Cacao Tulum -Luxury Condos-

The photos looked great, but our stay was a fiasco from check-in to checkout. Before arrival, the property asked us to contact them about when and where to pick up the key. None of their contacts worked, including the phone number and booking chat. We called Booking.com customer service to intervene, but they couldn’t reach the property either. Check-in ended up delayed by two hours. We had to change rooms on the first day because the mold smell was too strong. The second room was better, but still very humid, with visible mold on the walls beside the beds. We sent the property pictures. They didn’t replace towels or bedding during our stay, and neither dried properly inside or out because the first floor had no ventilation. There were no mosquito nets on the windows, so we had to choose between being eaten alive by mosquitoes or keeping the room closed and breathing the mold smell. That led to an allergic reaction that lasted three days after I left. Cleanliness was very poor. Both rooms had used-smelling bed linens, dead mosquitoes on the walls, and other dirt I didn’t want to identify. By the second day, the toilet smelled because of ventilation problems. The outdoor pool was cold and dirty, and attracted more mosquitoes. The shower had about five minutes of warm water before going cold. We couldn’t get help from the front desk. Sometimes nobody was there; other times another guest was already complaining about problems, including a leaking AC, warm water issues, and bottled beer in the minibar with no opener in the room. The front desk didn’t know how to resolve that. The gym had new equipment, but much of it didn’t work and there was no AC. The building is great, but a lot needs maintenance. The property is also only reachable by an unpaved road with very large holes. We tried to change or cancel our booking and check out early because of all this, but the request was declined. The front desk employee, Leslie I guess, wouldn’t let us speak to the manager, and Booking.com only sent us a “decline” response. By chance, we met one of the managers at checkout and showed her the problems in the room. We received no compensation for the poor service.

Our stay was very relaxing, and we’d return in a minute. The service was great, and these apartments work well for a longer family stay. The pool is on the roof and parking is outside, though spaces seemed limited for the number of apartments. It’s quiet here, and the raised edges around the pool aren’t safe for rough play or loud kids, so it may not suit families with children who fool around. Getting to the beach, Zama, or shopping means taking bumpy roads to avoid the main mess on 307.

I’m a solo traveler and felt safe and secure here. The complex is beautiful and affordable, with lots of local food nearby. The roads are bumpy, but that didn’t bother me. It’s not right on the beach. By bike, the ride to the beach and some of the best beach bars and fun spots is about 20-30 minutes. With a car or scooter, you can get to the beach and the highway 15 area in around 15 minutes. If you want to be close to the beach and the city, as well as local culture and good food, this is a good place to stay.

The room was dirty and falling apart, and the private balcony pool had broken tiles at the bottom so we couldn't use it. It also faced a road, which meant people could look up and see us. The staff weren't helpful, and we wound up checking out early. This was the only place I stayed in Mexico that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Save your money.