Tierras del Sol Tulum

We were here for a 6 day stay with 2 kids. This was our 3rd time in Tulum, but first @ this hotel.

This was a 6 cabana hotel, open air cabanas with stone and wood floors and thatched roofs.

We had 2 rooms and both had beautiful views of the ocean. We were so close to the water the sounds of the waves were awesome! The rooms are far away from the little road thru the jungle. It was very rustic and "Mexican" feeling.

We made it in about midnight and Gustavo was waiting for us. There was a nice stone path (which was great so we could roll our luggage) in the sand lit by candlelight leading the way to our rooms. The candles were lit every night, very romantic. We had a full moon which added to the experience.

The beach was BEAUTIFUL and deserted for most of our trip!

We always had enough beach chairs and huts. We walked both ways on the beach. To the north (left) there was a good restaraunt called Las Ranitas (next to the antenna tower) and we ate there 2 times for lunch. It was about a 10 minute walk to the north along the beach.

South, we walked for miles and saw little more than crystal clear water and sand! A few local kids were swimming in their undies.

There were no shelves or tables to put stuff on or clothes in. We just layed a few things out on the stone shelf and left the rest in our suitcases.

We did have an Iguana in our shower every morning but he never bothered us.

A few roaches got in our bags, but hopefully we didn't bring any home with us!

There are "lights" in the evening for a while. Get ready to go out before it gets too dark in the room though, or you can't see how to get ready.

I totally overpacked. It's so casual here in Tulum. Days were swimsuits with a t-shirt and flip-flops, or not, and dinners were shorts or a sundress.

Our shoes laid outside for 3 days before we put them on!

It is so safe and secluded here. There is a big red dog named Hasha and she is a great watchdog, not that we needed it. There were NO vendors or much of anything for sale on the beach or at the hotel.

The only time we had drinks or food available is at meal time,- if they are cooking that day. The ladies there don't speak ANY english at all. Gustavo, the manager does.

The little restaraunt of 3 tables was adorable. The food was good and a little cheaper than other places. Lunch was hit &miss as far as it being available everyday. You do have to request dinner, and it was well worth it!

On a few of the days the wind was high enough that we boogie boarded. There were 3 boards that we "borrowed" each day on the beach.

This place is great for anyone who doesn't need or want high activity. My 9 yr old son and 17 yr old daughter were very content. We took the kite, the frisbee, the football and of course the I-pod (our jambox too) and sand toys. We made sand castles, forts, buried each other and had a blast. The sun and the beach were the best things for me. A very close second was the cute rooms and the little "restaraunt".

I have been around the caribbean and Mexico and I am always looking for white powdery sand and non-tourisy hotels. This one is absolutely one of the best I have found.

Tulum is quaint and so different than even Playa del Carmen.

Good restaraunts were, Maya Tulum, Las Ranitas, Zamas, Parisios, our hotel, Suenos, several "downtown", Papa playa, Diamante K,& Ana Jose.

Take water and maybe a little ice chest. We took snacks and were glad we did. You can go to the grocery store in town and get those if you don't want to pack it. We bought a watermelon and some drinks there.

But, do have water for your toothbrush and on the beach throughout the day.

We are in love with Tulum, I know you will be too!

Any questions, please e-mail.

We are so sad to be back in Mexico City were we live!!!! And its funny because my husband did not want to go to this secluded place at first (no electricity, no cel phone, no internet conecction, and salty water to take a shower, BUT no "out side world" at all!!!) and then we dont want to leave, we stayed at TDS 7 days and love it, good simple cooking, great people to talk to (Carlos Sastre the owner, Gustavo and their girlfriends all from Argentina) almost feel like home.We took 1 cabana with no oceant front and we did not miss a bit of wonderfull views of the sea and jungle, its 4 steps away!!! cool breeze and we love the maids for their kindness and the very delicious breakfast every morning. We went to a trip to Reserva de Sian-Kan 1km south and have an amazing bird watch of the most splendid birds in the area just when the sun is going down in all its magnificent splendor over the jungle. We go diving at Tulum beach near the Tulum Ruins for USD$ 30pp for 2 hours and had a wonderfull brunch at Don Cafetos Restaurant USD $5 pp :) The beach needs no words, you will see the photos. After our stay we spend 4 days in Playa del Carmen at -- hotellatortuga -- and it was good, but we miss our place at TDS. We will go back!!!! [--].

