I was a little apprehensive about staying anywhere along the Tulum beach because I am used to my creature comforts, i.e. 24-hour electricity, air conditioning, ceiling fans, screens on the windows, etc. These are all conveniences that other reviews of various hotels in that area have indicated are lacking. However, I decided to be a “good sport” and give it a try and became an instant believer! When the Zulum manager, Eduardo, told me that they have 24-hour electricity, not just between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and also have their own restaurant, things were definitely looking up!

We had a cabana with a panel of glass doors in front which opened to a deck right on the beach. All the beachfront cabanas had two chairs and a small table as well as a hammock on the deck. Inside, the bed was suspended by ropes from the ceiling and was swathed with mosquito netting suspended from the ceiling. We didn’t need the netting as, surprisingly enough, we had no mosquitoes or bugs at all. The décor is rustic but very tasteful. Lots of space in the room with ample storage for your personal items. The bathroom sink was made from smooth stones in a basin of cement… unique and very cool. The water dispensed through a conch shell which served as the faucet. Plenty of hot water and fresh towels every day. Housekeeping also provided two bottles of purified water daily in our cabana, and in the bar, there was a large bottle of purified water to refill the small bottles or any other container you had, when needed. They also provide beach towels for your use.

The beach is unbelievable! Fine white sand and beautiful surf as far as you can see in both directions. If you’re needing peace and tranquility, this is the place. Just pick your spot and relax. There are lounges and beds on the beach in front of Zulum and lots of shade under the palapas.

The staff is beyond great! Friendly, warm, courteous, discreet, extremely helpful…we couldn’t ask for anything more. Our stay was in the low season, and so the resort was not at full occupancy. This made for a feeling that we had the resort to ourselves, and we felt very pampered.

At our complimentary continental breakfast, Rufino created a beautiful and delicious assorted fresh fruit dish in a huge goblet topped with yogurt and granola. We also had toast, coffee and orange juice. There were also eggs, etc. available, if you desired. Rufino's friendly smile and eagerness to please made the meal that much more enjoyable. Even though there are a number of good restaurants very near Zulum, we had dinner at their restaurant two of our three nights, and it was a memorable experience. I don’t know what the chef, Sergio’s, culinary training is, but the meals he prepared for us were as good as or better than we’ve had in the best restaurants anywhere. The food quality was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and his genteel manner and attention to our needs was second to none. Certainly above what we would have expected from a hotel of that size, virtually carved out of the jungle.

Our experience at Zulum was so far above what I had expected. We will definitely return on our next trip to Mexico. Thank you, Eduardo, Rufino, Sergio, Jose, Pedro and Lalo for taking such good care of us!