This is a great, centrally based hotel with welcoming and obliging staff. It's no frills, but quite adequate and above all, clean.

However, we had a bad experience with the Tours and Info Bureau attached to the hotel.

The day before we were due to leave we purchased a pre-paid taxi from Pt. Jaurez to Cancun airport. Unfortunately, the taxi never arrived and we had no means of contacting the agent (despite having a receipt, there was no telephone contact number). We were forced to take another taxi to the airport ($35).

We don't recommend buying a pre-paid taxi because there are plenty of fixed rate taxis to be hired at Pt. Juarez.

Wonderful place to stay, my room was clean, had cable tv (saw a lot of Big
Bang Theory!), plenty of hot water, very good location and very inexpensive. Lupita, the young assistant, was very friendly and welcoming, though her English is limited. I asked for blanket, as it was cold at night, didn't need fan, and she was very obliging. If you need extra towels, soap or anything to be comfortable, just ask!! The place is a block to some wonderful beach areas at the very end of Playa Norte, fronting several hotels, i.e. Cabanas del Mar, Buhio restaurant. You don't need to rent beach chairs or umbrellas if you only want to spread your beach towel. The beach in front of Jax restaurant is very good, too. Lots of places to eat, Alexia & Giovanny by the marketplace, very good chilaquilles, La Cazuela for breakfast eggs, Aluxes cafe for house coffee with warm milk, you can buy fresh baked bread at Super Express grocery to drink with your coffee, rotisserie chicken across from the hotel for inexpensive lunch, the "cart" across the street and next to the cemetery for tacos, Sesso Locos and El Bruja in the colonias for some good local eats, Rene and Renee for inexpensive local comida. Also, look for lady selling tamale by the main beach, the lady selling empanadas and flan near the church, the "marquesitas" truck again by the main beach, and the fresh orange juice cart on Madero, and Tino the rib man on Sundays across from the PADI dive shop, again on Madero. I will be back, this island has lots to offer in terms of simple pleasures and good eats!!! Very easy to get from Cancun airport by taking public ADO bus outside the terminal, around $3.15 (40 pesos) for 25 minute ride to central downtown Cancun, then there is a collectivo for $.45, outside of main terminal, go to the right, and look for big McDonald sign, take collectivo marked "Gran Puerto", about 10 minutes, and it will drop you off right in front of Ultramar ferry. Ferry ride is 15 minutes and cost 70 pesos, make sure you buy ticket one way as they will sell you ticket round trip. As soon as you get off ferry, walk to left, and go to end of the malecon, Jax restaurant will be in front of you, cross the street, walk two more blocks, turn right on Hidalgo, and you will find Xul-ha, right in front of XS Hostel. Hidalgo is pedestrian main street for tons of restaurants and shops. Oh, by the way, the massage offered in front of the beach is only USD $35 for one hour. Enjoy!!!

This hotel is on a main street, across the narrow road from a few bars, so it get very loud at closing time. I was very glad I brought earplugs. We paid extra for an air-conditioned room, but they didn't give us the remote for the air conditioning until the 3rd or 4th day. There was no shower curtain or towels (again, the towels came a day or two later than we did), and the beds were small and hard (two people in one bed is crowded). The staff was very friendly, though, and always smiling. We got our room for 400 pesos/night, which is cheap, and if you're looking to be frugal, this place is what you're after. If I go to Isla again, I will gladly pay extra to stay in the sea-side hotels, as they are out-of-the-way enough not to be noisy at night, and they are bound to be more comfortable.

Xul-ha was great. Clean, BASIC. but all you really need is a/c which they have. My boyfriend and I were pleased since we didn't have to spend a lot on a hotel we only slept in and had more $$ to do other cool things. and the location on the island is ideal too. Maid + staff friendly, helpful. Very simple place. I also had no problem dialing from my work phone the # and confirming booking later on since they have no internet site.