Tulum Hotel Review: Mi Amor

Mi Amor Restaurant
The architectural dream of a restaurant at Mi Amor.

On our final night, we ended up at Mi Amor (again, because La Zebra had burned down). Let me be the first to say that I am truly saddened about what happened at La Zebra (fortunately – nobody was hurt!), but feel SO LUCKY to have gotten the opportunity to be put up at Mi Amor for no added cost. This place was MAGICAL.

Here’s the review:

  • Location: The location is off the beaten path, actually North of the majority of the other resorts – almost all the way back up to the Tulum ruins. Given that this was our final night and we just expected to basque in the luxury, we were totally fine with this. But be warned that if you’re wanting something that is pedestrian friendly and “in the heart of it all”, you’re going to have to trek a ways from here to get there. An oddity of the location is that there is no real beach in front of the property – rather, it is built into natural rock/cliff formations (again – a great change of pace and something that proved to be extremely majestic).
  • Facilities: The facilities are unreal. Everything from the dining room (pictured at the front of this post), to the rooms themselves, was top notch. You can tell the staff takes great pride in the level of quality in this property. While we did not partake in spa activities, those facilities looked unbelievable as well.
  • Amenities: The amenities were outstanding. It all started with our “welcome” cocktail (prosecco), and progressed nicely where it seemed like every turn – there was something waiting for us. First off, the property utilizes miniature hut/cabanas that are a huge upgrade from other properties that just have palapa roof huts and daybeds. This is the best of both worlds as it incorporates both (picture below). The restaurant was terrific as well. We opted to dine on site (a change from our usual pace of exploring other resorts/areas for food due to lofty prices in some resort facilities), and did a sampling of 6 or 7 of the appetizers which turned out incredible.
  • Staff: The staff were top notch. Even a level higher than we had come to expect in other areas.
  • Rooms: The rooms are stunning. We had our own private plunge pool that was jetted and heated. A great way to relax. At night, they brought around hibiscus tea to go along with turndown service, which was a phenomenal touch.
Mi Amor Cliff Cabana
Mi Amor cabanas were tucked into the terrain and provided comfort and a sense of privacy.
Mi Amor Seared Tuna
Seared tuna – lunch with a view!
Mi Amor Jetted Plunge Pool Plus Bohemian Rattan Hanging Chair
Our Jetted Plunge Pool Plus Bohemian Rattan Hanging Chair
IMG_2785
Stunning sunset panorama from atop the cliffs at Mi Amor.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Hotel Review: El Pez

El Pez Pool Rules

On Thursday, we ended up at El Pez because our original property at which we were set to stay (La Zebra) burned down the weekend before our arrival. More to come on that experience (ultimately, a great one) at another time. But now – on with the review!

Here’s the review:

  • Location: The location is great. It’s closer to the entrance/North end of the beachfront road, but still very accessible to many key attractions for us (including Mateos’s!).
  • Facilities: The facilities are a step up from others in my opinion. I believe this is probably related to the fact that this hotel is part of a professional hotel group (The Colibri Boutique Hotel chain). The service, the appointments, and the views were definitely a step up.
  • Amenities: The amenities were great. Aside from an expanded selection for our “welcome cocktail” (something each property does give), the inclusion of other elements (e.g. beach bag for towels, etc) were all nice touches. The included breakfast was by far the best here; the yogurt/fruit/granola plate was outstanding.
  • Staff: The staff were great. Check-in, Check-out were a breeze (perhaps even easier than Viento de Mar), and the service in the restaurant was a bit quicker than others.
  • Rooms: The rooms are spacious and comfortable. Each room has stunning ocean views, so it’s hard not to like.
El Pez Welcome Cocktails
Our welcome cocktails at El Pez.
El Pez Pano
Stunning views out into the bay (where sea turtles come to lay eggs once a year) from the restaurant deck.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Hotel Review: Viento de Mar

Viento De Mar Sign

For the next few days of the trip, we opted for a more central-beach spot closer to some of our previous favorites (Mateo’s, Posada Margherita, etc). The hotel was Viento de Mar.

