Avalon Reef Club Isla Mujeres

The toilet would not flush properly, the sink would not drain, the a/c unit drained water into the room on the floor and when we told them about the problems, they said they would look into it but nobody ever came to look at the problems.

The island is one of the best kept secrets for people looking for a safe, friendly and relaxing vacation. The property location is incredible. The sunsets from the end of the point were breathtaking. The room(Villa/studio)was great for a location, being feet from the waves while on your balcony and quiet other then the ocean. The room was worn,hard bed(they did provide mattress pad on request which helped a little),small ant problem and noisy old air conditioner on patio,but it is Mexico. Where our 1st floor room patio was located I did not feel safe leaving slider door open at night.The beach was very small and shallow water with rocks but supposed to be great for snorkeling, which other guests told us it was.The public "north beach", a short walk away,was much nicer(deeper water,restaurants provide service to you).The walk to town was a little further then other nicer hotels on north beach.A nice hotel for isolation from town but still close enough to visit.We had drinks at the bar one night which were overpriced compared to the north beach bars and town prices.The pool was decent but had to bring our own drinks. ***A week prior to leaving we read that there had been a newspaper article in the local island paper that said the hotel owes back taxes and may be getting shut down by the government. [...]The day after we arrived(12/05/09)we saw the government had seized the gift shop. The day before we left(12/10/09)we saw many employees leaving at once in the middle of the day to see that the government had seized the restaurant and bars. We were told by AI people that they could order through room service only after that.The landscapers were busy continuing to put in plants and grass as we left for their upcoming season.I would give the location a 4 but the hotel a 2 for room quality.***NOTE:Based on the governments actions while we were there,if I were going there again soon, I would change to another hotel prior to going until the hotel solves their problems with the government to avoid complications on YOUR vacation.

The hotel was in a magnificeint location. However, the room was sparse with one small over head light blub. The bed was small for two people, I had asked for a King bed, I got a small queen. The staff was aloff for a good part of the 11 days we spent at the Avalon Reef. It was taken as an imposition when you made a request. The hotel overall was not well maintained. We love Isla Mujere and will definately go back to the island. [...]

Well, I can't recommend the Isla Mujeres enough. This hotel however the WORST hotel I have ever stayed in. The "Ocean view" I was guaranteed was actually a roof and a wall. The TV's did not work, the toilet did not work, and the shower's water pressure was ridiculously weak, and they were in the middle of a remodel. I tried to change rooms, they said I could on Wednesday, I went to them on Wednesday and they all of a sudden forgot English and wouldn't change my room. I can't stress enough just how small the beach at the hotel was. The food was excellent but very limited. And the beds were extremely hard, not firm, almost solid. I was also woken up every day very early to the friendly sound of hammering and workers in the halls yelling back and forth. Don't stay at this hotel!!!! Now the good. The hotel may have been bad, but the island was amazing. Beautiful scenery, excellent food, shops everywhere, and felt very safe. I recommend if you are going to Cancun to go to this island. Just be warned, the beaches there are topless. I hope that this helped.

The Avalon is the only place we've stayed on Isla Mujeres that we would never return to. The hotel staff were not at all friendly and didn't seem to care whether we were there or not, which is so NOT like our other experiences in Isla Mujeres. The beds in Mexico are hard in general but this bed was like sleeping on box springs. We had to put the blanket under the fitted sheet to make it bearable. There was only one chair on our balcony but they did bring another when I asked. We tipped the cleaning staff however every day we had to call and ask for something they didn't leave, such as a bath mat or clean towels. I put a card on the bed every other day not to change the sheets to conserve water but when they took our dirty towels, it would be nice if they would leave a clean one! Yes the rooms were air conditioned but the unit was so noisy it kept us awake. Like the sound of the ocean waves, but not the wind howling in through the sliding door that did not seal well. They make you wear wrist bands even though it's not all inclusive because nobody is allowed on the property unless they are staying there. We had friends staying at the Villa Vera who wanted to come over and watch the sunset with us and they weren't allowed to even do that. Management said if they wanted to come to our room, they would have to be escorted by a bellman who would wait until they left. Give me a break! Needless to say we spent a lot of time at their pool at the Villa Vera since they weren't allowed at ours. Of course it was so filthy we would not have gotten in the pool anyhow. The pictures of the loungers in the water are a joke because the cushions are absolutely filthy and nobody was using them. The pool bar was never open. We took a small ice chest as we always do to take beer to the beach but at the Avalon you're not allowed to take your own beverages to the pool or beach. Another reason to hang out at the Villa Vera. We drank some of our own there but also purchased food and drinks. I ordered one beer at the Avalon and it cost $4!!! Wifi is $15 a day which of course is free at the Villa Vera. One day we asked the "guard" who sits at the property entrance to call a cab and he said to walk across the bridge and we could get one. One of our party tried to use the gym and it was smelly, stuffy, with no AC or even a fan. The last day we tried to sit by the beach but the bingo game going on at the bar was so annoying we had to leave. If we wanted party games we would go on a cruise. The showers are seriously outdated and toilets didn't flush well. Hot water was turned off almost every day which didn't really bother us. The "kitchenette" had 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives, 2 plates, and 2 coffee cups, a blender, and a coffee pot. [...] We had read mixed reviews so went with an open mind. For the money, you can do a lot better than the Avalon.

