4carolina

My friend and I do a winter trip together sans spouses.Last year we went to Anguilla,which suited us perfectly.....gorgeous stretches of peaceful beaches;great restaurants;no noisy scenes.This year we want to combine a beach holiday with some trips to Chichen Itza and other ruins.We like to relax on the beach,read,walk and swim.Are there small hotels where the beach scene is a quiet one?I have read so many postings,and it sounds like Shangri La might be a good place for us.Has ayone stayed there recently??Where else?We would like to keep our rates around $300 per night,or less.I have also been thinking about Isla Mujeres.Has much damage been done to the beaches by the hurricane this past Fall??Do we need to be concerned about construction at any places suggested??Lastly,are there tour companies we could hire for our trips??We very much want to have a great time and welcome your feed-back.

colokid

You don't say what month you're thinking of but Shangri La has been sold and will be closing sometime in 2008. I thought I had heard March at one point. Anyway, there are other great places to stay in PDC also. If you are looking for the north end of town where Shangri La is located you could look at La Tortuga, Riviera Del Sol or Luna Blue for hotels that are not on the beach but smaller and quieter. Playa Maya is also a choice on the beach more in the south part of town. Beautiful views from the windows and a restaurant on the beach.

4carolina

We plan to travel very end of January thru first week of February,and prefer a hotel on the beach;not large but very nice.I will check out your suggestions.Also hoping some Fodorites will tell me more a better sense of Isla Mujeres,and its hotel offerings;restaurants.My travel buddy has looked into Ana y Jose in Tulum.has anyone stayed there??So many questions,so little time !!Help...

colokid

The only one I mentioned that is on the beach is Playa Maya but Shangri La will still be open at that time if they have availability. Tulum is very quiet and you will need a car to get anywhere.

4carolina

Hi colokid...Is Shangri La as nice as it looks??What is the difference between staying at the Norh end of town vs. South end.?Any suggestions in regard to the less crowded/peaceful issue??Are there restaurants in Tulum??Is it too much of a longshot??Have I overlooked any options??

sylvia3

Try a (even gated?) condo (2-bdrm, 2 bth) with a pool on the beach. There are lots of them, way better value than a hotel..Locogringo can steer you.

pepper131

I love Tulum - that's where we vacation every summer. Ana y Jose is a nice hotel - one of the nicest in Tulum and the closest to a full-service hotel in the area. Some people find it isolated, but we think it's perfect....definately uncrowded and peaceful.

There are plenty of restaurants in Tulum. Look at a couple of maps:
bill-in-tulsa.com
sac-be.com
todotulum.com

colokid

Shangri La is very nice. The north end of town has a large Italian community and is quieter and less touristy than the south end. Most tourists who stay in Playacar do not walk that far north. It takes about 15 min from the entrance to Playacar to walk north and just past Constituyentes you can feel the change in the surrounding area. There is also a nice condo complex directly behind Shangri La called Natz Ti Ha but there are many other complexes right in the area also which are new and very pretty. I like the pool at Natz Ti Ha because of it's size and depth. Many pools are not that big. Pools are not heated in Playa though so they run a little chilly compared to the Caribbean. I enjoy the evenings in the north end of town and rarely venture south unless someone is visiting and I want to show them around. Playa Maya is very nice though if you want a place on the beach and close to the busier part of 5th. It all depends on what you're looking for as far as nightlife. If you want just quiet serenity then Tulum is definitely the place to go...beautiful beaches and very quiet. If you want to walk around at night and have a few cocktails, people watch, and a variety of places to eat than try PDC.

campjulie

colokid: Can you tell me what you think of Hotel Mimi del Mar? We are looking for a beachfront hotel, not AI, we don't need luxury but want clean and comfortble. We will be travelling with our children 7 and 7 years old. Thank you.

colokid

I have not stayed there myself. I have stayed at Playa Maya, Riviera Del Sol and Luna Blue. Fortunately, now I have my own place. If you want, I'll be down again in a couple of weeks and could check it out for you if you don't get any other bites on this site or you could try for info at playa.info on their trip planning tab. They list many of the hotels and give descriptions.

4carolina

Hi colokid......You are realy so kind to provide all this information.We have booked our air tickets for 28 January,so we don't have much time.Shangri La sounds like what we are looking for.Close enough to restaurants but apart from the crowds.I am concerned about the condition of the rooms,since they will be closing in the Spring for construction.If you are in the neighborhood,and can pop in that would be great.In the meantimeI think I will make a reservation,which can be cancelled up to 2 weeks before arrival.We also wonder if it makes sense to rent a car.We will be 5 nights in PDR and then 2 nights in Chichen Itza,so we will need to get from the airport and then to Chitzen and back to the airport.Any suggestions??????

virginia

you can take public buses to pdc. or you might look at: https://www.locogringo.com/transfers/transfers2.cfm
there are tours to chichen itza - look on lg - or you could rent a car in pdc, or at the airport.
if you want to see tulum and do day excursions from pdc you might want to have a car for the whole time... driving is not difficult, and it would be hard to get lost.

