Costa Club in Yucalpetén has widened its summer offer for families looking for a simple beach and pool day close to Mérida.
The ISSTEY-owned hotel is combining its established pasadía, lower-cost balneario, overnight accommodation, restaurant and recreational spaces for the main summer period from 14 July to 16 August 2026.
The property is open to the general public as well as ISSTEY beneficiaries. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to use the day facilities.
For travelers based in Mérida, this is a practical alternative to assembling a beach day around restaurant consumption, separate chair rental and several taxi journeys. It is particularly useful for families who want pools as well as access to the sea.
Costa Club summer offer at a glance
| Option | Hours | General price | Children | Main facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balneario | 8:00 am–5:00 pm | MXN $50 | Under six free; confirm the rate for older children | Beach, children’s splash pool, hammock area, bathrooms and showers |
| Pasadía | 8:00 am–8:00 pm | MXN $200 adult | MXN $150 ages 6–11; under six free | Four pools, balneario, showers, bathrooms, hammock area, loungers and rest areas |
| Hotel stay | Overnight | Varies by room | Depends on occupancy | Room, hotel facilities and access according to the booked rate |
The pasadía does not include a hotel room, food or drinks. Restaurant and snack purchases are separate.
Prices and access rules can change during busy holiday periods. Confirm the current conditions before making a special journey.
What has changed for summer 2026?
Costa Club’s summer programme runs from 14 July until 16 August 2026, when the property expects to receive more than 3,200 overnight guests alongside day visitors.
The wider offer brings together:
- Day access to four swimming pools
- A separate low-cost balneario option
- Direct beach access
- A children’s splash area with water games
- Bathrooms and showers
- Hammock and shaded rest areas
- The Costa Maya restaurant
- Snack areas and the property’s traditional seafood outlet
- Recreational and family activities
- Overnight accommodation in 56 rooms
The hotel has five room categories: standard, double, superior double, junior suite and suite. ISSTEY beneficiaries receive preferential balneario pricing and a reported 50% reduction on room tariffs.
For most visitors, however, the useful change is the clearer choice between a very inexpensive beach visit and a longer pool-and-beach day.
Balneario or pasadía: which should you choose?
The two tickets are not the same.
Choose the balneario when:
- You mainly want access to the beach
- Your children will be satisfied with the smaller play pool
- You only expect to stay for a few hours
- You are trying to keep the day inexpensive
- You plan to eat elsewhere in Progreso or Chelem
The balneario includes beach access, the children’s pool, bathrooms, showers and the hammock area. Hammocks are not supplied, so bring your own if you plan to use the hamaqueros.
The published public rate is MXN $50, with an MXN $35 rate for ISSTEY beneficiaries. Children under six enter free.
ISSTEY’s tariff page also lists an MXN $25 children’s balneario rate, while the July government announcement does not specify an older-child price. Confirm this detail directly before traveling with a larger family.
Choose the pasadía when:
- You want access to all four pools
- The pool facilities matter as much as the beach
- You expect to remain for most of the day
- You are traveling with children of different ages
- You want showers and rest areas available until the evening
The pasadía costs MXN $200 for adults and MXN $150 for children aged 6 to 11. Children under six enter free.
It runs until 8:00 pm, three hours later than the balneario, making it the better choice for a full family day.
Is Costa Club worth it?
Costa Club is worth considering when you want predictable facilities at a modest price rather than a completely undeveloped beach.
The pools give families a useful alternative when the Gulf is rough, windy or less inviting. Bathrooms, showers and shaded areas also make the day easier than relying on a public beach with limited infrastructure.
It works particularly well for:
- Families with young children
- Mérida residents wanting an uncomplicated coast day
- Multigenerational groups
- Travelers who prefer pools and showers
- Visitors without access to a private beach property
- Groups who need one fixed meeting point
It is less suitable for travelers looking for a quiet, isolated stretch of coast. Summer weekends can be busy, and Costa Club is designed as a social family recreation complex rather than a secluded beach retreat.
It is also not the best option when your main priority is exploring central Progreso on foot. Costa Club is in Yucalpetén, west of the main port and malecón.
How to get to Costa Club
Costa Club is on the Progreso–Yucalpetén road, west of central Progreso.
Open Hotel Costa Club in Google Maps
From Mérida
Allow approximately 40–50 minutes by car from central Mérida, depending on your starting point and traffic.
