I’ve stayed in Nilu by Selina (formerly known as Selina and/or Poc Na) for more than half a year of my life. In 2021, at the height of COVID, we stayed here from February to July. In 2023, we stayed here for a week when we first arrived on the island again, and these days (both in 2025 and 2026) I spent three days of the week in the cowork that’s part of Nilu.
Needless to say, Nilu by Selina holds a special place in my heart. However, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. In this blog, I hope to give you all the information you need to decide if Nilu by Selina is the place for your stay. This includes all the reasons I love it, and all the things that I think should be improved. Let’s dive into this Nilu by Selina Isla Mujeres review!
Overall vibe of Nilu by Selina
The overall vibe of this hostel is very chill and laidback. It’s located in the city center, a stone’s throw away (like, a 3-minute walk) from Playa Norte (the most popular beach), and the same goes for the main street (Avenida Miguel Hidalgo). It’s also located right on Playa Publica Media Luna, which means the whole area has a nice beach vibe.
The crowd that shows up here is a mix of younger travelers, some digital nomads, and some older people who are on holiday. It’s a diverse crowd. When we first showed up here, Nilu by Selina was a digital nomad hostel, but prices and management decisions have changed the place a bit.
Selina is never incredibly crowded. That’s because prices aren’t that affordable anymore, which means people just stay here for a couple of days and then travel back to Cancun. You’ll meet more than enough people, but it’s not a packed hostel. That can be good or bad depending on your needs.
Shared Dorms: 4, 6, 8 and 12-People
Nilu by Selina Isla Mujeres has a wide variety of rooms because it’s a big complex. Throughout the years, I’ve personally stayed in the 1-bed compact rooms.
However, my sister and many of my friends have stayed in dorms, whereas I’ve also had friends who stayed in the standard room as well as the private teepees. I’m going to do my best to combine all opinions into a useful Selina Isla Mujeres Pocna review for you.
Let’s start with the basics. These are the dorms the hostel has:
- 4-bed (mixed)
- 6-bed (female only)
- 8-bed (mixed)
- 12-bed (mixed)
Dorms are located on the ground floor of the complex. When you check in, you get a card that you scan to open the lock on the door. That works very efficiently.
The quality of the dorms is good overall. The beds are comfortable, and the mattresses are quite thick, which means a comfortable night’s rest. The beds also have charging points and curtains for extra privacy.
All dorms have a shared bathroom (1 shower, 1 toilet). Like most bathrooms in Nilu by Selina, it depends on the kind of people who are in the room and the availability of the crew on how clean these are.
One of the things that is very inconsistent with the shared bathrooms throughout the hostel is the availability of hot water. It’s funny because this was already a problem in 2021, and when we talked with our friend who was recently staying here in March of 2026, he mentioned the exact same problem.
Our general conclusion is that Selina uses solar panels to heat the water (which means hot water during the day), but there is no hot water in the morning or at night. It could also be that their heater keeps breaking. Either way, it’s often inconvenient.
It’s also good to know that most rooms have a ceiling fan but no AC. They used to have AC, but I think they took that out to cut costs.
Finally, rooms are quiet and dark at night and pretty well insulated. If you have good roommates, you should be able to get a good night’s sleep.
Private Rooms: From Tiny To Very Liveable
Let’s start with the basics again. These are the rooms (there are many):
- Private teepee
- Compact room (1 or 2 beds)
- Standard room
- Suite
- Studio apartment with kitchenette
- Quadruple room
- 8-bed room
I’m going to divide this into sections because the quality varies so widely.
Private Teepees
I’ll say it upfront: easily the worst private rooms on the island. Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s still a step up from sleeping in the dorms.
The teepees sound fun, but they’re quite inconvenient. The problem is that the walls are slanted, which means you don’t have a lot of space to walk around. There’s also not a lot of sunlight coming in, which makes the whole thing quite dark.
Another problem is the location. The teepees are located behind the restaurant. First, this means that they aren’t covered by any shelter. If it rains, you’ll have to walk through the wet sand and then enter your teepee. It’s guaranteed to get messy at that point. The same goes for if you just took a shower in the shared bathrooms: you have to walk back through the sand.
