BeachDude
21st May 2005, 05:03 AM
I spent 10 days/nights at Copal at the beginning of May and there is just so much to review and comment on, so I'm breaking it down to the key points. I would strongly suggest thoroughly going over their site and reading the FAQ's as it pretty much tells it as it is. Here are both the pros and cons:
The Property
Very nice property in itself, it's almost exactly as described on Copal's web site. Very clean and well maintained, no complaints whatsoever. It's a very beautiful and interesting little place to visit. During May, I had no problems with mosquitos or any other nasty biting flies. Didn't even need to open and use any of my insect repellent. Might be a different situation during other times of the year though.
The Cabanas
I had a "partial-seaview king" cabana. It was very clean and actually nicer than I had expected! I walked up and down the beach and saw a lot of other cabana places - believe me, Copal has the nicest and most "luxurious" cabanas of any other property in the area! There was maid service every single day and they really did a good job of cleaning up the cabana, definitely no complaints there. The walls really are made of sticks lined up vertically. 3/4 of the walls had plaster stuck between the gaps, but each cabana had at least one section of the wall with open gaps. This is to let air flow in, but also limits your privacy somewhat. If this is an issue for anyone, then simply hang a towel or sheet over that portion of the wall for complete privacy - but keep in mind you'll also block out the fresh air.
My cabana (#11) probably could have used a new coat of paint on the floors though. There were some rust and water stains, a small paint job could've really made the cabana that much nicer. Not too big of a deal though.
Also, keep in mind that the cabanas are a step above a hut on the beach/jungle with a palapa roof - there are going to be a few mostly harmless insects and critters around. Every morning I would find half-dead/dying insects on the floor that had probably fallen from the ceiling during the night... I'd find a few jungle cockroaches and other various bugs. One morning, I found a half-dead scorpion on the floor which I simply flicked out the door with a little stick. It was a little alarming to see that, but remember, you're in the jungle and it goes with the territory. At night, little hermit crabs would find their way in through the cracks and you would hear them "clicking" as they crawled across the floor. They are harmless, just more annoying that anything. They can't climb up into your bed, so no worries there. The hermit crabs are scavengers and will eat any dead bugs on the floor, so they're actually quite helpful in that sense. If you're lucky, you may also see a small gecko scurry across the walls at night - these are also harmless and eat mosquitos and other small insects - the geckos are your friends! :)
The Beach
Hate to say it, but Copal probably has the worst beach in the area. It is small, narrow, rocky, and crowded with waiters from the beach bar constantly walking back and forth (more on that below). There is a nicer beach to the left shared by "Palapa Playa Cabanas" and a sign on Copal's beach indicating that there is no nudity allowed beyond that point - which is simply not true as most of Tulum's beaches are clothing optional and there were plenty of people in various states of undress in that part of the beach. So no need to worry there, you can ignore the sign which seems to be more of a courtesy than anything else.
To the right of Copal's beach is a large beautiful sandy cove that is shared by Azulik, Zahra, and two other hotels. I used that beach instead, it is so much nicer and peaceful! It's easy to access by walking along the rocks (wear sandals!) or by walking less than 5 minutes down the road and entering through Azulik. It is not against the rules or anything, as ALL beaches in Mexico are considered "public". Only the beach chairs and swings are marked as "reserved for guests", so as long as you stay off those, you're okay.
The Staff
Copal's staff is VERY helpful and friendly, 1st class service all the way. They seemed eager to help and make sure that you are comfortable. I never had any problems with them. Copal has a very large staff - and in a way, that is sort of a "problem" because they are everywhere constantly scurrying about the property waiting on guests or performing maintenance duties. It kind of detracted from the peaceful environment.
The Beach Bar
Ok, now in my opinion, this is the one large blemish on all of Copal. It's located on a cliff in the middle of the beach and there is A LOT of activity going on there with waiters and guests going back and forth all afternoon long. This totally took away from a peaceful and relaxing environment. Thankfully, the beach bar is only open from noon to 6pm, but still... Perhaps if the beach bar was off to the side it may not be such a disruption. A lot also depended on the crowd at the bar on any given day, more on that below...
The Crowd
Hmmm, well the crowd at Copal would change on a daily basis, but the other guests could really make or break the experience. During my 10 days at Copal, it was very crowded and people were constantly about, everywhere you looked, passing by the path to the beach and the bar. While I was there, at least 75% of the guests were Americans and for the first time in my life, I was sometimes embarassed to be an American and can understand why American tourists have a poor reputation. And no - these were not college kids I'm talking about, but people in their 40's and 50's!! No offense to anyone, I'm just telling it like it is.
On any given day, there was always a crowd of people in their 40's/50's hanging around the beach bar and being very disruptive. The faces would change, but the type of crowd was always the same! It would be 90 F degrees in a hot tropical environment, yet this crowd would be dressed from head to toe in polo shirts/blouses, long pants, hats, etc. just sitting there drinking all afternoon long. I don't understand why anyone would come to Copal if that's all they're gonna do all day, but hey... It just took away from the peacefullness of the environment.
