There's quite a bit of buzz regarding Hamaca Loca on the Internet, and so we decided to stay here for four nights, from July 10-14th.

For starters, this is absolutely THE best stretch of beach in Tulum. A few other hotels share this area (Tierras Del Sol and Casa Magna, both of which also which also looked lovely) but Hamaca Loca was the best deal. For only $75/night we had a spacious cabana closer to the beach than anywhere on the Tulum strip. Did I mention this was the best beach?

There are some things to be aware of, however. This is not luxury. The constant wind from the sea is what keeps these places bearable without A/C or ceiling fans during the muggy summer months, and yes, the wind and waves are loud. We loved the sound but others have complained that it's too noisy. We saw a few bugs, in particular a giant centipede. This can't really be avoided - the palapa roof lets the wind in, but also critters! Luckily the mosquito netting above the bed let us sleep in peace and we didn't get a single bite while we were here. As is typical in Mexico, the beds are hard, and due to the graywater system the shower water (as well as most likely the washing water) is salty, meaning the sheets and towels were a bit stiff. Like I said, this isn't a 5 star hotel. There's an element of roughing it here that isn't for everyone.

However, if you want solitude and peace as well as a great value, this is THE place in Tulum. The owners were nice despite our language differences, although they no longer offer breakfast like they did previously. There's a grill and a dining area, and they might let you use it to grill something up if you asked. The property is narrow and this is apparent when you're walking from your car to the cabanas, but once you're in the cabanas you feel very isolated, which is great.

The owners could do a few simple things to spruce up the place - installing better lights instead of the ugly and dim fluorescent ones they currently have, or just doing away with the lights entirely and outfitting the rooms with candles (we used the gas lamp that was provided as opposed to the electric lights) and adding some torches or luminaria around the property would be very inexpensive and add immensely to the romantic appeal of the place at night. There's no bar, but we brought a cooler with our own drinks, and if we wanted something fancier we simply walked down to one of the several hotels nearby to get a mixed drink or food.

We absolutely plan on staying here again and hope that Hamaca Loca remains the great retreat it is.

Two girlfriends and I checked into a cabana at Hamaca Loca during an unseasonably windy period. Perhaps my impression was damaged by the fact that I'd just spent two nights at Hacienda Chichen (which I'm going to review next) but it was not what I expected. It was so noisy from the wind in the casita that one of my friends and I ended up moving next door to Amansala's Casa Magna (which I'll review after I'm done with HC) after one night. And there were a LOT of bugs. I should have expected this, but, sadly, I didn't.

I should say that my third friend decided to stay put and was in heaven. The noise didn't trouble her a bit, and she had a great stay. That's why I've given it a higher rating than I might have if it had just been me. I think if you're up for a rougher vacation, this could be perfect for you. The location is gorgeous...right on the beach. Feels very private (though the neighbors are actually quite nearby.

Thanks to the buzz about Hamaca Loca on Tripadvisor, I decided to book our four nights there. I couldn't open their website but found some photos on other sites that looked great. With only three cabanas
and a price about half of every other place on the strip, it felt right. We just returned and for us, it was utter bliss. If you want one of the fancier places with landscaped grounds, a lovely open air restaurant and a helpful front desk, this isn't the place. If you want low key cabanas reminiscent of what Tulum used to be without the touristy glaze, this the place. It's rustic so don't be someone who has to hang your clothes, need fluffy towels or won't be ok with putting toilet paper in the can next to the toilet. The sliding glass
doors of Caracol, our cabana, opened to two hammocks, a few palm trees and a sandy path to the most beautiful beach. It's at the far south end of the strip so a car is really necessary unless you want to rely on taxis. Ava, the French manager, will cook breakfast if you
tell her a day before.

We stayed in the largest cabana for 9 days in Jan/Feb. 2007 and could not have asked for a greater experience. The beach is beautiful and the cabana is very cool. We had a front porch overlooking the ocean. It was amazing! We walked to a few places on the beach to eat, however, we really enjoyed going into town for dinner. We borrowed a cooler from the owners so we stocked up on juice, yogurt, and beer. We did have to ice everyday due to the warm temperature....not a problem in my book. I loved it here and would return.