Hostal Mayapan

Hostal Mayapan is a budget destination that offers nothing more than a place to sleep for a low price. It first opened in May of 2010 and is suited to backpackers who don’t need any extras. It is set in Plaza Maya Fair, a former Hotel Zone hot spot that is now full of empty office buildings; the setting gives the hostel something of an abandoned warehouse feel. 

The entrance is set on the far western end of the plaza. A set of unassuming double glass doors leads up to a blue reception desk marked with Mayan reliefs along its face, matching the orange-hued Mayan trim work on the building's stone exterior. A small ping-pong table and lounge chairs are set up just beyond reception, behind the no-longer-functioning escalators that lead up to the second level where the rooms are. The 24-hour kitchen area is just off to the side on the first floor, with a washer and dryer set up inside. The dorms and private rooms are on the second floor, just past a once-functioning water fountain decorated with Mayan symbols. 

The hostel is set just down the avenue from the Cancun International Convention Center, under 10 minutes away on foot. On the way are Plaza Caracol, with its Starbucks and other stores, and the Chedraui Select mega supermarket.

Playa Caracol (aka Snail Beach) is just across the street, and once guests gain entrance they can head west or east to other sections of the beach that are operated by the various resorts, such as the Dreams Sands and Riu Palace. The R1 and R2 buses, as well as taxies, can take visitors deeper into the Hotel Zone, while those looking to head into downtown can pick up the same buses heading west into the city.

The rooms at Hostal Mayapan are the bare minimum in terms of what hostels offer, with bunk beds and individual mattresses set out in areas that were once office spaces. The beds are hard and overused according to some guests. Rustic wood frames attempt to breathe a bit of life into the otherwise drab rooms, where white painted walls are often marked by mold and water stains.

Tile trim lines the walls in some places, with pieces missing here and there, especially in the bathrooms, which are all shared. Simple ceramic tiles line the shower walls and floors; they are heavily discolored in some places and have grout missing in others. 

The lockers are the same rustic wood as the beds, but guests need to provide their own locks. Yellow paint covers the frames of some of the beds, the sole spot of color, and there are trash cans throughout the dorm rooms; not all of these are covered, although the organic containers have lids, and some guests have noticed odors from said trash bins, as well as smells from the combination of humidity, sweat, and age. While there are air-conditioning units, it’s important to understand they rarely keep up with the heat in the summer months, and are limited to only four hours per evening and morning (to keep costs down) when the rooms have only a few people staying in them. 

The two private rooms both have a small bathroom with shower, a small television, and the bed area. One room has a double and single bed, while the other has a single king-size bed.  The same rustic wood furniture is seen in both of these rooms. 

Free continental breakfasts are included at the Hostal Mayapan, but it is little more than toast, cereal, and watered-down juice. The kitchen area is open 24/7 to all guests and has a refrigerator, small electric burners, and microwave. It is one of the areas where the wear and tear -- including notable mold, grime, and water damage -- is most visible.

Also available in the kitchen area are a washer and dryer, which cost money to use.The same machines are also available to the general public for a cost, so you will sometimes see non-hostel guests within the kitchen area doing laundry.

Although Wi-Fi is available in the lobby area, only the rooms closest to the reception desk will pick up the signal. Also available out front are cold drinks from a beverage vending refrigerator, as well as a single public computer for guests. Beach towels are available for a fee.

Parking is not included, although there is a parking area along the north side of the plaza. Spaces are first-come, first-serve, and local businesses on that side will put buckets or blocks in front of spaces to reserve them for their guests during operating hours.