The Marianna Hotel is perfect for a cheaper alternative to the higher priced hotels if your looking for a longer stay or on a budget.

Vern and Alfredo are what really make this place special. They will go out of their way to make sure you have as pleasant stay as possible. For example..They rearranged a room and took out a bed I didn't need after my friend left. They called and set appointments for horseback riding, dentist, massages etc. I enjoyed several nights of playing Sequence with them and others staying there. Vern even went horseback riding with me.

The maids are awesome and I had fun trying to learn Spanish. Dora is absolutely the best and always makes sure the rooms are as clean as can be. Never saw any bugs which is a big thing for me.. no ants!

I loved the music from Gus Gus and rarely missed the fire dancers that showed up around 8pm. I had a birds-eye view and the whole rooftop patio to dance around on. I was worried about the 3 flights of stairs to the rooftop but they are smaller steps and wasn't nearly as bad as I thought they would be. I found myself using them a few times as exercise and to warm up.... Nights got very cold this year.

I stayed in 3 different rooms and overall I liked the rooftop the best.
The Fishermen's Apt was my favorite for the spaciness, the view out the window and having a separate bedroom with multiple people is a plus.
The Bungalow's thatched roof is really cool with the lights. This room would be great in warmer weather. No problem with getting lots of extra blankets.
The Beach Suite is a spacious room but not so much in the bathroom. A tall person would be ducking in the shower.

Some highlights ... The bus stops right out front. Walking distance to Mega, casino, shops and restaurants. Locked gate at night. Lots of plants, tables, chairs, loungers. Internet worked great. Feeding the birds. Great grilled steaks (Jake, their cute little dog always got the bone) very close to the beach with beautiful sunsets on the rooftop. Poncho and his huge jug of hot cocoa and other treats every morning( awesome cheesecake) and a fresh shrimp vendor on sat mornings.

Thank you Vern and Alfredo for the wonderful stay and memories.

On our previous Mexican vacations we have stayed at 4-5 star all inclusive type hotels. This trip we wanted something more adventurous and cultural.

The owners are husband and wife. Alfredo was raised in Mazatlan and his wife Verneen is Canadian. The fact that they are both so knowledgable of the area and speak both spanish and english was such an asset to making our trip amazing. We told them we wanted a more cultural vacation so they recommended a few excursions which we did and really enjoyed. One of our favorites was a trip to a small town called Veranos. It was about 1 hour from Mazatlan but we went through 7 or 8 small towns to get there, which really gave us the flavour of the Mexican culture. We went ziplining and river kayaking down an amazing scenic winding river. The day ended with a Mexican meal which included a boiling cheese and mushroom lava pot dish. On our drive back we saw a ring tailed Lemur and an Armidillo! That had to be one of our most memorable days.

Our room was clean and had a kitchenette (fridge, stove, oven) which we really liked because we were able to cook our own breakfasts and then get on with our day. They also have toasters and microwaves available (no charge) if you ask. We had clean sheets, towels and washed floors daily. They have these wonderful balconies on each level with tables and chairs so we would sit out and have our morning coffee and breakfast. Alot of times we were joined by other guests staying in the hotel which some have now become our friends.

The location of the hotel is very convenient in the "Golden Zone" so there are lots of restaurants, shops, taxi's etc. It is on the beach side of the road however it's not right on the beach but about a 4 minute walk from the beach. We felt very safe in the hotel as they have a gate they lock every night. The guests all get a key to the gate if they come in late. The area itself we felt very safe as well. It is in a tourist area and there is local and federal police presence everywhere.

It's hard to think of things we like least because the experience we had really overshadowed any little problems. If you are looking for a five star all inclusive this hotel with all the comforts of home, this is not for you. The hotel is about 45 years old and though you often get hot showers sometimes you don't (not cold but warm). Our room did not have a bathtub and I'm not sure if any of the rooms did. There is no pool however there is a hotel next door, Costa D Ore that has a pool that you can use. There is also a bar across the street called Gus Gus which at times has very loud music. When we were there they didn't have the music loud every night and I think they had it shut down by around 11pm to midnight depending on the crowd there. I usually bring earplugs when I go to places but there is an overhead fan in each bedroom which not only kept us cool, it droned out the music so I never had to use my earplugs once. Being in the Golden Zone you are acosted by alot of "timeshare" people. They are more annoying then anything but we would just tell them we weren't interested and kept walking.

My husband and I both felt like this was one of our top memorable vacations and I believe it had a lot to do with us staying at the Mariana. Thank you Verneen and Alfredo, we will be back!

Vern and Alfredo are wonderful hosts, and it’s no wonder that many of their guests are repeaters! Several highlights from our stay included being invited to a pot luck dinner and a birthday party on the deck! The atmosphere is very welcoming and friendly…it feels like visiting family! We got to meet numerous family members of Vern’s and Alfredo’s also, which added to the overall experience. Very delightful folks!

Each room and/or apartment is decorated differently. One is cuter than the next! I loved the use of bright paint colors and the clever accent walls and border stripes that were painted. The patio’s and roof top were great places to hang out and read or visit with other guests. It is an older building, so there were a few quirks (nothing too bad!) but the whole place was spotless! Every floor was mopped 1st thing every morning, and all the linens were nice and clean. The main negative would be traffic noise and the band at Gus y Gus, but using earplugs and turning on the AC helped to minimize the noise.

Another big plus is the location. It is right in the middle of the Gold Zone, so there are numerous shops and restaurants within comfortable walking distance.

Stayed here the 1st 2 weeks of march. i found this hotel throught trip advisor. went to the website and decided to try it. i have seen this hotel many years from across the street. the stay was wonderful. the room were clean and the owners are very nice people. they make you feel like famaliy. when a birthday party is happe4ning they invite you to it. they have pot luck dinners and makes sure every one knows and is welcomed . they even drove me to the airport in their own car.

1 day something was broken and it was fixed right away, unlike other places that takes time to repair.

i will be returning here.

maybe i should not be saying good things about this place as they have limited # of room and want to make sure i have a place for next year ( just kidding).

would i recommend this hotel, yes. and i have to many people.