Cabanas Copal

[jessephoenix]

Has anyone here actually stayed in the rustic, no bathroom, sand-floor cabana at Copal? How was it? I am single, looking for the CHEAPEST (but private) accommodation I can find.

Thanks,
Jesse

[DougSR]

Wow. You learn something every day. Having never been on property, I never noticed they had the sand floor option for $30 low season. You know, I'll be interested in hearing about this.

[jessephoenix]

Has anyone stayed at Papaya Playa? That also seems similar...

[Gale in KY]

Go for Copal..PP could be the sweetest little cabana place around, but it's not...there are others that are much better..hard to believe that stick huts in the sand could be different from each other, but omg, the difference is astounding. I don't ask for much, but I want it to be as clean as possible, and for the bar to have drinks when I order them. It's the people that make the difference, and the management at PP leaves alot to be desired.

Copal's are fine, not much to describe here, they are close to the water and the beds are comfortable..but the bathhouse is up by the restaurant, not close to the cabanas, so be prepared for a little walk, not a bad one, but you will have to walk.

Better than Zahra's though, only because they are close to the water, while Zahra's are not.

Arricifes also has some, they are right on the beach, not sure about the quaility of the bedding..the beach is the BEST though..can't beat the beach in this area.

Not on the web, so I guess you have to wait till ya get there is Tribal Village..this is a quite interesting place, North of PP, it used to be quite attractive and comfy, but not sure now, would have to check it out again.

Uno Astrolodge has so teepees in the back of the property, but with no wind, I am sure you would get quite toasty back there, even in the winter..neat concept though.

[jessephoenix]

From the photos, Papaya had looked a little better to me, even though Copal has such a great reputation. Also, Papaya has lights until 11:30--I like the idea of being electricity-free, but I think I might get a little scared (I get a little afraid of the dark when I'm alone :rolleyes:). Also, I think the bathroom might be closer...maybe not.

I'm getting the Lonely Planet guidebook today, so maybe that will have some input... I'm eager to make a reservation soon (for September) so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

I'd love to hear anyone's advice who've stayed in any of these bare-bones huts.

(Has anyone encountered a giant centipede there? I am TERRIFIED of them. I can handle any other critter--but I'm a little panicked at the thought of facing a centipede...not likely though, right?)

This forum is so great for advice! :)

[minniemex]

jessephoenix ~ I bought a couple of these to take along and they have since come in great for other situations also!! They make a great reading light and can be placed anywhere!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FKHJ86

No worries anymore about when a place has electricity.

[jbutah]

I can't comment directly on the sand floor cabanas at Copal or Papaya Playa, but as far as the grounds and feel as a whole, I was glad I was at Copal in June. I walked through PP a few times and saw very few people. I never saw anyone at the bar and very few people on the beach. It just kind of looked deserted the whole time we were there.

[DougSR]

Hey Jesse, I'm curious when you will be going. You certainly want as much breeze as you can get when you are talking about the warmer months.

[jessephoenix]

I'll be going in September. 6-19.

[DougSR]

September will be fairly warm. I went in October my first trip and had to upgrade to beachfront at Diamante K. It was just to hot to sleep without the big ocean breeze.

[jessephoenix]

Good to know DougSR, thanks!


(I had never really thought about traveling to Mexico--it wasn't on my top 10 list (though I LOVE beaches and snorkeling!). Last year at this time I went on a two week trip to India that I had been waiting to do for years. So it was a huge deal that I planned for months. I feel a little out of my element in planning this Mexico trip--I don't know much about it. But Cancun was the cheapest ticket anywhere internationally, by far, so I just bought it! I do know 3 different people who went to Mexico last year and they all happened to choose Tulum. Anyway, that's my story! :))

[beachreader]

Welcome to the board! Is your budget that $30? I think the stick cabana at Arrecifes is $50 in high season, but it is RIGHT on a gorgeous beach and you can use their nice beach chairs and hammocks and stuff, and they have a restaurant on site. I don't know about their bathrooms, but it's a nice open beach space all the way to the main building (no jungly parts) so I'd imagine they're decent.

