We were lucky enough to show up without a reservation and ended up with Cabana #1.

Our cabana was spacious, came equipped with filtered water, candles (electricity only on from 7-10 p.m.), mosquito netting over the bed, large shower, beach towels, private patio with hammock (my favorite spot), and beach front access. Yes, cabana #1 is right on the beach. We couldn't have been more pleased with Cabana la Conchita and if we are even back in Tulum, we'll stay there again.

Breakfast was outstanding, the staff is terrific, and our off-season rate of 120 pesos was an incrediable value.

Advice:
Be prepared for mosquitos!
Bring enough cash!! Hardly anyone accepts credit cards in Tulum (not even the restaurants) and there's no close ATM. Be ready for high prices at restaurants along the Tulum beach. We were unprepared for the prices in the Tulum area - downtown is not bad, but $9 for fish tacos at Zamas, seems a little steep to us (and that was lunch!). Dinner plus drinks seemed to cost us approximately the same as downtown Denver. There are no real "deals' to be had on the beaches at Tulum. Even happy hour "specials" were not very special. But this is the price you pay to hang out in the Paradise that are the gorgeous beaches at Tulum.

If you are looking for postcard beaches and the hedonism and ease of an all-inclusive type vacation, DO NOT GO HERE.

If you want to unplug and break routine, if you want to experience local culture, local cuisine and enjoy nature NATURALLY, then this is the place for you!

No phone, no electric (except for lights from 7-10pm provided by a generator), no TV, no A/C, NO PROBLEM! This place is the perfect blend of tropical paradise and rustic getaway!

The cabanas are simply furnished with an authentic and inviting Sante-Fe / Mayan style. The bed is clean, always well made and sits atop a stone dias of sorts. We were in cabana #5 so we had a ceiling fan that turned on from 10pm to 7am. Personally, I found this necessary as I tend to feel hot quite easily. This was not a problem here but more on that later.

The staff cleans your cabana from top to bottom everyday. They even squeegee the windows since gunk rapidly develops there from the humid, salt air. They also provide you with purified water in a jug that they keep topping off. It was a nice addition but we bought our own bottled water anyway.

The shower pumps out fresh water though it sometimes takes a while for the hot water to kick in. The bathroom door in cabana 5 doesn't quite close properly. The hook latch doesn't hold and, if you happen to have the front door open, the entering breeze it strong enough to pop it open while you may be otherwise... ahem, indisposed. We propped it shut with a large water bottle.

As with many places in the area, you had to put spent TP into the garbage next to the toilet. This is not as gross as it sounds. We got used to the practice quickly and, honestly, you couldn't smell a thing.

The front of out cabana had a wood armchair, a table (which we never used) and a straight chair but the most important feature was the HAMMOCK! Initially tricky to enter, it is incredibly comfy and we spent many hours lazing away the afternoon in the comfort of this hammock listening to nothing but the waves and occasional snatches of converstaion from fellow guests en route to their own cabana or perhaps the beach.

The staff is as friendly as their reputation claims. What other place can you go where the night guy, in between making rounds, will sit with you and tell you about the area's history or give you some valuable info about the best tequila? (It must be 100% agave, apparently).

Ice was a bit of an issue and was not readily dispensed as previous reviews have claimed. Still, it was no hard work to walk 20 meters next door to buy a 5 pound bag for about $3.50 US.

As others have stated, the breakfasts are terrific! The fruits were fresh though, not being a fruit guy, I shied away from them. The coffee is EXCELLENT! The menu only SEEMS basic offering "eggs, any style", toast, pancakes, french toast. But the trick is to KNOW what you want and get it!

Yes, "any style" means you can get your eggs scrambled, over-easy, etc. But order the Huevos Rancheros! OMG! Fried egg on top of refried beans ladled onto a warm tortilla! Fresh salsa (the REAL deal, not stuff from a jar!) is scooped on and fresh avocado tops the whole concoction. Simply awesome!

Or order the Huevos A La Mexicana! Scrambled eggs with tomato, onion, green and red pepper, and a spicy pepper mixed in! Make sure to ask for it con salsa to be authentic.

You can also order this stuff con tocino separado (with bacon on the side). The bacon is super crunchy and is probably the worst thing for my blood pressure but it's so, so good!

Of course, the orange juice is fresh-squeezed. So it's a little warmer than Americans are used to having but there's nothing like it.

We just got back from our trip (6/12-6/19) and bugs were not a problem. I got bitten once or twice at the cabanas. But DO bring DEET and some mosquito coils as they are very useful elsewhere in the area. Even being just 50 meters from the shore and away from the ocean breeze, the mosquito activity increases tenfold. My wife did get more bites though mostly around the ankles from gnat and ant-type things but, at the cabanas themselves, the bug-issue was fairly non-existent.

It was pretty hot there so I was glad to have the ceiling fan. We also made use of a portable fan we brought along but found that it actually wasn't that necessary.

