A mini mini trip report

[Ksquared]

Hi all! My boyfriend and I got back late yesterday from 6 nights in Tulum. We loved it (as you all knew we would)!

Our first 3 nights we stayed at Le Zebra and the last 3 at a "new" place that just opened up. I say "new" as I'm guessing it used to be something else, but is now called Om. I guess the Om people also have a hotel in Playa. It's down south on the beach road, right near Amansala and next to Casa Violetta. The folks at Le Zebra told us about it (we would've loved to stay there all 6 nights, but they could only take us for 3).

I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you are headed to Tulum and getting a room on the fly (a lot of places seemed booked up). It felt like a steal at 60$ a night (more than half less than Le Zebra charged) though I guess I don't know what 60$ places are usually like.....

The piece of land it's situated on is very narrow, but well kept and the beach front is beautiful (has a bunch of lounge chairs and a few hammocks). Our room was enormous, had two queen beds and shower/toilet (yes, there was a door to it). The place opened up only a few days before so we had to make due with a few quirks (no curtains were made for our room) but I think for the price being offered now it was pretty great.

The restaurant was also incredible (try the Thai shrimp and the satay) and we even met the chef. Definitely worth a visit.

I will post some pics and give more info later in the week. I just figured if you are leaving soon, you'd want to know.... : )

[beachreader]

Hi, Squared, welcome home! Om, eh? Sounds like something to check out for sure! Let me go buzz the internet, see if I can find it. I thought for a minute you were going to say Ocho (it's new and in that same area), but that place costs a bloody fortune.

Can't wait for pics and stuff!

Oh, and I think you're the one who flew out of Philly non-stop on USAir. Did you fly into Terminal 3? How was that?

[beachreader]

Nothing on Google for Om except that it's apparently a sister to a place in Playa del Carmen.

So we're relying on your pictures and descriptions, please!! :)

[Ksquared]

I noticed Ocho. There was so much construction going on there, it didn't look like it could actually be open.

We actually flew Jetblue from JFK.

Were you using Continental rental car?

They met us at the airport, no trouble at all, but when we got there they didn't have any economy cars to give us. So we were given a mid size (though I swear it felt like an economy) to take with us to Tulum. They then met us at Le Zebra later in the evening to give us our tiny little Chevy. It was a little annoying (they were late and we had to hang around for them) but really not all that bad. The a/c in the car was a little iffy, but it had a working cd player so we could listen to our 3 cds over and over again...

[Gale in KY]

BR..this OM place sounds like a must see for the days we don't have booked.
Welcome home KS..can't wait to hear details and see some pictures! Did you notice that most of the locals are on Mexico time? Heehee..7'oclock might be 7, or it might be 7:15 or hey, it really might be 8 O'clock. LOL! That's one of the things I love about the culture..they just don't know the word hurry. You can count on that just like you can count on the departing flight from Cancun being late. LOL!

[Ksquared]

Yes, definitely! I only have a few pics but will get them up soon! None of the rooms are beach front, the restaurant basically takes up that space. There are two, two story buildings. The best room would be in the building in front of the restaurant, on the second floor, facing the beach. We were in that building, also on the second floor, but facing the garden. I think the place has 6 (but maybe 8) rooms. All seemed outfitted with 2 beds.

[beachreader]

BR..this OM place sounds like a must see for the days we don't have booked.


I'm already on it. I've sent them an e-mail (via their Playa website) asking about availability and such, but I'm asking for the full stretch of time 12/9-12/16, just to see what they have. Maybe I'll bump HL to the 11th-14th (four nights I've already paid for) and stay at Om (which is cheaper) by myself the first two nights? And/or we can stay there on the 16th and save mucho dinero, which we can then spend at La Zebra!


Many options. Thanks for the tip, Ksquared! (And sorry I got you mixed up with the Philly person).

Oh, and also thanks for the alert on Continental not having the car. I sort of thought they'd operate like a US operation, in that if they don't have the cheapo car you reserved, they have to give you a better car at the same rate. And let you keep it! :rolleyes: Hope it didn't spoil your evening having to wait around for them.