Of course, if you can swing $50, I might as well mention Cabanas Tulum. You'd have electricity, a private bathroom, more security, etc. Not a lot of style, so if you want the stick cabana thing for the cool style of it, CT won't work for you, but it's a great budget option on a great beach.

[DougSR]

Jesse, if your a low maintenance girl, I think you will have a great time on a budget in Tulum. The people on this board are my greatest source of info. I'm also looking for some budget options this time down and may check out Copal.

And if you love snorkeling I would highly recommend Akumal as well. It's just up the road, about 30 minutes north, and you can just wade right off the beach and see turtles, rays, fish. I went for the first time in May and found Akumal to be just fantastic. I found a very nice casita for $60.

[Gale in KY]

Papaya Playa..The pictures are very decieving..if you want sheets that have been changed in the last 6 months, bring your own. Seriously, PP could be ok, if you go prepared. I would bring my own everything...cause they aren't going to make it available.

Be ready to hand over your passport too..they will want to keep it for you..NOT. It's a condition of renting there, sorry..you want a cabana, they want your passport..guess that prevents you from skipping out without paying..for what I am not sure, as with most places PP is paid in full before arrival..but there you have it.

That's all I know about the place, except the few times I stopped in for a drink or two they were always out of everything..I gotta ask..what place in Mexico has no tequila????:eek:

I would go back to Copal in a heartbeat..if not for that pesky "no coolers, drinks or food in the cabanas" rule.

I agree with BR, Arrifices is a great beach.

Another suggestion, how about the tents at Don Diego De La Playa?
Check out Tranquilo Thomas' trip report..really nice for the money, where else can you stay with embroidered celings, close to Hemmingway and Maya Tulum for food..I think this is a great option on a budget!

Electricity: Copal is no electricity, but they provide plenty of candles. I also took along a battery powered lantern that worked great for light where it's needed. Flashlight is an essential, although when I was there, the pathways were well lit..it all adds to the adventure to have lo lights..and it also assists the sea turtles when they are nesting and hatching..they are guided by the moonlight and lights from the beach confuse them.

The star filled sky over Tulum will never look better than staying at a place without lights beaming..it's one of the big bonuses of Tulum..do get out on the beach at night and check it out!!!

[Lynnette]

Here is a link to one of the funniest trip reports EVER from my amiga, Needa. I think you'll enjoy the Copal segment.

http://forums.locogringo.com/forums/tm.asp?m=50337&mpage=1&key=needabeach (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fforums.locogringo. com%2Fforums%2Ftm.asp%3Fm%3D50337%26mpage%3D1%26ke y%3Dneedabeach)

[Lynnette]

Sorry....I guess the report is too old to link to. Maybe directly from LG.

[Refresh]

I stayed in a shared bath cabana at Copal - there are two of them close together on the north end of the property overlooking the beach, fairly private from the rest of the resort. The cabanas are nicely furnished, have a water dispenser and mosquito net and are bright and breezy. I toured Papaya Playa for a friend who was interested and it did not appeal to me - but since the cabanas closest to the water were occupied I could only look at the ones in behind. They were dark, with minimal furniture. If you left the door open to get light and breeze, you'd be exposed to people walking past. The bathrooms were clean, though.

Papaya is a backpacker-oriented place, whereas at Copal they are geared to clients who normally pay mucho, so you get luxuries like housekeeping. Also, I was able to put my valuables in the safe, do the free yoga class, rent a bike ($10 per day). It was for those reasons that I booked there (after much indecision).

Arricefes is on a much nicer beach but I never figured out which property it was to go and look at it. Copal's beach is small and the big excitement is a guy from the beach bar bringing a prone nudist a drink. I got bored there and spent my days exploring the area by bike, taking a snorkel trip, and walking the other beaches. That's the reason I would try another place next time, now that I know the area and feel more adventurous.

