Airbnb vs Hotel: Where You Should Stay in Tulum

Tulum quickly became a favorite destination of mine for many reasons. To start, it’s the perfect laid back vibe, though, as with most places, the trip can be whatever you make of it. Come with a large group and have a celebration including club hopping and fine dining or come with your spouse for a relaxing getaway-biking around old town and dipping into cenotes.

After going twice in the past year and sharing some of my travel tips I wanted to share one more piece of advice with you guys before everyone starts booking their holiday travel.

Where to stay in Tulum

I get asked all the time whether I stayed in a hotel or booked through Airbnb and well, I’ve done both. I’ve done one each time I’ve gone, both times staying near old town or the main street in downtown Tulum. Next up will be a beach hotel!

For now, let’s talk Airbnb vs Hotel in Tulum.

The first time I went to Tulum I stayed in an Airbnb, this exact one (that I highly recommend), so let’s start with Airbnb pros and cons.

Pros of Staying in an AirBnb in Tulum:

• Great for large groups- booking through Airbnb can give you more flexibility in terms of fitting everyone in one space rather than just on the same property but in different rooms. Again, that will depend on your preference. The home we booked was two separate, two bedroom, two bath apartments; on top of each other with a private pool. It was so fabulous! We had just enough space for everyone in our group, while still maintaining a level of privacy from our neighbors.
• The hospitality is top notch- our Airbnb host was amazing, she helped with tips and suggestions for things to do and see. She was also kind enough to talk on the phone with our shuttle driver to better navigate him to the house. I’m pretty sure she even went and bought us limes. She just went above and beyond!
• More flexibility with rules- say you want to go swimming at 2am after the club, you can do that in your own private pool, but that’s not happening at a hotel with a pool curfew. Same with noise levels, not that you should be obnoxious or anything but you are able to be louder.
• Price- Depending on how glam you go, I’ve found that with larger parties Airbnb is typically less expensive.

Cons of staying in an Airbnb in Tulum:

• Hard to find- a lot of the newer builds are on roads that are fairly new so it’s hard for cab and shuttle drivers to find them. If you don’t speak the language this can become difficult to navigate. Remember, you don’t just take a taxi to the hotel and back to the airport, you’ll need them more than you think to get around. Don’t expect to be able to Uber because this won’t be the case.
• Location- though this will always be dependent on where you choose to book; from my experience there are less options of restaurants, shops and attractions near Airbnb options in Tulum as they are predominately in neighborhoods.
• Construction- You can’t have new builds without construction being underway right? Most of the neighborhoods in Tulum are still vastly under construction so expect to hear the sounds that come along with that.

Pros of Staying in a Hotel in Tulum

• Shuttle services- typically your hotel will either offer some type of shuttle service for transportation to and from the airport, which is a short hour and a half drive-no big deal, and if they don’t offer a shuttle themselves they’ll assist you in setting everything up.
• Notable locations- tell your cab driver you’re staying at “Una Vida Tulum” and they’ll nod and more often than not start in the direction with little more help needed from you. Not the case when you spout off the name of a brand new street with a new housing development.
• On site food- If you’re like me and you need your coffee and a snack as you’re getting ready, not after you’ve gotten ready, then this is a major plus. I had breakfast each day at Una Vida Tulum and the food was amazing, some of the best I’ve had in Tulum.
• Daily cleaning- If I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a million times-beach vacations call for daily cleanings. You don’t want sand all on your floors and then in your sheets, no way. At a hotel the odds of that happening are lessened by daily cleanings.
• Variety of ‘expert tips’- You meet more people when you stay at a hotel so you have more tips on what to do wherever you’re visiting. Plus, you may even make a couple new friends.

Cons of Staying in a Hotel in Tulum

• Noise- I don’t mean to sound like an old person but some nights you need to get to bed and it’s impossible when people are screaming and partying at the pool right outside of your room.
• Less Privacy- Depending on the hotel, it can feel less intimate in a hotel setting compared to a private home.

To be honest, it doesn’t matter whether you stay in a hotel or an Airbnb, Tulum is worth the visit! Check out my post here to find out everything you need to know before visiting Tulum and let me know below whether you choose to go the hotel or home route!

Xx Sylvia