you can look at aerial views of the area of your hotel options on lg as well: http://www.locogringo.com/maps/tour/145a-t.html

colokid

I take the ADO bus from the airport or rent a car. Next trip I'm renting in Play because I only want it for a few days and it's so darn expensive around the holidays. So, we'll bus it to Playa and then pick up the car. The drive to Chichen Itza is very straightforward heading south fro PDC then west when you reach Tulum on the Coba Road. Since the beach by Shangri La is one that I frequent I'll have no problem looking around but I doubt they would let me in the rooms. But, then again, I talk to people on the beach all the time so I'll ask around what people are thinking. I've also rented at the airport most recently in October. I drive myself and whoever is visiting with me everywhere and have not had a problem but...
I do adhere to the speedlimits!
I do watch the gas station attendants and never ask them to fill the tank...also I do not pay until I'm ready to leave and make sure I say to the attendant how much I'm giving him. I also ask for a specific amount when I first pull in.
I am aware of the different traffic rules when driving in Mexico and they are a bit different.
I am also aware of topes (speed bumps) on the highway...some of which may be marked and some not.
I pack the trunk with cold drinks, food and snacks. Since the food at Chichen Itza is a bit pricey I usually eat when we're done before I get back in the car.
More than likely you will not need a car while in PDC since most of the parts of town you will want to go to is within walking distance as long as you are able to walk for 20 min. There are also trips listed on playa.info to different ruins and they use smaller vans. I don't really go for the large tour bus thing.Let me know if you need any more info.
Sue

4carolina

colokid....sue
You have become a real buddy.Can't thank you enough.If we take the bus to PDC,is there a favorite car rental place you use in PDC?? .. or at the airport ??I went to playa.info.....thanks for that,and see that their transfer will be about $70. for 2 of us.We may welcome that service,take it easy for a couple of days and then rent for a couple of days.I think we will look for public transport to Chitzen Itza,where we plan to spend 2 nights,and then go from there to the airport in Cancun.I will talk to the people at Hacienda Chitzen and hear their suggestions.How long does it take to drice from Chitzen to Cancun airport??
You have provided so much wise and practical information.We will follow all of it !!Lastly,if you have any other brainstorms for hotels in PDC now that you understand our wants,we'd be grateful,AND..did the beaches in PDC suffer much damage in the August hurricane??I am asking a lot I know,and so appreciate your generous sharing.

jette

I'll jump in here too. I've made 7 trips to Playa and I can certainly be described as "of a certain age".
The fact I've made repeat trips says a lot! I love Playa and I'm sure you will too.

As for the beach changes, they change almost daily. You can gain or lose 5 or 6 feet almost over night so don't worry too much about that.

I have 3 personal favorites for hotels. Playa Maya is always a no-brainer. Right on the beach and a wonderful staff. Last August I stayed right next door at Alhambra. I loved this place. The rooms/balconies are quite a bit larger than PM and again the staff are exceptional.
Tortuga is also wonderful. Not on the beach but they have arguably the best pool in Playa and the garden courtyard scene is amazing.

I'm like you, love to laze on the beach with a good book during the day and at night......SOOO much to choose from! More restaurant choices and after diner drink/people watching spots than you can possibly imagine.
Playa.info again is a great resource for looking at restaurant and other activity choices.

I know you'll have a fantastic time where ever you decide stay.

sberk

I stayed at Ana y Jose a few years ago. The beachfront suites are very nice, but it isn't "four seasons/ritz" nice, its got a more rustic/local feel. So it depends if that is your thing. The beach scene in Tulum is pretty mellow - you can go out to bars, hear some music, etc. but it isn't a crazy party scene.

Overall I really liked Ana y Jose and Tulum but had two issues. First, there is a distinct smell in the area that can occasionally smell like sewage (but I don't think it is actually sewage!). We could smell it in certain areas of the grounds, but not at all on the beach, or in the restaurant. Again, I think this is an 'environmental' smell that occurs throughout the area, not just at Ana y Jose, but it did ocassionally detract from the atmosphere.

The other thing is that while all of the hotels clean their beaches diligently, when you walk down the beach and you pass the areas with no hotels, they are covered in garbage that has washed up on shore. It made me a little queasy to go in the water to realize all the the trash that was in there. Again, it didn't really detract from my vacation all that much, but it kept it from being that "idyllic" place I'd rush back to.