My husband and I stayed here for 5 nights in January and we really loved it. The beach is beautiful, soft white sand with almost no one on it and the water is perfect- warm with gentle waves. They provide lounge chairs during the day and at night sometimes people build fires on the beach. We just spent the days walking up and down the beach, or just relaxing on the porch with a book. The cabana that we stayed in was called La Posada de Los Buzos which was very simple, but romantic. We used the mosquito netting on the bed just because it added to the ambiance. We really didn't get bitten by any bugs, and didn't really see any wildlife in our room. Outside on the beach there were iguanas and crabs, which didn't bother usat all- Iif you are coming to Tulum, you are coming to enjoy nature. There is not much privacy, as there are large windows with fairly sheer curtains and the bathroom has only hanging beads separating the toilet from the shower, which makes for wet toilet paper unless you move it out of the room when showering. The toilet could use a new seat- it is one of those squishy ones with the foam and there is a crack in the plastic. Also, the shower has a large window right next to it with a curtain that doesn't quite make it to the bottom of the window, stopping right around crotch level, so if you are shy, it's best to take a shower at night. (But the place is so small that you probably won't even notice anyone else there. ) The problem with that is the shower only has solar-powered hot water, so it is only really hot for about 5 minutes at a time, so if you want a hot shower, you have to take it during the day, and the water does seem salty. You definitely can't drink it. There is electricity from about dusk till midnight or so. I would suggest bringing a flashlight or those little taplights- we put one by the bed and one in the bathroom. Carlos and Natalia were wonderful hosts, they are very knowledgable about the area. We had breakfast with them every morning and it was delicious- lots of fresh fruit and toast or eggs in several different styles. The cook also made us sandwiches for lunch which we happily ate on the beach on a few days. We had a delicious fish dinner that Carlos and Natalia cooked for us, which was paired with a lovely white wine. The only thing is that if you want to have dinner there, you must tell them that morning or the night before so they can be prepared- this is a family run place so it's really like having your relatives cook a meal for you. On the plus side this means you can ask for whatever you want for dinner- there is no set menu. There are other hotels in the area that have bigger restaurants with more extensive menus- some are close enough to walk down the beach about 10 minutes or so. It was nice, we would go to dinner just before sunset, watch the sun go down during dinner, and walk back to our cabana under a big shining moon after dinner, without putting on a pair of shoes all day long. As a matter of fact, I think the only time I wore shoes was if we got in the car to drive somewhere. This hotel is located further down the boca paila road, a few miles south of the ruins (which means it's past the tourisy section of Tulum) Don't even bother going to the town of Tulum unless you are really desperate for a bar or an ATM or a computer. It is just full of cheezy little shops selling souvenirs and restaurants with generic food. Tierras del Sol is also located just north of a nature preserve that has a few trails and cenotes. If you go to the visitor's center, you can organize a tour, but it is a bit expensive. A cheaper option (albeit a longer trip) is to rent a jeep (you will probably need it for driving around the area anyway) and continue down the preserve road to Punta Allen, which is at the very tip of the Boca Paila, about an hour's drive south on avery bumpy and muddy dirt road and get a tour from one of the local fisherman- they will take you out snorkeling or around the preservefor about half what it costs at the the preserve visitor's center. Overall, this is a fairly bohemian atmoshphere a few steps up from camping. If you want nightlife and partying, go north to Cancun or Playa del Carmen. If you want seclusion, this is the right place.

