Zazil Kin is closed

[Gale in KY]

I was looking at the newly designed hotelstulum.com and realized that there was no longer a listing for Zazil Kin. It appears they have closed and are no longer available. Quite a loss for beach campers. I hope this is not yet another casualty to a resort of some kind with plans for Tulum's Beaches.

[calowie]

When we were there in late april they had lots of activity going on as we passed on the beach and road, but admittedly we did not go in. Can we find someone who is going to the area to take a few moments to visit and update us?

[Henk]

Just send a e-mail to the mexican caribbean group who owns the hotel tulum's website and they say zazil-kin is not making reservations anymore so the true them out of there website...but there not closed! and we will be there in August '06. o yeah i'm a newbie over here and here are my greetings to everyone!:)from Holland.

Cheers Henk.

[Gale in KY]

I saw a note on El Crucero's website that said they were closed, but they referred to them as "Don Armandos" as so many still do..this could be from back before they changed their name to Zazil Kin.Sorry if I scared anyone:) If anyone is in the area in the near future, could you check it out and report back, just so we can be sure? Thanks!

Greetings and welcome Henk!

[Henk]

I will be there in August,i will report when i'm back.

Cheers.

Henk

[dcap]

We will be in the area first of June will let you know. :)

[Gale in KY]

That would be great Dcap..you don't have long to wait now, I am envious, ready to get back to Tulum, like, yesterday!;)

[Henk]

@dcap when you are back will you place some pic's and prices here?

Thanks!

Cheers
Henk.:)

[jx2]

We will definitely be checking this area out, and hopefully be staying between El Paraiso and the ruins. We will be in Tulum the 21st - 23rd of May. Will see what we can find out;)

[Henk]

@ jx2 also thanks man! can you also take some picture's of their little beachbar?and get some prices for me of corona's nacho's etc etc...and what now really a 2 persons cabana will cost per evening.


Cheers.:)

[Burleyque]

How did you get ahold of them? I'll be there in August too and would love to stay there!!

[Jessie James]

They probably just stopped advertising on that site. They're business seems to all be walk in. They are always busy that's for sure. I've never stayed there by way of reservation. Stayed there in Febuary and they seemed to being doing well. New hotel is all done as well. Electricity all night at the bathrooms and showers. I can't imagine they shut down. I wouldn't worry... As far as getting a hold of them? No clue. Always just showed up early and always got a cabana...

[Henk]

@Jessie James that's also the way we gonna do it:)do you have picture's? of some prices of beers,nachos,and a 2 persons beach cabana?and they also have a nice little beachbat isn't it?

Thanks!
Saludos
Henk

[Jessie James]

@Jessie James that's also the way we gonna do it:)do you have picture's? of some prices of beers,nachos,and a 2 persons beach cabana?and they also have a nice little beachbat isn't it?

Thanks!
Saludos
Henk
Beer prices are pretty much the same as you pay at a cheap bar in the states, like $2 or 2.50. Didn't this year but in the past we caved and bought a $10 cooler at Super San Francisco and stocked up on our own beer. This year we just bought a few sixers on our way back each night along with some ice and through it all in an Ikea bag. Works good for keeping beer cold for the night. Food is reasonable. Ate their guac and chips a lot for a couple of bucks. They have a great beach for sure. What the hell is a beachbat? Ya mean Bar? Yeh they have a really cool little bar, but it wasn't open every day. If you have your own beer it's kinda nice when it isn't open because it's a bit quieter.

[Henk]

Yes i was meaning the beachbar though,:o

Thanks for the info man!

Saludos:)

Henk

[Henk]

O yeah we go in in early August,so its highseason by then i think and hope he's open then..


Saludos from Holland.

Henk

[shaed]

I'll be in Tulum in early August too. Seems like a lot of us are! Has anyone used the dive shop at zazil kin. Seems pretty reasonable as far as prices go.

[jx2]

Well I am happy to report Zazil Kin is definately open and going strong. The restaraunt is now a second Don Cafetos that gets very good reviews from there Tulum Pueblo restaraunt. So sorry we spaced out any pics, guess the camera must have been left in the car:o :( . It was a very peaceful place, but our traveling companion just wouldnt stay in the primitive huts:( We did have a couple beers at the beach bar. The beach bar was a small (6 chairs) hut on the beach and they were full so we sat on the sand:D It was a Sunday when we visited and there were only a couple local families on the entire stretch of beach.

[Henk]

@jx2:how you tell it ,that's just the way we like it...thanks for the info man.

Saludos from Holland.

Henk:)

[Jessie James]

Well I am happy to report Zazil Kin is definately open and going strong. The restaraunt is now a second Don Cafetos that gets very good reviews from there Tulum Pueblo restaraunt. So sorry we spaced out any pics, guess the camera must have been left in the car:o :( . It was a very peaceful place, but our traveling companion just wouldnt stay in the primitive huts:( We did have a couple beers at the beach bar. The beach bar was a small (6 chairs) hut on the beach and they were full so we sat on the sand:D It was a Sunday when we visited and there were only a couple local families on the entire stretch of beach.

Umm, Don Cafetos is next door to Zazil Kin. Zazil has their own restaurant and it's not Don Cafetos. The beach bar at Zazil Kin used to be a cabana. It opens up with big shutters that hook up above and then with hammocks hanging all around it's porch. Very nice! Lot's of tables are set up on the sand as well as lounge chairs. They play music as well. Not open all the time though, so if it were a dead day it may not have been. I'll add a pic or 2 of Zazil Kin. I love the place and have stayed there for the past 3 years and did so in Febuary...pics on next page....

