La Casona Hotel & Hostel

The room was clean and nice, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I stayed with friends and we had a great time. There’s bike rental onsite, which came in handy, and staff gave us good tips for things to do in Tulum. It’s now called Casa Frida, though it looks the same. The only snag was that the shower had no hot water. Otherwise, it was a good-value spot.

We had a six-person dorm room, but a large wall divider made it feel more like one for three. It was roomy, with big lockers and comfortable beds. The toilets and showers were plentiful and very clean, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. The rooms get extremely hot, with no air conditioning or ceiling fans. We each got a fan pointed our way, which helped a lot, but that was only because the hostel wasn’t full and fans could be taken from unused rooms. Without them, the heat would have been unbearable.

The bathroom area was clean, and the kitchen facilities were good. The fridge was packed, though, and I think another one would help. I don’t eat breakfast and can’t remember whether it was included, so I can’t comment on that. The hostel is a few minutes’ walk from the main strip. I liked being a little way off the busy street, and having bike hire onsite was useful.

The staff were warm and family-like, and gave plenty of privacy. The showers and toilets were really nice. We stayed in a shared three-bedroom room, though there was no lock on the door. The hostel is in a really calm part of Tulum, which I loved. Even at 5:30 a.m. there were people across the street cooking breakfast burritos. The buffet was pretty good for a hostel: they made pancakes and had sandwiches and cereal ready. Parking was easy, with plenty of space out front, and renting bikes was a nice extra.