[Gale in KY]

sounds like a great option for happy hour or for lunch at the very least. Thanks for the tip KS! However you want to handle it BR..I am fine..it's Tulum and I always say save the dinero so we can enjoy the food!!!

[Ksquared]

Nah, it wasn't so bad. We just had some margaritas at the bar. It was Sunday, so the salsa party was just starting up. It's really quite the event. The local paper reported that 400 people showed up!

[wheetulum]

WE loved Om, just up our alley. It opened in the last few days we were there. We had some margaritas on the beach, with downtempo music playing. It was the full moon and great vibrations. The bartender was very friendly and it had a lively, yet not rowdy feel. There is a traveler instead of tourist feeling happening. We didn't get to eat there. I will definitely go back next time I'm Tulum. It was one of our favorite times.

:)

[beachreader]

I didn't exactly get a reply, it looked like the person I e-mailed was trying to forward my e-mail to another person for response (it was in Spanish, but I'm pretty sure that's what it said). I didn't see another person on the CC/forward line, so I replied with a correction in dates, hoping that they'd see that Mr. Eduardo didn't actually get the first effort.

Still, nice that someone's reading their e-mail!



Oh, and Whee, do you have any pics of the place you can post? Thanks!

[wheetulum]

We have some great shots of om and the full moon. We also have a few in the daytime. Ill post them as soon as we upload the pics.

:)

[beachreader]

Great, thanks!




Um, not to be a bother, but I'm leaving soon and might try to change my reservations tomorrow, so pics would be SUCH a help...

:D

[mariposa]

hmmm..wow. I'm so curious about this place. Can't wait to see photos! What was the rate there? I can't wait to be there and check out some of these places myself. Obviously, there's only so much one can do on the inter-web:p

[mariposa]

also ksquared..how did you customize your font? can't figure that out..

[pepper]

I am very interested in this OM....a reasonable place with 2 beds?? On that lovely beach?? Please tell me they have ceiling fans...please....

[FITZ]

Thanks for posting so quick. I'm sure mamy appreciate up-to-date info.
Everyone always loves a trip report!

[beachreader]

The guy got back to me but neglected to include prices. I'll let you all know about prices and if he's got availability and I can bump my HL stay, I might just go there first and last. We'll see.

He said there are 12 units, a few of which are beachfront, mentioned a beach club (not sure if that means I'll have to pay for a chair, but at least they must have decent chairs) and the restaurant.

No pics yet (from him).

[minniemex]

Tell me exactly where this so I can check to see if I have any pictures of it!! I take pictures of everything, even things I have no clue what they are!! LOL

[beachreader]

I'm guessing it's on the south side of Casa Violeta, since their property is cheek-by-jowl on the south side of Amansala, and the south side of CV was pretty open when I was there last March.

[mariposa]

minnie, what's that yummy looking cocktail in your avatar?

[Ksquared]

It is south of Violetta. They charged us 60$ a night. And yes, there is a ceiling fan. I've been slammed at work, catching up on all that happened while away, but will try to get a few pics up soon!

[Ksquared]

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos4212/5/95/29/77/76/6/676772995503_0_ALB.jpg

This is the view from Om's restaurant.

[Ksquared]

Are the pics working? This is the only one I have of the room. Behind the mirror wall is the bathroom and shower. There were actually 2 beds in the room. The pic was taken from the front door and to the right of the door was the other bed. You don't get a sense from it here, but the room was HUGE.

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos4212/5/95/29/20/41/9/941202995503_0_ALB.jpg

[Ksquared]

Alright, one last pic of Om. Don't mind my boyfriend in the background. This is inside Om's restaurant. A very basic continental breakfast is included. Everyone must go there for dinner though, it's sooooo good.

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos4212/5/95/29/72/9/8/809722995503_0_ALB.jpg

[Gale in KY]

Wow, that place looks very very nice! What a great suprize to find out about it! Thanks KS!

