July Anyone?

[Yook]

Is anybody going to be here the beginning of July? We have been to Playa, but have never included a trip to Tulum before. Only been there for James' "Tulum and Beyond Tour". We are renting a car and exploring for ourselves. My wife is a little nervous....but is faithful in me as I introduced her to Playa. I really want to make this a special trip for her...she is the type that is accustomed to A/C, beach waitresses, etc....mosquito nets scare the hell out of her. I have looked into Tierras Del Sol, La Zebra, and Las Ranitas. We would like to be walking distance to some restaurants....we'll have a rental car but we will be drinking alot! The less driving the better! I want to stay as close to Siaan Kaan as possible and drink Sol all day on these beautiful beaches...what do you guys think is a good median?

[beachreader]

It'll be warm in July, so even if you don't get A/C, don't settle for anything less than full beachfront; you'll be grateful for the breezes.

Los Lirios has A/C, and the rooms look more like traditional (albeit basic) resort rooms than most places on the beach. It's bigger than I like because I'm always thinking the smaller places are more "Tulum-y", but maybe it would be a good compromise for her?

Ana y Jose is more expensive, more "hotel-ish", more famous (it's the one place people outside of these forums seem to have heard of) and has a small pool. Again, maybe a nice place to break her in to the area.

Both of those are about dead center of the hotel zone, between the Coba Rd. and the Sian Ka'an arch. And both are on the fabulous beach strip.

[dcap]

Tierra Del Sol is our place of choice to stay. They have a small 3-4 table restaurant, but only prepare food or open if you let them know you want to stay for a meal. The rooms are very nice and they will run a generator to power up a fan via an extension cord over to your room from around 9:00 PM till it runs out of gas around 2-3 AM, by then your asleep and the breezes work the rest of the night. TDS is located close to the arch into Sian Ka'an. Bigger Resturants are nearby to the north, you could walk the beach from Posada Dos Ceibas just to the north a few hundred yards, but north of there Amansala might be a bit far to stumble home from. But there are plenty of resturants along the road, and after dark you'll share the road with the Crabs. :eek: Makes it fun to see how many you can (ah) miss.

Here is Pic. of our room at TDS.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0548.jpg

Here is there small but good resturant.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0631.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0453.jpg

And their beach.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g312/dcap06/CIMG0448.jpg

[Gale in KY]

If ac is a must, your choices are limited...Los Liros and I believe Ana Y Jose's.
I would probably go with one of these two in July...it's HOT..and even the breezes from the sea aren't going to cool inside if you are an ac type of person.

As far as beach service..most places don't have waiters on the beach..I think Copal does sporatically. Las Ranitas might..they are considered more upscale and they do have a beach bar..so they may have beach service. No ac here, but ceiling fans may help move the breeze.

Where ever it is, be sure to go with a room as close to the water as you can get..to catch that breeze.

Mosquito nets scare her? This reminds me of that travelocity commercial..with the HUGE bugs flying around..and the girl saying, "Well, maybe not that rustic" Mosquito netting will be a must in the summer months, as will repellant (bug spray)..if you step away from the water..you will need it. I would be much more fearful of Dengue or Malaria that of those nets..but they do block the air..I had to pull ours back in January to get some air.

I would stick with Las Ranitas for comfort..they also have a pool..or Los Liros and Ana Y Jose's..for a/c and AYJ for the pool.

As much as I love TDS..I doubt your wife as you describe her will be comfortable there..given she is fearful of mosquito netting. La Zebra for the same reason. Both of these places are very rustic, charming to me, but in mid summer months, even I would opt for the ac...and I usually wouldn't consider them over a rustic cabana place!:o

[minniemex]

I am with the rest of the people - Ana Y Joses - besides the pool, a/c, they also have beach beds & a huge patio outside overlooking the ocean -

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Tulum/DSC00888.jpg
You can't see the deck in this picture, but it is right in the middle between the chairs & beds -

The only property that separates Anas & Los Lirios is Cabanas Tulum - Here is a picture of Los Lirios - the other suggestion (a/c - no pool)
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Tulum/DSC01005.jpg

I hope this helps somewhat -

[Yook]

thanks everyone! Very Helpful!

[AdGuy]

Yook,

At the risk of being pessimistic, Tulum may not be the best fit for your wife. The very things that make it a favored destination for many on this board are also the same reasons why the "Cancun-AI-Senor-Frogs-Loving" folks would hate it if forced to stay for more than a day. Check out a thread I started a few weeks back:

http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=577

While it was done in jest, there's truth hidden in the posts...poor shopping, no nightlife, bugs, limited services, etc. Make sure your wife realizes what she's getting into or you could be heading for a miserable time!

[dcap]

I agree, if you have an aversion to bugs and wildlife other than on the discovery channel do not stay a night in Tulum Beach areas. Not to scare you but remember you are in the Jungle. Bugs of unusual size (BOUS) for you Princess Bride fans, are crawling around and more than likely will find their way into your room. The room we had at TDS did not even have Mosquito netting. Good screened windows the fan running at night and bug spray kept them at bay, that is until after a rain and you had to go to your car for something :eek: :eek: . And after 2 nights at Copal, TDS seemed like the Hilton. Now is where the fun begins. Several couples, friends of ours are wanting to join us our next visits. I show them the Pics of Tulum beach and they are packin'. But you tell them about: No electricity, no A/C, no TV, no phones, and Bugs, Lizards, mosquitos etc, etc probably sharing your room with you, remember you are in the Jungle, they back pedel a little and want to stay in Cancun or at least PDC. So our next visit in June our July will be W/O them. Now while we love them as our friends, spending this private time with them is not our idea of a romantic vacation. So the crawly things while sometimes annoying are not a big problem to us, just be smart, pack bug spray, close your bags when your through with them, dont keep food in your room.
I took a small remote control lantern from L.L BEAN. Placed it straticically in the room and if in the middle of the night when nature called grab the remote turn on the halogen light and see what has joined you in the room. Much to our surprize saw nothing every time.

