BajaCactus Motel
Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 55 Tramo San Quintin-Punta Prieta, El Rosario, Ensenada Municipality 22960 Mexico
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Did you already book this hotel?
Tell us so we can help you plan.
About
#1 of 2 motels in El Rosario
Location
4.4
Rooms
4.6
Value
4.7
Cleanliness
4.7
Service
4.3
Sleep Quality
4.5
All our rooms have king size beds, AC, heating, Satellite Color TV (HBO, Cinemax, Hallmark, etc.), free Internet Access, WiFi HotSpot, in-room phone service, amenities including coffee machine and bottled water, laundry services, 24 hour front desk and security services with video surveillance cameras, secure parking lot, 24 hours hot water showers and many more services.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Room features
Air conditioning
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Family
Location
Carretera Transpeninsular Km. 55 Tramo San Quintin-Punta Prieta, El Rosario, Ensenada Municipality 22960 Mexico
Name/address in local language
1 Restaurant
within 5 miles
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 89
- 38
- 9
- 2
- 6
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
I arrived by motorcycle for a two-night stay. I was in room 102.
The room was very clean and comfortable. Large bed, large bathroom. Clean towels, heat and AC in the room, which was useful because it got quite cold at night.
Big table in the room for belongings and a smaller table with chairs for eating or working, plus two night stands. Big closet with shelves and hangers.
Negatives? Wifi was useless. I even tried standing in the courtyard by the office where the signal was strongest, but I couldn't get anything online to load. Despite the enormous and impressively tiled shower, the water pressure was anemic.
Some might find the layout of the hotel confusing, dangerous, or even inaccessible. It's a bit like a maze. Some rooms are up a flight of stairs, others down a narrow corridor. Walking to the parking area goes through several uneven levels. It's quaint and definitely not modern.
The room was very clean and comfortable. Large bed, large bathroom. Clean towels, heat and AC in the room, which was useful because it got quite cold at night.
Big table in the room for belongings and a smaller table with chairs for eating or working, plus two night stands. Big closet with shelves and hangers.
Negatives? Wifi was useless. I even tried standing in the courtyard by the office where the signal was strongest, but I couldn't get anything online to load. Despite the enormous and impressively tiled shower, the water pressure was anemic.
Some might find the layout of the hotel confusing, dangerous, or even inaccessible. It's a bit like a maze. Some rooms are up a flight of stairs, others down a narrow corridor. Walking to the parking area goes through several uneven levels. It's quaint and definitely not modern.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I just loved our room above office. So charming and inexpensive. Now it would have been nice if they had mentioned they were adding on to the hotel, and there is no sign to say where hotel is, completely obscured by new construction, tho not finished. Bless the Pemex guys ( gas station) told usto search around! Anyway the motel next door, not a few hundred feet has great food. We had dinner and breakfast there. I would recommend this to anyone, just great!
Read more
Date of stay: March 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Upper rooms best, cost more, but so cheap, what the hell!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stopped at the Baja Cactus just for a night on my way south on Mex 1. It's next to the Pemex station (rumored to be the most honest station in Baja). I stayed in room #204 which is off the highway and newly remodelled. Big clean room with satellite TV, recently remodelled but the air conditioning wasn't fully installed yet. This wasn't a big problem even in August due to the proximity to the Pacific and a ceiling fan. Mama Espinoza's restuarant is within walking distance to the south. Try the lobster burritos! Protected but not absolutely secure parking. A pretty good deal for 300 pesos/night including taxes and they take credit cards. At check-in, they trade you your room key for your driver's license so don't forget to check-out. I rearranged my trip to stop here on the way back. The road to Bocana beach is a disaster so don't try it at night or if you don't have a high clearance vehicle.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Last night was our second stay in 14 days as the location was perfect for rest after a long drive. The first time we were given a room with a strong odor that was poorly masked with a strong air freshener. The TV didn't work so they gave us the room next door which had no hot water. We were told to use the bathroom with the odor to shower. By morning, the smell was so bad, we took cold showers in our replacement room.
Our second night we were checked in by a very curt and frankly rude lady who checked us into the same smelly room. We requested a different room and asked for an extra pillow. We were given the other room, but denied the pillow request. The TV in the new room didn't work. The curt front desk attendant stood in our room on the phone with someone for 15 minutes trying to get the TV working until we asked her to leave so we could just get some rest. Terrible experience.
Our second night we were checked in by a very curt and frankly rude lady who checked us into the same smelly room. We requested a different room and asked for an extra pillow. We were given the other room, but denied the pillow request. The TV in the new room didn't work. The curt front desk attendant stood in our room on the phone with someone for 15 minutes trying to get the TV working until we asked her to leave so we could just get some rest. Terrible experience.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Avoid staying here if you can.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1/28/20, in this hotel now. OMG. There are a few new rooms but they've been working on this hotel for 2-3 years. We are in room 10. No heat, t.v doesn't work as no receiver but it is all Spanish anyway, one elec. outlet which is in the bathroom or you unplug the t.v. If there's ac, I don't see it but we need heat. Skimpy blanket but 2 extra medium size blankets provided and 2 bottles of water. Bathroom minimum. Horrible access to hotel room..dirt, gravel, rough construction area. WiFi slow. No pictures on the wall, drab. I would never stay here again.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Baja Cactus was always our 'go to' hotel to use and recommend to friends travelling South or headed North from Baja.
The 'better' suites are mostly furthest off the busy hwy out front and are worth the extra money . Got to admit the nicer rooms are still a bargain under $40 usd but with some compromises .
We stayed there May 1 and had three rooms . Staff was nice as always but the noise levels were pretty bad .There seems to be some kind of emergency service next door by the Pemex that added to the noise level.Sirens and horns -ugh.. Add that to the 'lower end' Baja Travelers and it can be nosier than need be.After all ,the drive can be tiring would be nice to get a calm,good sleep .
