My husband and I stayed for 10 days at Magic and we had a good time. The ambience of the hotel is wonderful. It was bit unnerving when we pulled up, as the entrance is less than appealing, but once you pass through the lobby into the pool area where the rooms are located, it is an oasis. I was nervous about the complaints of noise, so I emailed the hotel prior to my stay and asked for one of their quieter rooms, which they were happy to give me. We stayed in the room without the palapa roof, which was a bit less romantic, but another guest told me there were a few more ants because of the roof, but honestly, I can't imagine that it was bad at all. The staff were very nice and they gave us our welcome drink when we arried at 10 pm. Make sure to ask for a coupon book that they neglected to give us until 4 days into our trip. They are not pushy at all, but willing to accomodate you in any way.
The rooms are very minimalist, but the shower is great. I had a hard time choosing between this hotel and Mosquito Blue. We met another couple staying at Mosquito for their honeymoon and they really liked it, but agreed that the staff was not so friendly. We chose Magic because of the complimentary breakfast, which I don't suggest you do. We were taking spanish classes at IH which were very good, so getting a solid breakfast was important to us. However, after a few days of the same breakfast, it seemed not to be so good (was sometimes cold) and we actually got sick of it. There are many wonderful restaurants there -- Parilla (mexican), Bodeguita (cuban), La Famiglia (italian), Coco Mayo (beach food), and Kool (beach food). I didn't love 100% natural or Fusian so much. If we go back we would definitely stay at Mosquito Blue -- the beach location is not far from the location on 5th, so don't let it sway your decision too much.
As for Magic, book it directly through they hotel and you will get a better rate than we did booking on expedia. Overall, if you are on a budget, I would encourage you to stay at Magic -- you won't be disappointed. The wireless internet was helpful at points to plan trips, they had full cable, the pool was better than Mosquito if you actually like to swim laps in the morning.





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