Staying on the beach in Tulum isn’t exactly the most budgetable option- but sometimes you just need to stay near the beach for your sanity. You could stay inland near Aldea Zama or Tulum town-but with car rentals and finding parking fees adding up, it’s worth finding a spot along the beach. A Tulum vacay’s hard to travel hack because all the major chain point stays are in the town of Tulum, not Tulum Beach. There is literally one airbnb that I found that’s under $200. It’s adorable, ecofriendly but definitely not luxe like my previous stays. So why’s it still one of my faves that I would stay at again and again? THE LOCATION! It’s right across from Vagalume and you get free nightclub entry. You can also access the beach right through the street too. Remember all the beaches are open to the public- Mexican law prohibits any privatization of the beach so they will not kick you off the beach. YAY Mexico!
literally right across the street from the beach.
Room
Our 2 Queen Bed, 1 Bathroom Airbnb was $228/night.
All hotel suites come with a
- Bathroom
- Towels
- Free toiletries
- Darkening Shades
- Yardspace with hammock
- Mosquito net
- Hangers
- Air conditioning + Ceiling Fan
Food Trucks ~the budget option for food in Tulum
The cheapest option on the Tulum Beach road are the food trucks. It’ll still be around $25~ for an entree and drink but it’s ideal for a bite when you’re not feeling that nicely plated but mini portion of octopus. They have sushi rolls, poke bowls, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, brisket, pork belly sandwiches. Basically alottta options in a small area and outdoor seating that’s open late. Restaurants close around 10pm with some of them staying open to become bars on the weekend (Taboo, Bagatelle, Ilia etc.) but these trucks stay open until 11pm.
Latest Menus:
https://www.instagram.com/tulumunchies/
https://www.instagram.com/taconmadre.tulum/
https://www.instagram.com/sushi_poke_bowls/
https://www.instagram.com/holysmokestulum/
https://www.instagram.com/pizzapazztulum/
Beach Access via Vagalume
It’s illegal to privatize beaches in Mexico so anyone can walk along Tulum beach. To get access to the beach lounge chairs, beach clubs o restaurants require a minimum spend-but not an entrance fee. Don’t let anybody charge you for just getting to the beach! If one beach club says that beach access is blocked, just travel down farther up until you find a restaurant that’ll let you walk across.
Walk through Dos Ceibos
Restaurant + Beach Access
Next to their ecofriendly hotel is a scenic stroll to the beach. You get relatively cheap food and drinks while you can swim and lounge around!
Walk through Villas Las Estrellas
Tulum tripping with my brother and I discovered the mans is an absolute unit who can down those drinks so I took him to Villas Las Estrellas. They’re budget friendly and hella kind about beach access. They give out daybeds and loungers for just one drink per person. This was lil bro’s spring break from Ohio State, he made sure he got lotsa drinks on my tab. HAHAH love him mucho xox
Recap
The Hidden Treehouse is so worth the stay. It’s unbeatable location at this price means I’ll probably book again. The people at the front desk are so kind and make you so comfortable- and give you lot of local tips on where to go! You can explore the entire Tulum beach road-instead of having to drive back and forth from town-and that makes it so worth it.
Overall Vibe 8/10
Beach Access 9.5/10
Room 8/10 – great location, serviced often, provided all necessary amenities
Pool 2/10 – no pool; even though the ocean is right there a pool’s comforting ya know?
Parking 7/10 – right next door, but $30/day so not cheap-but not expensive considering it’s right next to you.
Aesthetic 7/10 – Tulum is like a high standard for aesthetic and this is definitely cute for a budget option but it’s just hard to compare once you’ve stayed in luxe. This is definitely competive on it’s price though!