Oh, btw..if you guys are getting nothing but little square boxes with an x in the center where the picture should be..like I was..left click on the box..go to properties, copy the pic addy and then paste it into your browser..click go..should show the picture..then click back and there it is, in the trip report.

I have no idea why this works, or why it happens..only that it does.
LOL!

[PhyllisB]

I don't even see a box! Phooey!

[mayaflya]

The referenced pics are on kodakgallery.com, which didn't work for me when I was trying to post from there for my trip reports. The copy/paste/click/back trick pulls it up on my browser, (thanks for the tip) but kodakgallery is not a good picture hosting service for forum pics. I think they are more oriented to family/friends album sharing.

Oh, and on my mac, I get a blue square with a question mark...Phyllis, if you see that, you can use Gale's trick as well.

[BP.]

Oh, and I think you're the one who flew out of Philly non-stop on USAir. Did you fly into Terminal 3? How was that?

PHL non-stop to Cancun on USAir. Terminal 3. So easy, nice terminal. Right out to baggage claim with duty free right there at the carousel. Before the bags came we had time to pick up some Cohibas & Don Julio (US$34- saw it elsewhere for $46.) One of us got the red light, and it took just a few minutes longer than a previous red light, but no biggie.
Barb

[PhyllisB]

Hey maya!

Actually I don't see anything but text. No squares, no question marks, nada! Wierd! I'll have to look again tonight when I'm on my home computer.

[Ksquared]

Oh kodak gallery! When I write up a real trip report I'll have to upload the pics to something else.

[beachreader]

Right out to baggage claim with duty free right there at the carousel. Before the bags came we had time to pick up some Cohibas & Don Julio (US$34- saw it elsewhere for $46.)



Hi, BP, welcome home! How on earth is there a duty free on the Mexican end of the deal? I thought the whole point of duty free was to buy goods in one country and take them to another, duty free.

Kind of kills the whole point to let you buy it in the country of usage.

But hey, works for me. So the Julio is cheaper there than it is in Tulum? I'll pick up a bottle on my way south.

[PhyllisB]

Oooh, I can see the little boxes on my home computer and it works when I ctr-click on them! yeah!

[beachreader]

Great pics, thanks! Looks like an awesome place (though of course having so many chairs makes it look potentially crowded--probably a function of being a narrow property with a beach club, but that's OK).

[FITZ]

I was surprised to see shops called "duty free" on "the other side". Some, I noticed, had decent prices on booze and candies. I really don't know where the "duty free" begins and ends anymore.

[Gale in KY]

Where is terminal 3 located on airport property..I will probably be coming in to terminal 3 and want to take a bus to Playa..the busses are located up past the departures terminal. Do you know if they have a shuttle that goes up to terminal 2 and the departures area, or is it close enough to walk? I am still a bit confused about where terminal 3 sits in relation to terminal 2 and departures.

[mariposa]

i can't see photos..just squares w/question marks..

[beachreader]

Where is terminal 3 located on airport property.


Gale, I believe T3 is east of the other two terminals, as I passed the construction for it on my way to 307 last March, and my driver said it was the new terminal. I think it's too far to walk, but someone else said there was a shuttle bus.

I hope you can hook up with someone for a transfer!


I've got a kind of wild idea, I'll send you an e-mail. Don't know if it'll work, but it's worth a try.

[minniemex]

Where is terminal 3 located on airport property..I will probably be coming in to terminal 3 and want to take a bus to Playa..the busses are located up past the departures terminal. Do you know if they have a shuttle that goes up to terminal 2 and the departures area, or is it close enough to walk? I am still a bit confused about where terminal 3 sits in relation to terminal 2 and departures.

There was a bus stop out front, across the street and to the left alttle. I saw it when we walked to our car.

Ksquared that place looks great!! I have to look for it in my pictures when I get home!! I hope you had a wonderful trip!!

[minniemex]

minnie, what's that yummy looking cocktail in your avatar?


http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Avitars/DSC03340.jpg


That would be Sangria - my favorite drink - it is wine, simple syrup, lime juice all mixed together! Yum Yum!!