That said, I went to Anguilla last year - I would go back to Anguilla in a heartbeat - one of my favorite places ever - but may or not return to Tulum. But to me a pretty beach with no one on it is all I need for paradise.

colokid

I wouldn't hesitate with Playa Maya, La Tortuga (beautiful pool)even though it's not on the beach. I've rented through Avis and Hertz at the airport and have not had any problems. I've also rented from Executive, Ace, Caribbean, Easyway, and Budget in Playa. Only problem with one when it refused to go into reverse. I like Caribbean because they came to the condo and dropped off/picked up the car...no hassle. They also include 0% deductible in their rates. Lots of people really like Easyway but I wouldn't go back. There are two ways to get to Chichen Itza...one is to take 307 south to Tulum and then west on the Coba Road. Once you get to the roundabout you can go halfway around and continue on west to Chichen Itza or head south through the circle and go to Coba. If you still head to CI then when you get to the end of that road and it intersects with another turn left and drive toward Valladolid. It is a beautiful colonial town. Just past is a prison where they sell beautiful hammocks...I bought one several years ago and the darn squirrels ate through it last summer. Continue on to Chichen Itza. The other route is on the toll road via Cancun. It is quite pricey but very well maintained and several lanes. Like any other highway. The Tulum route is more scenic. As for the beaches, they come and go. The hurricane last summer was brief and nowhere near the one two years ago. My neighbors told me they had very little wind inside our complex. Out at the beach it was quite windy but the beaches in Oct were beautiful. South of Tulum was hit quite badly. But, again, the beaches can change daily. Sorry I can't give you more of a selection on hotels...I just don't stay in them anymore so I don't know. Restaurants on the other hand I could give you some ideas as I do love to eat out and off the beaten path. Don't worry about asking too many questions; that's how we all learn. Sharing info is always great.

4carolina

O.K. Sue,You anticipated my next concern.....restaurants;I would appreciate suggestions in PDM.....we will have 5 nights there,and love to go out for dinner.Also,shopping:are there any shops we should especially seek out,for crafts,clothes,or........Are credit cards widely accepted,and are there many bank cash machines??
In Chichen Itza we will be staying at the Hacienda.Are there restaurants close by??
I think we will give a deposit to Shangri LA.The quieter setting is important to us,and the look of the place fits with our fantasy.Any other tips you can think of will be welcomed.

colokid

I do have quite a few restaurants that I like and most, if not all, are not on 5th ave. As for shopping, I don't do the craft stuff or buy too much other than groceries so I can't be much help with that other than the hammocks at the prison. Credit cards are accepted but I don't use them except at the larger stores like Mega or WalMart. There are plenty of cambios where you can change money and ATM's to get cash. There is one that I use at Mega. The ATM's display amounts in pesos so if you see 500 on the screen it's in pesos not USD. I'll post more tonight on restaurants when I wake up : )
Sue

4carolina

Hi colokid.. and allof you who helped.I have just returned from long-awaited PDC and Chitzen.Sue,we used so much of the information you provided.I will do a very brief summary,of our experiences and hope it will be useful.The Shangri-la was really lovely.We had a ground floor Palapa [sp.?] that was perfect: 2 hammocks on the porch;a room with louvred windows & 2 queen beds,and it was immaculateIt.Crisp linens on the beds,lovely tiles,freshly painted interiors.....and.literally steps to the beach.The grounds were lovely and it was really quiet.This is not a party scene place.We were puzzled by the constant stream of people walking in both directions on the beach.it distracted us from fully appreciating the gorgeous turquoise water.After a drive through town, which is far bigger than anticipated,we began to understand that all beaches are public,up close to the water,and the large number of walkers/settlers were visitors or townspeople on holiday.The hotel area,where the chaises were was fine.It was that constant stream,to and fro,that imposed itself.
Rates at the Shangri La include breakfast and dinner,in very pleasant dining spaces.Breakfast is great,with huge platters of fresh fruit,yougurt,cereal and baked goods.in addition there is a full cooked breakfast.Dinner is buffet style,and O.K.We had 2 meals in and 3 outesca;Chained Monkey & Figaro..all fine.
ShangriLa will not be torn down this Spring as planned.Because of the housing down-turn and unsold condos on the market,they have decided to keep it open 3 more years.It is a really ideal place in terms of our needs BUT had we known PDC is the fastest growing city in Central America,we never would have gone there.Having visited Akumal,it would have suited us better.There,there is no big town feeding the beach.The beach is lovely,and so quiet without all the pedestrian traffic.
We tool your advice rented a car one day to go to Tulum and Acamal.The roads are not crowded,and it is only when approaching PDC that we encountered real traffic.After 5 nights in PDC we rented a car for the drive to Chichen.We did not take the toll road because we wanted to stop in Valladolid,which is lovely.Arriving at Hacienda Chichen,we found exactly what we had hoped for:gorgeous,lush vegitation;trees dripping with hanging blossoms;birds everywhere.....and the hacienda,picture perfect.Our airy room had white stone walls,lovely Mayan pottery, a bathroom witha deep soaking tub and attractive furnishings.Peace reigned.it provided a perfect ending to our holiday.We had an easy drive back to Cancun airport,but I was haunted by the possibility of a flat tire,and wondered what we would do.We did not have a cell phone,had never changed a tire and only one gas station between Chitzen & Cancun.So my one big piece of advice would be to have a phone and ask the car rental people what to do,just in case.We had a most wonderful time>!!!!!