4
Jonathan Anderson -
9 months ago
Everyone at reception was friendly and helpful. The hotel is right by the beach and has a nice pool open until 8pm but we did not use it. Opposite is a great little French cafe called Les Amis run by an eccentric Brazilian and a Circle K shop selling cheap beers and water. Bars etc are all nearby. The hotel will recommended 100% Organic restaurant and give you a 15% off card. Be aware that this was not accepted when we went - we were told at the start it was fine and afterwards we were told we had to pay full price as our drinks and meals were 'on promotion'.
The room was very clean and cosy. Other reviews are correct about the power points hanging out of the wall/needing repairing. The shower also does have a very strange design with lots of stones sticking out of it which aren't very comfortable. Wi-Fi was intermittent but mostly ok.
We did not really have any issues but had some confusion when booking a Chichen Itza tour. We were leaving from Playa Del Carmen but wanted to be dropped off in Tulum. After some discussion and a call to the tour guides (Easy Tours), we were told this could be done for an extra $10 fee as the luggage would 'take up more space'. This seemed a bit odd but we agreed. The basic tour cost $50 and we agreed to pay via card the next day. Our pick-up was scheduled for 7.20 but they arrived at 7.40 - no big deal, it's Mexican time. A minivan took us to the office where we had to pay. This is where the confusion started - no-one knew about our special request to be dropped off in Tulum and we were told the tour cost $60, not $50 as agreed and was written on our receipt. I assumed that this was the 'extra $10' so we paid $60 each as agreed. We then learnt that Tulum was a stop along the way anyway, and always had been, and was a stop on the way back too. So the extra $10 was pointless as this was not an 'extra' journey at all. On our way back, when we stopped in Tulum, neither Javier the guide or Alonso the driver had any idea we were getting off there - they thought we were still going back to Playa del Carmen. Luckily we were still dropped off at our hotels without any fuss. So we ended up paying the right amount and got the right result, but only out of luck and not communication or organisation on the hotel/Easy Tours's part.
Apart from that, the tour was quite good - as other reviews state there are a few stops at gift shops/attempts to get you to buy stuff/requests for tips, but it is worth it. The classic tour is fine as the 'extras' don't really add anything at all and most people get them anyway. Whoever from Zinbe reads this, please make sure you agree the correct price with Easy Tours - if you say it is 50, it should be 50. They are trying to rip people off at the office. If you're a traveller wanting to be dropped off in Tulum afterwards, it is possible.