Official announcements have described the journey as both 30 and 45 minutes. The shorter estimate is more realistic from northern Mérida in light traffic than from the historic centre.
A rental car or private driver is the easiest option, especially with children, towels, a cooler or your own hammock.
From Progreso
Costa Club is approximately 10–15 minutes by car or taxi from central Progreso.
Agree on the fare before entering the taxi and consider arranging a return pickup if you plan to leave near closing time.
By public transport
Independent public transport is possible but less direct. The simplest approach is normally to travel from Mérida to Progreso and continue by local taxi to Yucalpetén.
Do not assume that a direct Mérida bus will leave you at the hotel entrance. This journey becomes less convenient when carrying beach equipment or traveling with small children.
A private transfer may be worthwhile for a family or group dividing the cost.
The easiest way to plan the day
For a full pasadía, a practical schedule is:
- 7:30–8:00 am: Leave Mérida
- 8:30–9:00 am: Arrive and settle in
- 9:00–11:30 am: Beach and pool time before the strongest heat
- 12:00–1:30 pm: Lunch
- 1:30–3:30 pm: Shade, hammocks or quieter pool time
- 3:30–6:30 pm: Return to the pools and beach
- Before 8:00 pm: Shower, change and leave
Go early if you want a better choice of places to sit and cooler conditions around the beach.
For the balneario, three to five hours is usually enough. Arrive in the morning, use the beach and children’s area, then continue into Progreso for lunch.
Food and drink
The Costa Maya restaurant operates from approximately 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and is open to the public. Snack areas and a seafood outlet are also available within the complex.
Food is not included in either standard day ticket.
Bring Mexican pesos and confirm card acceptance before ordering. During busy weekends, eating slightly before or after the main lunch period may reduce waiting time.
Travelers with specific dietary needs should ask the hotel directly what will be available that day rather than assuming every restaurant section will be operating normally.
What to bring
Pack for both the pool and the beach:
- Swimwear
- Towels
- Dry clothes
- Sandals or water shoes
- Refillable drinking water
- Sun hat
- UV-protective clothing
- Mexican pesos
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Your own hammock if you plan to use the hamaqueros
- Any essential medication
Use shade and take regular breaks during the middle of the day. The combination of heat, humidity, reflected light and swimming can be tiring, particularly for children and older relatives.
Family and accessibility notes
The children’s splash area makes Costa Club more suitable for families than a beach-only outing. Pools and the sea still require active adult supervision.
Travelers with reduced mobility should ask the hotel about the current step-free route between the entrance, bathrooms, restaurant, pools and beach. Even where paved access is available, loose beach sand can remain difficult for wheelchairs and people with limited balance.
Families using pushchairs may find a compact folding model easier than a large travel system.
What to combine with Costa Club
Progreso
The easiest addition is central Progreso. Combine a shorter morning balneario visit with lunch, the malecón or an early evening walk near the seafront.
Chelem
Chelem is west of Yucalpetén and works for a casual meal or a look at another part of the coast. It is easier with your own car.
Chuburná Puerto
Chuburná is farther west and suits travelers making a broader coastal drive. Do not add it simply to fill time if the family already plans to spend a full day at Costa Club.
Mérida to coast day trip
Costa Club can be the main destination rather than one stop in a crowded itinerary. Trying to combine a full pasadía with major inland attractions will make the day rushed.
Before you travel
Contact Costa Club directly to confirm availability, current prices and any summer activity programme:
Message Hotel Costa Club on WhatsApp
Summer weekends and school-holiday dates are likely to be the busiest. Ask whether advance booking is required, whether the desired ticket can sell out and what identification ISSTEY beneficiaries need to show.
Travelers who want help fitting Yucalpetén into a wider coast day can use the free Yucatán Guide WhatsApp assistant. Human Trip Support is also available when you want a real person to check transport, timing or family logistics before committing to the route.
Practical verdict
Costa Club is a useful summer option for families who want beach access without giving up pools, bathrooms and showers.
The MXN $50 balneario works for a low-cost half-day by the sea. The MXN $200 pasadía makes more sense when the four pools and longer opening hours are important.
Go early, confirm the current ticket conditions and treat Costa Club as the main activity rather than trying to build an overfilled coast itinerary around it.
Official information
- Yucatán Government summer announcement
- Yucatán Government day-pass and balneario prices
- ISSTEY Costa Club tariffs
- Hotel Costa Club official website