I like to be cool when I sleep so I was afraid that this might be a problem but, with the ocean breeze coming in, the ceiling fan was sufficient. I even crawled under the sheet a few times though we never used the actual blanket they provided for us.

In the morning, the breeze never really reaches into the bathroom so I'd start sweating immediately after getting out of the shower. I didn't dig this but I knew we were going to the southern Yucatan in June so I accepted it. I found that if I moved to the hammock as soon as possible, I could get comfortable quickly enough to avoid breaking out into a sweat.

The beach was maybe 100 feet away. Sturdy lounge chairs are provided as are cushions. This is key for hanging out on the beach even when windy. It really keeps you off any blowing sand.

The staff was very diligent to rake up sea-grass that had washed ashore but this is a DIFFERENT kind of beach experience.

If you want pristine, sandy, miles-long stretches on which to cavort and play, you'll need to go elsewhere. But this was PERFECT for someone who appreciates an unspoiled and raw view of things.

The rocky outcrops on either side make the beach semi-private. Most days there were 6 people on this stretch of sand. There are some rocks under the water but they are large and dull. It's easy enough to navigate over them to bob in the water.

The water itself was capricious. the first three of four days had very calm, very warm waters. During the middle of the trip the winds picked up a little and the waters got a wee bit rougher. But most folks enjoyed boogey-boarding in it and you could still jump in for a cooling soak.

Cabanas La Conchita is a perfect ESCAPE. This is NOT LUXURIOUS by any means. But is an IDEAL place to go if you need to unplug, de-compress, and cleanse and re-center yourself.

We will definitely do this again!

Thanks to Mauricio, Alejandro y los otros! Mucho gusto amigos! And a special "Hey!" to Dana and Pat! It was great to meet you guys and we hope to see you soon!

My boyfriend and I stayed in cabana #7 for four nights in early June. This place was even more beautuful than I had expected. I chose this property based on the majority of the positive reviews on tripadvisor. Believe every thing they say becase its all true! The room was very clean and they come in every day and scrubbed it from top to bottom. We never had any problems with bugs or any other critters. The toilet had a strong flush to it (which can be important in Mexico) and the shower provided very hot water. The breakfast were amazing!!! Dan had the french toast every morning and I had it twice and fried eggs the other two mornings. The fried eggs came with toast, salsa, and refried black beans. You could also get pancakes or eggs cooked however you'd like. They also set up a little spread of fresh tropical fruit, coffee, yogurt, honey, and granola. In my opinion the breakfast alone was worth the stay. The beach was absolutely beautiful. The seagrass was raked every morning and it was kept extremely clean. There were plently lounge chairs with cushions and on most days we were the only ones on the beach. The owners also provide guests with buggie boards and a variety of beach floats. On arrival they provided us with a cooler to keep our drinks cold...I actually forgot to pack a bottle opener and they were nice enought to lend me one for our entire stay. It did get a little uncomfortable at night because our cabana did not get much wind, but that went away around 10pm when the fan turned on. However the fan would then turn off at 7am and it would get to hot to sleep. It wasn't that much of a problem for Dan and I because we usually never sleep past 8am anyways. I would definalty recommend this property to my friends.

We were curious about La Conchita due to the many mixed reviews we read...but it exceeded our expectations! We had a wonderful honeymoon, spent many relaxing days on the private beach (lounge chairs and towels provided), and enjoyed a delicious and filling breakfast everyday.

The staff was very nice, professional, and helpful with dinner suggestions and more. The rooms were very clean and thoughtfully decorated, each equipped with a hammock to lounge in on lazy afternoons.

The bathrooms provided flushing toilets, hot fresh water, and sweet smelling soaps. We did not have a problem with bugs, only occasionally found a crab or lizard friend which posed no real threat.

Restaurant not to be missed was Hechizo, which came highly recommended by the Conchita staff. It was the best meal we have had in many years and the service was impeccable. We also enjoyed Don Cafeto's which served up a delightfully filling seafood platter. Don't bother with the food at both Mezzanine or Maya Tulum - both were boring, tasteless, and poorly done...definitely not worth the money. Zamas was a fun night spot with great pizza and live music. We also enjoyed a tasty and affordable lunch at La Zebra which is down the hotel alley. Visit Oscar y Lalo for a day of kayaking and lunch along the bay.

The Tulum ruins were interesting but crowded, we recommend visiting the ruins in Coba. We rented bicycles and toured the jungle surrounding the ruins...there is enough space that at times you feel you are the only one there! We really enjoyed that.

All in all we had a wonderful time at La Conchita, however the one thing we wished we had more of was electricity. Though we appreciated the environmentally friendly atmosphere and approach, we would have enjoyed the option of light after 10 pm. They provide candles which makes for a very romantic setting, except when you are happily reading in bed and then the lights go out.

However, we highly recommend La Conchita for a romantic getaway or a peaceful retreat. You won't be disappointed.