There was a little hermit crab in my cabana at Copal one night, but otherwise no critters. I think they spray the edges of the cabanas to keep things out. Which is not to say they won't get in.

[jessephoenix]

I waited too long and it looks like the cheapest cabana at Copal is no longer available. :eek: What to do?

[beachreader]

I don't know, what's your budget?

[jessephoenix]

$40 or less a night--if it's even possible! I'm starting to get worried now.:confused:

[Refresh]

If you're staying any length of time, I'd just book my first night or two - then you can look at the options when you get there, it won't be busy in September. You could try Arrecifes, or see if Zazil Kin can be booked online. Or look into some of the places near town like El Crucero, I stayed there my first night so I could walk to the ruins. It had a pretty good restaurant and I met a couple of other single travellers.

The one issue to plan for is security - bring your own padlock and a waterproof pouch so you can swim with your cash if you're not sure about leaving it in your room. Leave passport/credit card at the office in an sealed envelope (unless it looks dodgy and then keep them in your pouch).

[Refresh]

If you're staying any length of time, I'd just book my first night or two - then you can look at the options when you get there, it definitely won't be busy in September. You could try Arrecifes, or see if Zazil Kin can be booked online. Or look into some of the places near town like El Crucero, I stayed there my first night so I could walk to the ruins early in the morning. It had a pretty good restaurant and I met a couple of other single travellers.

Bring your own padlock and a waterproof pouch so you can swim with your cash if you're not sure about the security in your cabana. Leave passport/credit card at the office in a sealed envelope with your name on it (unless it looks dodgy and then keep them in your pouch). I don't think there's that much theft, but it could really spoil your vacation.

[jessephoenix]

Thanks for the advice. I always do this "just buy the plane ticket and then everything will work out" thing, but September is coming up fast and I'm not doing a very good job of saving money! I am a flexible person, but also kind of a worrier, so I like to get things "set" so that I know I have a place to stay (that I can afford)--even if things change once I get there. :) I'll keep researching!

[Gale in KY]

El Crucero is a good choice, reasonable and it's close to the beach, but not right there. Great restaurant, and bar.

There are a few little places springing up along the jungle side of the beachroad..maybe one those would work for a night or two..

Zacil Kin
Tribal Village
There are some new minimalist cabanas just north of Zamas, no idea of price or the name, anyone?

Santa Fe Cabanas, if the place is still open, not sure due to the actions on the north beach.
Luna Maya has a $45 a night cabana, don't have any details though.

Is El Mirador still in operation? They used to have some concrete floor cabanas, but it's been a few years since I noticed anything mentioned about them.

Another option..provided it's still there, is the Mayan Hostel. It's not right on the beach, it's on Coba Rd between the beach and town.

www.mayanhostel.com
Click on the tulum section
If you took a double for yourself, it would be about $47.00 a night, but they have a community kitchen so you could save some $$$ on meals by fixing your own, and if you rent a bike, you could easily spend your days on the beach.

[jessephoenix]

Has anyone else stayed at El Crucero? I see that it's not right on the beach, but how far of a walk is it? Thanks for your help.

[Gale in KY]

According to their website, and it seems it would accurate, it's a 5 minute walk to the pueblo and a 15 minute walk to the beach.

I almost forgot about the Tepe's that Uno Astrolodge has..they looked very cute..and they are exactly $40 a night..they are behind the dune though, in the garden area, so the breeze back there would be minimal..but all you have to do is walk up the hill a few steps and the sea in view.

