“Tulum is not real,” a local shop owner told me on my tour through Tulum’s crowded Hotel Zone. She didn’t mean it as a knock, but as a simple statement of fact in a part of the city that feels a bit like a resort itself, with everything geared towards travelers.
Jump straight to the hotel list.
The name itself — the Hotel Zone, or Zona Hotelera — may raise the skeptical eyebrows of those who pride themselves on only experiencing the hidden gems of travel. But Tulum is not the “next big thing” that it was in decades past. Tulum is now the big thing, and travelers avoid the Hotel Zone at their own risk.
This is where many of the best hotels of Tulum are located: and Tulum has one of the best hotel scenes on the continent. There is perhaps no other neighborhood in the world with so many of such staggering quality. Set along the coast, in a several-mile strip of land, many of the MICHELIN selections below are close neighbors, yet each is its own self-contained world, with a look and feel that lands somewhere between an all-inclusive resort and an owner-operated boutique.
Their endless creativity is a testament to how this town has managed to remain unique, despite the aura and sheer convenience (flights from New York are now direct to Tulum Airport) of this town on the Caribbean.
Hotelito Azul: a standout with a rare, rooftop infinity pool.
What You’ll Find In These Hotels:
At times it may feel artificial in the Hotel Zone, but the best hotels themselves preserve what's special about the city. Wellness offerings include intensive, Mayan-inspired sweat-lodges near as often as they do couples’ massages. The predominant design is not a standardized big brand aesthetic but a local blend of the rustic and chic. And the beaches remain as postcard-gorgeous as any in the Caribbean.The typical hotel in Tulum’s Zona Hotelera has its stand-alone rooms dispersed throughout the sand and the trees, set between its own small section of private beachfront and the main road of the Hotel Zone. Most offer a pool club either private to guests or open too to the paying public. There are restaurants, spas, and other wellness activities on property or just off site, and hotels organize live music or wellness rituals along a daily schedule.
The famous Tulum EDM scene is known to ramp up in the winter months. Check with our customer service team about any such events planned for your chosen hotel. It’s a low-key kind of vacation besides, where amenities and services are à la carte, and you can take your hosts up on as many or as few activities as you please.
Service is usually laissez-fare. Consider it part of the charm of a beachside paradise that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
How to get to Tulum’s Zona Hotelera:
Fly into Tulum Airport for an hour drive to the hotel zone, or to the Cancun Airport for a two-hour drive. There are no ride-sharing services here, so those who wish to visit the cenotes, ruins, or other attractions outside the beachside hotel zone might consider a car rental from the airport, or else a hotel with a robust transport system. Many of the hotels below offer car services. Reach out to our customer service team for more assistance.Where Else to stay in Tulum:
For a different experience in Tulum, look to the hotels of the town itself, or to pricier hotels that give guests a more white-glove experience on secluded estates, like Jashita, Wakax Hacienda, or Casa Chable.
But for the typical Tulum boutique beachside? Look to the best hotels in the hotel zone, below.
Encantada: a tiny, eight-room beachside hotel.
Be Tulum
Tulum, MexicoThe only hotel in the Hotel Zone with a MICHELIN Key, Be Tulum is a beachside, adults-only gem with two pools, dark, sultry design, a comprehensive spa across the street, and rooms with perks like direct access to the ocean and private plunge pools. An added benefit is the existence of the hotel’s sister property, Nomade Tulum, just next door. The selection of shaman-led workshops at Nomade are open too to guests at Be.
Book Be Tulum with The MICHELIN Guide →
Nomade Tulum
Tulum, MexicoAmong the larger hotels in the area, the 68-room Nomade Tulum is a marvel of indoor-outdoor architecture, where guests take their breakfasts reclining on comfy couches or sitting on cushions directly on the floor. Wellness offerings are robust, either at tents on the large hotel campus or across the street at the gorgeous Yäan Spa.
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Ana y Jose Hotel & Spa
Tulum, MexicoOne of the very first boutique hotels in Tulum, founded in 1984, has been updated to modern standards — and while you’ll spot the requisite palapas, the decor mostly eschews Tulum’s trendier, jungle-chic design for a more streamlined, contemporary appearance. Rooms are priced by view, with the highest-level, three-bedroom villa — coupled with the resort’s quieter vibe — an excellent option for families.
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Nest Tulum
Tulum, MexicoNest is among the smaller, more intimate boutiques in Tulum. Each of the 12 guest rooms is designed in a rustic-minimalist style for two guests, while the sole villa hosts three or four bedrooms. Everyone has access to cozy common areas, like the living room and roof deck, the latter one of the best places in town to take in the views. Along with Encantada, Nest shares access to the spa at sister property La Valise. NÜ Tulum is just next door.
Hotelito Azul
Tulum, MexicoWith all the chic-rustic design and oceanside accommodations in Tulum, hotels can start to blend together. It’s the rooftop infinity pool at Hotelito Azul that makes it stand out. It’s among the highest vantage points in the neighborhood, and accompanied by the Tiki Sunset Lounge, a spot for drinks and live music. Oceanfront suites open directly onto the beach, and there are welcome touches like common-use hammocks and conch-shell showers across the property.
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Delek
Tulum, MexicoDelek’s Tibetan-derived name is meant as a reminder of the hotel’s intentions: ecologically sound, culturally sensitive, sustainably sourced, ethical tourism from bottom to top. The cabañas feel hand-crafted and open to the elements in the perfect modern Tulum tradition.
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Papaya Playa Project
Tulum, MexicoDon’t come here for a quiet retreat: especially not at the full moon, when Papaya Playa hosts their legendary bash. The focus on art and music is the draw here, but it’s hard not to be in awe of the casitas — some of which feature intimate rooftop plunge pools amidst the trees.
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Ahau
Tulum, MexicoWhat stands out at Ahau are the “Bali huts,” some of the most interesting room types in Tulum. Another perk is the watersports school on the hotel beach, offering activities like kitesurfing and standup paddleboarding. The restaurant, Kapok, is a Bib Gourmand and entirely vegan — a rarity for Mexico.
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Azulik
Tulum, MexicoAn ethos of “pure love” — plus a clothing-optional beach, and, crucially, no kids. This, in a nutshell, is the appeal of Azulik, a wellness-oriented retreat with some of Tulum’s most unusual architecture and amenities, including its own art center and a restaurant set in floating nests amidst the trees.
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Encantada
Tulum, MexicoThe smallest hotel on this list — Encantada is just eight rooms on the beach. WIth such a small resort comes inevitably intimate service, including the ability to facilitate tours throughout Tulum to cenotes, ruins, or jungle trails. Nest is among the smaller, more intimate boutiques in Tulum. Each of the 12 guest rooms is designed in a rustic-minimalist style for two guests, while the sole villa hosts three or four bedrooms. Everyone has access to cozy common areas, like the living room and roof deck, the latter one of the best places in town to take in the views. Along with Nest, Encantada shares access to the spa at sister property La Valise. NÜ Tulum is just next door.
Book Encantada with The MICHELIN Guide →
Hero image: A look at the Tulum beachfront.
