April 2005
Just returned from Ojo de Agua, Riviera Maya, Mexico. I do not know what the standard in Mexico for a three-star hotel should be but I will let you know what my thoughts are on Puerto Morelos, transportation, then Ojo de Agua, so please bear with me.
The hotel is situated on the beach in the hotel zone area. This is a small area where you will find condos, other small hotels, apartments and guest houses. There is only one very large resort near by. It is a very quiet and peaceful and not crowed area and there is a long beach to walk along. It is obvious that they are starting to build up the area. The people in the town are very pleasant, simple and quiet. You will find people are not aggressive here. You will find quite a few people from the U.S. and other parts of Mexico living here. There is even a French crepe place run by a Frenchman and there are also a few people from other countries who have decided to make this town their home. There is a small downtown area, which has a town square, which is surrounded by many small restaurants, shops, a bookstore, post office, a large grocery and some small ones, ATM machine, currency exchange, pharmacy and a Catholic Church. The beach with the lighthouse is to the east of the park. The taxi stand is situated to the west. There are also several side streets with restaurants and shops. You can purchase cloths, jewelry, etc., in this town at a reasonable price. The square is also a playground for the kids. There is also the juice man who makes fresh juices right in front of you. I have not gotten sick from his juice. The restaurants are quite good. There are several types. Just walk along the streets and take your pick. There are no big nightclubs, but a little bit of entertainment at one or two places on the weekend. Most of the visitors you see at night will be going to restaurants or taking a walk. Iguanas will be your only encounter if you are to have one. There is also a Center for Corrective Myotherapy that offer services for myotherapy, medical massage, orthopedic massage, neuromuscular, etc. The streets are dimly lit but safe. On the whole it is not an expensive place. A bit of Spanish will go a long way.
Transportation
You can get to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, etc. quite easily from here. If you do not want to rent a car, you can walk on the main street of the hotel zone (Av Rojo Gomez) or walk down to the town square (it takes about 5 min.) that I mentioned above. You can get a taxi (20 to 24 pesos – they quote different prices) to take you out to the main road which is also the highway. You will not find yourself on an empty highway. It is the federal highway and is populated like any main street. If you do not want to take a taxi, you can take a mini bus for 4 pesos with other people and it will take you there. We opted for the 4 pesos and sat with the locals. I like this, as it made me feel that I was in Mexico. The mini buses are clean. It only takes about 5 min to get to the highway. These buses (mini buses) do not run after 9 p.m. and you will have to take a taxi after that hour. The highway will get you anywhere for a few pesos to any of the places that I mentioned. Some of the buses are air-conditioned and have TV and they show movies. They are the Ado and Mayem buses. They run most of the day and you can purchase tickets at the two small bus stations to go to Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, etc. – one is located next to the corner where the mini bus or taxi will drop you off and the other is located on the opposite side, about 20 yards from the gas station- In order words, you are not stuck in this little town. We went out some days and enjoyed Cancun and the rest of the coastline at a very cheap price.
HOTEL OJO DE AQUA
I decided to write the above so you would not feel trapped but adventurous. Hotel Ojo de Aqua is not for the Cancun party type of person or the sophisticated four or five star person. If you want to enjoy a peaceful, simple time, I will recommend it. The hotel is clean and furnished in a simple manner. The sea here is very nice and calm because of the reef. You will find a lot of dried seaweed along this entire beach which makes it very rustic. They do clean up but not like the expensive hotels. There are no palapas (shade for the sun on the beach) at the hotel. I feel that the hotel should look into providing at least a dozen palapas. They do have beach chairs. There are a few boats taking off for snorkeling and diving to the left of the hotel. The restaurant is next to the pool and the meals are reasonable. There is a $5 U.S. buffet every morning and the usual two for one drinks every evening. I don’t know if there is a pool bar set up in the peak season. The staff is very nice. They are very accommodating. Roberto is in charge. We stayed in a junior suite, which has a kitchenette. These suites are very spacious and can house up to 4 adults and 2 children. You may have to ask for what you have been promised when you get there, e.g. your toaster oven, coffee maker, etc., it will be provided to you. There is a TV but no radio. You can get an air conditioner if you pay extra. We had two ceiling fans and did not feel that one was necessary. The cleaning woman did a very good job and was very honest. Towels were changed every day. You will have to bring you own hand towel, beach towel and wash cloth. The hotel needs a few places touched up. Like the missing tiles on the ground floor corridors and maybe a new coat of paint to freshen up the place. There is no nightlife here. I don’t know if any is provided during the peak season. The most you will get at night is the restaurant opened until 10 p.m. with a bit of music or TV. You can arrange for tours at the front desk. They will come and pick you up. Phone calls have to be made by calling the front desk. After hours you will have to arrange for incoming or outgoing calls in case of an emergency with the front desk as they close around 10 p.m. or a bit later. They have a plan in place for this.
All in all, I enjoyed my stay in this little town and the hotel. It was nice to get away from the hectic life. If you can be simple, want a quiet time and hit the highway to get more action in the bigger places along the coast you can enjoy it. Don’t forget cars are also available to rent. So if you want to drive you have this option.
I hope you enjoy your stay, it actually grew on me after a few days and I will stay here again. Just give a shout if you really want something and you will get it.
Enjoy your stay in Mexico.
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| Hotel Ojo de Agua – Puerto Morelo | Kevin — Picton, Ontario, Canada |
September 2003
Found a hotel in Puerto Morelos, Mexico located half way between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen called Ojo de Agua. Having spoke with the website contact by phone, I made a two day deal at $50.00 per day for two people, which seemed reasonable. All was for the most part, very good. The toilet however, was another story. Got up in the middle of the night to use the facilities, and as I leaned over for paper, the toi;et came with me literally. I physically picked it up and put it back on its bolts. Why it didn’t leak is beyond me. Other than that, all was good. The pool is small but clean, The maid did a great job cleaning and the staff were helpful and courteous. Food was good and priced reasonable. The town is small, quiet and very mexican, untouched by capitalism, so far.
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