Rooms and baths are nice but need some maintenance as well. Not much choice in El Rosario but if you are a light sleeper pick the rooms at the back and get a second floor ,still may be noisy but better than the 'economy' units in front . All in all ,still a decent place but not the best choice for lighter sleepers.
The 'better' suites are mostly furthest off the busy hwy out front and are worth the extra money . Got to admit the nicer rooms are still a bargain under $40 usd but with some compromises .
We stayed there May 1 and had three rooms . Staff was nice as always but the noise levels were pretty bad .There seems to be some kind of emergency service next door by the Pemex that added to the noise level.Sirens and horns -ugh.. Add that to the 'lower end' Baja Travelers and it can be nosier than need be.After all ,the drive can be tiring would be nice to get a calm,good sleep .
Rooms and baths are nice but need some maintenance as well. Not much choice in El Rosario but if you are a light sleeper pick the rooms at the back and get a second floor ,still may be noisy but better than the 'economy' units in front . All in all ,still a decent place but not the best choice for lighter sleepers.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2015Trip type: Traveled with family
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Farthest from the Hwy ,upper floors.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Most everyone uses the BajaCactus as a welcome waypoint to break up the long drive either north or south. And, location-wise, it is perfect from that perspective. But, the BajaCactus is so much more than that, it's almost a destination in itself. Clean verging on luxurious. Quality furnishings and beds. Great wifi, and all the bathroom amenities of a good American hotel. Safe and secure parking. And, a friendly and helpful staff. We always try to get the top floor rooms on the back of the property, and never hear another guest nor any traffic noises from the highway. Very inexpensive, I suspect their business model relies on always being full (which means we always call ahead and make reservations, not wanting to take a chance). It's not just a waypoint for us. It's actually something we look forward to.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Even though I had phoned to reserve two rooms, and left my phone number for contact, I was not told that my rooms would be released if we did not arrive by 7pm. So I was disappointed to be told that there was "no room at the inn" for us when we arrived at 9pm..... There is very little option around there, but we were lucky to find an alternative.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2017Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First, they have two levels of rooms, one level is pretty sumptuous luxury. The other is for businessmen. I can't imagine not taking the high level room because they have the unusual combination of high quality with an extremely low price. I travel frequently from Baja Sur to S. Calif. and this is the perfect stopover. To top it off, Mama Espinosa;s long-time traveller friendly restaurant is next door. Mama is now well over 100 years old and spends her day resting in her home at the back. Her restaurant gained fame for the once bargain priced lobster burritos. The bargains are gone, but good food is still there. Mama was the moving force in founding the "Flying Samaritans." It is a volunteer medical mission of doctors who are private pilots. She also established an orphanage and local museum which is worth the time to visit. Baja Cactus is a do-not-miss overnight stay on your Baja adventure.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2014Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Their top tier rooms are a huge bargain!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
+1
On your way south, as you come down the hill into El Rosario, you'll see a Pemex station on your left. It's the only gas station in town. To the right of the station, right next to it, there is a gem of a hotel, although they call it a "motel". There is no sign, but you'll see two handsome, brown stone pillars.
Drive through this "gate" and you'll come across a remarkable hotel. Across from the recepciĂłn there are some older units. These are very inexpensive, and probably very basic. We never stayed in them, so can't comment.
The new part of the hotel, however, consists of wonderful rooms. The first thing that impresses you is the unusual fit and finish. The showers are things of beauty with tempered glass walls and doors. The floors sport gorgeous, large tiles, and the king beds are inviting. There are modern ac/heat units, but it isn't obvious how to operate them.
The most important aspect of this place is the price. A room with a single king can be had for $30-35, and for $35-40 you get two kings. There is free WiFi near the lobby area.
We would recommend this place highly. It's by far the most impressive in El Rosario. The hotel has no comedor (dining room), but we found the restaurant at Hotel Sinahi, a mile, or so further, on the left, to be excellent.
Drive through this "gate" and you'll come across a remarkable hotel. Across from the recepciĂłn there are some older units. These are very inexpensive, and probably very basic. We never stayed in them, so can't comment.
The new part of the hotel, however, consists of wonderful rooms. The first thing that impresses you is the unusual fit and finish. The showers are things of beauty with tempered glass walls and doors. The floors sport gorgeous, large tiles, and the king beds are inviting. There are modern ac/heat units, but it isn't obvious how to operate them.
The most important aspect of this place is the price. A room with a single king can be had for $30-35, and for $35-40 you get two kings. There is free WiFi near the lobby area.
We would recommend this place highly. It's by far the most impressive in El Rosario. The hotel has no comedor (dining room), but we found the restaurant at Hotel Sinahi, a mile, or so further, on the left, to be excellent.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2012Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Get help with the air/heat unit. In our room we turned on the thermostat, selected heat, the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Baja Cactus e-mail... tried to provide to you, but Trip Advisor does not allow me to include and e-mail address or website in the answer. Just Google: El Rosario, Baja Cactus... you will find it there.
A friend of ours stayed with us, she had three dogs who stayed in the room with her. No problem. I don't think there was any fee.
…
ALSO KNOWN AS
bajacactus hotel el rosario, bajacactus motel el rosario
LOCATION
MexicoBaja CaliforniaBaja California NorteEnsenada MunicipalityEl Rosario
NUMBER OF ROOMS
24
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingBAJACACTUS MOTEL
Frequently Asked Questions about BajaCactus Motel
What are some of the property amenities at BajaCactus Motel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and laundry service.
Is BajaCactus Motel located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.8 miles away from the center of El Rosario.