Updated 2024
Will knowing more about the accommodations in Xcalak help you pick the ideal place to stay? Heck yes! In this overview, you’ll find:
- The best areas to stay in Xcalak
- A list of beachside and “in-town” vacation lodgings
- What to look for in an accommodation
- Why to be wary of Airbnb
To get started, here’s a quick video introducing the beachside accommodations in Xcalak. Keep in mind: we’ve updated the info in this post, but the video is a few years old (and not exhaustive).
Now, on to the accommodations!
Accommodation Locations: You Have Three Choices In Xcalak
There are about 20 tourist accommodations in Xcalak, so options are limited. Your first step is deciding where in Xcalak you want to stay:
- Beachside (north beach road)
- Within the town of Xcalak
- Beachside (south beach road)
This table lists many of the mainstay accommodations in Xcalak. It should give you an idea of what’s available and the locations.
**** Please note: XTC Dive Center and the Flying Cloud Hotel are closed as of 2024 ****
Our advice on where to stay depends on the type of vacation you’re taking.
1) Xcalak’s North Beach Road:
Places along the north beach road are the most popular. It’s where the expats stay and has most of the tourist accommodations in Xcalak. These spots typically look right out to the Caribbean Sea. There’s something special about literally vacationing on Xcalak Beach.
These north-beach properties offer a balance of privacy and luxury. However, the beach road is primarily off-grid, so amenities like air conditioning are sacrificed.
2) In Town:
Staying in Xcalak village (aka “in town”) is more convenient because there are grid utilities (power & water). In town is a good spot for fly fishers with tours that leave from the town pier or for visitors without a rental car.
The trade-off for staying in town is that you won’t have a private section of beach to enjoy.
3) Xcalak’s South Beach Road:
The south beach road also has an accommodation or two, but the area is alarmingly undeveloped, so much so that we don’t suggest booking here without extensive research.
4) Bonus Tip:
In Xcalak, your best bet to experience the “coconut life” is to stay beachside. But if you’re on a budget, some accommodations offer a “lagoon-side” stay. Lagoon-side means the building is on the jungle side of the road, not directly on the beach, but still close.
For more location advice, see our post: Choosing Where to Stay in Xcalak.
Now let’s explore the hotels, huts, inns, B&Bs, and more.
A List Of The Beachside Accommodations In Xcalak
The landscape of Xcalak’s tourist accommodations is continually changing; we’ve seen new properties open and current properties change hands. Below is a list of the businesses with staying power—they’ve been hosting tourists for years.
*Properties are listed in order from closest to town, with distance noted.
Costa de Cocos – 0.87 mi / 1.4 km
Beach huts! Costa de Cocos was the first tourist accommodation & resort in Xcalak, and the units are private palapa huts with ensuite bathrooms and daily cleanings. On site is the Reel-Inn Restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Costa de Cocos has an dive shop and offers guided fly fishing trips.
Visit the website: Costa de Cocos
Get the Insider View of Costa de Cocos
Xflats at Tierra Maya Lodge – 1.3 miles / 2.1 km
Hotel Tierra Maya is a stylish beachside accommodation with air-conditioned rooms. The Xflats caters to serious saltwater fly anglers and offers guided fly-fishing tours. The suites have rod racks, and the bar is decorated with local fishing memorabilia. The on-site restaurant serves breakfast and dinner.
Visit the website: Xflats at Tierra Maya Lodge
Casa Paraiso / The Reef House – 1.5 miles / 2.5 km
Casa Paraiso has a split personality. First, there’s the Reef House, which has three units for rent (a kitchen is available in the upper unit only). And second, there’s Xcalak on the Fly, an all-inclusive fly-fishing lodge at Casa Paraiso with four beachfront suites and an on-site restaurant. The properties share an expansive beach and dock.
Visit the Reef House website.
Or, visit the website for Xcalak on the Fly.
Kimmel’s Kabaña – 1.7 miles / 2.7 km
A private property for rent in Xcalak, Kimmel’s Kabaña has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a rooftop patio. An on-site caretaker ensures your visit goes smoothly, and a cleaning service comes approximately twice a week.
Visit the website: Kimmels Kabaña
Playa Sonrisa – 4.3 miles / 6.9 km
You’ll want to know that Playa Sonrisa is the “clothing optional” accommodation in Xcalak. It is a laid-back resort for couples and anyone wanting to eliminate tan lines completely. Stay in a private bungalow, an upper-level room with a balcony, or a lower-level room with a beach walk-out.
Visit the website: Playa Sonrisa (contains mild nudity)
Get the Insider View of Playa Sonrisa
Casa Caracola – 4.7 miles / 7.6 km
An accommodation great for big groups, Casa Caracola sleeps six guests comfortably. The on-site caretakers clean the rooms and help guests with their stay. Enjoy sweeping beach views of the sea, a rooftop lounge, lagoon access, and a screened palapa dining room.