Most of the guests at Copal were not unfriendly, so to speak, but mostly kept to themselves unless you spoke first or were hanging out with the gang at the beach bar. This was fine with me as I did come to Copal for the social experience, but found it kind of "weird" at times.
The Restaurant
Like most other hotel restaurants, the food at Copal was expensive and mediocre. The menu did was not very varied and the "mexican" food was not very "authentic" either. The menu seemed to be very "gringo'ized" if you know what I mean. However, the fish was really good and I would highly recommend trying it at least once. And again, service was excellent.
The Clothing Optional Status
Copal seems to market the "clothing optional" status of the property very well on their web site, but it is a different story once you get there. First off, there are NO signs anywhere (in the lobby, on the property, etc.) that informs people of this policy. I didn't understand that, and although it IS allowed, it seems to be more of an "unofficial policy" more than anything. There were never more than 3-4 people nude on the property, though it was more common to see on the beach itself. I would say at least 60% of the crowd on the beach went nude or topless. But if you were nude anywhere else, you would get lots of "funny looks" from the other guests. No one complained though, but to be nude anywhere else other than the beach felt a bit uncomfortable at times. I supposed this varies from day to day depending on the crowd, but while I was there, most people seemed to be very uptight about it.
I would strongly suggest to Copal that if the "clothing-optional" status is an official policy, then they really need to at least post a sign in the lobby indicating this. Otherwise, they need to stop marketing the property as "clothing-optional" on their web site as it is a bit deceptive.
Comments and Suggestions:
Keep in mind that Tulum in general (and sometimes Copal) is a gathering place of people from many different cultures and from all walks of life. Please be respectful of that. If you are easily disturbed or feel threatened by people with different lifestyles than yours, then Tulum may not be right for you.
Toilet paper is not flushable in the toilets at Copal. It's a good idea to wrap up your dirty paper very tightly with a clean piece, as this might end up sitting in your trash bin for 24 hours, lol. The maids come by once a day to change the trash bag, so please have mercy on them. ;)
It's worth the extra money to get a cabana with a private bathroom. The cabanas with "shared baths" basically means that you have to use the public bathroom - which is "shared" by *everyone* including the spa and restaurant patrons, as well as all of the staff or anyone walking in off the street.
Although it is not mentioned on Copal's web site, in each cabana, there is a water dispenser with a fresh jug of drinking water! Use this to refill your empty bottles of water and it is all you will need. If your water jug runs empty, just ask at the main desk and they will give you a new one for free! :)
The best (and cheapest) food is in the town center of Tulum itself. It is only a 5 minute cab ride away, and even with the round-trip cab fare you will still save money and have a much better selection of really great restaurants. The town felt very safe at night, there are many local families with children walking around everywhere. However, some of the side streets looked a little sketchy - just use common sense and you'll be fine, don't stray off the main street.
The Property
Very nice property in itself, it's almost exactly as described on Copal's web site. Very clean and well maintained, no complaints whatsoever. It's a very beautiful and interesting little place to visit. During May, I had no problems with mosquitos or any other nasty biting flies. Didn't even need to open and use any of my insect repellent. Might be a different situation during other times of the year though.
The Cabanas
I had a "partial-seaview king" cabana. It was very clean and actually nicer than I had expected! I walked up and down the beach and saw a lot of other cabana places - believe me, Copal has the nicest and most "luxurious" cabanas of any other property in the area! There was maid service every single day and they really did a good job of cleaning up the cabana, definitely no complaints there. The walls really are made of sticks lined up vertically. 3/4 of the walls had plaster stuck between the gaps, but each cabana had at least one section of the wall with open gaps. This is to let air flow in, but also limits your privacy somewhat. If this is an issue for anyone, then simply hang a towel or sheet over that portion of the wall for complete privacy - but keep in mind you'll also block out the fresh air.
My cabana (#11) probably could have used a new coat of paint on the floors though. There were some rust and water stains, a small paint job could've really made the cabana that much nicer. Not too big of a deal though.
Also, keep in mind that the cabanas are a step above a hut on the beach/jungle with a palapa roof - there are going to be a few mostly harmless insects and critters around. Every morning I would find half-dead/dying insects on the floor that had probably fallen from the ceiling during the night... I'd find a few jungle cockroaches and other various bugs. One morning, I found a half-dead scorpion on the floor which I simply flicked out the door with a little stick. It was a little alarming to see that, but remember, you're in the jungle and it goes with the territory. At night, little hermit crabs would find their way in through the cracks and you would hear them "clicking" as they crawled across the floor. They are harmless, just more annoying that anything. They can't climb up into your bed, so no worries there. The hermit crabs are scavengers and will eat any dead bugs on the floor, so they're actually quite helpful in that sense. If you're lucky, you may also see a small gecko scurry across the walls at night - these are also harmless and eat mosquitos and other small insects - the geckos are your friends! :)
The Beach
Hate to say it, but Copal probably has the worst beach in the area. It is small, narrow, rocky, and crowded with waiters from the beach bar constantly walking back and forth (more on that below). There is a nicer beach to the left shared by "Palapa Playa Cabanas" and a sign on Copal's beach indicating that there is no nudity allowed beyond that point - which is simply not true as most of Tulum's beaches are clothing optional and there were plenty of people in various states of undress in that part of the beach. So no need to worry there, you can ignore the sign which seems to be more of a courtesy than anything else.
