guests can call the United States for free from their rooms. Daniel also provides free coffee, drinking water, and pool towels.