Hotel Casa Don Fernando, Cáceres

Casa del Balam Hotel, Merida

Advantages: A unique and quaint hotel...
Disadvantages: Lacking a few mod-cons...

We stayed in this hotel for a few days while on a little tour of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, including visits to Cancun (don't bother), Playa del Carmen & Cozumel (much better) and the amazing ancient Mayan ruins at Uxmal, Chitzen Itza and Tulum. (I'll try and get round to reviewing all these later...) We arrived by taxi from Merida airport (a short journey), having flown in from Cancun, where we had arrived in Mexico the day before, and were delighed with what we found, a massive improvement of the brash touristy-ness of Cancun ! The Casa del Balam Hotel was formerly the family home of Fernando Barbachano Peon, pioneer of Mexican tourism. A blend of Mexican tiles, terracotta and wrought iron, it has a small pool in a walled courtyand, complete with a stone carved fountain and tropical plants, a restaurant and bar, along ...

matt_fantastic 13.04.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Casa del Balam Hotel, Merida

Fiesta Don Carlos Hotel Ibiza

Advantages: Relaxing, very close to the beach,10 mins away from shops
Disadvantages: not the place to go if you want nightclubs, as its the quieter side of the island

I first stayed at this hotel, two years ago, with my boyfriend, and he and his parents had been going to this part of the island for many years, but when he mentioned Ibiza my first thought was, its going to be very noisy, full of clubs, bars and lots of drinking, as i had heard all the stories, but i thought i would go just to see, i couldn't have been more wrong,. The hotel itself has just been redecorated, and is very well kept, there is an indoor bar, and restaurant and they also have an outside dinning area, but space is limited so you have to be early for dinner, there is a large pool, which has a seperated area for children, There are steps leading down to the beach, and another outdoor bar just off to your left as you reach the bottom of the steps, which is also part of the hotel. They have evening ...

gollum3273 04.12.2005 (20.12.2005) · Read full review
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Review of Fiesta Hotel Don Carlos, Ibiza

The discreet charm of the Casa San Blas

Advantages: A five-star stay?
Disadvantages: ?with just three-star facilities

simplicity often trumps ritzy ostentation. Attentive service matters, but nothing is nastier than the kind of smarmy obsequiousness that always seems to mask a sneer. And so on. Maybe it's simply down to that indefinable essence known as character or personality. These inconsequential musings are prompted by my trying to pinpoint what it was about the Casa San Blas at Cusco that I liked so much. The hotel is certainly not without its limitations and even its failings, but it's a nevertheless a charming and delightful place to stay. Let's try to summarise what it has to offer. * Location * The Casa San Blas is situated just a few minutes' walk from Cusco's Plaza de Armas (central square), and is therefore convenient for all the main sights of the ancient Inca capital, such as the Qorikancha (Sun Temple), the Cathedral ...

torr 23.03.2008 (23.09.2008) · Read full review
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Review of Casa San Blas, Cusco