“Playa Azul in Tulum is Magical”

Vincent Van Gogh used it as a theme in his paintings. Ernest Hemingway wrote about it as a principal for the human condition. Neil Young sang about it in his song that honors North Ontario. "It" is a simple notion: A clean well lighted place. My wife and I vacationed at Playa Azul in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. We could not have chosen a better place. Thank you Expedia for providing this Hotel in your selection. Thank You Playa Azul Staff for....being excellent! We are forever in your debt. We will be back as regulars. We stayed in Cabana 15 upon our arrival late on a Saturday night - right at midnight, in fact. Our reserved Cabana (# 8) was available to us starting the next day for a week. Jaime met us at midnight as we arrived and cheerfully led us to #15. It was like something out of a Romantic Movie. We were tired from our plane and car trip (hired in Cancun) and we bathed and went right to sleep. The sound of the sea roaring ashore was so restful. The next morning we had breakfast at L'Ola - the onsite restaurant run by very intelligent entrepeneurs - and were treated to our first daylight view of this magical place. Jorge was very attentive at the restaurant - and I can recommend the Orange Juice with Ginger smoothie for a great pick-me-up. Jesus at the front desk handled the transition from Cabana #15 to Cabana #8 for us with equal cheerfulness as we had experienced the night before and we were left happily for a week in our clean, well lighted place.

“prefect romantic place for couples”

Amazing hotel! Heaven! Private beach. Amazing good. Just a magical place.

“Paradise”

My husband and I fell in love with Playa Azul and are dreaming of our next getaway. We wouldn't even consider staying at another hotel because we loved so many details at Playa Azul. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for-laid back, playful, and beautiful. The beach was cleaned daily and the hammocks and lounge chairs were plentiful. We enjoyed the artwork and music and most importantly, the staff. Both the front desk and restaurant servers were highly competent, approachable, and went out of their way to make sure we had a good time, including planning a snorkeling trip for me and treating us to a special dessert on the last night of our stay. I should also mention that, while we enjoyed many good eats during our stay in Tulum, our best meals were had at Playa Azul. The only "negative" things to note are that we would appreciate bowls for washing the sand off our feet, as that would have kept the cabana cleaner. And don't bring food into your cabana, some little bugs found the three cough drops I carried in my purse! As soon as I removed those, the bugs went away. Lastly, I am nostalgic for the chocolate croissants they serve at breakfast. Sigh.

“Breathtaking views”

This hotel is awesome, the view is breathtaking. I will definately be staying there again.

“the vocational escape”

If you really want a get away from urban noise this is the answer. Natural, secluded, wild and comfortable at the same time. Well managed, good service, nice food and total relax. Very good restaurant and bar - well done indeed. Take it!

“Quietly Exceptional”

I LOVED Playa Azul. There were 20 or so other couples there but at times it could feel like we were there by ourselves. The restaurant served delicious food and excellent drinks and the bar on the beach was a definite plus. The rooms were cute and mirrored the Tulum vibe and I thought it was great Playa Azul had their own bicycles for rent and it wasn't really that long of a ride to town. Playa Azul is in the beginning part of the long stretch of hotels- a perfect distance i thought, from town. And the staff are all exceptional. Joseph at the front desk turned into my best friend- helping me with other hotel reservations, plans for the day to the ruins or Chitzenitza or anything else I couldn't figure out with my bum spanish. I'd probably go back to Playa Azul because I felt quite at home.

“Best service ever”

Best service ever, they made me feel like home. The cabanas are in excellent condition, super clean, super comfortable. The food, the drinks, everything is excellent. They know how to make you feel good.

“Little slice of paradise....”

Playa Azul is a great place to escape the "rat race". The beach is truly right out of a Corona commercial. At one point I counted 14 people on the entire beach as far as I could see for miles in either direction. Never had a problem getting a beach lounger or palapa. The bar is about 15' from the palapas and right on the beach. Water tempature is perfect and the wave action very fun. Snorkeling is not a possiblity here due to the waves. They often have live music. Contential breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, coffee and a fresh homemade patsry. Cannot comment on the rest of the food as we ate elsewhere for all other meals. Do not book room #9 as is is too close to the restaurant and has no privacy or breeze. The best rooms in my opinion are the second story rooms for privacy and ocean breeze. The grounds are very pretty and are lit by torches at night, pretty cool. The area is ultra safe but bring a flashlight if you intend to venture the area. This is a small resort with very clean rooms and restaurant but basic amenities. I would gladly return to this property and have recommended several friends to it.

“Not for the thrifty traveler”

Overall the hotel was very nice. The staff was friendly and the room was cozy. I thought I would get more of a local feel from the area but this was not the case. I felt trapped within the strip of hotels along the beach. It was like staying in an all-inclusive resort but had to pay an excessive amount for all food, drinks, and activities. Also the room had no mini fridge to keep groceries, snacks, or leftovers forcing us to eat out for every single meal during our stay. There was also no clock in the room. We had to use our cell phones for an alarm when we went on any early morning excursions. I felt this area was a honeymooners destination and would only recommend staying a couple nights in the area unless you are looking to spend a fortune.

“Great hotel for a younger, hip couple”

The first night we stayed in #5 because we were unable to book #18 until the 2nd night. We were disappointed with #5 because it was dark with poor indoor lighting. Even though I didn't see any creepy crawlies, I worried about them because it felt dark and dank, and there weren't many surfaces to put our belongings. Also they were doing construction right outside of the room, so it was very loud during daylight hours. Then we moved into #18 and had the opposite experience, thank goodness! We loved the A frame ceiling, the natural light and interesting light fixtures, and it was as clean as could be! At first we were worried about hearing restaurant noise, however it ended up not being an issue. I think that the 2nd floor rooms above the restaurant are the best value for your buck because it was only $20 more than cabana #5, yet so much better! I thought that some of the restaurant, bar, and front desk staff were a bit lazy/ standoffish except for Damarrea at the front desk, and Santos in the restaurant-- I can't sing their praises enough! Also, the food at the restaurant was really good! The beach was well maintained; this stands out as one of my favorite beaches! There were plenty of other places to walk from here and 2 days we rented bikes and went into town to shop. I love mexican art, and there were quite a few places in this category to browse in town. All in all, I really enjoyed Playa Azul, however it is important to say that they cater to a younger, hip crowd.