It seemed to us that his hotel might be going out of business. Eventhough it was a low season they still should keep services at least standard. I'll never go back and stay at this hotel.

My husband and I needed a getaway and decided to try Isla Mujeres. We had a groupon for this property and decided to give it a try. Before we left, we saw the negative reviews so we sort of knew what we were in for. We decided to keep our expectations low. We really just wanted time on the beach. The location is indeed beautiful--which is a shame. The negative reviews that you read here are all true. The worst part, however, was their reaction when my husband was injured on their property. It was a windy day and he was hit by a beach umbrella that was not tied down (nor taken in as the winds became stronger). It was an accident, but the minute it happened the hotel staff scattered. We managed to get an ice pack (which was actually a towel with some ice) from someone. Thankfully, the umbrella did not puncture his skin but we weren't sure if he'd broken any ribs and he went into shock as soon as we returned to our room. I called the front desk and their response was that they could have a doctor come, but it would cost me $80. We were not checked on by any of the hotel staff the rest of the trip. But other guests on the beach that day who saw what happened checked on us repeatedly throughout the week. Because the hotel is old and run down, the chances of another accident like this happening are VERY HIGH. They are not prepared to deal with it or ensure the safety of their guests. Please consider another hotel on the island. Isla Mujeres is quite beautiful and worth the trip--just not to this hotel.

They gave us a hotel room that was not what I had ordered. Then they didn't want to change my room, when i asked them to, and at the end they didn't even refund me the money. I was not happy with my stay at this hotel, because of the customer service.

Avalon looked nice upon arrival. The location is beautiful and the sunsets from the bar are gorgeous! Beyond that, we were not at all happy with our stay. The rooms are just OK, clean but minimal. The lobby bar opens in the evening, the pool bar was closed. Even though the hotel was WAY below capacity, the wait time for drinks/bartender was at least 10 minutes. Dining options also were below par. The main buffet( only buffet) was only half open because of repairs and frequently no available tables and empty trays of food. Braekfast is the only meal we were happy with. The food at other times seems to all taste the same. The reservation only restaurant was good, but only had a few items that didn't have a surcharge. Another rather offensive aspect of the dining/bar experience is none of the workers have a specific job. It's unappetizing to see the person serving your food or drink emptying garbage, cleaning drains and sweeping the floor seconds before serving you. the all-inclusive option is not worth it. Beside the aforementioned reasons, there are so many excellent restaurants and bars on the island the are reasonably priced. After our first few meals, we ate elsewhere. I would not stay here again but do recommend the swimming/snorkeling at the beach around it. The water is clear, warm with not much of a current.

We stayed at the Avalon Reef from June 18 through June 28, 2007. It was wonderful and it was terrible. The front desk personnel and the concierge were worthless, and continued to be so throughout our stay. We had previously opted for the Studio Villas. The rooms were ordinary, cinderblock and plaster, good A/C, large bathroom, small kitchenette/alcove - refrig & micro, comfortable bed, radio/alarm/cd player, chest of drawers, desk, NO INTERNET, and the best location in the world. Right over the ocean with the surf crashing in over the reef. We went with another couple and they took the first floor of the villa and we took the second. They were exactly the same and completely separate. Why they are call villas is perhaps to enhance the concept. They clearly are not villas. The Avalon Reef is out on a point on the north end of the island, a 5 - 10 minute walk from town. But, it has its own security so no local crafts people selling anything on the beach or anywhere on the property. And - there was always a breeze off the ocean, and the ocean was all around us. The Avalon's beach was destroyed in one of the hurricanes and they are slowly, very, very slowly rebuilding it. I highly recommend staying in a studio villa rather than a standard room in the main building for the view and the surf and the breezes. We opened all the windows at night - no bugs, and slept to the sound of the surf. There are three hammocks that hold two people each along the grass area by the sea covered by palapas. Drift and dream in one of them with the sound of the ocean right next to you. Since you are out on the point, if you want anything other than hotel food you have to walk into town or stack some things in the frig. There is 24 hour room service for an extra charge. The food is good - no great, with some exceptions. The service ranges from terrible to adequate. Not once did a waiter or anyone come anywhere near the hammocks, and only occasionally did they come to the beach to see if you wanted anything. It was self serve and other service was directly linked to tipping. Bring $1 bills or 10 - 20 Paso coins or bills. The first night, after the front desk fiasco, the hotel was having a beach based dinner. The food was terrible. The waiters stood on the fringe and would clear plates from the serve yourself buffet and your table. The entertainer, who was a really nice guy, was having guests and kids play musical chairs and getting stuff from people sitting and eating dinner. Not something any of my party enjoyed. All inclusive or pay as you go, you sign a check each time. I put a good tip on the check the first night and we ambled over to the outdoor bar. A waiter came over to me and told me he wanted me to pay him his tip in cash as the hotel kept his tips. He also told me I had not left him enough money. The next day I spoke to the reservations manager. He was terrific. He apologized for the waiter and I left his office with a smile.