Ser CasaSandra

The boutique hotel CasaSandra (named for the founder, Sandra) originally set out to provide visitors to the remote island of Holbox an unplugged upscale getaway characterized by personal artwork, music, good food, creative vibes, rustic rustic wood-and-thatch palapa style, and epic views out over the Mexican Caribbean. And while it accomplishes its mission, the wear and tear over time has added a bit of roughness around the edges -- expect the occasional door to stick, and some wood warpage here and there. 

The restaurant is a surprising high point, with truly excellent seafood and a home-away-from-home living room feel, thanks to the rustic wood furniture and the piano. Although the hotel is tranquil and quiet most of the time, with the in-house music carefully selected to inspire a creative mood, some guests have reported excessive noise from the restaurant and bar next door, where dance music can sometimes override the calm.

Outside, the pool and gardens have loungers and beds for relaxation, and beyond that, across the small sand-packed road that runs the length of the coast on the island, is the beach itself with more beds and loungers for guests. And while the beach may be lacking shade, with a sparse selection of palm trees, it nevertheless offers up sweeping vistas of the Caribbean and morning sunrises.

A sandy dirt road runs the length of the coast between the beach and any of the hotels, and CasaSandra sits across this road from a nearly private section of beach, alongside a beach bar and other restaurants and hotels. The downtown heart of the island is around 10 to fifteen minutes away on foot, with the rest of the island can be explored via golf cart or bicycle. There's not a lot of infrastructure on the island, which for many is part of the appeal.

The possible downside to Holbox is that it’s nearly three hours from the airport in Cancun, and the only way to get there is via ADO bus or by contacting the hotel to arrange for private transportation (for a fee). Renting a vehicle is not advised, since you can’t take vehicles to the island, and must take a ferry from the mainland town of Chiquila. 

CasaSandra has 18 room plus a Villa on the property, all with rustic-luxe decor and plenty of island charm. Expect touches such as gauzy mosquito netting over the beds, wood-beam ceilings, painted ceramic basin sinks, and rustic adobe tile floors. There are no TVs, alarm clocks, radios, or even Wi-Fi in any of the rooms apart from the Villa.

Superior Rooms are the entry-level category, and come with either two double or a king-size bed. These have a large shower with painted and plain tiles, with age showing in the coloring of the grout joints in some areas, and shared balconies with a hammock for relaxation. The Suites feature an additional sitting room plus a rain shower. The Master Suite adds a dining room, along with a stand-alone soaking tub. All rooms have garden or ocean views, and can be booked by view type. 

The ocean-view Villa is the top option, and is a spacious, two-bedroom apartment that can sleep up to five adults between its master bedroom with the king-size bed, and second bedroom with two full-size beds. It has a living room with flat-screen TV and Sky satellite (the only TV available in any of the rooms), walk-in rain showers, and a fully furnished kitchen.

All rooms are air conditioned and come with slippers, caftan bathrobes, in-room safes, and evening turndown service. All have balconies with hammocks; note that the ocean-facing rooms will often have sand within the rooms from the wind.

While not an all-inclusive hotel, CasaSandra does offer free buffet-style breakfast at its on-site restaurant every morning. The free options include fruit, pastries, and coffee, and special hot a la carte dishes can be ordered for a fee. The restaurant also serves dinner every evening: The menu is mostly seafood, though there is a Cuban atmosphere and theme every Saturday night, with an entirely Cuban menu and beers served all evening. Although free room service is not offered, guests can order food up to their room for a fee. The restaurant cuisine garners many rave reviews from guests. 

The lovely freeform pool, surrounded by stylish cushioned loungers and daybeds, is open 24/7, and there's a pool bar open from late morning to early evening. Note that you can't really see the ocean from here, but the beach is just across a sandy road from the hotel and has more cushioned loungers, palapa-style umbrellas for shade, and a cute bar with a tin roof, decorative dangling ropes, and a couple of tables with wicker seating. The hotel also offers bicycle and golf cart rentals for those who wish to explore beyond the hotel grounds.

The hotel strives for an unplugged atmosphere, and Wi-Fi is only available in common spaces, such as the lobby and pool area. The signal can be spotty.