[FITZ]

We stayed at ElCrucero a few years ago. It worked for us. The room was very basic, worn, and dated, but clean. The staff was charming and the owners (American) were alot of fun and keep the party going. We had a good time at the bar-good spot for real coffee in the a.m and shots with the locals that hang out there, at night. Good food. The grounds were very nice and green. They have internet, bikes for rent, and somewhat of a dive shop. It's a short walk to the ruins and collectivo's.
We had a rental car, which really helped. Cabs hang out right near the hotel, which is at the entrance to the parking lot of the ruins.
I don't think this hotel is for everyone. A few people have had complaints, we didn't have any. We enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. We really love staying directly on the beach, which is the #1 reason we never returned there, except to say hello.

[jessephoenix]

Current Update:
Well, I booked the Copal (budget) cabana for the time that it WAS available--nights 2 - 8 of my 13 night trip. I plan to stay at El Crucero for the first night that I arrive, and am trying to book Zazilkin for the last 5 nights. (It was kind of a revelation that I didn't need to spend all 13 nights at the same place--DUH! :))

I can't thank you all enough for all of your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue this planning!:swimming::margarita::palmtree::D

[jessephoenix]

Okay, now working on booking the last 5 nights of my trip. Has anyone stayed at Luna Maya? How is the location? Can you snorkel on that beach (not the most amazing snorkeling ever, but would I see some pretty fish?)? I would stay in the cheap cabana, but I would love to hear from anyone who's stayed there at all. How are the prices at their restaurant?

[John in DC]

Just a quick note on El Crucero: Unless you are a really, really fast walker, it's more than five minutes to town. It might be 15 to the beach if you go up the road to the ruins and then hop the gate by El Mirador.

As for snorkeling, you'll probably want to take a day trip to Tankah, Soliman or Akumal, or else book a snorkel tour with one of the guys on the beach. If you just wade in with your mask and snorkel, a pretty fishy might swim by every once in a while, but all in all it would be pretty boring. Sand bottom = not too much to see.

[jessephoenix]

Thanks--I do plan to go on some special snorkeling excursions, but I also want to be able to just play around in the water wherever I end up staying. :)

[Gale in KY]

Jesse..the wave action in Tulum is great for Boogie Boarding..bring one along or stop at Walmart in Playa and pick one up. Kiteboarding is also very popular, looks like too much work for me..lol..but if you are so inclined, check out Extreme Control for the info. I love watching the kiteboarders, but don't think I will ever have the muscle needed for it.LOL.

http://www.extremecontrol.net/

[Lynnette]

Thanks for the advice. I always do this "just buy the plane ticket and then everything will work out" thing.


A chica after my own heart. :) I do a trip this way too, and it always does work out!!

[Gale in KY]

My best trips have been those unplanned..just land the plane and set off on the adventure kind of visits..It's just really hard not to plan when you have all this information at your fingertips..lol. Lately, the beginning of the trip for me has been the planning, the booking..the looking and dreaming.

[kimba]

Yeah, I try to plan as little as possible. Even if I do plan, things change the minute I get off the plane, or in the car, or on the bus, or whatever. If I end up liking some place, then I'll stay longer than I thought I would. I've also been known to get off a bus and turn around and get right back on because the vibe wasn't right. I do a lot of intuitive traveling : ) (Ohhh... I feel a new blog name coming on or at least a post!)

[December]

Papaya Playa..The pictures are very decieving..!Wow, the reviews at Tripadvisor are unbelievably horrible. Dozens of reviews, all saying how awful and filthy it is, how rude, arrogant and obnoxious the staff/owners are, that is full of roaches, many of the windows and furniture are broken and that the management confiscates your passport at check-in. :eek:

And yet, when I went over to Lonely Planet, PP is the first listing under the hostel category and it is described there as "SIMPLY THE BEST AND ONLY AFFORDABLE HOSTEL ON THE BEACH"...and that "Our goal is to provide a relaxing and enjoyable environment for our guests" and that "the balance of the comfort of you our guest and our host is very important to us." :rolleyes:

I've never been on the Lonely Planet site before, never even heard of it actually until this week when I kept seeing references to "the Lonely Planet travel guide" or something. Do they just let anyone advertise on their site without any type of vetting?