Visit the website: Casa Caracola
Acocote Eco Inn – 4.8 miles / 7.8 km
The Acocote Eco Inn has three suites, each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living/dining area. The owner/manager is a local fly fishing expert. This is a family-friendly accommodation.
Visit the website: Acocote Eco Inn
Get the Insider View of Acocote Eco Inn
Sin Duda Villas – 5.0 miles / 8.0 km
A playfully colorful beachfront accommodation in Xcalak, Sin Duda Villas has individual rooms, full apartments, and studio apartments. Rooms get cleaned daily (while you’re out snorkeling, enjoying the patio, beach, lagoon, or rooftop sun decks).
Visit the website: Sin Duda Villas
Get the Insider View of Sin Duda Villas
Casa del Sol – 8.0 miles / 12.8 km
The most remote of the tourist accommodations in Xcalak, Casa del Sol is truly away from it all. Three colorful units are available—one upper with a balcony and two lower suites that walk out onto the beach. Make meals in your kitchen, enjoy exploring the reef in the hotel’s glass-bottom kayak, or relax in a hammock.
Visit the website: Casa del Sol on VRBO
A List Of Places To Stay “In Town” In Xcalak Village
Indeed, there are accommodations in Xcalak village, right in town. You won’t have a private beach but you’ll be close to restaurants and shops. And unlike the beachside accommodations, town hotels are on-grid, so there are no power or water limitations (helloooo air conditioning and long showers!).
Staying in town in Xcalak is a good choice if you don’t have a rental car. The village is also good if you’ll fly fishing with a local guide whose boat leaves from the public town pier.
Here are the town accommodations:
Flying Cloud Hotel – XTC Dive Center (closed as of 2024)
Note: XTC is out of business as of 2024.
This place is ideal for taking a PADI course, as it’s right beside the dive center. Rooms all have a sea view, and a stay includes breakfast at the Coral Bar & Grill next door (also serving lunch and dinner). The hotel isn’t *exactly* in town, but it’s so close you can walk.
Visit the website: Flying Cloud Hotel (closed as of 2024)
Get the Insider View of the Flying Cloud Hotel (closed as of 2024)
Caribbean Casa Blanca – South side of Town
The newest accommodation in Xcalak, Caribbean Casa Blanca, is in town next to the Marine Park office. Each of the three floors has a suite with a kitchen and AC. The rooftop terrace is the tallest in town.
Visit the website: Caribbean Casa Blanca
Xcalak Caribe Lodge – Beachside in Town
This accommodation is outfitted for fly fishers. It’s located on the village’s beachside road; there are five rooms, all with separate entrances. Three rooms in the front have a direct view of the village beach.
Visit the website: Xcalak Caribe Lodge
Hotel Caribe Caracol – Main Street in Town
This small “hotelito” is on the main street in the center of town. It’s a local accommodation not aimed at tourists. There’s no website, and it’s sometimes open and sometimes closed, so you’ll have to take your chances.
Are There Airbnb Rentals in Xcalak?
There is an ever-changing range of options for Airbnb rentals in Xcalak. We suggest doing good research before booking through Airbnb because we’ve seen that some accommodations owners list their properties as in Xcalak when, practically speaking, they’re not.
Find more tips here: Xcalak Rentals on Airbnb – What You Need to Know
Your BIG (Final) Decision On Where To Stay
With any luck, you’ve found a few hotels in Xcalak that made you think, “Yeah, I can picture myself staying here for a week or so.”
But before depositing your hard-earned money, consider:
- You’ll need a car to get to most accommodations. If you don’t plan on having a rental car in Xcalak, stick to the lodgings in town.
- There’s less road traffic the further you get from town. If you crave isolation, pick an accommodation far down the beach road and be prepared for a bumpy beach drive.
- Many accommodations in Xcalak are adults-only. If you’re traveling with kids, let the hotel manager know before you reserve.
- Most places (but not all) let guests use snorkel gear, kayaks, and bicycles for free. Ask what gear is available to you during your stay.
Who the heck are we to share this info?
You might wonder, “Who are these people writing a post about Xcalak accommodations? Can I trust them not to steer me wrong?” Good questions.
About us—we’re not affiliated with any of the accommodations in Xcalak and don’t make bookings. We built this website because when we first visited (way back in 2014), we couldn’t find a reliable guide to Xcalak, so we created one; for you.
The Xcalak Travel Guide is a free download with practical travel info. Saving the PDF to your device is prudent as there’s no cell reception in Xcalak. Go get the guide.