The lovely Cabanas La Luna

[katea07]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, but not new to the Tulum area. Previous trips include Soliman Bay (Casa Tortuga before they renovated it and increased the price tenfold), Akumal (Casa Sansu), and Tulum (whatever the hotel is next to Zahra).

I've been reading so many posts on this forum, and just read Helly's trip report, that I felt I needed to join! I actually read many of Helly's posts before she left for Tulum and realized that we were staying at the same place at the same time. We met Helly and Gonzo our first full day there, as they were hitchhiking into town (we gave them a lift). Once she told us her name, I said "I know your from tulum.info!" We've been friends ever since!

This most recent trip was a "scouting" trip to Cabanas La Luna, where my fiance Bill and I will be married next February. We put a deposit on La Luna site-unseen and were so excited to finally stay there. We stayed in Columbus and Marrakech. The grounds are beautiful and beautifully maintained, both oceanside (sand dunes and palm trees) and jungleside (palms, seagrape trees, and flowers). The family that lives onsite is so friendly and I wanted to take their little boy home. Free and Loes were also very nice, moving our luggage and beer to our rooms, and helping clean up Marrakech after Tropical Storm Arthur reared its' ugly head and flooded it.

Marrakech was really spacious and the deck was amazing. Didn't love the bathroom (the shower doesn't drain well and gets the whole floor wet), but we survived. We played Scrabble every afternoon on the deck and watched the world go by. Columbus was cute and cozy and right on the sand dunes, and had a great shower. A little tip, Zanzibar, which is on the back of the property, is a little known secret. The rooms are nice and modest (2 rooms share 1 bath), but the lounge area is the best feature. Comfy couches, a kitchen, and all open-air!

Other recommendations:

Trece Lunes for breakfast - awesome coffee and yogurt/granola; friendly staff

Posada Margherita for dinner- mmmm, the fish cooked in saltwater and the complimentary antipasti plate

La Zebra for cocktails- margaritas are delicious

Bronco Pollo for lunch- I would eat there every day for lunch if I could. I don't know what they do to the chickens down there, but it's the best I've had

Hechizo for dinner- if you want to be spendy and enjoy gourmet food, go here. I love having the chef recite the menu and then going to cook it for you.

Ana y Jose for an afternoon snack- amazing ceviche and tasty shrimp quesadillas, but stay away from the guacamole & salsa - yuck.

Love Tulum and Cabanas La Luna, and am excited to share it with my friends and family next year. Go slow, explore the beach, and enjoy it!

[beachreader]

Welcome to the board, Kate! So glad you loved La Luna, it's been on my list for a long time and I might just have to take some time in Robinson Crusoe for myself this next trip.

Was the place full when you were there? I'm guessing not at this time of year, but I was wondering how it is when you're hanging out on your patio in front of Crusoe or Columbus and people are walking by to get to the back area. I guess it's all good, people are cool.

Oh, and I heard that the main windows aren't screened, just the shuttered windows at the bottom (I've seen the rooms up close but didn't notice this as a problem when I was there). Did you get enough ventilation in Columbus from those lower windows? I know in Marrakech you could just leave the door open to the deck, but I wouldn't want to do that in Crusoe!



I just remembered you were there during Arthur, so all of my ventilation questions might be moot with all that tropical storm blowing around!

[katea07]

Hi there!

Robinson was really cute, a little smaller than Columbus, but the same setup. I thought the ventilation was good in Columbus (we stayed there during the 1st part of the week, pre-Arthur). The bottom of the windows are screened and they have shutters as well. No critters got in and we had a pleasant breeze.

All the cabanas were booked when we were there but it still had a sleepy feel. We loved hanging out on the deck of Columbus and saw people occasionally, but everyone kept to themselves, even on the beach. You'd smile and say "hi" and that was pretty much all the interaction. Robinson Crusoe is right next to this little palapa with 2 hammocks, which is a very relaxing place to hang out.

I'm jealous. I'd love to go back for another pre-wedding trip, but I guess I have to wait until February.....

[TnTWalter]

Welcome and glad you enjoyed LL. We also stayed in Mar. Didn't have the same issue with the shower. Liked the privacy of being upstairs. I didn't see Zanzibar but would imagine it would be HOT HOT HOT.

Which one are you staying at for your wedding? What a wonderfully romantic spot!!

:beerchug:

[minniemex]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/GLITTERS/welcome-3.gif to the forum Kate! Thanks for the great information!! How exciting to get married in Tulum. I can think of nothing better to start a wonderful life together than a wedding and honeymoon in Tulum.:p Best of everything to you both!

[katea07]

We rented out the whole property and will stay in Captain Dale's. Hanne (the owner) said they might build another luxury cabana on the property in the fall. If the permits go through and it is built by next February, we get first dibs on that!

[beachreader]

Doesn't seem like a real good time for foreign owners to be applying for building permits, but for your sake, I hope they get it done! From what Rene told me, it would be right on the beach, in front of/below the dune that the wedding bower is on.

I still love that deck of Captain Dale's, though, a new unit would have to have a lot to it to beat that (though if anyone could do it, they could).

Oh, did you happen to get a good look at the upstairs beds in Dale's? I was e-mailing with Victor about his plans for them, and he was hoping to put little "ceilings" over them to attach the nets to and give them more room than the tent-style netting they had when I saw them in March. Rene mentioned them too, so I was just wondering if they'd been able to do anything about that. They're great beds anyway, and you certainly wouldn't be needing them (unless you have older kids already), just curious.

[katea07]

Agreed! Captain Dale's deck is amazing. I remember seeing people getting massages on the deck during sunset - how romantic!

I did check the loft area and the beds don't have a canopy with a fan yet. We were also told that that was in the works, but I've heard the standing fans they use up there are just fine.

[beachreader]

Thanks for the update. Here's my favorite shot of Dale's deck, just because I'm dreaming about it:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8dd34b3127ccec3cae2598b7700000010O08Aas2rVo2ZuQ e3nw8/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D480/ry%3D320/

[Lynnette]

Thanks for your LL report and other recommendations!! You have chosen an incredibly romantic location for your wedding...congrats!!