Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila Km.10, Tulum, Mexico | (618) 248-8274
Hip, upscale beachfront property with trendy BoHo-chic decor and lush grounds
Spacious, upscale rooms with contemporary furnishings and luxurious bathrooms
Rooms
have air-conditioning, private pools or whirlpools, and
outdoor showers
Dependable, 24-hour electricity throughout (rare in the Hotel Zone)
Beach
club on-site with drink service, shaded daybeds, beanbag chairs, and loungers
Small infinity pool with beach views
Two
bars with full mezcal selection
Restaurant with international cuisine and seafood barbecue and raw bar
Massive, stylish spa compound across the street with traditional temazcal, hydrotherapy, and
yoga studio
Free
breakfast including omelets, juice, yogurt, coffee or tea, and granola
Free bike rentals, loaner snorkel gear, balls and racquets, and books from the lending libraries
Free
Wi-Fi and parking
No kids allowed (pro for some)
Atmosphere lacks a local feel
Pool is small and lacks loungers
A super-chic, adults-only luxury property, Be Tulum has an excellent location in the middle of the Hotel Zone. A design-conscious, BoHo-chic look is present throughout the grounds and in the 20 guest rooms, outfitted with plunge pools or hot tubs, indoor and outdoor showers, hammocks, and modern comforts like air-conditioning and 24-hour electricity (not a given in this area). There’s also an attractive beach club, a small infinity pool, a large restaurant with raw bar and grill, two bars with mezcal selection, and a fashionable spa compound across the street. But the design here can feel divorced from its Mexican surroundings. For a more local look, travelers may want to check out Encantada Beachfront Boutique Hotel.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Ultra chic and breezy spot for younger couples and groups, but little regional influence
The hip, design-conscious Be Tulum sets the tone from the entrance -- a sleek, wood-paneled facade encircled with palm trees where a slat-wood-and-white-gravel walkway leads toward reception. There a crochet ceiling lamp, mason jars, cowhide rugs, a vintage surfboard, and a mirrored coffee table nail home the BoHo-chic theme. The plank path continues through the sandy grounds surrounded with lush vegetation. Cheerful little signs encouraging guests to “breathe” or “smile” sit next to hanging lanterns, glass jugs, and colorful hammocks. A few regional touches like the painted clay dishware and fresh-caught seafood barbecue add some authenticity, but overall the fashion-forward decor is Mexico-by-way-of-Brooklyn. Those looking for a bona fide Mexican vibe may want to look elsewhere. As expected, the boutique property draws mostly young couples or groups of friends. Guests here are stylish -- and not on a budget. It’s one of the most well-equipped properties on the strip, and an ideal spot for anyone looking for an upscale beach vacation with great views and a high design.
Location
Centrally located along Tulum's Hotel Zone within walking distance to restaurants, bars, and shops
Be
Tulum’s central location in the Hotel Zone gives guests more attractions in walking distance than properties at either end of the strip. Here, guests can
easily reach all the shops, restaurants, and bars in the area on foot. The Sian Ka’an nature preserve, can also be
reached via bike (the hotel offers free rentals). Or jump in a taxi to hit central Tulum in under 15 minutes.
Nearby
day-trip activities include snorkeling and diving in cenotes or swimming with
turtles in Akumal, both about a 30-minute drive away. Hitting the climbable ruins of Coba is a little over an hour's drive. Adventure parks like Xplor and Xcaret are located
roughly 50 minutes north off the main highway, just before the club-bumping,
tourist-heavy beach city of Playa del Carmen. Cancun Airport is around 90
minutes by car.
Rooms
Stylish, upscale rooms with plunge pools, indoor and outdoor showers, and mid-century modern decor
A mid-century-meets-rustic-BoHo look is at play in the 20 upscale, sharply chic rooms. Cowhide rugs, leather butterfly chairs, lace curtains, white limestone walls, and furniture made from reclaimed wood set the tone. Modern comforts are also part of the package like air-conditioning, telephones, and 24-hour electricity. (That last one might seem like a given, but in this area, it’s not.) There’s also several luxurious extras like indoor and outdoor showers, personal plunge pools or rooftop hot tubs, bathrobes, incense boxes, and hammocks. Bathrooms with rose-marble infinity sinks in wooden vanities come equipped with magnifying mirrors, a basket overstuffed with luxury toiletries, and rainfall showers.Jungle Suites are the smallest of the bunch and are garden-set units. Arena Suites, the next level up, are just a tad bigger. Ground floor units for both
categories have semi-private outdoor plunge pools, while rooms on upper floors
-- mostly the dual-level Ocean Suites -- have personal infinity pools,
huge rooftop decks with outdoor showers and patio furniture, and panoramic views of the sea.
Spa
Atmospheric, chic spa complex with hydrotherapy and traditional temazcal
Just across the street, past a small stone fire pit and a Koi pond, is the hotel’s huge spa complex. Thatch walls, natural wood beams, whitewashed hallways, and branch coat hooks add to the rustic-chic decor. Here hydrotherapy pools, a steam room, sauna, shop, large yoga palapa, and a handful of private, individual treatment room huts are available for a full-menu of spa services. Huge copper soaking tubs, green-glass tiled rainfall showers, and a pool topped with a sculptural chandelier are some of the luxe touches. There’s also a traditional Mexican temazcal, or sweat lodge.
Features
Pool, beach, restaurants, and an impressive variety of resort-like features for such a small property
Be Tulum is fully-loaded with features, a somewhat rare find for a boutique property in the Hotel Zone. A small rectangular infinity pool with a raised deck gives guests a spot to sunbathe or take a cooling dip, though there's limited seating and the pool’s petite size leaves little room for swimming. Behind that is the beach, a sunny stretch of white sand dotted with comfy-looking beanbag chairs, dove-gray loungers, and shaded daybeds. This area also doubles as a public beach club with drink service, though the daybeds and the pool are reserved for hotel guests only. Be Tulum offers free bike rentals, loaner snorkel gear, balls and racquets, and books from the lending libraries. Two bars -- one an open-air, antique-chic spot above the restaurant, the other a small
beachside shack -- have a full selection of booze as well as a mezcaleri. Guests can taste-test the full range of mezcal varieties. The restaurant serves
updated Mexican food, but the fare is slightly westernized in both style and price. A little more
memorable is the adjacent raw bar and barbecue area where diners choose their
fish (caught fresh each day from local fishermen) right before it gets tossed on the grill. Guests also enjoy a leisurely free breakfast of omelets, juice, yogurt, coffee or tea, and granola. At night, the outdoor areas become alive as strings of light bulbs, live music, a fire pit,
and weekend DJs add to the vibe. Free
Wi-Fi and parking are available.
