Shabby and overpriced - not recommended.
We chose the place to stay there for a couple of days after travelling Yucatan and Guatemala because the hotel's web site gives the impression of a nice "small boutique hotel"[quote] in Tulum. It's nothing like that and we cannot recommend it at all although the manager and staff were all friendly. If you're charged $160 for a room you do not expect a shabby travelller hang-out. We were given the top floor "master suite" under the palapa roof (suposedly one of the pricier rooms) with beach front view. It's a small room in which you could stand upright only in the middle under the gable. The sleeping area is separated from the "bath" through two low walls and the shower above the toilet. However, this wasn't a real issue because there was no water available anyway... The next morning we woke up with a number of flea bites and a cockroach lying dead on the floor. The roof was leaking and water dripping into our bags.. In general, if it is raining there is no place to go apart from your room. Everything else including the five wooden tables ( "restaurant&bar") is in open air. The small pool was dirty, with green water (algae) and full of sand. Not the idyllic place we were looking for to spend several days. We immediately left this shabby place to discuss where to stay in Tulum. Just by chance we came across the brand new hotel Eurostars Blue Tulum, which is in a different price class and heaven on earth. Hoever, if you manage to negotiate the "local" rate it's by far better value for money than Zulum. [please see the Blue Tulum review].
Some of the issues in Zulum might be due to the early season, however this is no excuse when charging the same rate as in high-season. In short: it's a rip-off.

I was a little apprehensive about staying anywhere along the Tulum beach because I am used to my creature comforts, i.e. 24-hour electricity, air conditioning, ceiling fans, screens on the windows, etc. These are all conveniences that other reviews of various hotels in that area have indicated are lacking. However, I decided to be a “good sport” and give it a try and became an instant believer! When the Zulum manager, Eduardo, told me that they have 24-hour electricity, not just between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and also have their own restaurant, things were definitely looking up!

We had a cabana with a panel of glass doors in front which opened to a deck right on the beach. All the beachfront cabanas had two chairs and a small table as well as a hammock on the deck. Inside, the bed was suspended by ropes from the ceiling and was swathed with mosquito netting suspended from the ceiling. We didn’t need the netting as, surprisingly enough, we had no mosquitoes or bugs at all. The décor is rustic but very tasteful. Lots of space in the room with ample storage for your personal items. The bathroom sink was made from smooth stones in a basin of cement… unique and very cool. The water dispensed through a conch shell which served as the faucet. Plenty of hot water and fresh towels every day. Housekeeping also provided two bottles of purified water daily in our cabana, and in the bar, there was a large bottle of purified water to refill the small bottles or any other container you had, when needed. They also provide beach towels for your use.

The beach is unbelievable! Fine white sand and beautiful surf as far as you can see in both directions. If you’re needing peace and tranquility, this is the place. Just pick your spot and relax. There are lounges and beds on the beach in front of Zulum and lots of shade under the palapas.

The staff is beyond great! Friendly, warm, courteous, discreet, extremely helpful…we couldn’t ask for anything more. Our stay was in the low season, and so the resort was not at full occupancy. This made for a feeling that we had the resort to ourselves, and we felt very pampered.

At our complimentary continental breakfast, Rufino created a beautiful and delicious assorted fresh fruit dish in a huge goblet topped with yogurt and granola. We also had toast, coffee and orange juice. There were also eggs, etc. available, if you desired. Rufino's friendly smile and eagerness to please made the meal that much more enjoyable. Even though there are a number of good restaurants very near Zulum, we had dinner at their restaurant two of our three nights, and it was a memorable experience. I don’t know what the chef, Sergio’s, culinary training is, but the meals he prepared for us were as good as or better than we’ve had in the best restaurants anywhere. The food quality was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and his genteel manner and attention to our needs was second to none. Certainly above what we would have expected from a hotel of that size, virtually carved out of the jungle.

Our experience at Zulum was so far above what I had expected. We will definitely return on our next trip to Mexico. Thank you, Eduardo, Rufino, Sergio, Jose, Pedro and Lalo for taking such good care of us!

i stay here 'cause i saw in the hotel web site and in another webs like this one that zulum was a good option... but the day my husband and me arrived there after some hours of flying and driving we found out that they had no electricy and only provided one candle and no blanket (it was cold that first night). The next morning we woke to see the pool was really a swamp and breeding ground for bugs (it look nothing like the photo on the web pages). We ended up departing Zulum early for Playa del Carmen because of the lack of electricy, but were still charged for entire stay. Never again.

When I arrived at Zulum, I felt like I had stepped into a picture postcard. The thatched cabanas are nestled between lush green palms and are situated arround a (seated) swimming pool, a great spot for reading or chilling out in the afternoon sun.

The Cabanas sit upon a perfect stretch of Tulum Beach. The golden sands and crystal waters reach out in both directions as far as the eye can see. When your lounging about in the sun, you have the choice of stretching out on any of Zulum's large double beach beds, round ying-yang cushions or reclining sun loungers that are dotted along the beach, the choice is yours!

In the evening you can relax on the deck overlooking the beach, a perfect place for star gazing on a clear night, or alternatively you can rock yourself into a tequila stupor on the swinging seats by the bar! The seats however, are not the only things that swing from the ceiling.The beds in all the rooms hang from the rafters and with the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, rock you gently to sleep at night- lulling you into a dreamy slumber- paradise!

But by far the best thing about Zulum is the welcoming and firendly atmosphere that is created by the staff. Sergio the chef can whip you up a delicious dinner of your choice and there's no doubt, whatever you fancy, he will cook it to perfection,

The owner and management were also fantastic and did everything to make our stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. I'd recommend Zulum to anyone who can appreciate magic when they see it.... a little slice of heaven on earth!