We booked a balcony room, but upon initially seeing it we felt it lacked some basic hotel amenities I would expect for the price, including a full length mirror, fridge and desk w/chair. The staff were great at relocating us to a patio room that had the above amenities (except the fridge).
We unfortunately arrived to rain storms, and Holbox isn’t well equipped for this type of weather. Nearly every road in the town flooded making travel around the island very difficult and expensive. El Nido is around a 25min walk into the centre of town but with the flooding, the walk was much more difficult and taxis were reluctant/refused to take us to and from the hotel.
Another qualm was the food. Whilst breakfast was good, we had lunch there. We felt it was below average and very expensive for what it was. We previously ate at Nomad (a 15min walk) where the food was far superior and more affordable.
My final issue is with their payment facilities, they only accepted cash, whilst Holbox has a reputation for cash only, we actually found that every other restaurant or beach club we visited accepted cards. The cash only policy is out-dated.
The review might sound harsh, but let me assure you that every other element of our stay was great. The staff were helpful and kind, the rooms cleanliness was spotless and pool facilities were great. We also appreciated the quietness and privacy of our room.
A couple improvements could make El Nido an exceptional stay.