Where to stay in Tulum with Kids

When Kevin and I decided to take our kids to Tulum, Mexico, I did a lot of research on where to stay. My main goals on our trip were to spend lots of time on a beautiful beach AND spend time exploring the city of Tulum and the surrounding area. We also had a budget, so needed to stay on point financially. 

And now that we are back from our trip...I'm here to say...we did just that! 

Tulum's beaches are some of my favorite in the world, so I knew we wanted to stay smack dab on the beach for a few days. There's no easy way around the fact that beach resorts are EXPENSIVE. So...in light of our budget, we decided to stay 3 night in a beach resort, and stay the other 3 nights in an Airbnb in town. Here are the two places we picked, which couldn't have been more perfect....

THE BEACH- LA ZEBRA RESORT

There are a LOT of beach resorts in Tulum, so I spent time researching which ones might work best with kids. I finally landed on La Zebra.

La Zebra is VERY kid friendly...here's why: 

PLAYGROUND: One of my favorite things about the resort is they have a really neat playground right on the sand, next to the dining room and the beachfront. This meant that while we waited for food in the dining room, my kids could play the ENTIRE wait. This is so clutch...because hangry squirmy kids waiting for food at a table is never fun. Instead, they happily played the entire wait. It also meant we could park ourself on the beach and also keep an eye on them on the playground if they wandered over there! Swings, a teeter totter, and a climbing gym were the stuff of their dreams! 

SAND TOYS & BEACH BEDS: Each morning the friendly staff at La Zebra put sand toys out for the kids. What a joy it was to have some toys to play with and not have to pack them ourselves haha! The beach beds were also a gift to this nursing mama! Every afternoon we made ourselves comfortable on a beach bed while Kevin played with the older kids and I nursed Ollie for a nap. When he was asleep I laid him on the bed next to me while I read (or let him sleep in my arms). It was amazing to have that kind of luxury on the beach! The kids also loved snuggling up on the beds with a towel post swim! 

 

ROOMS: While they unfortunately don't offer suites with multiple rooms, they do offer multiple beds in a room (2 twin beds along with a king bed). We all fit comfortably, and each suite has a patio/balcony to go hang out on once the kids are down. The rooms were really lovely, bright and airy, and everything was well taken care of. Many of them have plunge pools, and while we didn't get a plunge pool this time, if we go back we'd love to add that option on! 

POOL, GAME ROOM, & FRIENDLY STAFF: Having additional living spaces to visit, like the pool and game room only added to our wonderful experience. And that staff was so kind and friendly, I felt so safe and taken care of...and our kids loved it! There are also tons of hammocks and swings all around the property for the kids to hang out on which added to the charming ambiance! 

Lastly, even if La Zebra is out of the budget to stay at, you can visit and use their facilities by buying a day pass. We recommended this to friends recently and they said it was their favorite beach experience of the trip!

TULUM TOWN AIRBNB

For the other half of our trip we stayed in a very awesome Airbnb in the Aldea Zama area. You can see the link for where we stayed here. Aldea Zama is a really wonderful area that is safe, clean, and most places are inside a gated community. One of the things that drew me to Tulum was the use of natural items to decorate...the landscaping uses local flora, the interiors use rattan furniture and lighting, and everything has clean lines. 

One suggestion is to get an Airbnb with a plunge pool. Plunge pools are all the rage in Tulum and we now know why. My kids LOVED them, wanted to spend all their time in them, and they are a perfect way to cool off amidst the heat! Our airbnb had a rooftop patio with a plunge pool, and it was so lovely to look out over the city and jungle...just magical! 

We drove in to town, but depending on where you stay you can walk or bike! However with the kiddos, it was just easier to drive places faster! 

Let me know if you have any questions! I'm happy to help!