I just got back last night. I am so sad... It was truly amazing. I have been to Tulum before. This trip exceeded my expectations. The accomodations are amazing. It is really private and there are so few cabanas that the place never feels full. TDS is way down the strip, past all of the crowded places, almost at the nature reserve. The beach is amazing. We took lots of day trips but the time we spent at TDS was our favorite. We had our own deck with a hammock. Sleeping to the sound of the waves and the wind was amazing. We saw cockroaches, but they bother me much less in the jungle than they do in NYC. There were lots of gekos and iguanas. We even saw a scorpion, which Gustavo captured right away. I definitely did not want to leave. I did not miss my bed at home. I did not think about work at all. I was worlds away, totally happy and relaxed. I am already planning my next visit.

We stayed at Tierras Del Sol for two nights and had a fabulous time. Gustavo, our host, was really great as well as a great cook in their small on-premise restaurant. The beach is beautiful and quiet. The only negatives that i would list is a lack of screens on the windows... I'm not sure why they haven't installed screens since there are a lot of critters that are crawling around (tuck your mosquito net in TIGHT!) Also, the room we stayed in lacked cross ventilation so it was very hot and sticky at night. The electricity is a little primitive too - my boyfriend plugged his iPod into the socket and got shocked! be careful!

My husband and I spent our honeymoon at Tierra del Sol in January. We were looking for something off-the-beaten-path and not-so-touristy. (My husband says the larger resorts remind him of Disneyworld--we were not looking for a Disney-like experience of Mexico!) Tierra del Sol definitely exceeded our expectations. It was quiet, peaceful, and beautiful.

Our cabana was clean and comfortable, and the staff kept it very clean all week. We only saw one little crab in our room one night. There was plenty of breeze coming off the ocean, so we stayed cool at night. There were no electric plugs in the room, but we didn't miss them. Let your hair air dry, turn off your cell phone, and enjoy a week away!!

The food at Tierra del Sol was excellent. We ate breakfast there every morning--huge plates of fresh fruit, wonderful whole-grain bread with jam, Mexican eggs...delicious! We explored other restaurants in the Tulum area for dinner, but our one night of dinner at Tierra del Sol was better than any of the others.

Carlos and Gustavo are very friendly and full of good advice about the region. We were very glad that we rented a car, as Tierra del Sol is located far down the strip and walking to town would have been quite a hike. It also gave us the flexibility to do side trips to Akumal, Coba, etc.

The beach was absolutely gorgeous. Most of the time, we had it to ourselves. We enjoyed watching the sunrise and walking on the beach at night.

I would recommend Tierra del Sol without any hesitation. We can't wait to go back!!

We stayed at Tierras del Sol Feb. 5-12, 2006 and were very pleased. We're a city couple who came seeking quiet, sun, beach, swimming, snorkeling, and good food, and we were not disappointed.

The owners/caretakers, Carlos and Gustavo, were friendly and outgoing, and helped us with everything we needed. They spoke English very well.

We stayed in cabana "La Alta," which isn't actually on the beach but is set back a few yards. It's as much a treehouse as a cabana. It has a beautiful view of the trees, the sunrise, and the beach. The palms are at window level and because the cabana is so well ventilated you can always hear the wind, the ocean, and the rustling of the trees. Despite the fact that La Alta is close to the restaurant (which is tiny), we only heard voices once or twice. The people we encountered at TDS were people in their 30s-50s who also had come for quiet, not partying.

TDS is not very close to other resorts. It's south of the more congested "hotel zone" and as one other review said, there isn't much foot traffic on the beach. Also, the cabanas are set back from the road far enough that we never heard or saw cars. However, it's just a 5- to 10-minute walk to a few other resorts, such as Las Ranitas and Amansala, which have more extensive menus. So if you don't want to eat at TDS, you're not without food options.

Gustavo told us about coral reefs which are very far from the beach. We would guess that they were between a quarter and a third of a mile away so it took half an hour of strong swimming to get there (for one of us only!). But it was worth it in the end. Fantastic fish and coral formations. However even if you are a great swimmer be careful. The weather can change quickly and from that far away it can be terrifying to get back to the shore in bad conditions.

