Hi Pepper,

Casa Violeta gave me a rate of $120 plus 25 per extra person which I didn't think was too bad considering we would have to pay about 100 more at Shambala. They were also going to emial me a pic of the room with the two doubles but haven't yet. I have to make a decision fast - I wish there was at least one person who could vouch for this place. My husband is saying 'stick with what you know is good' , so it may be Shambala. Thanks for your input.

Just from looking at the pix, Casa Violeta looks like the rooms are larger than Shambala. I know you'd hate to go into something so unknown, but it looks very spacious from the site...and they have nice sheets!!

I haven't been to a place yet with hanging beds; don't drink too many margs before you get into bed....and queen size beds are nice too. Often you'll just find double beds in a double room.

The ceiling is nice and high - great for air circulation...I'd take it since you could save on getting the extra room.

Oh God, Hanging beads and margaritas - not a good match! I swear, you think of everything - you sure earn your Trip Advsor expert status. I think you're probably right - room-wise, Violeta seems nicer. I just keep getting pulled back to the cool beach layout at Shambala, ya know?

I too have been inquiring about it. here's my experience, can anyone help???

I was about to book the reservation at Casa Violeta. I asked for a telephone # because I'd rather do stuff like that over the phone.

So I tried calling today (the # she gave me & the # on their website). I couldn't get through on either. It said a message in Spanish, but I couldn't understand what it said.

I emailed her & told her I wanted to book. She gave me wiring instructions to wire her the deposit (50%, non-refundable).

I obviously felt uncomfortable with this..... but when you think of it, it is the same as sending her Travelers Checks.

Is this a normal practice? I noticed the mention of wire transfers on another hotels website... I want to believe this is legit, but I don't want to get burned.. :/

Can anyone help??

I know it seems shady to wire money, but nobody takes credit cards and that's the only way they can reserve a room and hold it for you. You might try emailing Alan - his email is in the link in the above post. He had a hotel on the beach (Suenos Tulum) and has had some problems with his property. He is booking rooms for Casa Violeta and a few others. You might feel safer going through him.

Yes...hanging beds and all...after a while you notice this and that and find details to look for....can you imagine my 3 yr old on a hanging bed??? We'd bring the roof down!!!

I guess I am just looking for someone to say "I've stayed there and wired them money and this place is legit."

I would just kick myself if I wired $400 and showed up in Tulum with nowhere to stay, ya know?

Seems alot of other places are booked up.....

Here's a bit from the above link:

hola Brandon,

thankyou for writing, yes suenos is closed and will remain closed

indefinetely, there has been a land dispute and suenos happens to be in the

middle of the land that has been claimed, local autorities are all currupted

and we have proved that and we allready won 2 trials and there is one last

one to come and once we are done with that we will be able to take it back.

it is been a long time now but we hope to be back by next summer.

in the meanwhile i am booking rooms at other very nice hotels in tulum,

specially casa violeta, coqui coqui, casa magna, mambo beach and uno.

if you are interested please let me know the dates and kind of room you are

looking for so i can help you getting to one of the mentioned hotels or

cabanas.

gracias.

a l a n.

web.mac.com/ilovetulum

Past experience - I was trying to book a small hotel in Playa del Carmen around Christmas and they wanted me to wire the whole amount (it was within 60 days of stay) and we thought it was strange because we had never encountered paying this way. I asked if we could send half and they said fine. Well, we were kind of still iffy but were planning to send but by the time I responded a day later, they told me someone else had wired the money and we did not have the rooms anymore. They said that we didn't trust them and they gave the rooms to others who did. I really think it is a different way of thinking down there - but that is not to say it is not scary to pay this way. But, I really think we would be seeing posts by others if this was a scam. It is an amazing place to go and has in the past been kind of remote(though not so much anymore, I am afraid) and I am sure that very soon everyone there will take credit cards, although I don't know that it will be all that special of a place.

DId you ever stay at Casa Violeta? I am going in May and was ahving a prblem deciding between that and Shambala, both have asked for the money upfront to take the reservation. It does make me a little nervous too