patmex
9th April 2007, 04:36 PM
If I had gone to Tita Tulum hoping for a romantic week with my sweetie, I think I’d have been a little bit disappointed. Not because the place is not great for romantic times, but because April 1-8 was spring break and I think every cabana in the place had one or more children.
We (the man, the boy, age 10, and myself) stayed in Cabana 8. Next door in the lower level (No. 7) there was a 10-year-old; upper level (No. 6) had two children, ages 6 and 10; Cabana 5 had two kids (ages 10 and 13); No. 9 had one 10-year-old. It was a kid-fest, but I really really do believe it was just because it was spring break.
THE BOY ON THE PORCH OF CABANA 8:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/452407095_27ad7d32b0_o.jpg
It was lucky for us, though, because the boy found playmates the first day.
Cabana 8 is one of the largest. Two double beds and a sofa bed; a small table and two low chairs; a shelving unit and a closet-like alcove with a shelf. The bathroom was good-sized and had a full wooden door. (Watch that step up into the bathroom, though, because I didn’t and now have two bruised knees to show for it).
Only two buildings at Tita have upper and lower levels. Nos. 6 and 7 on the south side of the restaurant and Nos. 3 and 4 on the north side. All are much closer to the beach than it would appear on the Tita Tulum website. I was pleasantly surprised.
Cabanas are arranged sort of like an inverted V with the restaurant at the point of the V. Cabana 5 is nearest the beach on the south. Cabana 1 is nearest the beach on the north, but the difference is only a few yards. They all are very close together.
THE MUCH-PHOTOGRAPHED CABANA 5 NEAREST THE BEACH:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/452407825_6abb2f8933_o.jpg
We became fast friends with the couple in Cabana 7 as the boys became fast friends, bonding over sand castles, body surfing and video games. They did say they could hear the people in the cabana above them and it bugged them.
We arrived Sunday night, exhausted, so decided to stay at Tita’s for dinner. Meals can be charged to the room for an additional 6 percent (credit cards also are an extra 6 percent). We had the guacamole and chips (very good); the boy had grilled shrimp; the man had a grilled shrimp brochette; I had chicken pibil. All were pronounced very good. I had a margherita; he had two beers; the boy had a soda, and we got a big bottle of water. A 10 percent tip was added to the bill. Total $1,110 pesos (about $110 US).
In the following days, we tried several different spots for dinners, but did stay at Tita’s for 4 of the seven breakfasts. The boy especially liked the hotcakes (much heavier elsewhere) and hot chocolate. I liked the eggs Mexicana (much spicier than elsewhere)
I found the beds very comfy. Some reviews have said they were hard. The only problem with sleeping was that there were noisy campers (with tents) in the compound to the south of Tita Tulum and they were noisy. My bed was only a few yards away from them.
Tita Tulum does provide beach towels if you ask at the restaurant. They don’t change them every day but they really don’t need to. There are plenty of bath towels and hand towels provided on a daily basis.
Tita’s has 24-hour solar electricity. Each cabana has a ceiling fan. There was always hot-hot-hot water, even after 3 long showers in a row. There seemed to be plenty of water pressure.
I only met the actual “Tita” twice. The first time, the man and I were sitting on the porch with a camping candle-lantern between us. She came over to tell us, nicely, that candles weren’t allowed in the cabanas. Too much fire risk. The other time was when settling the bill. She does live there, in a unit next to Cabana 9 (the new one). Her family also was there vacationing over spring break week.
Rates had gone up since I booked the cabana; we were charged the lesser rate.
I tipped the young hotel maid about $10/day. That’s probably a lot but three people make for a big mess and lots of towels. She spoke NO English, which is why I would have loved to know how to speak more Spanish.
It was pure heaven to sit on the beach every day and on the cabana porch (complete with two hammocks and two chairs) every night. There’s even a porch light but we left it off most of the time so we could see the huge and vast stars.
The waves were very big all week. We bought two boogie boards in town, which made it much easier to stay afloat. I was knocked down once and had the wind knocked out of me by a wave on our first full day, which scared me a bit.
THE MAN BUILT THIS SANDCASTLE ON THE BEACH; THE BOY AND HIS FRIEND BUILT A MOAT:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/452405073_a5472834c2_o.jpg
What I realized early on is that staying anywhere along the beach road would be fine. We loved Tita’s and I’d choose to stay there again if I brought the boy (since it appears that many families stay there). But I’d also jump at staying at Casa Violeta or Casa Magna or Hamaca Loca or some of the other places, too, if it were just two of us.