Finally, it’s the noisiest location on the premises. These days, Selina doesn’t throw a lot of parties anymore, but they still sometimes do. If you’re staying in a private teepee, you’re guaranteed to be awake until the party ends because you’re not more than 100 feet (30 meters) away from the speakers.
Teepees may sound fun, but they’re not. I would pick a compact room (which is slightly cheaper) over a teepee any day.
Compact and Standard Rooms
In my opinion, the best value for money at Nilu by Selina can be had by booking a compact or standard room. I’ve grouped them together because they’re quite similar. It’s just that the standard room offers more space (it’s about 1.5-2 times as big as the compact one, depending on the room they put you in).
Compact and standard rooms are mainly located on the first and second floors. Some of the standard rooms are also on the ground floor near the main reception area. The hostel is made up of different kinds of buildings, so this means not all rooms are the same.
Pros
All compact and standard rooms are well-maintained, and a shared bathroom is often not further than 30 feet (10 meters) away from you. I’ve slept many nights in compact rooms and had very little to complain about. In general, they also have more than enough sunlight coming in, which means you don’t feel like you live in a cave. We used to live in room 101, which had a view of the swimming pool, restaurant, and volleyball court. It’s still my personal favorite.
All compact and standard rooms have a place to hang clothing. For compact rooms, it depends on the room they give you and how convenient this actually is. Some have a built-in space for clothing, others have an IKEA rack that you can hang clothes on.
Standard rooms may also have a desk. I don’t know if that’s the case for all of them. If that’s important, ask the hostel beforehand before booking.
The rooms are clean, but if you’re staying for more than 4 days, it’s very likely you’ll have to request cleaning. Depending on the mood of the reception, they may or may not give that to you for free. Their policy on how often they clean rooms has changed multiple times over the years, and I’ve lost track. The same goes for clean towels. If you need extra, ask the reception.
Finally, all rooms have AC, and it works great. This can be a blessing if it’s a hot day outside.
Cons
If you’re staying in one of the rooms that you have to access through the reception area and take the stairs up, you’ll notice that the walls are thin. That’s because this part of the building is all made from wood, and it’s not very well insulated.
In the six months that we’ve stayed here over the years, this has only been a problem a couple of nights. However, it’s still worth mentioning. If you’re a light sleeper, bring some airplugs.
Many rooms in this part of the building (the complete wooden area above the reception) are also quite close to the restaurant. If there’s a party, you can be sure you’ll have some trouble sleeping. Back in the day, this used to cause us pain 2 nights a week.
However, these days Nilu by Selina doesn’t throw that many parties anymore. I don’t think it will be a problem for many of you.
It’s also good to know that Selina has another compact/standard room area that you have to access by walking through the main kitchen. This building is made out of concrete, which means the walls are more insulated. However, the views here are not as good, and the compact rooms are really compact (we stayed here 3 nights and couldn’t even put our suitcases on the ground to open them). They’re my least favorite compact/standard rooms.
Finally, there’s wifi in all the rooms, but the strength of the signal depends on the rooms. The rooms near the reception area have better internet than the rooms that you have to access through the kitchen.
Suites And Studio Apartments
I’ve never stayed in these personally, but I’ve seen them. There aren’t that many suites and studio apartments. Some are located near the kitchen area but are still quite sheltered.
Suites have a small couch, a clothing rack, a TV, a table with a small coffee machine, AC, and a desk. They’re also much more spacious than the standard room. This is also the point where you get a private bathroom.
Studio apartments are a step up from that. I believe there is only one or two of them. They’re quite similar to the suites. The main luxury here is that you get a kitchenette that also has a bar area and some bar chairs. It’s really more of a living space than a hotel room.
Now, if I were only here for a couple of days and I wanted maximum comfort, I would consider these types of rooms. Do keep in mind that most things about Nilu by Selina Isla Mujeres are still true. These rooms can also be noisy depending on your neighbours, and the strength of the Wifi depends on the location.
