STAY TULUM: MI AMOR
Mexico - oh Mexico, you've been on my list forever. It's almost shocking that I had never been, considering how close and convenient it is for NY travel. A mere 4-5 hour flight and somehow I hadn't made it there yet.
As the temparature was dropping on my side of the world, I was really happy to have a quick 3 night escape to Tulum. An escape to me means a retreat, it has to be special. And Mi Amor in Tulum was just that.
Mi Amor is a member hotel of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. I generally don't have to look much further for reviews once I see that seal of approval. SLH is very strict about their membership and are known for withdrawing their accreditation for any hotels that fall short of their standards.
LOCATION
The hotel is located centrally in Tulum, but a healthy distance from the hustle and bustle. For that, it's just a 5 minute ride to Avenida Tulum where you can eat, shop, spot street art and so many other tourists (if that's your thing). It's also a 10-15 minute drive to the Tulum Hotel Zone which is also good for boutique shopping, but is so filled with Hotels, you'd be looking for an escape.
So, Mi Amor's location, a little away from everything else, by the ocean, makes it a perfectly relaxing getaway. It is by no means remote or isolated as a few smaller and also discrete boutique hotels with excellent restaurants are within walking distance. My 2 fave places that I managed to repeat even during my short stay were Mezzanine for evening drinks and Kitchen Table (literally served the best meal I've had all year- not exaggerating by any means).
DESIGN
The hotel is a mix of tropical (lush greens, warm woods) and contemporary elements - (open bar and restaurant facing the ocean). Every element is tastefully done and there are some unique touches that make the space feel unique.
Each villa is tucked away in it's own private corner with a private jacuzzi Some have direct ocean view while other look into the heart of hotel- even the units that don't have direct ocean access, get the ocean breeze and you can hear the sound of the waves at every corner of the hotel.
FOOD/SERVICE
All meals are served at the hotel's main restaurant- the restaurant is rated very high and is a destination for many other visitors to the island, even those not staying at the hotel. My fave dishes had to be the fresh citrus plate served with olive oil cake. I also greatly enjoyed the variety of fresh squeezed juices and smoothies they had to offer. The Ceviche and guacomole was another standout. It's hard to go wrong with the options available.
To top it all off, was the service. Kind and approachable without ever being intrusive. That's always the measure for me. I love great service but it can be a bit too much. The best places know the right amount of being there and stepping away. Sometimes, we just don't want to be ON and sometimes when the service is overly accomodating, there's pressure to be ON, to be overly polite, overly conversational, when all you want is a little peace and quiet without coming off rude.
OVERALL
If you're going to Tulum, I'd definitely recommend Mi Amor. For me, it was mostly about location and how comfortable and relaxing the rooms and grounds were. I will warn you- if you like to have a TV on vacation, you may want to consider bringing a laptop/your own content. There were no TV's at this hotel, which is sometimes needed when you truly want to disconnect. Maybe instead of the laptop, you can bring a book or grab one from the small but effective library at the reception area.