THE MAN WALKS UP FROM THE BEACH FOR THE LAST TIME ON OUR LAST MORNING IN TULUM:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/452407281_8cbec33b68_o.jpg
Previously:
*The basics and some random observations
Still to come:
*Two of the best restaurants in Tulum and one major disappointment
*The travelogue
We (the man, the boy, age 10, and myself) stayed in Cabana 8. Next door in the lower level (No. 7) there was a 10-year-old; upper level (No. 6) had two children, ages 6 and 10; Cabana 5 had two kids (ages 10 and 13); No. 9 had one 10-year-old. It was a kid-fest, but I really really do believe it was just because it was spring break.
THE BOY ON THE PORCH OF CABANA 8:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/452407095_27ad7d32b0_o.jpg
It was lucky for us, though, because the boy found playmates the first day.
Cabana 8 is one of the largest. Two double beds and a sofa bed; a small table and two low chairs; a shelving unit and a closet-like alcove with a shelf. The bathroom was good-sized and had a full wooden door. (Watch that step up into the bathroom, though, because I didn’t and now have two bruised knees to show for it).
Only two buildings at Tita have upper and lower levels. Nos. 6 and 7 on the south side of the restaurant and Nos. 3 and 4 on the north side. All are much closer to the beach than it would appear on the Tita Tulum website. I was pleasantly surprised.
Cabanas are arranged sort of like an inverted V with the restaurant at the point of the V. Cabana 5 is nearest the beach on the south. Cabana 1 is nearest the beach on the north, but the difference is only a few yards. They all are very close together.
THE MUCH-PHOTOGRAPHED CABANA 5 NEAREST THE BEACH:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/452407825_6abb2f8933_o.jpg
We became fast friends with the couple in Cabana 7 as the boys became fast friends, bonding over sand castles, body surfing and video games. They did say they could hear the people in the cabana above them and it bugged them.
We arrived Sunday night, exhausted, so decided to stay at Tita’s for dinner. Meals can be charged to the room for an additional 6 percent (credit cards also are an extra 6 percent). We had the guacamole and chips (very good); the boy had grilled shrimp; the man had a grilled shrimp brochette; I had chicken pibil. All were pronounced very good. I had a margherita; he had two beers; the boy had a soda, and we got a big bottle of water. A 10 percent tip was added to the bill. Total $1,110 pesos (about $110 US).
In the following days, we tried several different spots for dinners, but did stay at Tita’s for 4 of the seven breakfasts. The boy especially liked the hotcakes (much heavier elsewhere) and hot chocolate. I liked the eggs Mexicana (much spicier than elsewhere)
I found the beds very comfy. Some reviews have said they were hard. The only problem with sleeping was that there were noisy campers (with tents) in the compound to the south of Tita Tulum and they were noisy. My bed was only a few yards away from them.
Tita Tulum does provide beach towels if you ask at the restaurant. They don’t change them every day but they really don’t need to. There are plenty of bath towels and hand towels provided on a daily basis.
Tita’s has 24-hour solar electricity. Each cabana has a ceiling fan. There was always hot-hot-hot water, even after 3 long showers in a row. There seemed to be plenty of water pressure.
I only met the actual “Tita” twice. The first time, the man and I were sitting on the porch with a camping candle-lantern between us. She came over to tell us, nicely, that candles weren’t allowed in the cabanas. Too much fire risk. The other time was when settling the bill. She does live there, in a unit next to Cabana 9 (the new one). Her family also was there vacationing over spring break week.
Rates had gone up since I booked the cabana; we were charged the lesser rate.
I tipped the young hotel maid about $10/day. That’s probably a lot but three people make for a big mess and lots of towels. She spoke NO English, which is why I would have loved to know how to speak more Spanish.
It was pure heaven to sit on the beach every day and on the cabana porch (complete with two hammocks and two chairs) every night. There’s even a porch light but we left it off most of the time so we could see the huge and vast stars.
The waves were very big all week. We bought two boogie boards in town, which made it much easier to stay afloat. I was knocked down once and had the wind knocked out of me by a wave on our first full day, which scared me a bit.
THE MAN BUILT THIS SANDCASTLE ON THE BEACH; THE BOY AND HIS FRIEND BUILT A MOAT:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/452405073_a5472834c2_o.jpg
What I realized early on is that staying anywhere along the beach road would be fine. We loved Tita’s and I’d choose to stay there again if I brought the boy (since it appears that many families stay there). But I’d also jump at staying at Casa Violeta or Casa Magna or Hamaca Loca or some of the other places, too, if it were just two of us.
THE MAN WALKS UP FROM THE BEACH FOR THE LAST TIME ON OUR LAST MORNING IN TULUM:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/452407281_8cbec33b68_o.jpg
Previously:
*The basics and some random observations
Still to come:
*Two of the best restaurants in Tulum and one major disappointment
*The travelogue