casa cenote info

[TKC]

I checked out this place at their web site and thought it would be a nice place to unwind after a week in PDC. After three E-mails and 2 phone calls I have'nt heard from the owner\manager ( Gary?). Am I doing something wrong or what. I would appriciate any help or sugg.or opt. ie. another hotel in this area. ps going in FEB. :confused:

BTW it is in Tankah

[sctx]

I checked out this place at their web site and thought it would be a nice place to unwind after a week in PDC. After three E-mails and 2 phone calls I have'nt heard from the owner\manager ( Gary?). Am I doing something wrong or what. I would appriciate any help or sugg.or opt. ie. another hotel in this area. ps going in FEB. :confused:

BTW it is in Tankah

Yes, Casa Cenote is in Tankah. Great place to just chill out, great food also. Gary doesn't check his e-mail everyday and he is up in the states quite a bit. Did you use the contact info on his site or a Hotmail address ???

[sooner1]

Well I was at Casa Cenote this past week and I know one day he was passed out on the table in his restaraunt. Too much smoke and alcohol I believe.
He was up and around the next day though. Kind of a trashy looking place we didn't stay there. Not sure how the rooms were. We stayed next door at blue sky.

[ms_squarepants]

It took him about a month to answer my emails....

[jx2]

Thats too bad cuase Casa Cenote has had many rave reviews in the past. Unfortunately lately there has been more bad reviews than good ones, sounds like the management is falling off the deep end !!! IMHO

[james]

I really like Casa Cenote. Our new Sea to Cenote tour (from Playa.Info) makes a lunch stop there. It enables us to swim in the lovely cenote Manatee and see where the water from our earlier morning inland cenote adventures finally makes it's way to the surface, then dips under the road and the beach to finally escape into the sea in front of the restaurant.

The first cenote I ever visited and still one of my favorites.

[ms_squarepants]

It looked like such a great place to stay - in the right spot. I was in a rush and couldn't wait for a reply as to whether they had space available (which they did) but I'm not holding a grudge....

I plan on visiting Casa Cenote for dinner on our trip and will keep them in my favorites list for next time....

[sctx]

It looked like such a great place to stay - in the right spot. I was in a rush and couldn't wait for a reply as to whether they had space available (which they did) but I'm not holding a grudge....


Thats still strange not to get a response, I just sent a message down there and he replied in just a few hours, he may have been up in Texas or traveling around Mexico, the owner monitors the website bookings himself and I don't think he checks on it when he is traveling
(that ol' getting away from work attitude !)

[TankahIII]

I've been to Casa Cenote many times. mellow, good view, music, food OK.
I would stay up the street #39 at the Blue Sky Hotel (6 room hotel). awesome, plus excellent restaurant, then walk to casa cenote for lunch. Say "hi" to Tony. :p

[Luna Caribe]

I agree the Blue Sky is very nice!

But I much preferred the Tulum beach zone for thir beaches and waves.

[Gale in KY]

Have heard thru the grapevine that Gary has been having some problems..been reported on other boards that he has been on a long drunk and the quality of the food at the resturant has dropped badly..evidently he has been seen passed out at the bar by more than a few people. I don't have any idea of what might be the problem, but, it does sound like there is a big one.
I just checked out their website last night, and it is beautiful, but, after hearing discussion of Gary's problems, I might not choose to stay there.

[barbj050]

check out blue sky i hear their restaurant is wonderful....or check out tulum..fab beaches

[playafriend]

I wont go into the details, my stomach is not up to it...
But take my advice stay away from this place, STAY AWAY. Unless your on a painful weight loss program find another place!

[sctx]

I don't have any idea of what might be the problem, but, it does sound like there is a big one.
I just checked out their website last night, and it is beautiful, but, after hearing discussion of Gary's problems, I might not choose to stay there.

wow....... you don't know so you post this ???
fyi, here's some non-gossip: Gary is like many bar owners from Playa to Tulum we've met over the years, fun loving guy that enjoys his life. He's been down there 16 years now and has a tremendous amount of friends. And when his friends are at his place, he treats them to a good time.... so this translates to quite a bit of partying.... thats a fact. It's a fact that the first day we met him, we ended up drinking till 3:00 in the morning at which time, he offered up a casita so we wouldn't have to drive back to Akumal after alot of Tequila. It's a fact that one morning a few weeks after that night, Gary was driving back from Cancun and was involved in a very bad accident in Puerto Moreles and had to be jetted out of Mexico to Houston in a coma... a friend from texas sent his Lear jet down, otherwise, gary would have died. It is a fact that when he awoke from his coma, he had a different view on life... he now lives for the day, he lives for his friends and thats all that really matters.... so, knowing that, it really doesn't suprise me that, at the tail end of his high season, I hear stories of him "tying one on". We visited him a couple of times at New Years, talked for a few hours, had some drinks, had some more drinks, but he was definitely not on a drunken binge those days, he was just livin his everyday life. Have I seen him passed out at the table???... yeah, sure have, and a bunch of friends and guests had a great time that day. Feel free to post these facts.

regarding the initial post concerning response time, after talking to Gary at New Years, he was in S. America at that time.... just as I thought, no one minding the web site.... gary has a friend fly down and manage the property while he is on vacation, but he does not check e-mails when he is outta the country.... bad business sense???... maybe, but his guests are taken care of and he is on vacation, if he loses some business because of that, he's not too concerned.... again, he's living for the day

I've had 50-60 meals there, as recently as January, and was only dissapointed once, overcooked tuna. I've taken many people there and referred a great # more without any negative feedback, but a new friend of mine said he had the mahi there and it was terrible... possibly a bad filet or a new cook, I don't know.... there or anywhere, if it tastes bad, send it back

Never been sick from anything there or actually anywhere in Mexico, I think you have to look back 12-18 hours to figure out what made you sick.

[Bumper]

Had occasion to eat at Casa Cenote as part of the Sea to Cenote tour we booked through PlayaInfo, about three weeks ago. The food was just fine, and everybody in the group seemed pleased. Made a point of introducing myself to Gary, since I had read of him on the Playa forum. Found him to be cordial, personable, and sober. Only a fleeting encounter, mind you, but I wouldn't hesitate to give the place another try, based on what we saw. We plan on adding a week or so in Tulum onto our regular 4 week stay in Playa next year, and I can see us spending quite a bit of time at Casa Cenote, just because of its convenient location and relaxed atmosphere.

[bobbij]

My hubby and I were first there in 1996, food was awesome the place was great :) and then we went back 1999 and it was not near as good :mad: .
However I would go back again and give it another try, we may have hit a bad day in 1999. My brother in law is headed down in Aug and I plan it send him that way.

[Gale in KY]

Just read a trip report on Casa Cenote..sounds like it was a wonderful time for all, and the food at the restaurant got a 5 Star, I would love to stay here, it is a beautiful place, from the road anyway..from the website, even more beautiful.

[sctx]

However I would go back again and give it another try, we may have hit a bad day in 1999. My brother in law is headed down in Aug and I plan it send him that way.

They actually have electricity for refridgerators now, in '99 everything was kept on ice in coolers. My experience with any open air beach front restaraunt (outside of Hawaii) is that it can be hit or miss on quality , I think this is mainly due to the food cooling off in the breeze so quickly.... cold seafood and pasta just aren't that appetizing to me, either is warm beer.