To the right of Copal's beach is a large beautiful sandy cove that is shared by Azulik, Zahra, and two other hotels. I used that beach instead, it is so much nicer and peaceful! It's easy to access by walking along the rocks (wear sandals!) or by walking less than 5 minutes down the road and entering through Azulik. It is not against the rules or anything, as ALL beaches in Mexico are considered "public". Only the beach chairs and swings are marked as "reserved for guests", so as long as you stay off those, you're okay.
The Staff
Copal's staff is VERY helpful and friendly, 1st class service all the way. They seemed eager to help and make sure that you are comfortable. I never had any problems with them. Copal has a very large staff - and in a way, that is sort of a "problem" because they are everywhere constantly scurrying about the property waiting on guests or performing maintenance duties. It kind of detracted from the peaceful environment.
The Beach Bar
Ok, now in my opinion, this is the one large blemish on all of Copal. It's located on a cliff in the middle of the beach and there is A LOT of activity going on there with waiters and guests going back and forth all afternoon long. This totally took away from a peaceful and relaxing environment. Thankfully, the beach bar is only open from noon to 6pm, but still... Perhaps if the beach bar was off to the side it may not be such a disruption. A lot also depended on the crowd at the bar on any given day, more on that below...
The Crowd
Hmmm, well the crowd at Copal would change on a daily basis, but the other guests could really make or break the experience. During my 10 days at Copal, it was very crowded and people were constantly about, everywhere you looked, passing by the path to the beach and the bar. While I was there, at least 75% of the guests were Americans and for the first time in my life, I was sometimes embarassed to be an American and can understand why American tourists have a poor reputation. And no - these were not college kids I'm talking about, but people in their 40's and 50's!! No offense to anyone, I'm just telling it like it is.
On any given day, there was always a crowd of people in their 40's/50's hanging around the beach bar and being very disruptive. The faces would change, but the type of crowd was always the same! It would be 90 F degrees in a hot tropical environment, yet this crowd would be dressed from head to toe in polo shirts/blouses, long pants, hats, etc. just sitting there drinking all afternoon long. I don't understand why anyone would come to Copal if that's all they're gonna do all day, but hey... It just took away from the peacefullness of the environment.
Most of the guests at Copal were not unfriendly, so to speak, but mostly kept to themselves unless you spoke first or were hanging out with the gang at the beach bar. This was fine with me as I did come to Copal for the social experience, but found it kind of "weird" at times.
The Restaurant
Like most other hotel restaurants, the food at Copal was expensive and mediocre. The menu did was not very varied and the "mexican" food was not very "authentic" either. The menu seemed to be very "gringo'ized" if you know what I mean. However, the fish was really good and I would highly recommend trying it at least once. And again, service was excellent.
The Clothing Optional Status
Copal seems to market the "clothing optional" status of the property very well on their web site, but it is a different story once you get there. First off, there are NO signs anywhere (in the lobby, on the property, etc.) that informs people of this policy. I didn't understand that, and although it IS allowed, it seems to be more of an "unofficial policy" more than anything. There were never more than 3-4 people nude on the property, though it was more common to see on the beach itself. I would say at least 60% of the crowd on the beach went nude or topless. But if you were nude anywhere else, you would get lots of "funny looks" from the other guests. No one complained though, but to be nude anywhere else other than the beach felt a bit uncomfortable at times. I supposed this varies from day to day depending on the crowd, but while I was there, most people seemed to be very uptight about it.
I would strongly suggest to Copal that if the "clothing-optional" status is an official policy, then they really need to at least post a sign in the lobby indicating this. Otherwise, they need to stop marketing the property as "clothing-optional" on their web site as it is a bit deceptive.
Comments and Suggestions:
Keep in mind that Tulum in general (and sometimes Copal) is a gathering place of people from many different cultures and from all walks of life. Please be respectful of that. If you are easily disturbed or feel threatened by people with different lifestyles than yours, then Tulum may not be right for you.
Toilet paper is not flushable in the toilets at Copal. It's a good idea to wrap up your dirty paper very tightly with a clean piece, as this might end up sitting in your trash bin for 24 hours, lol. The maids come by once a day to change the trash bag, so please have mercy on them. ;)
It's worth the extra money to get a cabana with a private bathroom. The cabanas with "shared baths" basically means that you have to use the public bathroom - which is "shared" by *everyone* including the spa and restaurant patrons, as well as all of the staff or anyone walking in off the street.
Although it is not mentioned on Copal's web site, in each cabana, there is a water dispenser with a fresh jug of drinking water! Use this to refill your empty bottles of water and it is all you will need. If your water jug runs empty, just ask at the main desk and they will give you a new one for free! :)
The best (and cheapest) food is in the town center of Tulum itself. It is only a 5 minute cab ride away, and even with the round-trip cab fare you will still save money and have a much better selection of really great restaurants. The town felt very safe at night, there are many local families with children walking around everywhere. However, some of the side streets looked a little sketchy - just use common sense and you'll be fine, don't stray off the main street.