Mereva Tulum

We loved the private beach and dock area, and the two pools were a real highlight. The hotel is peaceful, with a gorgeous view, comfortable beds, and good-sized rooms. Some areas look a little dated, but the property is beautiful and very comfortable overall. The restaurant can be slow and is fairly expensive compared with other local options, though the staff are kind and helpful. Eduardo at the front desk was especially friendly and went out of his way for us. The chef also came out to explain the menu. As someone with coeliac disease, I felt looked after and could order safely.

For a 40th birthday trip, this was a real disappointment, and it made our first visit to Tulum unpleasant. I wouldn’t recommend the area based on this stay. We’d originally booked the sister hotel Alea, but Mereva moved us there at the last minute a couple of days before arrival because of “seaweed.” We later walked past Alea and didn’t see any. The reviews made the hotels sound similar, so we weren’t too worried at first. Once there, Mereva felt neglected. The pools were dirty, things around the hotel were broken or precariously hanging, and the staff seemed rushed and unhelpful. Our room had a Nespresso machine, but for several days the pods we asked for were always “on the way” and never arrived. The basic coffee we ordered tasted like weak instant coffee, and the TV shown in the pictures wasn’t there. A shower barely had any pressure and rarely got warm. Whenever we tried to order food, they said items were unavailable. One morning, there was no cook, though “someone could make some eggs.” We’d booked to spend time on the beach, but after being turned away for food and charged $480 pesos for one margarita, we tried the other sister hotel down the road. It had similar menu shortages, and we felt unwelcome there too. A taxi into town cost around $500-700 pesos, but we needed to eat. Most nights we brought back our own food and water, and the place felt more like glamping at a remote campsite than a hotel. Even asking for potable water seemed like too much trouble. José, who worked at both hotels, was the only staff member we met who was nice. I don’t know if something serious happened that they didn’t tell us about, but the whole experience was a letdown.

A beautiful room, lovely beach, and a reef full of fish just a short swim away. The staff were courteous and friendly, and they even put us in touch with local boat operators Edwardo and Kiki. We went on a private snorkel along the ruins and reef at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend the place, gracias!

We loved the friendly staff, good food and drinks, and Chunk the cat hanging around. We also made use of the kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkeling. During seaweed month, the hotel did a good job of keeping the ocean area clear. We rented a car at Tulum airport, and the drive was quick and easy. Tulum was about 10-15 minutes away. It was nice to start each day with the free breakfast and coffee, then head into town or off on an excursion. We met lots of lovely people and had fun walking up and down the little strip of hotels, restaurants, and bars. We’ll probably come back with the kids.