Best Areas to Stay in Tulum – Neighborhoods + EPIC Places to Stay

When looking for the best area of Tulum to stay, it can be a tough choice. The neighborhoods in Tulum are all quite different from each other and all offer different pros and cons – privacy, walking distance to shops, quality of accommodation, price, accessibility to the beach, and more.

I have lived for at least a month in all Tulum neighborhoods (besides beach road as I am not made of money haha – although I worked on the beach four days a week, I only spent 3 nights there in 6 months for a special occasion), so I can confidently say I know all main areas very well.

Below I will break down the pros and cons of each Tulum neighborhood so you can make a choice on where to stay in Tulum with confidence. I’ll also recommend some of my favorite properties in each area of Tulum from hotels to hostels to vacation rentals/airbnbs.

Before The Best Areas in Tulum

Make sure you brush up on Tulum Safety Tips (and read our crazy story if you like) or general tips for traveling to Mexico. If you’re looking for some chic, trendy, or unique accommodation, check out some other Tulum accommodation guides and articles below!

• Cool + Unique Places to Stay in Tulum: 20 properties with incredible architecture, design, themes, and more
• Tulum Treehouses: 10 Amazing Treehouses In Tulum You Can Rent
• A Guide to the Best Tulum Beachfront Airbnbs and Vacation Rentals for all Budgets and Group Sizes
• The Coolest Tulum Hotels With Private Pools

If you head up to Playa del Carmen, save the most unique things to do in Playa and the best boutique hotels in Playa del Carmen too (there are a lot)!

What to Know About Deciding the Best Area to Stay in Tulum for YOU

Before deciding where to stay in Tulum, you must figure out a few things:

Tulum Neighborhoods Map

First and Foremost, Tulum is laid out very differently than most beachside cities. Tulum actually has a main town or ‘pueblo’ with a strip of shops, pharmacies, bars, and restaurants that are always busy. The Pueblo/Town is surrounded by a few other more private neighborhoods/areas a bit farther from the main strip – Aldea Zama below one side and La Veleta on the other.

THEN, 2-5 kilometers/miles away is the beach road or the hotel zone/zona hotelera, which has a whole different strip (or multiple strips) of restaurants, hotels, beach clubs, and bars. This area is much fancier and is what you probably see of Tulum on Instagram. Any accommodation here (and pretty much everything) is more expensive.

Where to Stay in Tulum Based on Your Budget

Each area is very different when it comes to pricing. The beach road is the most expensive, followed by La Veleta and Aldea Zama and then, Town.

But of course, it depends on what kind of place you decide to stay in. There are some nice hotels in town that will be more expensive than a basic apartment in Aldea Zama. If you have the money, the beach is generally best.

Where to Stay in Tulum Based on How Long You Will Stay

Most Tulum hotels and airbnbs will offer a discount for weekly and especially monthly rentals. If you are looking for something longer term, consider reaching out into the community to find longer-term rentals or rooms for rent in apartments/houses.

If you are just on a weekend trip, bachelor/ette party, or short trip, you’ll probably just want to splurge on a nicer place like a beachfront airbnb – which you should! I would definitely say that the best area to stay in Tulum for only a few days is beach road, but nearly no one stays on beach road long-term.

Where to Stay in Tulum Based on How Large Your Group Is

You can sometimes find great deals for larger apartments in all areas of Tulum. Larger places on the beach will, again, be pricier but way worthwhile if you can split between a lot of people. The best places to get large villas/houses/apartments are Aldea Zama and Beach Road.

Aldea Zama Neighborhood: Best Area to Stay in Tulum for Space, Security, and Quiet

Aldea Zama Pros: Security inside each apartment complex, sectioned-off and private, quieter, borders both roads that lead to the beach, close to big supermarket, many big and new apartments, paved streets

Aldea Zama Cons: tends to be pricier, only two roads in and out, less restaurant/grocery options, likelier to be extorted by police due to quiet area, hard to hail a cab

First up in this guide to the best areas to stay in Tulum is Aldea Zama. Known as ‘Aldea’ for short, this Tulum neighborhood is known as more upscale. It has massive, wide paved roads, huge roundabouts, and jungle bordering everything.

