Eterna Tulum

The manager wasn’t available to handle the issue directly, and the only reply I got was that it was the platform’s fault and the hotel wasn’t responsible for other problems. For a hotel, that doesn’t meet a basic standard of hospitality. If the place is being refurbished or is under construction, it should say so clearly or let guests know beforehand. All the platforms, including Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia, said breakfast was included. When I arrived, I was told it wasn’t. Breakfast itself isn’t the issue, since we can get it anywhere and it doesn’t cost much. The lack of direct management is what disappointed me. We travel around the world to decide which places to recommend to our community, and this one would go on our blacklist. I feel sorry for the owner, because they lost a chance to be recommended. You can market a place with lots of influencers on social media in the short term, but people recognize its real value over time. I want to add more in a more logical way, with more photos and my feelings later.

The junior suite with gardens was spacious, almost 600 sqt, and sparkling clean. It came with basics like shampoo and hand soap, but there was no dish soap or sponge in the kitchen. I liked the pleasant architecture and room design, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I found a great deal and have really enjoyed the quiet of having my own suite with a kitchenette. I hadn’t realized it had an induction cooktop, so I could make simple vegan food for myself. They could do better with vegan breakfast items and fruit, but I’m satisfied overall. It takes 25 mins or more to walk downtown, which doesn’t bother me.

Carlos, the general manager, was really friendly and always went out of his way to help with our requests. The front desk staff were lovely too, especially the woman with dark hair and glasses who works at night. Breakfast was complimentary and good, served at a local mom and pop cafe across the street. Our suite had an unusual but lovely layout, with the kitchen on the main floor, the bedroom and bathroom below, and the private pool on the 2nd floor. The rooms were clean, beautiful, and very nice. The hotel is near the main road but set back enough to avoid the noise and traffic. I highly recommend it and plan to stay again.

The staff were kind and very helpful, and even let us check in early. The rooms themselves were nice enough, but there was an odd smell. The location wasn’t great. There’s still a lot of construction around, with rubbish and rubble dumped around the outside of the building. The kitchen was missing some basic utensils for cooking and general use. The tap and shower water tasted salty, though that might be an issue throughout Tulum. Not long after I booked, Booking.com showed the same room for half the price, and the hotel wanted $20 USD for a room clean. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t feel like the best value compared with other hotels in the area.