Yoga Shala Tulum

We came for a retreat and had a terrible experience. When we tried to leave, the owner held us there for over an hour, demanding extra money on top of the total we'd already agreed to in writing and paid. She asked for US$2000 more. The security guard locked the gates and wouldn't let us leave until we paid. She eventually settled for US$550 extra, and it felt like we were robbed. A few of us nearly missed flights, and the taxi drivers were stuck there for an hour too. They then tried to charge us a lot more. From what taxi drivers and other reviews said, this wasn't a unique experience, and she does this all the time. We also had serious safety and cleanliness concerns. The place felt like a hostel, not a hotel, with shared bathrooms and too few of them. Sheets weren't changed, cockroaches were everywhere, and the whole hotel was full of mosquitoes. We compared the keys and found they opened multiple rooms, so there's no security for your belongings. Changing a price after agreeing on the total and what's included, then taking payment, is unacceptable. Under no circumstances should you stay at the Yoga Shala.

The little garden compound was cozy, and the guest rooms had a comfortable rustic feel. I brought a group of my yoga and meditation students and we were happy there. The open, palm roofed yoga palapa has shiny wooden floors and bug netting around it. There’s a beautiful beach just across the narrow main road, a good restaurant, and lovely staff. Sharing the bathrooms was no trouble, with separate shower and toilet stalls. Groups above a certain size get special rates. Just right for simple yogis.

The location was the only thing I liked. After traveling more than 12 hours, I arrived to find they’d lost my reservation, despite my having prepaid $200 US two months earlier. They made the problem mine to sort out, which wasted time and added stress to the start of my holiday. I wouldn’t stay here again. The separate bathroom setup wasn’t convenient, and thin room walls let other guests’ conversations and showers wake me up night after night. I also got the impression the owners run this as an investment and have no real connection to yoga.

The problems started almost as soon as we paid our deposit. We sometimes waited a month for even a partial answer to our questions, and I found the facility far too expensive. Some participants had cockroaches in their rooms. The owner also said she didn’t own the restaurant, then charged us almost the full meal price, $15-20 US per person per meal, because it wasn’t her “menu.” We were hosting a retreat for 18 people at The Yoga Shala. We’d confirmed the total over two emails, but after a misunderstanding about a cancelled room, Akal changed what she said we owed. Rather than meet to work it out, she threatened to take away the food, even though we’d already paid for it in full. As we started teaching before lunch, she cancelled all the retreat meals and said no one would eat unless we paid half of the increased amount. We offered several times to meet, but she cancelled or said she couldn’t attend, while still expecting another $2300USD beyond our agreed total. This was after she had already taken away all the food. Reading those emails while trying to hold space for everyone was extremely frustrating, especially since we’d asked her to talk with us in person. She didn’t show up for the meeting options and communicated through her manager, despite being on the premises. The manager told us everything was fine, which wasn’t true. When we were about to leave, she locked the door with her security guard and wouldn’t let us or the students go until we paid more. Six meals had already been cancelled. Some students had flights to catch, but she still wouldn’t let them leave. Our taxi driver said on the way out that this wasn’t the first time she’d done this. I would never recommend this place for any reason. There’s nothing yoga about it. Please contact me directly if you want more information.