Quadruple And 8-Bed Rooms
Quadruple and 8-bed dorms serve very specific purposes.
The quadruple room features two single-person normal beds and a bunk bed that also houses two people. Looking at the layout, I think it’s clear they’re targeting families with kids. However, if you’re with four friends, this could also definitely work. The advantage is that you get to have your own private bathroom and AC.
The 8-bed room features four bunk beds. This is great if you’re with a big group of friends. Again, the advantage is that you get to have a private bathroom for the room and AC. Luxuries that you don’t have in the non-private dorms.
Facilities: Almost All You Could Wish For
Nilu by Selina has a couple of facilities that you should be aware of. First of all, there’s internet throughout the complex. The internet itself isn’t the best, and it really depends on the day. Some days I don’t have problems with it at all, other days I can’t seem to get it to work. It’s a mixed bag, but that goes for all the internet on the island.
Swimming Pool
The hostel itself also has a shallow swimming pool that’s available for everybody. It’s shared with Poc Na (the dive center that’s also within the grounds of Nilu by Selina), and they use it for a couple of hours a day when they have some courses.
The pool isn’t all that deep or big, but it provides enough opportunity to cool down during the day.
Shared Kitchen
There’s a big shared kitchen as well. It has all the things you can expect from a kitchen. Back in the day, it used to get busy during dinner time, but these days, there are fewer guests overall. You’ll have plenty of space to prep food.
Talking about space, they only have two refrigerators, which have never been enough for the number of people in the hostel. Don’t expect to store a lot of food!
Restaurant
There’s a restaurant right next to the lounge area and the swimming pool. If breakfast is included in your stay, this is where you’ll have it. You can also just buy food and drinks here throughout the day. It’s good food overall, although the service is sometimes a tad slow.
The furniture of the restaurant consists of wooden picnic tables, some wooden round tables, and some higher-end plastic chairs. Overall, it’s a comfortable enough place to sit for an hour or two. The only thing that sometimes annoys me a little is the fact that the chairs are never level because the ground is just a beach area. Therefore, it’s not the most comfortable place to get work done, just an FYI.
Volleyball Court
Finally, there’s a beach volleyball court (ask the reception for a volleyball at no charge) and a wooden platform that provides shade. This is the place where people like to work out and do yoga.
Coworking
Finally, there’s the cowork where I come daily. Keep in mind that that’s not necessarily included with your stay. You have to buy it at the reception. I don’t know if these days they have package deals (I don’t think so). I pay $250 pesos ($12.5 USD) per day to work here.
It’s big and comfy overall and has air conditioning, free water, and coffee in the morning (sometimes they’re a tad slow with refilling the coffee, but normally I have my first cup before 8:30 AM here). There’s one phone booth, and one bigger room that you have to pay extra for if you want to rent that (no one ever does that). It’s by far the best place to work on the island.
Small Coffee Place
Near the reception of the hostel, right after you enter, there’s a cafe/coffee place on your right side. Their coffee is good and strong, and they also have some fresh-baked goods in the morning, such as croissants.
In the afternoon, they have some sandwiches as well. Keep in mind that they often close around 2-3 PM. You can pay by either cash or card, and prices are reasonable (like $60 pesos for a small black coffee).
Cleanliness: Room For Improvement
The hostel is pretty clean overall. I say pretty clean because it’s definitely not perfect. When we’ve stayed here, we often had to ask to have our private room cleaned. Friends who stayed in the dorms have also told us that they have needed to ask for cleaning and/or fresh towels at the reception. That continues to this day (March of 2026).
The shared bathrooms are kept clean enough, but sometimes they could be a bit quicker. I guess it’s just what happens when you share a bathroom with 8-10 people. It’s definitely not terrible, but probably a 7.3/10 in terms of cleanliness of the rooms and bathrooms.
For some reason, they do keep the coworking place meticulously clean, and they sweep it twice a day. They also mop the floor a couple of times per week here. It’s hilarious how often they do it. The same can be said about the shared kitchen, which is often very clean as well.