As I can say is wow, I sure am glad I found this forum! :o

[kimba]

Lonely Planet is geared toward backpackers. It's a well renowned guidebook publisher. A lot of Lonely Planet users/readers/travelers have a very low yardstick to measure hostel/hotel quality by. Which is fine - I've traveled with that yardstick a lot in my life. So if a hostel is great to someone who only stays in hostels, it might be really bad to someone who is used to staying in hotels.

TripAdvisor should really be taken with a grain of salt. Many of the good reviews are planted (even though they've been trying to weed them out), and the bad ones come from users who have a higher yardstick measure.

Problem is that people think of Mexico as cheap, so when booking a place to stay like somewhere in Tulum, if they see it's $US75 they think it is probably $US150 quality and that just isn't so anywhere in the Riviera Maya.

As far as PP goes - I haven't yet seen it, so I can't offer any advice on that particular property.

[December]

Lonely Planet is geared toward backpackers. It's a well renowned guidebook publisher. A lot of Lonely Planet users/readers/travelers have a very low yardstick to measure hostel/hotel quality by. Which is fine - I've traveled with that yardstick a lot in my life. So if a hostel is great to someone who only stays in hostels, it might be really bad to someone who is used to staying in hotels. Odd, I've been an ultralight backpacker for over a decade, and have never heard of that site. The name sounds vaguely familiar, maybe like a show I saw on Discovery Channel once at a hotel (we don't have TV at home). Is it tied in somehow to a TV show/channel?

In any case, I agree with the hotel vs hostel thing. My mother would be apalled at some of the hiker hostels I've stayed at along the Appalachian Trail, but I loved most of them. Most hikers just want someplace that is clean (eg not spotless like a hotel, but not broken windows and cockroaches either), friendly and a good value. The horrible reviews I saw seemed to be from people who are familiar with the hostel-hopping lifestyle, and they found that place to be awful.

TripAdvisor should really be taken with a grain of salt. Many of the good reviews are planted (even though they've been trying to weed them out), and the bad ones come from users who have a higher yardstick measure.

I don't doubt you're right about some of the good reviews being planted, but I've found that it is a pretty good site to check for accurate reviews anyway. I personally have posted about 20 reviews there and find that I pretty much was in agreement with other reviewers probably 90% of the time.


Problem is that people think of Mexico as cheap, so when booking a place to stay like somewhere in Tulum, if they see it's $US75 they think it is probably $US150 quality and that just isn't so anywhere in the Riviera Maya.

As far as PP goes - I haven't yet seen it, so I can't offer any advice on that particular property.Thanks for that insight. I wonder if our developing expectations are a little off in that regard.

We don't want a fancy (or even nice) hotel. We would love a stick cabana on the beach or in the dunes, with no amenities at all (no electricity, no water, no private bathrooms, etc). Just a bed with a bug nets and a communal bath-house/restroom. But we'd expect it to not have garbage strewn around, the door hanging off rusty hinges or broken furniture. And I don't think it's too much to ask that the person we rent it from be civil, honest and not confiscate our passports.

It seems to me from reading these boards over the past week or so that there are plenty of places like this in the Yucutan area, so we're not worried about finding one. But yes, for just renting a stick shack one step up from tent camping, yeah we were hoping to find something on the cheap side, like around US$20 per night.

Are we being too optimistic perhaps?

[kimba]

But yes, for just renting a stick shack one step up from tent camping, yeah we were hoping to find something on the cheap side, like around US$20 per night.Take a look a Zazil-Kin. The plus is that it's right next door to the ruins and has an on site cafe where you can get tacos and quesadillas. It's pretty much camping - the cabanas are just sticks huts on the soft beach. Probably have to take your own mosquito net. I wouldn't stay there with anything valuable.