Here’s the review:

  • Location: The location is very ideal. Right in the middle of the beach road – close to any and all types of food and neighboring resorts of differing vibes. We did a lot more biking this time, so having a central location from which to ride bikes (to get massages, or grab lunch or some drinks) was clutch.
  • Facilities: The facilities are on par with a Rosa del Viento. Very clean and well-kept. The breakfast area (with all-inclusive breakfast, similar to all resorts in Tulum of this caliber) overlooked the ocean with stunning panoramic views. The daybed setup was fairly extensive and allowed for everyone to have a great spot with a great view.
  • Amenities: The amenities are proper for the price. Bike rentals were in line with other areas (~$10/day to rent), and a nice added bonus was the plunge pool in the center of the property. You never really realize how nice a quick dip in a temperate pool is, but it’s definitely a relax in comparison to the choppy waves of the ocean plus the seaweed that interferes.
  • Staff: The staff are great. Check-in, Check-out were a breeze, and the service in the restaurant was in line with other areas (in other words, pretty slow and spotty for our liking – but that’s all part of the charm of the area that forces you to slow down and enjoy it).
  • Rooms: The rooms are well-appointed and the vaulted ceilings were a great touch. As with our other choices, the fact that there was AC is a huge plus for me (again, about half the resorts in this specific area are more “eco-resorts” which means they only have a fan and generally do not have AC at all, let alone electricity for most of the day).

 

Viento De Mar Pano
Panoramic view back into the property at sunrise.
Viento De Mar Sunrise 2
Looking out into the ocean at sunrise.

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum Hotel Review: Rosa del Viento (Part 2)

For the first couple nights of my birthday trip, we opted to return to one of our previous favorites on the South end of Coba Sur/Boca Paila district, Rosa del Viento.

Here’s the (updated) review:

  • Location: The location is tucked away at the Southern-most end of the traditional Boca Paila district. Still not a ton of other developments (restaurants, hotels) down on the South end, which has its pros and cons. But, cabs to most places still run 50-70 Pesos (a couple bucks), so the seclusion actually is quite nice in this case.
  • Facilities: The facilities are still top-notch and the resort is laid out on pristine sand. The beach area, still loaded with tiki huts, cabanas, day beds, and hammocks, ensures you always have a spot to park yourself. The views (both out towards the ocean as well as back in towards the property) are still incredible, and are even a bit better when you consider that this resort is fairly secluded, so you don’t feel like you’re spilling over into other neighboring resorts.
  • Amenities: There aren’t too many amenities here (it’s Tulum – you really wouldn’t want to waste your time watching TV anyway), although the resort does have a great collection of games and a huge lot of subscriptions to all sorts of international trashy gossip mags.
  • Staff: The staff are still, not surprisingly, super friendly and accommodating. Some of the bartenders and servers go out of their way to try and earn a solid tip (e.g. bringing you free tequila shots, etc), but not in a way that feels pushy.
  • Rooms: The rooms are great, and the fact that there was AC is a huge plus for me (about half the resorts in this specific area are more “eco-resorts” which means they only have a fan and generally do not have AC at all, let alone electricity for most of the day).
Rosa Del Viento Pescadores Beer
My second beer of the trip, a (semi) local brew – Pescadores!

Til Next Time,

Michael

Tulum (Part 2) + Buying a House

So I’ve clearly been slacking lately. No posts, no material, not even any good infographics. Well, there’s a reason…

About a month ago (one month to the day in fact), I turned 30. In Mexico. Back in Tulum. So I know I have a ton of posts and pictures to update from that trip. Again – not that it is directly related to “Corporate America” – but it’s a close enough tangent to have a space in this blog. I think?

Then – about two weeks ago – I closed on a house with my fiancee. Needless to say, it has been a whirlwind with loads of stress, a severe lack of “free time” to blog, and a ton of clean up and renovation work to make the place HOME. But, the great thing about it is that I’ll have plenty more material to share here. I think that documentation of our polish/renovation duty will add a different layer to this blog. It’s more of the “life” side of the “work life balance”, but really puts into perspective some of the skills and lessons I’ve learned over time.

Stay tuned; it should be fun!

Til Next Time,

Michael