Just returned from Tulum.
The Bad:
1. Many beaches are filthy. Expect trash and dead fish on some beaches.
2. Service - nonexistent. Don't expect anyone to help you if there is a problem, they couldn't care less. 75% of the Mexican people you will encounter are hostile/rude towards Americans. They want your money then "be gone with you".
3. Theft. I had my purse stolen out of my backpack when I turned my back for a moment.
4. Transportation. DO NOT ride a 2nd class bus. They take forever. People spit on the floors. Collectivos are OK but very crowded. If you want a pleasant trip, rent a car, don't try to save money, you will be miserable.
The Good:
5. Food. "Pan" bakery in Tulum is great, don't miss it!
6. Cabanas La Conchita was a fantastic hotel...loved the rooms & breakfast.
7. Seeing the sea turtles at Akumal bay was really cool. But they really need to get the motorboats out of that area. Snorkelers, sea turtles and noisy polluting outboard motors (with sharp metal props) don't play well together.
Sorry to be so negative, but it was our 20th anniversary, and I had fairly high expectations for this area, and I was very disappointed.

The beaches are lovely with soft sand and clear blue water. No crowds here when we went in January - the high season! The town is small with several good restaurants and most spoke good English. It is a poor village with tons of stray dogs running around, children everywhere playing and chickens in the backyard. But everyone looked relatively content and well fed. The people are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. There is much to do if you wish to leave the lovely beach and see the many spectacular sites nearby. Tulum ruins is pretty due to the location but a trip to Chichen Itza is well worth the long drive. Stop in Valladolid for dinner and strolling around afterwards for a different large town experience. The Grand Cenote and Xel-Ha are also great nearby attractions. We stayed at Amansala Resort which was fantastic with excellent food. Ana y Jose looked nice if you want a less rustic experience but the food there was just ok. Zamas restaurant was ok as well, not great, but it is a fun place to spend an evening. La Conchita looks great and is on the paved part of the road which is a plus. In town Toni & Simone's is very good though pricey.
There is a very good, inexpensive Mayan cafe off of the main road - forget the name of the place - I believe it starts with a C. Tulum offers a good location close to big sites while itself being somewhere to avoid the crowds and enjoy the beach.

Was there 8-27-03 and i injoyed the site very mush,long trip down from cruise ship,about 1hr in a bus. I'll say this,i would go back again.

Just returned from 2 amazing weeks alone in Tulum. Wanted to find a place to get away from life, cities, and stress in general. Many of my friends and family return over and over to Tulum, so I decided to see for myself.My biggest piece of advice, is if you go out of high season (Christmas/New Year) don't book until you get there. I took a taxi from Playa del Carmen and had the driver take me to almost all the 'hotels' on the beach road. Over the course of an hour I got to figure out how Tulum works and to rely on actual views rather than internet photos. In the end, I chose to stay at Hotel Paraiso for the first few days, as the beach was definately the best there, and it is more lively in the daytime than all the others. A small beach bar with swings for seats, where food and cocktails are served. As it is a popular beach for those from hotels with rocky beaches, they do charge for the beach beds ($1 a day), but it is lovely place to spend the entire day. And people who go to the beach are more friendly and open that at the others. Given that I was there alone, that was something I wanted. As for the rooms there, not much to say, except that they have electricity. They are bungalow motel-style rooms (10 in all) set back off the beach, but they are clean, modern and have full water and electricity. Paraiso also has 4 beach bungalows, for those wanting to fall asleep to the sound of the sea. No fans, but with windows open they are not needed. Rooms are $50-60.After a few days, decided to check out other hotels and other scenes. Two great days and nights at the most beautiful of the hotels along the beach - Diamante K. Very Bali-style huts scattered over a large area, with lots of palm-trees, hammocks and quiet areas to sit. Great place for sunset drinks and very good food. The place is popular with Italians and appeals to their sense of style. The beach here is a very small cove with rocks on either side, but it is only a 5-minute walk over to the beach at Paraiso. For one of the nights I had a bed in a dorm room ($15), but then managed to move to an ocean front room with shared bathroom. The room was lovely, simple with super view over the rocks to the sea. Diamante K has lots of different rooms scattered around, including several stunning suites, some of which are great for 2 couple still offering privacy. When I go back to Tulum, I will definately stay at Diamante K for at least some of the time, and maybe splurge on one of the suites.I also stayed for 5 days at Cabanas Copal. I have read some of the reviews of other people, and understand why some would hate it. If you are looking for a/c, an organized and modern resort feeling, or simply can't adibe the sight of iguanas sunning themselves on your stoop, this place isn't for you. There are about 30 cabanas scattered around the property, but unless you get one of the 4-5 overlooking the sea I wouldn't stay here. If you are in the 'garden' area, there will be no breeze at all, and also a claustophic feeling with too much foliage around. Also, more mosquitos. I stayed in cabana 27, which was great, on a rocky bluff overlooking the sea. The price was very steep though for what is barefoot luxury without the luxury. Traditional-style palapa rooms with thatched roof that doesn't meet the adobe walls. Concrete floors, but at least the bathroom was perfectly functional. There is no electricity at all in the cabins, so be ready for lots of candles in order to brush your teeth. The large beds are covered in very effective mosquito nets, so effective in fact, that they like sleeping under plastic sheets... I took to dousing myself in repellant and keeping the door open and slept much much better. The restaurant there is too close to the road and thus the jungle and so gets quite mosquito crazed at nights, but the internet cafe is useful (if you still need to stay in touch with the outside world), or if you want to watch one of the 3 scheduled films a day on the large screen TV. Copal is great for many things, including the 'activities' offered. They have a couple of kayaks that can be rented for $5 an hour, and lots of snorkelling gear for $3 a day. You can also rent bicycles there, join the 8am free yoga classes, or just lie near the beach and have a massage. The beach there though is not the greatest as it is narrow and they have no beach chairs, but the place in total is great for a few days. And if you get one of the oceanfront cabanas, the views, privacy and silence make up for the cost ($55 a night) and the basic accomodation. They also have an amazing honeymoon suite which is beautiful inside and out. On a rocky bluff, overlooking the sea, with very private terrace that has seating area, hammocks and cooling off mini pool... Highly recommend it.Finally, several other places I would recommend - La Vita E Bella, next to El Paraiso - Stunning beach-side bungalows ($80), beautifully designed and very relaxing with terraces and hammocks. Also, go to the restaurant there for dinner, as the food is great and the atmosphere too - in fact, one of the few beachfront hotels that every had more than a few people eating there at night. Much further down the beach road, past Ana y Jose, is Esmeralda K. Same owners as Diamante K, but in very different loaction. Great wide sandy beach, lovely and simple beach-front rooms with little terraces - $60-80 a night, lovely design.For food I highly recommend El Nave in town as possibly best pizzas I've eaten outside of Rome. Also a lively place and friendly Italian owners. For a drink, and some great food, try Azul Bar also in town. I didn't rent a car, and had no problems going back and forth to town - I'd start out walking and hitch a lift with other tourists or there are also many taxis that ply along that road. $3-5 into town, depending on where you are.Diving - lots of dive shops around. But you should also ask for Enrique who hangs out at El Paraiso. Great guy who kknows the waters very well. He'll take you either the reefs or to the amazing cenotes (caverns) for about $35 per person. if you plan on doing several dives, he is very amenable to offering a decent discount (I went on 3 reef dives, and 2 cenote dives with him, and paid about $25 for each one) From El Paraiso it is also easy to go out snorkeling to the reef for about $12.Have fun...