Casual, tranquil, secluded and relaxed, Sol Caribe is a small, exclusive, beachfront resort with private cabanas and suites, on the Caribbean Sea side of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula; in the state of Quintana Roo… it is one of the last untouched corners of the Mayan Riviera with a desert island feel. Just 35 km south of the town of Tulum and 8 km from the village of Punta Allen, Sol Caribe is located within a protected oasis of extraordinary natural beauty, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico’s largest wetland nature reserve and one of the world’s greatest fly fishing spots on Ascension Bay (Bahia de la Ascension). Explore the Mayan ruins dotting the jungle landscape, snorkel in the Great Meso-American Barrier Reef just off the beach, enjoy the fresh seafood in our beachfront restaurant,watch the sea turtles swimming in the waves… or just relax under a palapa on a white sandy beach that you have all to yourself.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an, predio Chen Chomac, Punta Allen 77780 Mexico
We just got back from an amazing trip at Sol Caribe! Lupita and her husband are the best! They go over and beyond the call of duty as managers. They anticipated our every need. We didn’t want for anything. Lupita came to our suite to invite us to watch an extraordinary event. A huge turtle on the beach laying her eggs! We also watched this amazing animal make her way back to the sea. We also witnessed the baby sea turtles that had hatched from other marked protected areas on the beach in front of the resort. Antonio took special care to make sure birds and other predators were unable to get to the hatchlings, and released them to the sea when it was safe. One morning we woke up to a storm with strong winds and rain. I thought I would skip going down to breakfast that morning. What a surprise to see Lupita at my door with hot coffee and a full delicious breakfast. Things like this make Sol Caribe so special. She also met us one day after we were coming back from fly fishing with a yummy tray of homemade brownies and banana cake. The food was outstanding, and if you like lobster and shrimp, you won’t find any tastier than at Sol Caribe. Lupita and her husband are amazing cooks! Although the Yucatan has been suffering from the Sargassum invasion, the staff at So Caribe worked diligently to keep the beach beautiful and Sargassum free. No easy job, working in the extreme heat. We’ve been to Sol Caribe many times, but this was by far our best trip ever! Thank you Lupita, Morris, and staff for the best trip ever! We shall return soon. 🐠🐢👌🏻
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
4 anglers for 6 nights (5 full days of fishing) with excellent guides arranged for us by Sol Caribe. We’ve fished Ascension Bay numerous times over the past 20+ years and always stay at Sol Caribe. We’ve grown to expect the best and are never disappointed with the accommodations, food, service and attention to detail. Lupita, Liborato and Antonio will treat you like family. We are already talking about our next trip!
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sol Caribe is a great little hotel in Punta Allen. We had the beach house for a week and we had a great time! The property is very well maintained. The restaurant is very nice and we enjoyed the food and drinks. We had the entire beach to ourselves for a few days and it was amazing! Lea the on-site manager is a long time guide in the area and has immense knowledge of the area and can steer you in the right direction. We got several massages from a woman in town and she was great! Lea setup a boat trip and we saw a group of dolphins, a few sea turtles and a manatee in the lagoon behind town. The area is gorgeous and has so many eco systems. The boat even took us to a “swimming pool” in the ocean with shallow still water and a velvety soft sand bottom. We had a great time! Rent a Jeep Wrangler or similar vehicle to get down there. We had a BAIC BJ40.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Although booking direct with the hotel and them charging my card in full, we arrived to find our 3 day reservation non existent. The local staff went above and beyond to help us find another place for 1 night gratis (not even close to the *** we had reserved) and comped dinner and drinks for us. They also assured us a room for the next 2 nights. I was not at all impressed with whomever mgmt was on the end of the phone when we were told we were without a room (in the middle of nowhere too). Seems the manager 2 days prior had quit was the excuse - not your customer's fault since it was booked on your own hotel website. If it were not for Lupita, the excellent staff member on the desk, we would have walked out not to return. It did sour our stay but it is a lovely location with good local staff.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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2 unnerving hours on the road littered with very deep potholes and fords with high water. If you don't have an SUV, don't take the road. The location is certainly fantastic and isolated, but the service is not up to the cost. The included breakfast includes, in addition to some drinks, only 2 small pieces of bread and jam per person. The prices of meals are really high, justified only by the difficulty in bringing supplies to the hotel. There is no hot water. There is no hairdryer and if you try to use yours the power goes out. Obviously no air conditioning.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sol Caribe is located right on the edge of the ocean. It is a truly beautiful location. The staff is very friendly and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. The food was excellent. The rooms are excellent. There is bottled water available in the room which was a welcome addition. The rooms do not have AC. I was there in August and it was hot and humid. At night, with the ocean breeze and ceiling fans I was able to sleep but AC would be a welcome addition.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ask for a room on the ocean with a breeze
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We booked very last minute, and were so impressed by how accommodating and welcoming the Sol Caribe team was! The hotel is in a beautiful location. Oftentimes, we were the only ones on the white sand beach.
