We will be in AC mid August and are planning to get in some diving. We'd like a condo with air conditioning. Thinking of the Mayan Princess. Any suggestions or info? Also, heard there are manatees. True? If so, can you swim with them and where?

Thanks

I like the Mayan Princess a lot, but if you're looking for a really deluxe place it's not that. It's just a pleasant three story condo right on the water in the middle of town, with nice one-bedrooms suites with a good tropical feel. Great views from the balconies of the second and third story units. Nice, friendly management.

You can do manatee tours. There are a lot of manataees around, but it's not a good idea to try to swim with them or otherwise disturb them. Responsible guides won't let you do that.

--Lan Sluder

Thanks for your input. We're not looking for anything really fancy in accomodations, but want to be by a nice beach for walking and convenience for diving. Ramon's has been suggested to us. Are you familiar with it?

Realize that we can't harrass the manatees, but they seem to be such mellow creatures that would like the opportunity to be in the water with them.

Thanks
Mary

Regarding the Mayan Princess, I was told that it has ovens and microwaves in the rooms but no stove tops. Does anyone know if this is true? I like to be able to cook an egg now and then.

I stayed at the Mayan Princess. It was ok. Nice little condo-style efficency with a nice view of the ocean. Showing a little age but clean and well kept. Nice central location. The staff was very nice. The maids keep things pretty much spotless. No pool, which is fine with me, I'm in the ocean all day.

The little kitchens do have a two burner stove, a coffee maker, a micro, a small refreg, basic cooking tools and a sink. The supermarkets, one north and one south, are actually pretty good, prices not too bad.

I had a a fresh flower arrangement put in my room each morning. The front desk arranged it for me. For $15 US per day I got large arrangements of fresh flowers very well presented. I considered it a bargain, and compliment whoever did the flower arrainging.

The Mayan Princess is priced at pretty much everything it's worth, but I can and do reccomend it as clean and comfortable and well staffed. It is a hotel and not a resort, but as a hotel I enjoyed it.

We stayed there in April. Nice place. No pool or restaurant, but there is a whole ocean to dive in and plenty to eat close by. Like it was stated above it is nice but not comparable to a 4 star US hotel (not that you look for that on a tropical island).

The people there were always very helpful and nice when we needed help and it was kept very clean and neat.

Thank you to both of you for answering. That was what I wanted to know.