Villa Las Estrellas Tulum - located at the party zone

The location is fantastic, but it couldn't make up for how disappointing the rest of the hotel was. We were extremely let down and wouldn't stay again. The property needs extensive renovation and maintenance, not just small fixes. The house is beautiful, like something from a film or magazine, and nicely decorated. The hosts thoughtfully left extra toilet paper and paper towels, some beer and water, snacks, and cooking basics. It's close to shops, local cenotes, lagunes, and the airport. I'd return again and again if only the hot water worked. We stayed six nights and got lukewarm water at best, and that only happened a few nights. The house isn't sealed, probably like many homes in the area, so be ready to share it with roaches, centipedes, lizards, moths, mosquitoes, and other bugs. Lizards were under the bed and showed up daily, as did roaches. Leave anything open on the counter and ants will take over. There were plenty of other problems. Not all the ceiling fans worked, and the dryer didn't dry clothes even after hours. The washing machine took almost 30 minutes to fill with water each time because pressure was so low. The fridge/freezer knocked so loudly it sounded like someone at the door or a haunting. The coffee pot wouldn't keep coffee hot. The AC in the smallest bedroom shut off after a while, though it came back on a few hours later. The entry door and gate locks don't line up, which made them hard to lock, especially at night. The room was very uncomfortable and dirty when we arrived. The floor had a clear layer of dust, towels and bedding were stained, and the complimentary toiletries basket was empty. Huge gaps around doors and windows let in heat and humidity, and the single AC unit couldn't keep up. I'd booked a pool-view suite but was "upgraded" to an ocean-view room. On our last day I saw the pool-view suite and noticed it had newer windows and doors, and likely would have been much more comfortable. This was especially frustrating with a three-year-old and an eight-month-old. We asked for a fan the first night and were told there weren't any. The next morning, staff said there was one in the master suite, and eventually they brought a small desk fan that made virtually no difference. The AC display also gives off a bright light that can't be turned off, making sleep difficult. The bathroom was just as disappointing. The shower pressure was extremely high, the floor of wood planks and rocks felt unsanitary, and paint was chipped throughout. The toiletries shelves were uneven, so things kept falling, and the toilet often needed several flushes. Outdoor furniture was covered in dirt and clearly hadn't been cleaned in a long time. We tried the complimentary breakfast once. It took more than an hour to arrive, despite just one other diner and several staff members. It was a small portion of fruit, toast, a pancake, an egg, one black coffee, and a small juice. An extra juice cost 150 pesos. With the whole breakfast worth about 300 pesos, half that for one more juice seemed excessive. The pool was the most concerning part. My husband only went in because our three-year-old was excited to swim. The water was murky, the filtration seemed barely to work, and you couldn't see the bottom. Within minutes, my husband cut his foot on a part of the pool floor that was peeling away. He could pull off a chunk of the surface with his foot, which was alarming from a safety standpoint.

Following up on the hotel's reply: I can provide my confirmation number. I was there November 29 to December 4. To my knowledge CapitalOne uses Expedia for bookings, so it may be listed there for those dates. I contacted you on WhatsApp and was told by whoever manages your account that a refund wouldn't be issued. Before leaving, I also stopped by the property, where the woman in the office said you knew about the problems and would process a refund. I can share the texts and booking photos. My account is accurate. I didn't get what I booked, and the room I was given was unacceptable for safety and basic function. Being able to push open a locked door doesn't make me confident my belongings are safe. The stay was awful. I booked five nights in a junior suite facing the pool through CapitalOne's travel site, but on arrival I found that neither the room nor the photos posted online for it seemed to match anything there. There was no pool. It was late, so I planned to sort it out in the morning. The room I got had a broken door that wouldn't fully close or lock, and the AC didn't blow cool air. I tried to sleep, but bass from a club/restaurant 100m down the road was so loud the walls vibrated. I spoke with the security guard, then rebooked at a Hilton property through CapitalOne's site. I took a grossly overpriced taxi across town. The driver doubled the fare and threatened to call the police when I challenged the change. The next morning CapitalOne told me I'd get a refund because the room didn't exist, which they called fraudulent advertising, and said they needed a couple of days to contact Villa las Estrellas. A few days later, I stopped by Villa las Estrellas and the woman at the counter assured me the refund would be processed, "no problem". It never happened. CapitalOne Travel said the refund was declined and I wouldn't be reimbursed, so I effectively paid double for my stay. I wouldn't recommend either the hotel or CapitalOne Travel, since neither was willing to do the right thing.

Parking is included, which is a nice bonus. The prices, food, and service are great, and the beach location is ideal if you want to walk to bars and restaurants. Best value on the beach.

I drove there because taxis are a scam, but I couldn't find the place at all. No signs, no parking, no name, nothing. You probably lost a few hundred dollars because you couldn't put up a one dollar piece of paper with your name so people could find the place.