We were looking for fly fishing, and we got it! They booked us an amazing fly fishing trip is Ascension Bay. The meals were incredible - healthy but very tasty and a great variety. We are hoping to come back very soon!
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Date of stay: December 2019
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Booked a room. Got to the national park gate. They wouldn't let us through. No one would pick up the phone at the hotel. Got back a few hours later. Refunded our cost but ended up wasting a whole vacation day and having to book a cheap hotel last minute
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Looks nice, but cross your fingers you don't sit in an hour of traffic in Tulum beach to be told...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
For adventurous travellers who like to get away from the tourist crowd and are happy to drive the dirt road of the Sian Ka'an reserve below Tulum, this place is a real treasure. A little paradise on a gorgeous stretch of deserted beach, with a forest trail over to the lagoon. We have stayed in several places down this way around Punta Allen over the years, but nothing else compares. You get the peacefulness and wilds, but with beautiful rooms, really good food, and a perfect staff who are friendly, thoughtful, and attentive in a relaxed, sweet way. The food, made and served in a cabana overlooking the water, is startlingly good. I don't know how they manage that in such a remote location, but they do, and with a smile. The manager, Ricardo, is wonderful, and will help with anything you might need, including great conversation and a passion for the environment. He showed us the careful disinfecting routine they use with all the fresh vegetables that lets you eat everything with no fear of getting sick. For you animal lovers who are missing your pet, there is also one of the world's great dogs, Ricardo's dog Gia, who will cheerfully accompany you on your expeditions along the beach if you ask her to. Her good manners, playfulness, and cheerful enthusiasm were a fun addition to our time at Sol Caribe. For skin divers, there is a good spot about a km walk down the beach (south), where the offshore reef veers to shore at a point. There are some good coral heads and fish in that triangle, and it is often the most protected, calm area. Ricardo called it 'the bathtub'. Back at the hotel, on the lagoon side across the road, check out the beautiful puffer fish and maybe you'll see a spoonbill or stork. Go birdwatching. Hang out on the beach. Get a delicious plate of guacamole and chips, made fresh for you. Have a beer. Fall asleep in a hammock. Paradise.
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Date of stay: March 2016
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:All rooms are good, but Rooms 3 (cabana upstairs) and 1 (seaside cabana) are spectacular.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SOL CARIBE: Dec 28, 2010 – Jan 2, 2011 BY: Jackie & Dave
INTRO: Just to give you some background…… This was the 40th Caribbean/Mexican vacation for my husband & me. We almost always stay at Adults Only, All Inclusive resorts, but this was our 3rd stay at Sol Caribe (& the 1st since it’s been renovated). We have stayed at Sol Caribe: Dec 2008, Dec 2009 & Dec 2010.
RIDE TO SOL CARIBE: We rented a Jeep Unlimited from Avis at the airport. The total driving time one way from CUN to Sol Caribe was 3.5 hours (1.5 hrs to Tulum, then 2.0 more hrs to Sol Caribe). The road wasn’t too bad until you got about 10 minutes past the Boca Paila bridge; then there were TONS of potholes all over the road. We arrived at Sol Caribe on a Tuesday evening & left on a Sunday morning. The ride back up to Tulum on that Sunday only took us about 1.5 hours (husband threw caution to the wind !! HA !!).
ENTRY to SOL CARIBE: There is now a tall wooden fence along the road in front of Sol Caribe. The stone Sol Caribe sign is still there.
Parking is now along either side of the driveway, before you get up to the buildings, keeping the beach/cabanas free of cars.
There is now an actual lobby/reception area. They have Sol Caribe t-shirts & caps for sale.
ELECTRICTY: There is 24 hour, solar powered electricity at Sol Caribe. But……you can no longer use your hair dryer here. Luckily it was pretty windy that week, so my long hair dried w/in a few hours or so. This was 1 of only 2 negatives for me.
CABANAS: Previously, there were 4 separate cabanas at Sol Caribe. Now there are 2 separate cabanas, and one hotel-like building that houses 5 suites (3 on the 1st floor & 2 upstairs). The Beach Cabana is in the same spot as the old Beach Cabana. And, the Jungle Cabana is in the same spot as the previous cabana that sat back there by itself, but is now 2 stories. The 5 suites are now in the same location that used to house those 2 parallel cabanas that shared the breezeway.