Meanwhile, back on dry land we walked north a few kilometers, and seeing the closely spaced resorts and more crowded beaches made us even more pleased that we decided to stay at TDS. While there were a lot of restaurants to choose from in that area, and some fancier-looking cabanas, I got the feeling I was in a posh yoga center in downtown Manhattan... which was not why we came to Mexico.

Disadvantages of Tierras del Sol:

We only ate breakfast there. The food was fresh and plentiful, the staff friendly, and the service fine. However, the menu was much smaller than the one at Las Ranitas, just north of TDS. Also, because the restaurant is so small, you have to let Carlos or Gustavo know in the morning if you want to eat dinner there that night.

There are no electrical outlets in La Alta (not sure about the other cabanas). We didn't mind very much, as the owners offered to charge our iPods etc. overnight in their office. But you would not be able to use an electric shaver, blow dryer, etc.

You will want to bring a light for reading, as the lights are dim.

You will want to bring a flashlight as electricity was sporadic at night. You may also want one for walking on the beach at night, although many times the moonlight was so bright we could see our shadows.

The saltwater shower never gave us a truly clean feeling. Not that we cared.

There were little lizards and bugs running around inside our cabana, so if you're squeamish about such creatures this is probably not the place for you. Larger lizards lurked outside the cabana as well but never made their way inside (that we knew of). Actually - what happened to that pack of cookies?

The beach here is the best part. The property has a lot of vegetation so it feels cooler. The structures are cute. Our only complaint is that of the staff. We felt like unwelcome visitors to a construction zone, and were treated quite rudely on one occasion.The communication of the caretaker leaves a lot to be desired. Be prepared to take a taxi $10 U.S. just to get to town. We were harassed by a local for picking coconuts.

I stayed in Tulum just after the hurricane. This quaint little resort is absolutely great. Beautiful beach. Tulum is full of nice people and fantastic little resturants.

We stayed at Tierras Del Sol from Aug 29 - Sept 2, 2005. And we loved it!

We loved the location, pretty far south on the road with not much traffic...on the road or the beach.

The cabanas are not near the road at all...they are up a quaint limestone path that Carlos was just having built while we were there. There is an adorable little cafe to eat meals which has a great view of the sea. We ate a delicious breakfast there every morning and had an awesome fish dinner there once. They do offer lunch options as well.

We stayed in Cabana La Pozada de los Buzos and we really, really liked it. We feel that it is definately the best cabana. It has a private deck w/ comfortable chairs, a table and an umbrella. The bed is huge with a masquito net (we only had to use it 1 night after it had rained). There is also a small cot and a little table. The bathroom lacked a bit in privacy as the curtains and blinds are quite sheer...but we got accostomed to it. We had lots of visitors in the cabana such as lizards (small & large), termites and one cockroach. We sprayed bug spray on the cockroach & termites and where they had been, after that we did not see them again. The lizards are cute and we did not mind their company at all. The cabana gets excellent breezes, especially with both doors and all windows open...you won't need a fan unless the breeze dies down.

The beach is impeccable! The water is crystal clear and the ocean floor is free of rocks, coral and seaweed. The waves were generally small but there was one late afternoon when we had to get out because the waves were quite strong and knocked us both under. The sand is kept clean and there are lounges, chairs and umbrellas. There is little to no foot traffic on the beach and the views are gorgeous! Mostly we felt like we had the beach to ourselves as the other guests did not swim much.

The lot is so cute and private feeling with lots of vegatation, it just has a very natural feel and is very beautiful. If you are looking to get away from the bustle of a busy tourist area such as Cancun (or even the busier section of the Tulum hotel zone)...you should stay here.

We will definately go back.

TDS is just an awesome place and the owner, his wife and staff are so nice...and great cooks to boot!

We cannot even begin to explain the beauty and peacefulness of this place, you'll just have to experience it for yourself.