The Mayan Hostel is located at Calle Margaritas 17, just a quick walk from the downtown bus terminal. When you arrive, exit the bus terminal and go to the left. Cross Ave. Uxmal and turn left. Your first right will be Calle Margaritas. The hostel is ahead 1 block on the right.
The hostel costs MXN 120 which is approximately $9. This includes: Breakfast (cereal, bread, eggs), Dinner (pasta, meat, bread, soup), free internet (their computer as well as WIFI), sheets and towels. The food is not the best you’ll ever have, but it’s all you can eat so if you’re on a budget it’s a good way to fill up for cheap.
The hostel has both dorms and private rooms. I have not seen the private rooms but the dorms are clean and not too crowded. I would not want to stay here when it rains though because they have thatched roofs so I imagine there could be some leaks. I’d also not want to stay here during a buggy time of year since everything is pretty much open.
Because it’s so open it gets pretty chilly at night. I’m not sure what they do during the colder months, but in January all they gave visitors was a sheet to cover up with so if you get cold this might be a problem. I slept in long pants, a long shirt and in my silk sleep sack and I was pretty comfortable.
On some review sites I read that people didn’t have cold water, but I didn’t find this to be a problem. I also showered at off times, not first thing in the morning when everyone else was doing it so that may be why I had hot water.
There is a nice rooftop patio with a table and lounge chairs where you can relax and talk to the other visitors or plan your day. There are lots of restaurants nearby as well as a couple of parks that turn into markets in the evening. There’s a big grocery store that has anything you could need just on the other side of the bus station and it’s easy to catch busses to the beaches for only $.70.
So, while this is not the nicest hostel I’ve ever stayed at, I think it’s a pretty good value, particularly if you take advantage of the free meals, and I’d stay here again.
Getting the bus from Cancun Airport to the Downtown Bus Terminal
It costs $3 US and takes 20-30 minutes. You pay on the bus and can use US Dollars, but you’ll probably over-pay a little unless you have exact change. To find the bus exit the airport and walk straight ahead until you get to the parking area. The city busses are on the far right at the beginning of the parking row. It will have a sign that says Cancun. Pay attention to that because there are busses that park there that also go to Playa. The bus will stop after a few minutes and fill up with locals so if you’re traveling with someone, make sure you sit together. You’ll put your bags under the bus but you don’t have to worry, it’s safe. If you’re staying in the Downtown area this is your best bet otherwise you pay $15+ for one of the shuttle companies or a taxi. If you’re staying at the beach, you can easily catch another bus from the downtown bus terminal to the Hotel Zone.