Aldea Zama has developed A LOT in the last few years and is continuing to do so. New apartment buildings pop up ALL the time, and there is usually construction around also. In 2024, there are grand plans to develop Aldea Zama even further toward the beach – I’m not sure there will be much jungle there anymore soon!

Something interesting that you’ll find in Aldea Zama is that a lot of the apartment blocks are actually really similar – modern, edgy cubic style with a few bedrooms. I’ve stayed in a few shockingly similar places – it seems people are just investing in the area quickly and heavily.

What to Know About Aldea Zama Tulum

Aldea Zama is known as more private and secure because there are only TWO roads in and out of it (for now) – one on the main beach road (near Chedraui) and another awful dirt road leading to La Veleta. So if you consult my little map at the top of this post, you’ll see it’s not exactly as conveniently close to town as it looks.

However, because of this more secure area, a lot of places are a bit more expensive as it’s seen as a nice area and places are sometimes more pricey. Also, because the area is very quiet and tends to be affluent, the police use it as a prime target for extortion.

They often pull over cars and scooters at night for no other reason than to search all your things, come up with a reason to threaten to take you to the station, and take all the money in your wallet as a ‘fine.’ It happens more than you’d wish to think because the roads here are more quiet.

There are some hotels in Aldea Zama, but most Aldea Zama accommodations are apartment buildings, airbnbs/vacation rentals, condos, etc. There are also some areas of houses and super nice villas.

Aldea Privada and Villas

Aldea Zama is home to maybe the most exclusive neighborhood of Tulum: Aldea Privada. This is the only gated community I know of in Tulum and is home to a few dozen incredible villas. The gate security is pretty tight here.

There’s also an area of Aldea Zama (in the top right corner) that has more villas and houses than apartment buildings. This could be a good idea if you want to rent a villa with your friends.

My Top Recommendations for Where to stay in Aldea Zama Tulum

• For Couples: Orchid House – super cool boutique hotel in Aldea Zama – rooftop pool, Tulum-chic, photogenic
• For Groups: Attha Cenote Aldea Zama – I lived here for a month and it was probably the best place we stayed in Tulum. We stayed in the 3 Bedroom apartment with friends. Great security, rooftop pool, so much space, balcony… etc. Great for groups. Also a tiny cenote right next to it.
• Affordable: Azul Tulum – This is one of the cheaper hotels I know of in Aldea Zama that are still super nice. The rooms are really spacious. There are tons of chill areas and a rooftop pool… for less than $100 a night.

“El Pueblo,” or In Town: The Best Area to Stay in Tulum to be Close to Everything + Save Money

Pros of Staying in Town: Walking distance to pretty much anything, generally cheaper, easy to hail cabs, variety of options, all paved roads, a few more private areas, great restaurants and bars

Cons of Staying In Town: Generally quite loud, not as much privacy/security on average, busy area

Tulum’s town is a fantastic option when looking at which area to stay in Tulum. You really can’t go wrong staying in town. You’ll pretty much always be within walking distance of food, markets, and bars, and will always be able to hail a cab from the main road to go anywhere else.

Cabs are also often cheaper from town because it’s not as affluent an area as Aldea Zama or La Veleta (according to the cabs… I think it’s BS.)

Staying in town is convenient, and if you follow my recommendations below, you’ll be able to stay in properties that are just as nice as Aldea Zama or La Veleta – there are a few more modern and cute places popping up.

What to Know About Staying in Town

Town is loud. I had to wear earplugs every night when I stayed in an apartment in the center of town. There are always loud vehicles, loud people, food carts with bells, and general traffic noises. This will lessen the further you are from the main street, however. In the area I marked on the map above “Far part of town that is more quiet” (for lack of a better term, haha) you won’t have the noise issue but will have a bit farther of a walk to the main street.

One of the biggest benefits of staying in town is the variety of restaurant options that you can walk to. There are tons of amazing restaurants, street food, and more in town – from upscale to dirt cheap. There are some fun bars too – you can have a great night out in town and save the cab money to the beach.