Friendliness Of The Staff: All Smiles
The staff here is really friendly, and they try to help you out with your request whenever they can. Sometimes they may forget your request, and you’ll have to remind them, but stuff does get done. There’s not a lot I would change here, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.
Pricing: Nilu By Selina Is Not A Budget Place Anymore
On a personal level, this part hurts to write. Back when we first stayed in Nilu (when it was still called Selina), we used to pay $600 USD per month for a compact room. You read that right.
Times have changed, though. Nilu by Selina Isla Mujeres isn’t the place to hang out for months at a time anymore. However, if you’re here for 1-2 weeks, it’s still the best spot on the island in my opinion.
Prices vary by availability and season, but these are general estimations per night
- 4-bed (mixed): $371 pesos ($18.5 USD)
- 6-bed (female only): $350 pesos ($17.5 USD)
- 8-bed (mixed): $336 pesos ($17 USD)
- 12-bed (mixed): $315 pesos (15.5 USD)
- Private teepee: $1540 pesos ($77 USD)
- Compact room (1 or 2 beds): $1470 pesos ($73.5 USD)
- Standard room: $1960 pesos ($98 USD)
- Suite: $2310 pesos ($116 USD)
- Studio apartment with kitchenette: $2660 pesos ($133 USD)
- Quadruple room: $2660 pesos ($133 USD)
- 8-bed room: $2800 pesos ($140 USD)
Who Should Stay In Nilu By Selina in Isla Mujeres?
Because of its size and the numerous rooms that are available, Nilu by Selina Isla Mujeres offers a lot for many different types of travelers.
First off, digital nomads or people who want to work while staying on Isla Mujeres should 100% pick this hostel. It’s the only place on the island that combines co-working (it’s worth paying extra for it), sleeping, eating, and relaxing in one area. I’ve tried working from different spaces on the island; this is the only place that truly works.
Secondly, backpackers who are just passing through should definitely pick this hostel as well. The only other option for this type of traveler is Mayan Monkey. However, that’s way further south and, in my opinion, inconvenient because the live centers around the northern part of the island. Since Nilu also has a dive school on the premises, this also provides the opportunity to learn this activity.
Finally, this hostel is great for people who want to stay on the island for a maximum of two weeks and just want to relax. Age doesn’t matter here. Nilu has guests who are 18 years old and 75 years old.
Nilu easily has the best views and Instagrammy-vibe of all hostels on the island. When we first walked into the hostel in 2021 and saw that we had direct access to Playa Publica Media Luna, we fell in love instantly.
Who Shouldn’t Stay In Nilu By Selina in Isla Mujeres?
People who are looking for a truly luxurious experience, or people who are looking for all-inclusive vibes, won’t be satisfied with what Nilu by Selina has to offer. If you want luxury while staying in Isla Mujeres, choose one of these hotels:
- Impressions by Secrets
- Almare
- Mia Reef
- Privilege Aluxes
For people who want all-inclusive, I would say that Isla Mujeres in general isn’t the place for that. You’ll be much better off in Cancun. If you do want all-inclusive, Privilege Aluxes is your best bet from what I’ve heard.
Is Nilu Isla Mujeres By Selina Worth It?
Yes, staying in Nilu is absolutely worth it. In this Nilu Isla Mujeres by Selina review, I’ve hopefully made it clear that this hostel is one of the best, if not the best, on the island. In terms of location (right in the city center and right on the beach), the hostel is unbeatable. The same goes for the numerous facilities such as a pool, cowork, volleyball court, restaurant, and workout area.
The dorm prices are quite affordable if you compare them to the other options on the island. The compact and standard room will be more than enough for couples or people who don’t want to share a room. People who travel with a family or crave a bit more luxury will be more than happy with the private suites or studios.
It’s not a perfect place; the internet is weak in some places, some rooms are noisy, and there’s a lack of hot water from time to time, but it’s definitely one of the better ones on the island in terms of value for money.
