Orchid Beach House — Hotel in Tulum

It pains me not to give MyWay five stars. I did not stay there, but had breakfast, cappuccino and dinner at the outdoor restaurant several times and the food was mostly delicious, the staff super friendly, the atmosphere relaxed yet professional, and meals reasonably priced.

Then we decided to have our final dinner there. Looking over the menu, we saw that all dishes were priced between $12 - $18 US dollars, so we decided to splurge and order family style. The waiter suggested we try to the "Fish Platter," which was not on the menu. We asked how much and he said "250." That was around $13 US dollars, cheap we thought, but in line with the other menu items. So we added it to our dinner.

The food started arriving, and it was really delicious. We were fairly stuffed when the "Fish Platter" arrived at last. It was a collection of four shrimps cooked in butter and so salty than no one could eat them, a medium size portion of grilled beef that was a bit dry, two chicken breasts, also grilled and dry, and some grilled octopus (ok, not great). We joked that it was the worst tasting thing we had eaten during our entire stay in Tulum, but felt fine leaving most of it untouched as everything else was tasty and we were stuffed.

Then the bill came, and for our group of seven the price was $600 without tip. We immediately suspected an error and found it, the "Fish Platter" was priced at $250 US dollars! We called them over and joking said, "You made a decimal error...."

That's when things got strange. The waiter said, "No, it's $250, I told you so. You have to pay it." We pointed to the small plate of uneaten food and showed him how it was impossible -- if you added up every item on the entire menu, the price of EVERYTHING would have been around $225. How could this small dish cost more than 25 other full meals? We also tried to explain that if we had ordered their shrimp dish, their top steak dish, their largest chicken dish, and the octopus (which they each sold separately) the price would have been around $45, and it would have been the same food. We even offered to double the price since some of the portions were about 50% larger than normal and explained it would still be $90 maximum.

Then, the waiter changed tack - "I'll pay it from my family's salary." Of course, we didn't want that. But why wasn't this listed on the menu and why would they ever think that a trick like this would work? Finally, the chef appeared and explained that he wanted this dish to be the most delicious and expensive in the world - like a culinary wonder. He said, "Each bite should be worth $250." That was strange. He was either delusional and a scam artist.

Luckily, one of our group who has been coming to Tulum for 15 years and said she never saw any scam like this went in search of a manager. The outlandishness of the price was simply too much. Finally, the chef agreed that we would pay $75, which was the cost of adding up each individual item in the "Seafood Platter" that was already on the menu, plus doubling the octopus and beef because he pointed out we got a large octopus, which was true.

We left a decent tip, paid after thirty minutes of arguing what we thought was only mostly fair, but worst of all, it left a bad taste in our mouth for our final night. (And we never really pushed the question of why our "Fish Platter" had no fish - the promised highlight, grouper, never materialized; but that was the least of our worries.

I think the people behind My Way have their hearts in the right place, and I hope they fix this immediately. At the very least the "Fish Platter" price should be on the menu, and they should confirm with guests who order it.

Once that's done I'll be happy to...

I cannot say enough about how incredible this place is! I have been meaning to write this review for too long but and wish I would have done so much earlier.. everything from booking, communication and arriving was nothing short of perfect! This being my Girlfriends first international trip made me want to make everything perfect and accommodating for her new experience. Every moment while we were there was one surprise after the next. The staff went well above what they should have, and I cannot thank them enough for making such an incredible and relaxing time. I really wish I had remembered the names of all that were there to help us make this such an unforgettable experience.. Once we had booked this reservation (also being a surprise for my girlfriend) I had been in communication constantly (probably too much) about some ideas I had planned. I was planning a special night to propose to my now fiancé while we were down there. The staff had given me special places and things to do and experience. As I was working to find the right time and place to "pop" the question, I realized there was no better moment time or place than at this wonderful resort! The staff communicated with me about many ways they were willing to assist me in making it the most amazing night imaginable. Being that my girlfriend is not one for a extravagant public display of affection haha I decided there was no better place than in the moonlight on the rooftop of our perfect terrace. I cannot recommend My Way Boutique enough.. both my fiancé and I have sworn to never stay any other place when returning to Tulum! We cannot wait for our next trip down there to experience not just the beautiful beaches, but also the incredible people of My Way! Such a friendly and accommodating staff where even after a short 3 day stay made us feel like family. I am currently planning a return trip to Playa del Carmen this upcoming year. Because of this incredible experience, we are hoping to stay a few extra days and travel back down to Tulum just to spend time at My Way Boutique for a second time! Thank you to all! I cannot wait to return.

also, taking not even 10 steps into the lobby and the receptionist welcoming us by name (had not even given them a time we would arrive) was an incredible surprise! These guys and girls are on top of it! Wish I could give...

Good location. Room was super tiny. Nowhere to put luggage. Doors are flimsy with a weird padlock; overall the structure is pretty rickity. It was raining heavily when we arrived and there was a leak in the bathroom roof or window? The floor was soaking wet. Note also that the pathway between the units is a series of wooden or cement (I don't remember) slabs with sand / ground between them... so you cannot roll luggage. Our room was closest to road so we heard the party raging across the street. Overall, I'd say this is a decent place if you're traveling light or backpacking and want a no frills room to crash for the night after going out partying. We left immediately after the first night and got an airbnb in the morning. The hotel refused to allow us a refund for the remaining nights, which was deeply frustrating for multiple reasons. (1) the room had a leak and the various other issues mentioned above (2) we left the hotel early the first morning; actually, there wasn't even anyone there to properly check us in on the first night ... so as far as their system was concerned... we were never there (3) we simply wanted a partial refund for the unused nights (4) the guy at front desk working in the morning told me that the hotel would work with us but I needed to get expedia to call the hotel since I booked through expedia. Of course, when expedia called, the hotel refused to refund anything. Terrible experience. We ended up paying for a bunch of nights without even being there. I bet the hotel made a nice profit renting our prepaid rooms to other guests.

UPDATE after reading response from the hotel: the only thing the hotel management offered in response to my review is that they would have tried to fix the situation if only I had let them know about the situation. As I stated earlier, I did let the front desk clerk know of the situation and his only advice was for me to call Expedia.

Also, yes I did see photos of the room prior to booking. But let's be honest: a wide angle lens can make a room appear much bigger than it is. My review was making it more clear for other future travelers so they are aware of the size of the room and plan accordingly. Plus, some things are less obvious from the photos. For example, the bathroom is too small to fit the toilet, which is in a different location...