Heaven on earth!
My girlfriend and I stayed here for 7 nights as part of a yoga retreat group in August. Let me tell you, now it's December and there hasn't been a single day since I returned from Tulum where I did not think about the time I spent at this resort!! It was that magical (trust me, I don't throw that term around that easily).
First, let's talk about the logistics. We flew into Cancun airport, rented a car and drove about 90 minutes down to the resort. Pretty easy drive, although some drivers really do drive like a nut job. Parking at the resort is easy. It is free and secure. Upon arrival, we were greeted by really friendly guys at the front desk. We were offered a glass of juice and cold towel to refresh ourselves. Nice touch.
Our Room: We booked a garden view room and got Cabana #33. The room was huge! All 4 sides of this cabana had large windows to open up, so we had really good cross ventilation going on (trust me, it was a life saver). On the resort's website, they tell you the rooms don't have wifi, but because #33 is right next to the reception area, we got good wifi signal in our room. And the cabana came with an outdoor shower. Seriously, does it get any better? Also, because this resort is practically built on the beach, their "garden view" really isn't that far from the ocean. Ocean front is like 3 steps away from the water and Garden view is maybe 30 steps? Excellent deal overall.
Restaurant: Oh my god, the restaurant is set on a perfect location, literally on the beach. We enjoyed drinking margaritas and eating dinner outside almost every night (I say almost, because there were a couple of rainy, well more like stormy nights). Also enjoyed watching sunrise with coffee in the morning. Everyone who works there is super nice and friendly. We loved the bartender Jaime! He always filled our water bottles with ice cubes (did I mention it's really hot there? lol). Really, everyone was great but our favorite servers were Enrique and Mauro. I also saw the chef walking around, checking on buffet table every night, to make sure everyone was enjoying the food.
Food: To be honest, I wasn't too excited about the all-inclusive concept, because I feel like usually quality is lacking in this type of deal. But I was SO wrong! The food here was to die for. All the vegetables and fruits were so fresh!! Every single meal was sooooo good and memorable. I especially enjoyed homemade pan dulce in the morning and all the fish dishes they cooked for dinner. For quite a while after I got back from Tulum, I was craving food from this restaurant.. well, actually I still do... :D
Yoga: I cannot comment on the public yoga classes they offer, because I was with a yoga retreat group, so I practiced only with my teacher. But I will comment on the yoga facility. The space is beautiful with super high ceiling and lots of windows (you can see the beach from a couple of them). They have tons of equipment - manduka mats, blocks, straps, blankets, hand towels. Tip: if you want a yoga mat towel like "yogitoes," you need to bring it.
Spa: Holy moly! I got a Holistic Massage with Emilia and it was easily one of the Best massages I've ever had!! I highly recommend Emilia.
Beach: Ok.. this is the only negative here (everything except the beach condition is 5 stars).. When we were there in August, the beach was full of seaweed. The resort really tried to clean it every morning. But we can't win against nature. When the ocean brings so much seaweed to the shore, there is only so much mankind can do.. People told me that the situation has been getting worse... *sigh* BUT! I got some good news. If you see lots of seaweed in front of maya tulum resort, do not waste time on this beach. Drive or Get a cab and go to "Playa Paraiso" - it's a public access beach (you do not need to pay for chair/table) and it is absolutely gorgeous. No seaweed.
Housekeeping: They kept our room meticulously clean everyday. They also do an excellent job maintaining the entire resort ground.
Airconditioning: Our room had no A/C, so we basically sweated our butts off everyday. But you will get used to it after a couple of days. They say the restaurant is air-conditioned but I highly doubt that! It was pretty hot in the restaurant. If you absolutely need A/C, reserve an Ocean front villa with A/C - there are only 4 of them, so book early.
My 2 cents on tipping: We were told that our retreat price included $10/day gratuity, so anything beyond that was optional. We felt like a lot of people went above and beyond expectation to make sure our stay was wonderful, so we tipped pretty well at the restaurant and housekeeping staff. And I'd say we got excellent service in return.
This is a truly magical place with genuinely nice people. I did not want to leave! read more