[AdGuy]

they back pedel a little and want to stay in Cancun or at least PDC. So our next visit in June our July will be W/O them.


http://www.emoticonzone.com/msn-emotions/lol/lol3.jpg (http://www.emoticonzone.com/lol-show-emoticon-268.html) dcap!! One of our 'unwritten rules' when it comes to travel is to leave the friends behind. It ensures they stay our friends!!! http://www.emoticonzone.com/msn-emotions/new/smile.gif (http://www.emoticonzone.com/smile-show-emoticon-253.html)

[Gale in KY]

Even my husband who is an outdoorsman..we love to fish, camp..and not rv in a campground mind you, but primitive camping, backpack in the last couple of miles cause there is no other way to get there kind of camping..has no interest in spending time with me in the places in Tulum that I love the most. He says when he goes on vacation, he wants a a real hotel room..with ac..lol..and doesn't want to deal with the mosquitos. I find this completely comical..but ok, stay home and I will go solo. Many people do not find the rustic atmosphere in Tulum to be charming or a bonus..but those of us who do can't imagine missing out on a chance to visit there...most of us want to live there..lol..

Which reminds me..anyone hear from Susan??? She is supposed to be checking out a certain piece of property in Tulum for us..remember?;) :D

[beachreader]

I know I haven't spent as many nights in Tulum as most folks here, but outside of geckos, which you'll have in your room even in big resorts, I never had anything more than a few tiny ants in my room at Hemingway. They had really good screens on the windows as well as the gap between the walls and the palapa roof.

I am NO fan of insects of the creepy-crawly variety, especially BOUS, so perhaps this next trip will be an education for me, but I'm hopeful my experience will be the same as it was last year.

If she likes Playa (and I assume you stayed at a small place, not a big AI, yes?) and she's seen the beauty of Tulum on James' tour, I think she'll be fine.

But do stick with the Los Lirios/Ana y Jose type of place for your introduction.

[dcap]

Absolutly better W/O them, friends that is. When they said they wanted to go with us we were not sure how to get out of it, we did not want to take them along as you said to keep them as friends. One couple went to Cabo with their family and the other changed their mind when they found out where we like to go has no A/I resorts. We were glad:D they decided not to go and get us off the hook and no one was offened.

[Yook]

I know I haven't spent as many nights in Tulum as most folks here, but outside of geckos, which you'll have in your room even in big resorts, I never had anything more than a few tiny ants in my room at Hemingway. They had really good screens on the windows as well as the gap between the walls and the palapa roof.

I am NO fan of insects of the creepy-crawly variety, especially BOUS, so perhaps this next trip will be an education for me, but I'm hopeful my experience will be the same as it was last year.

If she likes Playa (and I assume you stayed at a small place, not a big AI, yes?) and she's seen the beauty of Tulum on James' tour, I think she'll be fine.

But do stick with the Los Lirios/Ana y Jose type of place for your introduction.

Mrs. Yook is very upset that I suggested she is afraid of mosquito netting:D :D :D :D :D !

SHe is looking over my shoulder as I write this and wants everyone to know that tis true that she hates camping...but absolutely loves Tulum. The thing is...our first trip to Playa we stayed at a mega AI...but realized quickly that exploring on our own was much more rewarding and fun.

Look out for one helluva trip report cause ther is no going back now!

[Gale in KY]

Well, alrighty then, your trip to Tulum is a go!!!http://individual.utoronto.ca/daniel_isaac/smiley-thumbsup.jpg

Will be looking for a kick butt trip report with lots and lots of pictures!
Have a great time, Tulum is a magical place!

[Yook]

just booked airfare...so it's official! 8 days: 5 in playa and 3 in tulum. We might stay a night in Akumal if we find a place we like when we go through there. I really like the idea of renting a car and just seeing where we end up. Do you guys think that if I don't book any rooms, being July, that we can just show up to most places? I don't really want to have a schedule.

[dcap]

We are summer travelers to Tulum & PDC. And only book the first 2 or 3 nights. That way we don't have to find a place the first day or two, then we look for a place to stay where ever we think we want to go. Tulum has never been a problem. But if you go that route, remember the best beach front/ ocean front / rooms with a breeze may be booked, you will probably have to check a few places to find the right room.

[Gale in KY]

You really shouldn't have a problem finding a place in July without a reservation..but remember in Akumal, you don't have many hotels to choose from..I would try Vista Del Mar on Half Moon Bay, they usually have a room available.

[Yook]

thanks everyone for being so helpful!

[beachreader]

I love seeing your ticker now! 140 days doesn't seem that far away, does it?

I love seeing mine even more because it's so short, but aren't tickers fun?

[Yook]

tickers are great! Avatars would be greater!:D

[minniemex]

This here critter was there to greet us when we arrived at our room - he stayed until we got comfortable & then he left -


http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Tulum/DSC00856.jpg

[beachreader]

That's no critter, that's a crab! :)

I guess to me, critters are nasty, hairy little/not so little members of the insect/arachnid family. Even if crabs might be related to arachnidiae, I'm not too concerned about them. Their webspinning cousins, on the other hand... :eek: