Pancho and Jill were the idea hosts for us: friendly, knowledgable, a great source of insight into Mexico, Mayan culture, Mayan archaeology, and, no small thing, tequila. Also, their coffee was the best we had in all of Mexico. Pancho rightly called the accommodations "rustica," and they aren't for everyone, but were perfect for us. We especially liked that the exceptional Coba Mayan ruins were an easy walk away.

The breakfasts are superb as is the coffee (that they roast on-site). They provide superb guiding services for the nearby Coba archaeological zone.

The nice property is a bit small and enclosed and there is no swimming pool. But the superb cenote bathing just 5 km away (along with the excellent free wi-fi and good breakfast and coffee) makes up for no pool!

Lovely welcome, felt very at home and enjoyed chatting to both Poncho and Gill, who are very knowledgeable. Nice to hear about their coffee and the local food. Very quiet and relaxing place to stay in nature with an easy walk to the ruins. Also lovely dog!

Nothing

very nice rustic cabin on the edge of the jungle. Poncho and Jill are very kind and knowledgeable and open for conversation. Walking distance from Coba ruïnes. Room is big and includes use of the terrace with hammocks, the kitchen and living room and garden area. Great for some rest and relaxation and amazing home roasted coffee.

It is rustic, so facilities like shower are somewhat basic. At night you can hear a lot of street dogs and animals, so while natural, it’s not a quite oasis so to speak.

The hosts are friendly, happy, welcoming, and fun to chat with. Poncho's knowledge of Mexican culture and local surroundings contributed to our enjoyment of Cobá. The coffee is amazing!

I have to think for a few minutes to think of any kind of criticism because I enjoyed my stay. It was a little over our budget, but I'm glad we could afford at least one night there. A minor detail, but it would be better to have an electrical outlet next to the night table by the bed so I could charge my phone during the night and still quickly reach out of the mosquito net to shut off my alarm in the morning.

Very friendly owner, excellent coffee, nice room

Jill and Poncho are amazing people! great coffee! great food! great tequila!

Cool spot. Very unique location on backstreets of a Mayan village. My kids loved staying in the palapa. Lush jungle feel. Very near Coba ruins. The owners were really fantastic to chat with. Great coffee.

It might perhaps be difficult for some to find or access; but this was a cool thing for me. Maybe it was a bit costly but not so bad.

We like the position of the hotel, close to the pyramids in Coba and at the same time at the outskirts of the village in a tranquile place almost in the jungle. We also like the owners, Gill and Poncho, we felt very welcome by them, family-like feeling. We also enjoyed the delisious espresso. You can find the best coffee in their place. We also enjoyed the shared kitchen for meetup and talks.

Poncho was extremely helpful and considerate regarding out stay. Furthermore he roasts coffee beans himself and makes one amazing cup of coffee!

The owners were very nice and kind, the location was also good. I liked the shared deck on the top floor for relaxing and the coffee.

Unfortunately the studio we booked with private bathroom didn’t quite live up to expectations. Sadly it didn’t match with booking.con description and photos, these were actually for the shared bathroom (much nicer) and the rooms which were on the top floor off the shared deck (again nicer). Feel sad I cannot rate higher as family very nice, but price paid for room compared to other properties I stayed in Mexico was a little high.

I love the location on the outskirts of Coba, right on the edge of the jungle. Just 10minutes from the ruins and 20minutes walk from the bus stop. The little guy I stayed in was pretty basic, but this is what I needed after Tulum and other busy places I visited. Staying there is like a cleanse for the mind. Instead of music, I enjoyed the sounds of nearby forest - crickets playing their melodies by the evening, birds singing at sunrise. The place has an excellent WiFi signal if you need to work, has a Temazcal if you want to cleanse your body too! Pancho makes excellent burrito for breakfast and the home roasted coffee is just great! I would love to come back one day and stay longer. Coba feels like a perfect countryside, still undeveloped and quiet. There is something magical about this place.

The room, the area and owners are great, quiet place, perfect if you appreciate nature. Owners are very kind people. Strongly recommend

Malinche offers a unique experience to a town that is rich with Maya history and bird watching. We loved our hosts--Poncho and Jill are warm and welcoming; they shared lots of interesting stories and gave us the chance to participate in their cultural customs, the temezcal, in a more intimate way (see photo). I'd be remiss not to mention Lassie and Phoenix, their sweet lovable dogs. The stay comes with a breakfast--fresh fruit, bread, and coffee--and was in a good location just a few min from the lagoon and a 10-min walk from the ruins. We enjoyed Malinche because it felt like a homestay, like having a special invitation to join their home. All of the units are open air to alleviate pandemic concerns.

This isn't a place for everyone. For the same reasons Malinche felt unique and special, it does not have the anonymity as a hotel does and the open-air building styles don't keep noises of the city out. The main drawback is that you can hear dogs barking at night, so if you're a light sleeper, this may be difficult.

Really great hosts and a welcome break from touristic hotels. Excellent breakfast and coffee. cute dogs.

cold at night (as didn’t wear enough clothes - recommend dressing warm)

Secluded location on the edge of the jungle, but good wi-fi/internet. Pancho and Jill were interesting and friendly hosts. The coffee was excellent and the breakfast was very good - fruit and hotcakes. It's a unique experience for a night or two. Birders might really enjoy this place.

It was a bit more rustic than we expected from the description, but we loved it. The road to the entrance was definitely rough.

Thanks for the amazing stay. It was a pleasure to be in nature and surrounded by you :-) Free breakfast, free bikes, lovely people, friendly dogs. Special highlight: The Temazcal. I can only highly recommend this beautiful and peaceful place!

The palapa is truly magical, located very close to the Coba ruins, but on the edge of town, so it is very quiet. At night I could hear a rare nocturnal bird from our room! The room was cozy, clean, and secure. I slept very well. Poncho is a very hospitable and kind host! We both enjoyed speaking with him and wish we had had more time to spend in his magical space. We hope to return one day!

It was great to stay in Malinche! I highly recommend it! The owners are very hospitable and make great coffee. Also breakfast was delicious. Cobá is a wonderful place to stay. I regret we had already booked a room in Valladolid and could not stay more in Cobá. Time passes there slowly and relaxing.

Poncho And Jill Are amazing of attention. It Is a place for meditation, sharing, human intercommunication, and people who bring preference to nature than to confort of a 5 Star Hotel.

Pancho and Jill are incredible hosts and made our time in Cobá unforgettable. It‘s a lovely spot close to the jungle, in touch with nature. All those who like good coffee, spending time in good company and are interested in deep conversations about Mayan culture (or Mexican culture in general) should stop by at Malinche! PS: Cobá ruins, many wonderful cenotes and good local restaurants are very close by.

very autentic experience. Personal was exceptional friendly. we feeled like real guests.

The little jungle-hut was perfect for a peaceful get away, so cute and with private bathroom. At night, you hear all the sounds of the jungle. Really nice and welcoming hosts, told us a lot about the history of the area and local tips, plus offered us some of their home roasted coffee!

Low water pressure in the bathroom but it’s almost to be expected from an authentic nature experience like this one :)

very comfortable you are in contact with nature, it gives you a lot of tranquility, poncho and his wife are very friendly, they make you feel at home, coffee is delicious

Everything was excelente

Literraly everything, sleeping in this area was a wonderful experience, you fall asleep hearing noises of the jungle in a beautiful place far from touristic places. Poncho and Jill are amazing people, very helpful with everything! They will share with you anything they can to make your trip perfect. You'll be able to drink their own coffee and it tastes amazing! We had a issue with our car and without them we would not have been able to sort it! Thanks again!! We miss them already!

We couldn't stay more.. :(