We were in the bottom left suite. We had 2 double beds, 4 nightstands, a small table & 2 wooden chairs & a “wardrobe” closet w/ a safe (w/ a key, not electronic) in our cabana. The front, end & back walls had lots of wooden shutters w/ screens behind them to keep out the bugs. The breeze that flowed across the room, kept the room pretty cool. There was also a ceiling fan, which we never even turned on (pretty cool temps in December). The new beds were a welcome change & really comfy.
The bathroom had dual sinks w/ a nice tropical wood counter, a nice, new toilet, and a HUGE stone shower area. Nice strong water pressure in the shower. The whole back wall, above the shower, sinks & toilet had shuttered windows which we kept open for nice air flow. But, here was negative #2 for me: you cannot flush toilet paper anymore.
The patio was one long patio across the 3 bottom suites. It had a table & 2 chairs in front of each suite. And, a very nice view of the ocean & palm trees & foliage !!
The 2 upstairs suites each have 1 king bed & 1 single bed.
The new suites & cabanas are really spacious so you should never feel crowded in your room now.
RESTAURANT: The restaurant has been totally renovated as well. A new kitchen has been built along the back of the restaurant, w/ full size appliances. There is also a new bar. There is all new furniture (tables/chairs) w/ many smaller square tables. The front wall of windows is still there, offering that fantastic view of the ocean & beach.
FOOD: All the food we ate there was very good to excellent !! Mauricio & Liberato (who has been there since Michael started Sol Caribe in 1994) cooked our breakfast & lunch pretty much when we asked for it, within certain hours (breakfast maybe about 7:30-10AM & lunch 12-3PM…roughly). Dinner now is also within a certain time range (6-9PM ish) & no more family-style (w/ everyone eating together at the same table).
We had about 3 choices for lunch & about 3 choices for dinner every day. I’m a rather fussy eater & didn’t always like the exact menu items, so Mauricio was very accommodating for my fussy tastes.
Breakfast: They have an actual menu for breakfast now. Fresh fruit plate, eggs (fried, scrambled, omlettes, Mexican). The make the most delicious homemade bread; we couldn’t get enough of it !!
Lunch: As I mentioned above, there are about 3 choices for lunch each day (chicken, beef, fish prepared different ways). I special ordered quesadillas most days.
Dinner: Same idea for dinner’s 3 choices (chicken, beef, fish), always prepared very well. The broccoli soup we had was delicious. Salads were very fresh. Nice presentation for all the meals too.
We did the All Inclusive package, so I don’t know the prices of any of the drinks or food.
DRINKS: Bottled water, bottled beer (Sol, Dos Equis, Negra Modelo), pop (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Tonic Water), wine (red or white – we never had any, so I don’t know the specifics), mixed/frozen drinks. I do have to say that we missed Michael’s homemade Piña Coladas, as they were absolutely delicious !!
BEACH: The beach at Sol Caribe is just gorgeous !! White sand & turquoise blue water. You can walk forever in each direction & not encounter another soul. Sol Caribe’s beach is raked clean every day, but you will encounter some seaweed & garbage if you walk up & down the beach away from Sol Caribe.
SUMMARY: To wrap things up here, we just love the whole Sol Caribe experience & can’t wait for another return trip !!
Old vs. new Sol Caribe: the renovations are gorgeous, and have brought a bit of luxury to Sol Caribe. We do miss some of the charm & rustic feeling from Michael’s Sol Caribe, but, alas, everything changes and these new changes were very nicely done !! You still have the same, amazing tropical feeling, great food, isolation & that incredible beach, so, luckily, some things haven’t changed.
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Date of stay: December 2010
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cambridge, United Kingdom12 contributions8 helpful votes
Hi Stacey. I was there a couple of weeks ago and the road is bad. In fact regulars said it was the worst its been for 5 years. It is quicker to walk in some sections. We did see some workmen grading the road. Hire car companies don't allow you to take their cars there so don't tell them. It took 3 hours 20 min from Tullum to Sol Caribe by taxi. Its fine for 4x4's. Having said that I would still go back!
I'd recommend renting a rugged vehicle from one of the many internationally known car rental agencies located at the Cancun airport.
We made the trip South to Sol Carribe during the rainy season and rented a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV). The SUV did not have four wheel drive or even all wheel drive, but it did have a higher ground clearance than most other rental cars. You will need the higher ground clearance and sensible rough road driving skills (slow down & stick to the sides of any water hazard) and you should do fine.
"Looks nice, but cross your fingers you don't sit in an hour of traffic in Tulum beach to be told to turn around and not be able to contact the hotel for help Huge waste of time"
There are more places to choose from in the Punta Allen area.
PRICE RANGE
$184 - $196 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
sol caribe hotel punta allen
LOCATION
MexicoYucatan PeninsulaQuintana RooRiviera MayaPunta Allen
NUMBER OF ROOMS
8
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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