Another inexpensive option might be one of the Chan Cabanas at Zahra. Very minimal not directly on the beach, next to the restaurant - showers and bathroom are across the restaurant so your path from room to shower is not private by any means - $35 a night.

Copal also might have some inexpensive jungle cabanas available but they won't be $20 a night either ...

Oh, and the Mayan Hostel is on Coba Road - not near the beach but not all the way in town either.


Odd, I've been an ultralight backpacker for over a decade, and have never heard of that site. The name sounds vaguely familiar, maybe like a show I saw on Discovery Channel once at a hotel (we don't have TV at home). Is it tied in somehow to a TV show/channel?Amazing - I don't know how anyone could be out on the road w/a backpack and not know about Lonely Planet ... Even if you don't personally use them, someone always has a copy. They've been around since the mid-70s. Started out with SE Asia on a Shoestring and went from there. The web site is just an extension of the guidebooks and the publisher was just bought last year by BBC. The TV show GlobeTrekker might be associated with them.

EDIT: Oh I just re-read your original post and if you mean back-country backpacking or if you've only traveled in the US so far, then it would be understandable if you haven't heard of LP guides at all. They are mainly geared to world travelers who are described as using backpacks and stay in hostels or other cheap lodging, not really geared to trail backpacking or camping trips. Although people like me who travel with suitcases and stay in both hostels and hotels use them too.

[PhyllisB]

Most of us around here take TA reviews of Tulum hotels with a grain of salt. A lot of folks seem to visit Tulum with expectations that aren't realistic, and then come home unhappy. It seems to a lot of us that this stems from not understanding what Tulum is really all about (e.g. that it is basically in the jungle), or bringing Western standards for vacations instead of understanding & appreciating cultural differences.

This may not be the case with other TA reviews of other places, but most of us have found it to be true with some of the reviews of Tulum hotels.

Weren't there some other stick huts that we were talking about recently, that Beachreader posted pictures of? I think it was in the cabanas on a budget thread... should still be on the front page I think.

[PhyllisB]

Ah, it was Los Arrecifes.

http://tulum.info/showthread.php?t=3107

[December]

EDIT: Oh I just re-read your original post and if you mean back-country backpacking or if you've only traveled in the US so far, then it would be understandable if you haven't heard of LP guides at all. Yeah, the only travelling I've ever done so far except for boring business trips is about 600 miles on the Appalachian Trail in the US. So yeah, I'm a total international travel noob.:)

So, are the LP guides good for world travel stuff? I was just kinda put off on them by what appeared to be a plug for a place that got so many (37 at last count) horrible/beyond bad reviews on TripAdvisor. Then I went back and noticed that the site says "not reviewed by Lonely Planet".

p.s. How does a place get reviewed by them anyway?

[kimba]

Well, I worked at LP years ago. (Just in the office, not writing or anything). I think their books used to be better. Although now they have more women writing for them which makes a difference. But that said I still use them. Mostly because they have hostels listed in their budget places to stay, they have good maps, and the basic info is good. You won't find anything out of the ordinary by using them. Sometimes I don't think they give enough information on how to get somewhere - like now I'm researching how to get to Bonampak and really, danged if I know from reading the LP guide. Basically they say take a tour.

They have a Yucatan book which is basically just the Yucatan section of the larger Mexico book, which I already had. So I sliced up the Mexico book taking only what I needed with me.

I think being reviewed means that one of their writers actually stopped by and checked the place out.

So we went really off topic here ... Let's get back on track or, if you want to talk guidebooks, start a new topic.

[December]

Well, I worked at LP years ago. (Just in the office, not writing or anything). I think their books used to be better. That's pretty cool. Maybe you should start a topic called "Ask the dude who worked at LP" :)

Ya, I guess we've gotten way off topic. Will start a fresh thread for further questions.

Thanks!

[kimba]

Not really something I want to be known for - an office worker in a publishing house twenty years ago.