New to site, new to TULUM!

[JD_in_NY]

Hey all,

I've been browsing this site, as well as TripAdvisor.com for a few days now as my girlfriend and I plan our first trip to Mexico. So far your suggestions and pictures have been great!

So here's where I ask your advice...
We have been pretty close to sold on staying at La Vita e Bella from the rave reviews on TripAdvisor...though the few bad reviews I've read sort of made me nervous. Have any of you stayed there? Do you have a better suggestion on where to stay? What's most important to us is being on--or very close to-- the beach, and a decent clean room with basic amenities. I'm personally fine with the more "rustic" places, electricity is easily given up as far as I'm concerned, though my girlfriend is adamant about a good shower/hot water. We're looking in the 100-125/night range. Oh, and we definitely intend to check out the ruins (preferably early, trying to beat the crowds).

Any words of wisdom is greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
James

[AdGuy]

Welcome to the board, James. A few of us (though not me) have stayed at LVB. Do a seach (it's the fifth option from the left on the blue border above) and you may find some guidance. Also, the detail you provided on your needs is helpful...just need to know "when" you're planning to be there as $100/night won't go very far in high season.

[JD_in_NY]

We plan to go the second week of June, which I understand is "low" season. Thanks for the reply, and I will definitely put that search tool to use!

[minniemex]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Avitars/welcome.gif to the board JD!!

Wow, there are so many options for places to stay!! I would suggest reading thru a few of the trip reports to see what sounds like your kind of place - alot of us on this board enjoy the vast sandy beaches to the south - some still enjoy the north end as well. Reading the reports and looking at the pictures will give you a feel for where you might want to stay. Then you just weed out where you will stay!!

Here is a good web site for rooms -

http://www.hotelstulum.com/beach_hotels.htm

When you are ready for specific questions go over to the "general" forum and post away. We are all happy to answer questions!!

[JD_in_NY]

After cruising around this site for the better part of the afternoon, I find myself pretty sold on Hamaca Loca (great name, btw). I was originally thinking La Vita e Bella was the winner, as it has A LOT of great reviews on TripAdvisor.com. But thanks to the great pics posted by Lee I'm pretty sweet on HL and definitely quite sold on South vs North from what I've read here. I really want to have a quieter, less populated experience. My girlfriend and I are taking our first vacation together, and I want it to be as beautiful, quiet, and romantic as possible! I'd also love to check out the Si'an Kaan Biosphere. = )

I'm wondering if Lee ever made it back to HL for a stay? I'd love to hear more about the staff and accommodations! TripAdvisor.com doesn't have very many reviews, but they all seem quite positive. It's definitely really cute and quite cheap during low season. I also agree with Lee that my favorite cabana is El Caracol. The view looks amazing!

[PhyllisB]

Nope, Lee hasn't been back I don't think, but I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong. Beachreader has stayed there for a few nights, as well as several others that escape me now. I saw you found Joelly's report. We miss her, she hasn't been back to the board at all since her trip! But it sounds like you've gotten the hang of the search tool, so you'll find all the other reports.

You might also check out Tierras del Sol. They serve breakfast in the morning, which I don't think you'd get at Hamaca Loca, and they are right next door so it's the same gorgeous beach. I think Jana stayed there and did a recent report.

I think you'll be happy wherever you end up. It's so hard to go wrong in Tulum!

Phyllis

[AdGuy]

Phyllis is right...I haven't stayed at HL yet but plan to do so later this year. As mentioned, beachreader was just there and several other folks have discovered this great place as well. You'll definitely want to investigate availability because they only have two units (Caracol and Tortuga) that are worth staying in...the other two are set too far back from the ocean for a June stay, IMO.

Also, make sure you ask questions on activities and restaurants in the General section of the board (it's read more often by more folks). There's a whole lot of experience and knowledge to tap into here.

[beachreader]

Actually, now that there's that fence running along the north side of the property, I would probably only stay in the Tortuga unit in June. It would get great cross-ventilation off the beach if there's wind to be had, but on a still night it could be warm. It's an amazingly romantic unit, though.

They don't have ceiling fans, though, and even beachfront, I might want ceiling fans in June. Only a few places have fans actually installed inside the mosquito netting as far as I know--La Zebra, Cabanas La Luna and Ocho Tulum. You might be able to stay at the Robinson Crusoe unit at La Luna in June for $100 or less. It's very very small, but it's cute and it has the ceiling fan and an amazing beach view (do a search--I posted a whole thread with Cabanas La Luna as the title, and someone else also posted a bunch of pics on their TR). You can also get breakfast right there.

La Vita e Bella has ceiling fans too, but you're right, the more south you go the more open and unpopulated the beach becomes.

[Lynnette]

One thing to consider with La Vita e Bella, also, is that Eurostar Blue transports their guests there, since their beach is rocky to non-existent. It was actually crowded (on a Tulum scale) last May when we had dinner there.

[beachreader]

Lynette, I remember they said that EBlue takes guests there, but in March there weren't that many people on the beach. I mean, no more than there were before EBlue came in last year, anyway. At least, that's the way it seemed to me.

So I guess it's busy for a Tulum beach, but not busy at all in any other scale of beach-ness.

Of couse, the Jersey Shore is a field of humanity on hot sand all summer long, so my impression of "crowded" might be skewed. :)

I'd say by mid-afternoon, the chairs were still less than half full, and the open beach to the south had maybe 40-50 people spread out over the several hundred meters of beachfront between LVB and Mezzanine. Not exactly crowded, but on the southern beaches that same several hundred meters might have 15 people these days.

[Lynnette]

Lynette, I remember they said that EBlue takes guests there, but in March there weren't that many people on the beach. I mean, no more than there were before EBlue came in last year, anyway. At least, that's the way it seemed to me.

So I guess it's busy for a Tulum beach, but not busy at all in any other scale of beach-ness.

Of couse, the Jersey Shore is a field of humanity on hot sand all summer long, so my impression of "crowded" might be skewed. :)

I'd say by mid-afternoon, the chairs were still less than half full, and the open beach to the south had maybe 40-50 people spread out over the several hundred meters of beachfront between LVB and Mezzanine. Not exactly crowded, but on the southern beaches that same several hundred meters might have 15 people these days.

That's interesting for high season. Maybe EB is offering other beach clubs like AyJ, also....maybe they don't have a lot of guests. Either way, crowding on any Tulum beach is nothing compared to Playa or other places...fifty people scattered on that stretch isn't bad at all.

[FITZ]

Welcome JD!!
You have w/o a doubt, asked the right question at the right place. First rate, well-researched, honest opinions (and everyone here is very good looking!!). You don't really need to go anywhere else!!
Go ahead T.I people, give yourselves a BIG hug!!