Layla Tulum Boutique Hotel & Restaurant — Hotel in Quintana Roo

Edit in response to the hotel management's answer: Saying that "We've checked our security cameras together with you and showed you" "After we finished going through the security cameras you had said yourself that you might have paid with that bill?'" is a LIE. I have the messages to prove it. When the issue was initially addressed with the staff at the reception, I was the one who asked you to go over the security footage. My partner and I were traveling to a different city that day, hence we didn't have the time to wait while you were doing that. You NEVER even offered us to see the security footage. You told us that you'll need some time to go over it, but you'll get back to me on What's app. Nobody ever tried to contact me. I was the one who had to reach out to you (and I have the message history on booking.com) 3 days later and ask you what has happened.

Lying about the situation is beyond disgraceful.

We booked through Booking.com. I would give 0 stars if I could.

Here is why I would NOT recommend this hotel to anyone:

The location is not ideal, it is in the downtown area close to the main restaurant strip. On 22 October 2021, there was a cartel shootout in a restaurant that is 100 meters away from the hotel and several tourists were killed. You can make up your own mind whether or not that is a safe area. Also, it's important to point out that the hotel is far from the beach you would need to get a taxi or rent a car to get there. The room was small, basically, the bed takes the whole space and it's impossible to open two large suitcases The bed that we had in our room was suspended from the ceiling like a swing. At first, we thought that was fun, but after the first night of sleep, we kept waking up with motion sickness. In addition, the edges of the bed frame were rather sharp and my partner kept bumping into the bed as the room was very small. While the hotel claims that is it a new build, we witnessed tiles falling down from the facade. Housekeeping didn't provide us with new toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap) after cleaning the room. I had to call the reception and ask 3 times before we actually got any hair conditioner. When we asked for recommendations for a reasonably priced beach club, the person working at the reception was not helpful at all. He basically recommended one of the most expensive beach clubs. And finally, upon leaving we realised that a 100$ bill was missing from the money that we put in the safe. According to the management, it is impossible that anybody from housekeeping could have taken it. Side note, initially the safe box was closed and we asked at the reception if they could assist us to open it. A person from the management team came and unlock the safe for us. Overall we had a very...

This is definitely not a 5-star hotel, despite what the pictures might suggest. Online, it looks like you’re booking a stay at the Taj Mahal – the reality couldn’t be further from that. In fact, I’m not even sure if this should be classified as a proper hotel or just rooms for rent.

Positives: The only real highlight of our stay was the staff – genuinely friendly and always wearing a smile. The location was okay, with some nice bars and restaurants nearby, though nothing particularly special.

Negatives: The list, unfortunately, is much longer. First and foremost, the place has a severe mold issue. Our room smelled terrible, and all of our belongings absorbed the odor. Even after washing our clothes twice, many items still smelled awful. My hair carried the smell for days, despite multiple showers – it was that bad.

The pictures are extremely misleading. What you see online is far from what you get in person.

“Includes breakfast” is misleading too – it refers to a very limited, specific option. Don’t expect variety or anything close to a proper breakfast experience.

They also overcharge for bicycle rentals. The hotel asked for 300 pesos per bike, while we found a place nearby that gave us two for the same price.

Another big disappointment was their tour recommendations. We asked for help with day trips to places like the pyramids and cenotes. They pointed us to an agency that charged us almost double what others on the exact same trip paid. We later learned the hotel takes a €20 commission per booking – which is no small amount. When we explained what had happened, their response was dismissive, almost laughable.

There were also a few other small annoyances throughout the stay that added up.

This place is totally overpriced for what it offers. The worst part is the false expectations created by the photos and “5-star” label. We felt completely misled and disappointed. Definitely...

This was a 5-day, 4-night solo getaway and my first time in Tulum. I truly appreciated the care and communication from the Layla team even before I arrived- transportation arrangements from Cancun, checking in about flight arrival times, WhatsApp messages once my flight landed - I felt well taken care of and once I arrived at the hotel, Elena and her team kept up that high bar.

The hotel is small and lovely, low key without sacrificing hospitality or quality - the room decor, the meals at the rooftop burger bar (the lamb burger!!!!!), the cleanliness and the attention to detail each time the room was cleaned. I was in Room # 10. Elena made great recommendations for dinner at restaurants within walking distance, but by far her best tip was to get a massage right next door at Flora spa. It’s a WHOLE experience. I booked three massages while I was here.

Now Layla is in Tulum Center so easy walking or bike rentals to get around the city. The hotel doesn’t have a shuttle, so there are choices to get to the Hotel Zone where the beaches are: 35-40 minute bike ride, taxi (approx $60 US round trip) or you can do what I did - travel like the locals who are hopping onto the Collectivo bus to go to and from work for 20 Pesos each way. Lots more room in the mornings than in the afternoons and a lot more crowded at the end of the work day, but you can’t beat the price and it was a 20-minute ride.

I had a lovely stay and coming back to the cool, VERY comfortable bed and fluffy pillows at the end of a day...