Saasil

The surrounding roads were the biggest drawback. They’re unpaved, and when we were there during two tropical storms, they flooded and developed deep ruts. The building itself is nice, with a guarded security door to the complex, so we felt safe. The furniture is great, including raised cement beds and a couch with mattresses or cushions. The space is extremely usable.

We rented rooftop apartment 20 without realizing that all 27 AC units for the building sit directly above the bedroom. The only way to reach that roof is through our apartment, so we have to let maintenance in for the AC and other utilities, including internet and water. The units are poorly maintained and constantly noisy. There are even exposed live wires, and I got shocked just touching one of the AC units. No one seems to know which unit belongs to which apartment, so problems stay unresolved. Management knows about the issues but rarely acts. Even when they identify the unit responsible, the response is inadequate and almost embarrassing. Manuel, the next door neighbor, has been completely unwilling to cooperate. Be warned if you rent an apartment next to him. Our first interactions with the owner were positive, but management, represented by Jorge, has serious problems. Expect plenty of excuses when things need fixing. The issue is the ineffective process, not necessarily the people, so I don’t expect improvements soon. The most obnoxious tenants tend to get their way. You might enjoy living here if you can put up with all this; otherwise, expect to deal with it.

Saasil was great once we were inside, especially with friends, but the poorly developed surroundings made it feel unsafe at night. The area was all under construction, and getting there meant leaving the road for a rough rubble track. It was hard to find, especially after dark. Drive carefully. We only had one unpleasant encounter, with two dogs chasing our car at night, and otherwise enjoyed our stay. I’d recommend it if you want a reasonably priced place, but stay alert. I’d visit Tulum again, though I’m unsure about staying at Saasil unless the area is more developed and feels safer. The interior was really nice, the service was great, and the cleaning lady was very sweet. I loved the pool, which cleaned itself each morning, and the main pool stayed open all night. A few small things bothered me: it was dusty, and the cleaning wasn’t as thorough as I’d have liked. The sticky, dirty hand soap bottle and other objects looked clean on the surface, but not when you looked closely. The taps only have SALT water, so be ready to brush your teeth with salty water. We didn’t run out of water, but the toilet sometimes wouldn’t flush because there wasn’t enough to refill it while the washing machine was running. It’s a drive from downtown Tulum. With our car it took around 10 minutes, which wasn’t bad. If being close to things matters, I’d look for somewhere downtown.

Online photos didn’t do Saasil justice. We stayed two nights, and the place was huge, with two rooms, a fridge, laundry, and a balcony with a private pool. So much space for a great price. WiFi was good, though spotty at times. There’s no room service or anything like that, but it was a perfect getaway, just a short walk or bike ride from the strip and its many restaurants. The only complaint was that the shower didn’t have much hot water. I wish we’d stayed longer. It was perfect.