Hotel Laguna Bacalar

Rustic yet charming hotel situated on the lagoon. We were told by our guide that this hotel was the first to be built on the lagoon. Our room was a stand alone bungalow with a private patio with a fantastic view. Hot water took a while to come to the shower. Rooms were clean. Drinking water provided. Air conditioner worked well.

Forgive me if I wax too poetic about this place, but IMHO, it is a gem in the rough. Actually, a rough gem in the rough. Keeping in mind, we are elderly birdwatchers and swimmers with those two goals for most of our travels, we have come to Hotel Laguna Bacalar many times over the past 20 years. It has always been, and still is, run down, lacking in basic upgrades, bathrooms that need attention, slippery floors, a scantily attended bar and restaurant that barely qualify as such, an unchanging office area that gave up offering ice cream bars for sale long ago. The list goes on: at water’s edge, there’s a decaying pier and a challenge to enter and exit the water for a swim (slippery stairs or uncomfortable pipe ladders guarded by overgrown aquatic vegetation). But, Oh My! . . . Hotel Laguna Bacalar is all more than worth such minor inconveniences! Consider it the Gran Dame of Bacalar lodgings, still bathed in its regal splendor! The view is breathtaking from all the rooms. The cleaning lady has been there 20 years and does a great job. The rest of the staff is helpful and friendly. Once in, the water of the lake is silky smooth and always just the right temperature (we typically have an early morning swim to bring up the sun (occasionally as a skinny dip)). Meanwhile, out along the street in front of the hotel, the birds are many and active. What more could you want??

Our stay at La Laguna Hotel was very disappointing. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, making it difficult to get any rest. The pool area was chaotic, with children running unsupervised, yelling, and screaming well into the evening hours past 8pm. This lack of control and supervision ruined the atmosphere and made it impossible to relax or enjoy our time at the hotel. Unfortunately, the experience did not match the money we spent, and we left feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. We will not be back nor can we recommend this hotel.

OK, it’s got a nice view and in ‘72 it was probably something new, but today it’s absolutely nothing new. One of the absolute worst experiences I’ve had since when I was in Tijuana in high school doing things I shouldn’t have been doing. The beds are absolute crap. The room is a total joke no plugs even(we purchased an extension cord…this would have been a nicer stay at Súper Aki) And this very low class group of four families came in and their kids were screaming until two am in the pool. This is a do not stay recommendation!! I hated it. By the way, there was a 5 foot crocodile in the lagoon this morning. This species grow to 10 feet.

This is hotel is in dire need of updating. I'd rate it a 2*, door jams don't secure, tiles broken, stairs broken very dangerous. Pool tiles broken, very very outdated. The staff & food was good, & the view. But not able to swim or kayak at shore.

The staff are super nice here. The rooms are basic but for the price that is no big deal. Yes there can be flies in the rooms but it's Mexico! This hotel was a little bit out of the main centre but taxis we're cheap in and out. The view was the main highlight of this hotel - beautiful!

Beautiful modern rooms, the location of the hotel is great- just in front of public access to the lagoon, short walkable distance to the city center with many restaurants. WiFi connection was not the best but I think it’s a general problem in Bacalar. A lovely place to stay in Bacalar, totally recommend!

Lots of lies, we had to pay more than on the website, the rooms were as simple as it gets, there was one mean person among the staff, it needs lots of repairing. We're not going here again.

The only thing I would change, is for them to provide a mini fridge. Everything else was wonderful. Staff was great. Property was clean at all times. Easy access to water.

Loved every space. We had an amazing view from the room which had also a jacuzzi. The hotel has kayaks and paddle boards you can take to see the sunrise in the middle of the lagoon. The staff is very nice and welcoming. Quiet place for a relaxing stay. It's worth every penny - definitely coming back!

Truly the best place in Bacalar. Last time, we stayed in an Airbnb that did not meet expectations. Too rustic and host wasn't very friendly. MBH met our expectation in a big way! You want to disconnect from civilization without sacrificing luxury, this is your place. Located within the Mayan jungle, it is a juxtaposition of modern meets old and wilderness with a nice touch of delicious food and drinks. One can tell that they poured everything into creating this dream of a paradise; from their excellent customer service, beautiful resort, breathtaking location (the lagoon of the 7 colors is AMAZING!), delicious food to and all the little details that make a stay unforgettable. Highly recommended, 5 stars! I don't see the problem of not having activities besides relaxing in the middle of the jungle and swimming in a crystal clear cenote lagoon...that's why one goes to the Mayan peninsula! You want activities and things to do besides that? Go book a cruise, go to Vegas or stay at Disneyland. Btw, make sure to ask for Ricardo and Adrian, great people that will make sure to make your stay memorable! MBH, definitely a MUST!

Spent a few nights here after finding the centro of Bacalar too noisy at night. We ended up being glad of the change! The rainforest environment right on the lake was very tranquil and it was convenient to borrow the kayaks and paddle boards directly from the hotel. They also booked us a sailing tour of the laguna and a tour of some local ruins, both of which were the perfect balance of fun and informative. The best part about the hotel was certainly the staff's warm, welcoming, hard-working natures. They clearly are proud of the Bacalar laguna and truly care about their guests. The hotel restaurant had great offerings including some traditional Mexican dishes and some international ones. See the Xant Ha page on Facebook for more information. However, MBH seemed to be trying to give a luxury feel but hadn't considered how to integrate that with the location. For instance, they had a steam room on the roof (instead of a sauna) in an incredibly humid place. Also the jacuzzi on the roof was almost never available for use, as it was usually either cold or had sand in it from guests not rinsing after time swimming in the laguna. We also had to ask more than once for the potable water we were promised, and the opening and closing of doors, use of the door key codes, and conversations in the hallways were very audible within the rooms - okay during the day, but unfortunate at night. Lastly, there really wasn't much to do if it was raining, as the rooftop lounge areas were fully exposed to the elements and there weren't indoor activities other than to nap or watch TV. I'd like to see MBH offer guests something like a board game library, small book exchange, cooking or birdwatching activities, etc that could be done rain or shine. All of that said, I loved our time here and would consider staying here again if the price isn't too high.