Maria Sabina Hotel & Backpackers Hostel - Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Comment by Tara, Canada

October 2009

Prime Location, great Staff, great Service, nice people!
I stayed at Maria Sabinas for a week in Sept 2009. Location. Literally "meters" from the Beach, five-minute walk to the Main Bus Stop, ten-minute walk to the Night Clubs, and it's just off 5th Avenue aka "main shopping/restaurant district." Across the street is a twenty-four-Hour Convenience Store, open all day/all night, with a Bank Machine. I would recommend this place to single or young travelers, as all the staff can speak English, and they're super friendly! You'll most-likely make friends very easily. I stayed in the "all-girls dorm." Yes, They have Lockers (and also provide locks) and very cool Air Conditioning. My room had a Balcony with a view of the Ocean, lovely! It was quiet in my room at night, no noise. Very comfortable, and very respectful and friendly roommates. Bed Sheets, Towels, Soap, and Toilet Paper were provided and changed daily. Toilets were scrubbed daily, too. Free Breakfast at 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., with papayas, bananas, watermelon, tea/coffee/milk, and white or brown bread/strawberry jam. There's Free Purified Water Anytime too! You'll meet travelers ages twenties and thirties from all over the world. There's also places to "socialize" -- including the kitchen, the internet table (by the front desk), and on the third Floor there's an amazingly cool Outdoorsy-type straw hut open-air "lounge" area -- couches/chairs, where they serve free Booze at 10 p.m.! Way to sit, sip, and socialize! As for level of comfort, I felt very safe here. As for the "looks" of the rooms, Keep in mind, this is a Hostel in Mexico. If you are a hostel traveler, you know "to expect" bunk beds with plastic covered mattresses. I've stayed at many hostels around the world, so I thought this was ok. This is Mexico too, dont expect five-star looking bathrooms, the ones at Maria Sabinas have a basic sink, a toilet, and a stand-up shower. Each room has a bathroom that looks "kinda-old" but ok for the most part. Yes, there is Hot Water. In every room also, there is a TV, and outlets to charge your cell phone. The rooms are very basic, Just bunkbeds, a tv, air conditioning, and lockers, and a few tables to put your stuff, and a balcony. Seriously, if you're a young traveler looking for a nice, relaxing, and fun time in Playa Del Carmen at a place that is safe and inexpensive, and fun, with friendly people, at a prime location, then I would totally recommend this hostel. There are no bugs that I saw, the cleaners were in daily to change my sheets/towels and scrub the toilet, and yes, my room was quiet at night. The only thing I would recommend is that they take extra time to scrub the bathroom walls/floor for a "newer, cleaner look" and "seal up" the teeny-tiny window on the top of the bathroom door, as if you put on perfume in the bathroom, the whole room/roommates may end up smelling it. and, i might suggest newer-lookin' towels too!