Just a couple of blocks from the main ferry terminal on Isla Mujeres, down a side street in the middle of the block lies a relatively nondescript house. It’s a little taller than its neighbors and looks to be in a little better condition, but you’d never know what a surprise mini-paradise lies inside! And the views from the rooftop terraces will blow you away!
At Mexico Event Design, we are always on the lookout for out-of-the-way properties as venues for our clients’ destination weddings and lodging for you and your guests. So this gay-friendly B&B certainly qualifies! With six rooms, it can sleep 12-16 guests, the main floor courtyard can seat 32 for dinner, and the rooftop terrace can hold up to 45 for cocktails. Thus, it’s perfect for small and intimate groups of family and friends! And Isla Mujeres is the perfect location for such groups as well, lying 5 miles off the mainland at Cancun and reachable by a quick 20-minute catamaran ferry. The island retains a funky island vibe, even though you can still look across the water to see the outlines of the enormous hotels that dot the Cancun skyline. It’s just SO nice to look at them from far away and not be IN them!
The owner built the rooftop with an upper terrace that could be used for a ceremony and a lower terrace with a mini-pool and bar area that can serve for a cocktail reception. But you may not notice the cocktails you’re drinking because the view is nearly 360 degrees of gorgeous Caribbean Sea and sandy beaches and palm trees! The island is so narrow at this point that you can look down on BOTH sides of it and see how different they really are! The waves of the open Caribbean on the east side crash up against huge rocks of coral just beneath the protective jetty, while on the other side, gentle waves lap up onto a beautiful beach and a nearby marina with tons of sailboats lolling around in the water. The contrast couldn’t be much more stunning, and, oh BTW, if you stay here you’re invited each afternoon for complimentary cocktails at sunset so that you can enjoy this view at the prettiest time of day!
So now just imagine holding your romantic wedding ceremony up on this terrace at sunset within earshot of those magnificent crashing waves! Musical entertainment is also available, or bring your own iPod mix to plug into the hotel’s sound system. You may purposely keep your guest list small just so your group can fit into this intimate and enchanting space in the clouds!
Another oh by the way, it just so happens that this B&B is ranked the #1 B&B in Isla Mujeres and #3 in all of Mexico on the Trip Advisor website for its astounding service and great quality of lodging, and the great care taken by the owner of his guests.
These accompanying photos begin to do a little justice to the grandeur of the surrounding scenery, but nothing beats actually checking it out for yourselves! We can’t wait to show this hidden gem to you!
INTERESTED? Here are more details:
LOGISTICS: Arriving to this house on Isla Mujeres really does mean getting away from it all—it requires no fewer than FOUR means of transportation to get there!
AIR: For all of Isla Mujeres, it’s best to use Cancun International Airport. See our recent blog post on nonstop flights to Cancun from major US and Canadian cities.
LAND: Once you land in Cancun you’ll need to either arrange a private transfer to the Puerto Juarez port at the north end of Cancun or you can take a combination of buses to arrive there (Autobuses del Oriente regular service every 30 minutes from the airport to downtown Cancun and then a taxi or city bus –Routes 1 or 10).
SEA: Once at Puerto Juarez, you can buy tickets on the Ultramar catamaran ferry mentioned above that runs every 30 minutes during daylight hours for the quick 20-minute jaunt over to the island. Round-trip tickets currently cost $300 Mexican pesos, or a little more than $16 US dollars.
ISLAND: Upon arrival, you can hail a taxi if you really want to, or if you have heavy luggage, but it’s probably just as fast to walk to the house—about three blocks! Most people get around the island in gasoline-powered golf carts, so don’t worry too much about renting a car. It’s approximately 4 miles long by only ½ mile wide, so it’s never very far from one place to another.
OTHER LODGING NEARBY: In case your group is bigger than the max 16 guests who could stay at this B&B, never fear. There are tons of other lodging options in all price ranges within easy walking distance. You can choose from larger hotels, even a few all-inclusives, boutique hotels, private oceanfront villas, or other bed-and-breakfast options. We can certainly help you arrange any such options for your guests.
RENTAL and EVENT OPTIONS: For an event, the owner requires a seven-night rental of all six bedrooms so that it doesn’t disrupt his normal guests’ arrival and departure patterns too badly. Because the house is so popular with return guests (more than 80% of current guests are coming back—it’s that wonderful!), it’s much easier to make this happen in the low summer or fall season than in high winter season, and you’ll need many months’ advanced notice.
Room rental rates range from $125-$150 in low season to $165-$190 in high season for double occupancy. Single occupancy is at a lower price. Add 19% tax. Five of the six guest rooms have balconies.
There is not an event fee for such a small wedding party, but the guest list must be strictly limited because of the small spaces available. The owner has local chefs who can prepare delicious and low-key menus for the wedding reception and banquet if you like, or we can arrange anything via our in-house culinary team.
Please contact us at info@mexicoeventdesign.com or 512-692-9155 to find out more information about this surprising hidden gem on Isla Mujeres!