We stayed at the Hotetur Beach Paradise from 5/14/09-5/18/09...right at the height of the "swine flu" panic. People back home thought that we were crazy for going through with our trip...but in my opinon it was the best time to travel. The airport was a ghost town, went through customs and security and were out of the airport within 10 minutes of our arrival (which I'll probably never see again in this lifetime!). The buses and taxis were readily available at all times, since there were barely any tourists around. We never had to wait for a table or a drink, or search for a lounge chair by the beach or pool...it was like having our own private island during our trip, and it was PERFECT. The Hotetur beach paradise was just about empty, there were only 60 guests staying in the hotel while we were there--including our group of 6 in our 20's and 30's...so our guest experience may have been different than a normal hotel stay at the establishment.

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience in this hotel. The hotel is certainly not a 5-star luxury resort, but was still clean and very pretty. The beach at this location is great, actually larger and nicer than some of the beaches at the "upscale" resorts. This particular hotel is located at the southern end of the "hotel zone", so it is kind of far away from the restaurants, bars and shopping--which was ideal for us, we enjoyed the tranquility. However, the action is a quick (and very cheap) bus ride away if that is your preference. The front desk and the concierge staffs are both extremely friendly and helpful. Being young singles, we were fortunate enough not to be haggled about the timeshares,as was stated in some of the other reviews.

Our reservation was for a standard room, but since there were so many vacancies we were able to upgrade to an oceanview balcony room. Another couple in our group were also upgraded to an oceanview suite at no exta cost. The rooms are sparse, but very bright and clean. As other reviews have stated, the air conditioning in the guest rooms could use some improvement. But we just left our balcony doors open while we were in the room and the ocean breeze compensated just fine (much better than musty air conditioning anyway, in my opinion). After all, we didn't spend much time in our rooms other than to shower and sleep.

Since there were hardly any guests staying in the hotel during our visit, the Italian and Mediterranean restaurants were not open, our only dining option was the buffet. The Sports bar was also closed during our stay, only the pool bar and lobby bar were open. We were disappointed that we didn't get to try out the other restaurants, but we enjoyed the food at the buffet and snack bar. There were a few picky eaters in our party, but everyone was able to find something they liked each day (the buffet had a different "theme" each night--Asian, Italian, Mexican, Seafood, etc). The service in the restaurant was excellent, the staff is very attentive and goes out of their way to make sure that the guests have fun.

The same goes for the bartenders at the lobby and pool bars, they're very energetic and funny and make excellent drinks. The entertainment staff did a great job as well, the Mayan show that we saw was very good, and Casino Night looked like a lot of fun (but I was too drunk and tired to make it). The Karaoke nights were also very entertaining, and they offered trips to different clubs from the hotel each night. They worked very hard to maintain a fun and exciting environment despite the fact that the hotel was practically deserted. Unfortunately, many of the daytime activities were cancelled (archery, Latin dance lessons, etc) simply because there were no guests around to participate. This too was a little disappointing, but couldn't be helped. There was also a marina directly across the street that offered complimentary kayaks, snorkeling and windsurfing for hotel guests, which I thought was great.

We also took the Islander Tour to Isla Mujeres during our stay, and had a fantastic time. The tour is a great value for the money and a lot of fun. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND booking all tours or excursions through CancunWithMe.com, the prices were MUCH better than the ones offered in the hotel, and the knowledge and customer service FAR EXCEEDS any other tour company available online. I simply cannot praise this company enough! :)
We also booked our hotel transfers via USA Transfers. I reccomend this company as well, they were punctual and very friendly.

I would stay at this hotel again in a heartbeat--especially if I got another deal like the one we had on this particular trip. I've been to Cancun many times, and this trip was by far the best I've had. I would much rather use the extra money to shop,or have a blast on a tour,than spend it on one of the "fancier" hotels.

we went to celebrate our anniversary. there was a promotion for a free upgrade. We got upgraded to an awesome ocean view with floor to ceiling windows it was pretty awesome listening to the waves at night with the windows open. Seriously my most relaxing vacation. I always think about it. However, when coming here you cannot expect 5 stars or anything. There was not a lot of variety for the food but it was decent. Besides if you want to try local cuisine go into the city. If you do not expect too much this hotel will be good for you.

My boyfriend and I went down to Mexico (5/19-5/24) despite the Swine Flu. We're from NYC, where there are apparently more cases of the Swine Flu than Mexico, so we figured we'd go. We read over some reviews prior to the trip and had hopes for a good trip. There were only a handful of negative ones, while the rest applauded the hotel for being worthwhile for the budget seekers. I cannot stress how disappointed we were with the hotel. Because of the extensive media coverage on the Swine Flu, the hotel was only at 30% occupancy and therefore decided to open the buffet only. Both the Italian and Mediterranean restaurants were closed until further notice. The food at the buffet was the WORST food I've ever had. It's the same meal every day. If the food isn't fried, it's drowned in butter. There are flies everywhere. We ate out all of the 5 nights we were there. If you value air conditioning, this is not the hotel for you. We were given a room with 2 double beds, and my boyfriend and I seriously contemplated sleeping on separate beds because the heat was unbearable. When we complained about the air conditioning, the answer was always "we will send someone to work on it." We asked at least 8 other rooms if theirs was just as bad, and they were. The so called air conditioning doesn't even amount to a small fan on high. The bathrooms have no vents, so your room is always moist from the shower and the humidity in the air. The hotel is old and smells of mold. The only positive thing I can say about Beach Paradise was the enthusiasm of the entertainment staff by the pool and the helpful Guest Services staff, namely Hanzi. Hanzi made all of our dinner reservations each night. Bottom line: spend a little more and go elsewhere. We wouldn't stay at Beach Paradise again, even if it were free.

We had a great one week stay at Hotetur. Admittedly, upon arrival the lobby and bar decor were a bit outdated and downright cheesy (in an endearing way). They clearly tried to make it nice - statues and plants and whatnot. Still, as others have said, this is basically a Holiday Inn on the sea. Still, we didnt travel there to sit in the lobby, and it was always clean.
The rooms were nice - again, very clean, and without even tipping we got towel creatures made. You're so close to the ocean you can hear the surf - it was so nice, especially being from the city! No frills, but you have everything you need (no clock, but whatever - it was kind of nice not to know the time).
The beach was beautiful and never too crowded. We woke up early to get a chair but probably didn't need to. The surf was rough some days but never un-swimmable. The water was beautiful, the bottom sandy. They had volleyball and 2 nice pools to sit beside. There are locals that walk the beach selling things, but they are completely respectful and unobtrusive. We loved the heavy surf in that it drowned out other noises and conversation, making for a very relaxing day. You can get umbrellas upon request (they do go fast, however). Towels are provided daily and were always clean.


The service was great - everyone was friendly. Drinks were good - food was fine. I'm pretty fussy and have food allergies but did okay. THeir food sanitization practices seemed great - food was sealed in saran wrap and workers wore gloves. Meal variety was good ... but again, don't go there for the cuisine. We never tried the other restaurants.

If you're looking for a safe, fairly quiet (we attneded during Canada's spring break and were never awakened), beautiful beach experience - go here. You'll have no issues. We went to see the ocean and the sun and it was perfect for the price.

They don't offer travel to the airport, but do "Best Day" charters - they were great and it's a quick trip to the airport. We may return next year!

Only thing ... yo u have to pay daily for the safe. Be srue you're aware of peso/dollar exchange ...w e're not sure our/their math was right. It's like $2 a day for the safe (14 peso or something) but just count up correctly. We were in a rush and tired and didn't do that.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!