NA BALAM

At the end of the north beach
998/877-0058, fax 998/877-0446
www.nabalam.com
Moderate/Expensive
31 rooms with air conditioning, pool, dive shop, master suite with hot tub, restaurant and bar, optional meal plans.
All the appealing rooms here are semi-luxurious – with terraces or balconies, large beds and bath. They are decorated in Maya motif with attractive paintings or artifacts on the walls. The baths are
all tile. The deluxe Na Balam has expanded in recent years to include cabañas, a small pool and palapas which are used for yoga meetings, attracting a gentle crowd of cosmic-conscious travelers.
Second-floor beachside rooms are vinecovered and look over palm trees to the fine sand playa, where topless sunbathing is common.
The happy hours’ two-for-one drinks special pack the beach bar with friendly folks who chat while the sun sets. The adjacent indooroutdoor Zazil-Ha restaurant is one of the island’s finest.

Hotel VILLA ROLANDI

Laguna Mar, Sac Bajo 998/877-0700, fax 998/877-0100
www.rolandi.com
All inclusive/Deluxe
From humble beginnings – and years of experience with the Hotel Belmar and Casa Rolandi restaurant in Cancún – the Italian/Swiss owner 138 p Best Places to Stay opened this boutique hotel, restaurant and beach
club. It is, by far, the best hotel and the best restaurant on the island.
Colonial styled with Mediterranean influences, the hotel features a deep blue infinity pool that overlooks the Cancún skyline, and all its 20 suites face the Bahía Mujeres. Each room features a huge bathroom and an individual balcony with a hot tub. Guests arrive to the hotel by Rolandi’s private yacht from Cancún. Continental breakfast is subtly served through an access in the wall, for intimacy. Your choice of lunch or
dinner at Casa Rolandi, the Northern Italian cuisine restaurant on the large veranda, is included.
The price may be Cancún-like, but the luxury and personal attention far exceed what those large hotels across the bay offer. Price includes breakfast and choice of lunch or dinner.