Ceiba

Ceiba is our ground-floor apartment. It takes its name from the tree the Maya held sacred, and the name fits: it is the space that asks nobody to climb. It has two separate bedrooms, one with a king bed for two and another with a double for two more. It is the natural pick for two couples travelling together, or for a family whose children now want their own room and their own door.

What really sets it apart is the shared space: it has two living areas, plus a dining room and a kitchen. With four people that means not everyone has to be in the same place at the same time, that someone can stay reading while the rest watch television, and that meals and lingering at the table have a place of their own. There is air conditioning in the living room and in each bedroom, so nobody depends on the room next door to sleep cool.

The kitchen changes a stay of several days: breakfast before heading out to the lagoon, cold drinks waiting for the way back, dinner at home without working around restaurant hours. Step-free access is the other advantage, and it counts for more than it sounds: the car is close, the door is level with the property, and carrying luggage, coolers or paddleboards stops being a problem. This is the space we recommend when someone in the group would rather not climb steps several times a day.

The location is the same as the rest of Casa Pantoja: a minute on foot from the Xul-Há lagoon, at the southern end of the Bacalar lagoon, where the water is just as clear and there are far fewer people. You reach the water walking; downtown Bacalar is about ten minutes by car, and Chetumal and its airport twenty.

Casa Pantoja has no direct access to the lagoon. The lagoon is approximately a one-minute walk away; two bathing facilities charge admission. Admission is not included in your stay. Check their prices and opening hours before visiting.