Hotel Howlita Tulum — Hotel in Quintana Roo

I stayed at this hotel for just 2 nights. My goals were simple: find a place in central Tulum for a reasonable price, and be able to bring guests into my room freely without any issues. This hotel met all my needs, and overall, I was satisfied with my stay.|The hotel is located a bit away from the heart of Tulum, in a very residential neighborhood that’s a bit poor and kind of rough-looking, to be honest. But it’s not hard to get to the main street - the walk takes only about 5 minutes. The area felt generally safe, though one thing I really didn’t like was the number of homeless dogs around. They barked at me every time I passed, and even the dogs from nearby houses got aggressive and barked too. That made me uncomfortable.|The hotel is run by Italian owners who converted part of their house into a small hotel. I booked directly through them after confirming the guest policy. The younger guy spoke very good English and helped me with everything. He made my check-in super easy: explained everything, walked me through the property, showed me several available rooms, and let me pick the one I liked best. He also gave me a small discount, and I ended up paying just U.S. $28 per night in cash (I didn’t take breakfast) - great deal!|The hotel has a nice swimming pool, and the inner outdoor area around it is great for relaxing. The overall property was very clean and had a pretty design. One part I didn’t like was the front gate. It could only be opened with a big metal key, and the owners were very clear that I had to always carry it with me. They especially asked me not to ring the doorbell at night and to handle the gate myself. In addition to the gate key, there was another key for the building’s main door, and one more for my room. These three keys were large and heavy - uncomfortable to keep in my pocket.|My room (#5) was basic but pretty designed and clean; all the furniture was in good condition. The only dirt I noticed was some dirty marks at the bottom of the white wall. The room had all the essentials for a comfortable stay. Since I chose a room on the second floor, I got a small balcony, which was nice. The glass balcony doors brought in a lot of natural daylight, which was a big plus for me. Now to the negatives: the room wasn’t soundproof at all. Even with the balcony doors closed, I could hear some outside noises, plus hallway sounds from both my floor and the one below. I could also hear noise from neighboring rooms if people were loud. Another downside was the bed. Although it was big, the mattress was very hard, and the pillows were stiff and uncomfortable. Also, my room didn’t have a closet; there was just a small section with a few hangers. If you travel with many outfits, storage space will be an issue. Back to the positives: my room had a medium-sized refrigerator and a nice working air conditioner. The bathroom was large and had a big shower section. However, the showerhead was broken and didn’t spray water properly. There was also no hot water; during both days I stayed the water only got slightly warm for a short time, and then turned cool. I also didn’t like the bathroom amenities. They were very cheap and smelled awful, so I used my own. The Wi-Fi worked very well the entire time.|Finalizing my review: while this hotel definitely has room for improvement, I can still recommend it for a short stay in Tulum, especially if your main goal is to explore the town and beach all day, and you’re not planning to spend much time at the hotel. If you’re not expecting anything luxurious and just need the basics, this place is perfect. Plus, the price is...

My husband and I had an incredible stay at Howlita this past March. Tucked just a few blocks off the southwest corner of the main town of Tulum, it is quiet and secluded. We loved waking up each morning to the sounds of the jungle, and the warm breeze. The rooms are perfectly appointed - they provide you with drinking water each day, soap, and even a stick of incense. AC and Fans are in the rooms, as well as plenty of hot water in your shower every morning. It felt like such a luxury after staying on the beach where electricity and hot water are more of a commodity.

My favorite parts of our stay were the extremely friendly staff! We were greeted by first name upon arrival by Maura and Joshua. They gave us a map of town, and marked off their favorite places (Batey, Chiapaneca, Posada) - which we went to all, multiple times!

We had a rental car, and parking was easy - plus they offer bikes you can use if you want to bike around town or to the beach. Dinner (Chiapaneca) was just a 5-7 minute walk, and Batey an additional 10 minutes, and afterwards we took a cab home (about 25-50 pesos). Getting around was easy, and we always felt safe and secure!

The beds are very comfortable, and with the AC you won't get too hot at night. If you prefer you can also leave your door open (there's a screen) if you want to listen to the sounds of the jungle. You'll also be able to enjoy a fresh, complimentary continental breakfast each day, and you can bring it back to your room, or eat poolside. The only downside is there is no on-site bar or restaurant, which was never a problem since we just walked into town every night. If you need to keep something cold, the staff will hold it for you in their fridge.

I would definitely recommend this place to anyone I know - and will definitely be back for future visits! The location is super convenient, and you can't beat...

Really good hotel!! AC worked, spacious room with king bed and one single bed, shower had cold and hot water, wash cloths, few towels, candles, water, free breakfast. All was great. It felt very personal because we got there very late. (Around 10/11 PM) and they left us a brief note, greeting us, wifi password and telling us when breakfast starts. The pool was clean and very relaxing. Breakfast was toast, jam, cereal, water, orange juice, and coffee. Had a really nice vibe and Joshua and Daniela were really great! You get two keys, one for your room and the other for the entrance. The neighborhood does seem a little bit sketchy if you're arriving at night but it's very well "protected" with a nightguard. Only complaints would be wifi was a bit on the slow side, and shower was small. No tv but given the fact that we're traveling, we don't really need a tv. But overall very good hotel. Beautiful interior and just a really...