** Important Notice: The Flying Cloud Hotel is closed as of 2024 **
Located beside XTC dive center in Xcalak, Mexico, the Flying Cloud Hotel is a cozy, comfortable, five-suite boutique hotel. With its white walls and elegant balustrades, at first glance the Flying Cloud looks more like a summer beach home than a hotel. And 25 years ago, that’s exactly what it was.
As an accommodation, the Flying Cloud Hotel hosts mostly scuba divers and fly fishers on three floors of suites, each with a sea view and one with a kitchenette.
Right next door at XTC is the Coral Bar & Grill where you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Colourful sea-life murals give the property a lively feel. At the same time, hammocks and padded loungers beckon you to relax after a day of diving or fishing.
Between dives or fishing trips, you can enjoy a book or magazine from your room or borrow from the XTC’s library. One of the friendly dogs on the property might even join you to take a nap in the sun.
Speaking of dogs, the Flying Cloud Hotel is one of Xcalak’s few pet-friendly accommodations.
Essential Highlights of the Flying Cloud Hotel
- Ideal location for scuba divers & fly fishers
- Sea views from every room
- Colourful sea-life murals
- On-site restaurant
- On-grid property
- Pet-friendly
How’s the location of the Flying Cloud Hotel?
Located just north of town across the bridge, the Flying Cloud is one of the few Xcalak beachside accommodations you can reach without a car. Bicycles are available at XTC, if you want to explore the beach road and Xcalak Village.
The property is also close enough to town to be on the power grid. So you won’t feel guilty about using electricity on cloudy days like you may at the other accommodations that run on solar power.
What are the rooms like at the Flying Cloud Hotel?
**Note: The Flying Cloud Hotel is scheduled for renovations in 2018 – our room descriptions and photos are pre-renovation**
The Flying Cloud Hotel is three stories tall.
On the beach level are two lower suites (both with beach walkouts). The middle floor of the Flying Cloud has two suites which share a kitchenette (and yup, it’s possible to rent the whole floor). And then there’s the rooftop suite.
From the top suite you have a sweeping view of the Caribbean Sea where the sun rises. And a view of jungle lagoon, where the sun sets (and also where you might spot other guests using kayaks or stand-up paddle boards).
Inside, the rooms are white punctuated by colourful beach-themed décor and wooden furnishing. Tall windows let in light and ceiling fans keep you cool.
Outside the rooms you’ll find wooden patio furniture where you can read a book or a magazine from your room. Or where you can just sit and enjoy the view and sea breeze.
Every suite comes with purified drinking water and Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.
What’s special about the Flying Cloud Hotel?
Staying at the Flying Cloud Hotel in Xcalak is a no-brainer for scuba divers. Next door to the Flying Cloud is XTC Dive Center, a five-star PADI resort and fully-equipped training facility.
(As avid divers ourselves, we can vouch for the quality of XTC when scuba diving in Xcalak.)
Next to the Flying Cloud, the Coral Bar & Grill at XTC serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Which means you don’t have to cook any meals when you come back exhausted from scuba diving all day.
Fly fishers touring with XTC will also enjoy staying at the Flying Cloud Hotel in Xcalak. You’ll be able to catch their boat at XTC’s dock, practically right outside your room.
All around XTC and the Flying Cloud you’ll find eye-catching paintings on the walls. A scuba diver and friend of XTC frequently visits Xcalak and paints these colourful sea-life murals.
The Flying Cloud has a pool out back, but usually it’s full of scuba divers doing their training. Guests are free to use the pool when there isn’t a class in it.
What’s included when staying at the Flying Cloud Hotel?
Besides access to the library at XTC Dive Center, a variety of watersports equipment is also available to guests of the Flying Cloud.
- Full service restaurant next door (Coral Bar & Grill)
- High speed Wi-Fi
- Purified drinking water in every room
- Kayaks
- Stand-up paddle boards (SUP)
What’s the story behind the Flying Cloud Hotel?
Twenty-five years ago, a U.S. air force pilot built a beachside vacation home in remote Xcalak. He named it the Flying Cloud after his passion for flying. Now a hotel, XTC Dive Center manages the Flying Cloud. It’s the ideal place for scuba divers and fly fishers to stay when they visit to Xcalak.
What’s the best way to reserve the Flying Cloud Hotel?
If you’re planning to scuba dive in Xcalak with XTC Dive Center, you can arrange your stay through them. Or check out the Flying Cloud Hotel’s website to make your reservation separately. Be sure to ask about the diving and fly fishing packages.
The Flying Cloud Hotel website (hotel and dive center are closed as of 2024)