[Jessie James]

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/z3.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/z2.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/z1.jpg

[Jessie James]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/t6.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/t3.jpghttp://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/frizej/t8.jpg

[jx2]

Umm, Don Cafetos is next door to Zazil Kin. Zazil has their own restaurant and it's not Don Cafetos. The beach bar at Zazil Kin used to be a cabana. It opens up with big shutters that hook up above and then with hammocks hanging all around it's porch. Very nice! Lot's of tables are set up on the sand as well as lounge chairs. They play music as well. Not open all the time though, so if it were a dead day it may not have been. I'll add a pic or 2 of Zazil Kin. I love the place and have stayed there for the past 3 years and did so in Febuary...pics on next page....

Hmmmm???? Where the heck were we at then? The cabanas werent painted they were just plain wood stick huts. It wasnt Diamante K, but it was North of El Paraiso a little ways. I thought for sure the sign said Zazil Kin as we had just came from Mar Caribe to the North. I knew I should have took some pic's:o

[Jessie James]

Hmmmm???? Where the heck were we at then? The cabanas werent painted they were just plain wood stick huts. It wasnt Diamante K, but it was North of El Paraiso a little ways. I thought for sure the sign said Zazil Kin as we had just came from Mar Caribe to the North. I knew I should have took some pic's:o


You were next door anyway. Don Cafetos does has better food, but I never dug the beach bar there so much. Zazil Kin as well has a night club in the main building pictured. Zazil Kin's cabanas are a lot nicer. When I've been in a cabana with those sticks with the gaps in between I felt like it was a cage of a sort.

[Ginger]

Hmmm...we pulled in at the Zazil Kin sign, found a restaurant there perched up on a "cliff" of sorts....took some pictures of some huts, which I thought were Zazil Kin. I was told Zazil Kin WERE these rustic beach huts ??

http://www.gingersadventures.com/playa/day4/report/JPEG/IMG_4166.jpg

Perhaps this is actually Santa Fe, I dunno.

[jx2]

Beautiful pic Ginger , but that is not the place we were at either:confused: . They were cabanas like that, but a different surrounding.:confused: :confused: Actually this looks cooler than wher we were.

At first I was thinking Sante Fe also, but now i'm not sure. Dam I wish I had some pic's.

[Ginger]

Strange....

But I know we turned right at the Zazil Kin sign and pulled right into the parking lot. We were going to eat at the restaurant, but we got a bad feeling about it, so we moved on to La Vita e Bella and ate there, since I had some reservations to make for someone there anyway.

Guess someone will just have to make a trip down there and map it all out, eh? So who's going to make the sacrifice, you or I? And James should really foot the bill, for the good of the board, eh? :D

[Gale in KY]

Great idea Ginger..I will gladly make the sacrifice and venture to Tulum to map it out..especially if someone is willing to pay for the pen and graph paper..and airfare of course!:D

Glad to know Zazil is still there..I was worried!

[Jessie James]

Strange....

But I know we turned right at the Zazil Kin sign and pulled right into the parking lot. We were going to eat at the restaurant, but we got a bad feeling about it, so we moved on to La Vita e Bella and ate there, since I had some reservations to make for someone there anyway.

Guess someone will just have to make a trip down there and map it all out, eh? So who's going to make the sacrifice, you or I? And James should really foot the bill, for the good of the board, eh? :D

I believe you were at the other place next to to Zazil Kin... Like you said Cabanas Santa Fe, but not Zazil for sure. There's a map of the cabanas at www.hotelstulum.com and a listing with some pics...

[John in DC]

Ginger, I think you were probably at El Mirador. It's the northernmost place on the beach, just before you get to the blocked-off road that used to lead to the ruins. There's a large rock with "a la Playa" painted on it. You drive uphill on a rocky driveway that bends to the left and stops at a large parking area on top of the cliff. To get down to the beach from there, you go through the restaurant and then down a pretty impressive set of stairs toward the cabanas you photographed. El Mirador is immediately north of Santa Fe and Zazil Kin (formerly Don Armando's).

[Ginger]

Ginger, I think you were probably at El Mirador. It's the northernmost place on the beach, just before you get to the blocked-off road that used to lead to the ruins. There's a large rock with "a la Playa" painted on it. You drive uphill on a rocky driveway that bends to the left and stops at a large parking area on top of the cliff. To get down to the beach from there, you go through the restaurant and then down a pretty impressive set of stairs toward the cabanas you photographed. El Mirador is immediately north of Santa Fe and Zazil Kin (formerly Don Armando's).

That sounds exactly right. So those in the photo are Santa Fe then. Thanks Carousel!

[dcap]

I have to report Zazil Kin is alive but not to well. I have photos of the place including there sign out front that says YES WE ARE OPEN we went in there, intresting place more of a local camping spot in appears to be. They have cabanas in the sand and tents spread out over the place. A resturant and a huge wide beach a view to the north of the ruins. Overall not a place we would stay at but each their own. I will post picks of the place when we get home, we are now at La Tortuga for our last three days in Playadise. Dave

[dcap]

Here are a few pics. of Zazil-Kin. Last week.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0621.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0620.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/feb527da.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0619.jpg

[jx2]

Beautiful pic Ginger , but that is not the place we were at either:confused: . They were cabanas like that, but a different surrounding.:confused: :confused: Actually this looks cooler than wher we were.

At first I was thinking Sante Fe also, but now i'm not sure. Dam I wish I had some pic's.

Now I know for sure that the place we visited and had a beer at the little 6 seat beach bar was indeed Sante Fe. I seen some pic's of Sante Fe from there website and it was exactly as the pic's show. The cabanas were very, very basic(10 bucks low season) with no vegetation even close to any of them. It's not a place I would stay, but it is where we saw the sign that said Don Cafeto restaraunt that looked ok:D