This was our first stop on our Yucatan trip, and we were pretty happy to get here after a LONG day of travel. I was also excited about this hotel because it billed itself as eco-friendly and "green," with composting toilets, recycle bins everywhere, etc.

The building and grounds were lovely - a brightly colored building with a metal gate led into a tiled front courtyard with a fountain, where the front desk was. From there, you walked through a lush green courtyard with a small pool, tiny hot tub (more on that later), and hammocks, up wooden stairs to your room. I don't think there was an elevator, so you should request a ground-floor room if stairs are a problem.

The room was spacious, with high ceilings, pretty hardwood floors, a cute kitchenette and cut-out window, and an in-room safe. The bed was nothing fancy, but fine, and we had a mini-fridge (left unplugged to save power) and TV. The sink/shower is in a separate room from the horrible, horrible toilet - the shower is very large, but no tub, and water pressure was somewhat weak. The toilets are low-flow, and to flush them, you step on a floor-mounted pedal that triggers the water and opens a trap door in the bottom of the toilet, which releases waste into a compost pile. Sounds great, but in actuality it was messy, smelly, and tiny flies flew out whenever the door opened! We hated using it. There's a regular outhouse in the building by the pool, and if I had discovered it sooner, I would have just used that instead of the toilet in the room. It's a sad state of affairs when you're excited to use an outhouse.

Otherwise, everything was really nice. The courtyard is tranquil and quiet, and the tall palm trees blowing in the wind at night sound like the ocean. No street noise. The tiny hot tub is one of those freestanding things meant for personal home use, and we had to ask staff to turn the water heater on and then wait a good 20 min. for it to heat up before using - again, part of their green mission, but kind of a hassle.

The restaurant is friendly and serves decent food - the room rate includes breakfast, but you can ask to have that deducted if you want to eat elsewhere, and you can have meals charged to your room. There is also a small spa with two massage therapists who charge very reasonable rates - about $35 for a 60-minute massage. Alas, the Yucatan honey massage advertised on their website wasn't offered anymore, but the chocolate oil one was very nice.

All the staff that we interacted with spoke functional English, although we tried our terrible Spanish out on them just for fun. Oh, the only other downside I can think of is that your room key is a HUGE plank, like the ones they use in gas station bathrooms so you don't run off with them. Stuffing an eight-inch-long board into your travel bag every time you leave the room is no fun! Otherwise, good value overall and very picturesque.

This was my third, and not last time to stay at the Del rey Caribe while overnighting in Cancun on a Yucatan trip. This environmentally sensitive hotel is the real thing, having alliances with local environmental groups as well. But the hotel itself: Is a treat. For such a wonderful rate (it's in downtown Cancun, some 20 minutes or so at rush hour from the Hotel Zone, so don't consider it if you want hassle-free beach access), you are near bars, a great downtown park, shopping centers and the local market. The room is clean, clerks friendly and will pamper your every whim, and all rooms have a fully stocked (utensils, pots, fridge, etc,) kitchenette (though I've never used it). It has a clean outdoor swimming pool in the jungle like growth of the courtyard, birds singing, etc. Breakfast is free in the morning and adequate. You can hear a little bit of late day traffic from the rooms that face the road, but it's not excessive, and the road it's on pretty much doesn't get much traffic after dark (a side road just off of the main Tulum Blvd.). If you expect brand new furnishings or shiny chrome, you will be disappointed: This is clean, solid, comfortable and friendly at a good price in a good neighborhood, but not the Ritz.

I only stayed at Hotel El Rey del Caribe for one night, but was impressed by the experience. It's a lovely little hotel with a gorgeous jungle-like courtyard. The staff is very helpful and friendly, and I adore the little lizards and such running around by the pool. The room was very clean and had a little mini kitchen inside. While I wasn't up for any cooking for the one night I stayed here, I'm sure that could come in handy. I was drawn to the hotel because of its eco-friendly advertisements. I didn't have much time to investigate and see if these claims are true, but I'm pleased to see the movement is catching on. Not too many complaints here. The room was a good size but maybe could have used a slightly heavier blanket. I had a hard time adjusting the AC unit so I wasn't either freezing at night or burning up without it. Great breakfast, nice pool, free wifi. It's about a twenty minute cab/bus ride to the beach, but I wouldn't recommend staying at any of the over-Americanized resorts along the beach. The twenty minute cab ride is definitely worth it to temporarily escape the tourist trap that is Cancun.

Cancun was the starting point for my solo travels through Central America and I only spent the one night there. I was arriving late and wanted to stay somewhere close to the bus station and when the very cheap and basic place I tried to book was full, I decided on the el Rey Del Caribe - it's a choice I don't regret. It was a little out of my price range, but I found it worth the extra money. Arriving in Mexico after 30 hours of travel, with limited Spanish, the pick-up service was much appreciated and very prompt. It also gave me an opportunity to meet some of the other hotel guests, a few of whom I ended up travelling with for a couple of days.

My room was spacious and clean, with a ceiling fan and A/C and I had a regular bathroom/toilet, so no complaints there. There was also a small kitchen area which I didn't use. Breakfast was delicious and the garden atmosphere is very relaxing. The staff were courteous and helpful, but I found the porter dropping my bags off and then repeating "tip, tip, tip" as I got my money out to be incredibly unnecessary. I understand tipping is a part of their culture, however it highlighted how touristy this part of Mexico has become. While I don't consider downtown Cancun to be the "real" Mexico, as other reviewers have suggested, it is definitely closer to reality than the hotel zone. However, if you want to truly see Mexico, move away from the Yucatan and head inland, it's magnificent.