San Sebastian Hotel

The best kept secret in Campeche!

The property described in this blog is for anyone who prefers excellent hosts in a quiet tranquil setting while being completely relaxed, but have to keep an eye on a budget.

On our last day on the road we left Villahermosa and headed towards Campeche. I did not want to struggle through traffic to stay downtown and I further realized the high cost of some of the hotels in this popular city along a beautiful turquoise stretch of ocean and pure white sandy beaches.

I started using Booking.com when we found the hotels in Veracruz and Villahermosa, so I decided to try my luck again; what a great decision!

After listing a few hotels that allow dogs at astronomical costs per day, I noticed a sentence below stating: "If you are flexible..." I scrolled down the page and found two resort-like properties and the one I picked this one for the simple reasons that they welcome dogs and someone could speak English. After further investigation I noticed it was literally one minute off the 180 towards Merida. Big bonus points for that. The the price was $30 USD per day for a room excluding meals and drinks, The hotel is in a quiet rural setting on a large property, with a large pool, each room has its own bathroom, and is air conditioned. Since the temperature was at 42 degrees Celsius, this was a definite plus. So I made the credit card free booking. One note of caution: they only accept cash; local Pesos preferred.

We found the location without incident and were we ever impressed! This hotel has a large reception area - similar to a small resort - with a palm leaf thatched roof. They serve your meals in this area and you can sit and relax with some drinks. It is a good idea to order what you want before you arrive - they will buy any drinks for you and add it to your bill.

There are 8 rooms with bathrooms and a large double bed, and 3 additional rooms separately from the main building, with 2 double beds each. There are two large palapa structures that can be used for entertainment or just to relax next to the pool. You pay extra for meals and drinks. The hostess prepares the meals and the food was great.

For those who are spiritually minded; one of the newer structures currently under construction is going to be an aromatherapy sauna type hut of which the entrance and exit are placed in a north south direction, which is symbolic for cleansing your mind and soul.

The property is large and enclosed by a wall with a gate that is closed at night and there is a very large structure as big as a barn where they locked up our vehicle overnight. (This would be perfect for any adventure bike riders travelling through this state. The barn is big enough if you need to do any repairs.)

Our dog ran off leash and was happier than I had ever seen her. She was allowed everywhere off leash, and even stole the cat's food once - the second time she got slapped and learned her lesson. I could truly relax.

The Owners and Tourist Host

The owner, Marrio Muradio Ruiz and his wife Aida Rosa Ortegon are excellent company and Marrio is a veterenarian. Their hospitality was outstanding and when we asked for anything they would head off to buy it. It would be really helpful to add any preferences in the initial email with the booking to save them some running around.

They employee a tourist host, Sergio du Jesus Rios Chi, who was the person who spoke English and is an exceptional addition to this hotel's staff. He is Mayan and is extremely proud of his heritage and knowledgeable about the region. Plan to stay for a few days and ask Sergio to arrange some personal tours for you to the small town of Tenabo, or the Kanki ruins, where he was born. Sergio is a young man who studied tourism at university and is also active online.

To contact this hotel:
981 11 7 92 18
981 11 7 74 91
Av. Jacinto Canek S/N Tenabo, Campeche
or book it through
Booking.Com
International #: 52 981 819 4664
Email: romimerodio@hotmail.com
Hotel San Sebastian Tenabo