My Top Recommendations for Where to stay in Tulum Town

• Beautiful/Edgy/Tulum-Style: Ujo Tulum Boutique Condos – Super chic boutique spot in a quieter corner of town but still walkable. Gorgeous modern design, spacious, balconies, rooftop pool, secure.
• For Couples: Lagoon Boutique Hotel – Affordable and super cute hotel in a quiet area. Kitchenette, cenote-style pool, balconies, and rooftop pool. Spacious and secure.
• For a Splurge: Hotel Bardo – True Tulum splurge boutique hotel in a quiet part of town. Instagram paradise.
• Best Hostel: Lum Hostel – Super cute Tulum hostel in a perfect area of town, walking distance to everything. Pod-style beds with plugs or affordable privates.

La Veleta Neighborhood: Best Area to Stay in Tulum Longer-Term

La Veleta Pros: Generally nice and many new apartments and buildings, many buildings with security, has its own restaurant/bar street, close to new beach road and Aldea Zama

Cons of La Veleta: TERRIBLE bumpy roads and potholes, also likelier for extortion in quiet areas, sometimes remote/hard to get to

La Veleta is another residential area of Tulum that is expanding insanely rapidly – probably unhealthily so, to be honest. It’s comprised of the full range of accommodations – from tiny houses to massive modern apartment complexes.

If you look at my map above, you’ll see the yellow lines of La Veleta that border the ‘new beach road’ (it was always there, but just opened to the public in 2021). The bottom line of La Veleta is very rough because they are building approximately 747929000 new villas from the bottom of La Veleta all the way towards the beach.

What to Know about Staying in La Veleta Tulum

La Veleta expanded so rapidly that roads were haphazardly carved through jungle and not really cared for at all. Driving through most of La Veleta is really tough – the dirt roads are FULL of potholes and ridges and will do some real damage to your vehicle if you aren’t careful.

However, the roads in the main area of La Veleta are paved. There’s a main street of La Veleta – Calle 7 Sur – with quite a few bars/restaurants, a yoga studio, food trucks, markets, and an Oxxo (like a 7-11). You can find most things you need without leaving La Veleta.

My Top Recommendations for Where to stay in La Veleta Tulum

• Romantic+ Boutique + Eco: Kan Tulum – INCREDIBLE Eco hotel right on the new beach road. One of my favorite hotels in the world. Read my review here.
• For Spirituals and Yogis: Holistika Tulum – Top place to stay in La Veleta Tulum for yoga, spirituality, and zen. TONS of classes in multiple studios, pool, healthy restaurant, art walk, jungle vibes, quotes painted on wooden signs type of place.
• Splurge with Rooftop Circular Pool: Panoramic Tulum – fancy snazzy apartment with strict security, spacious multi-bedroom apartments (studio, 1, 2, and 3 BR) with all fittings, and iconic circular rooftop pool (photo above)
• Classic Tulum Vibe – Super Edgy: 16 Tulum – GORGEOUS modern chic hotel with amazing spacious and light rooms, private pools, chill areas.

Beach Road/Hotel Zone: Best Area to Stay in Tulum for a Short Trip

Beach Road Pros: Safer, amazing views, walk to the beach, tons of upscale restaurants and beach clubs, really nice chic boutique hotels

Beach Road Cons: EXPENSIVE AF, tons of traffic on very long road, will need to take taxis a lot

Tulum’s Hotel Zone is a VERY long strip along the water with hotels, bars, shops, restaurants, beach clubs, and venues lining a two-lane road for over 11 kilometers/nearly 7 miles top to bottom. The main part of Tulum hotel zone is maybe only a few miles long, but chances are that you will want to travel nearly the length of this road at least once.

Tulum’s Hotel Zone is much more exclusive than that of Cancun or Playa del Carmen because it is much harder to get to and because of the plentiful other options for beachfront Tulum accommodation. So, you’ll find that the prices on beach road are… extravagant. It does however tend to be safer and easier, and you can’t beat staying on the beach.

What to Know about Staying in Tulum Hotel Zone

Anywhere you stay on beach road will be expensive. The only real question is, HOW expensive?! Hotels on Tulum beach (or on the other side of the road facing the jungle) can get up all the way to thousands of dollars a night. The cheapest options will be around $100-$150 for a room if you’re lucky (definitely not in January)… usually at least $200/night.

It’s important to determine WHERE on the beach road you will be staying in relation to any other plans you have – beach clubs, ruins, cenotes, etc. Make sure to look this up before you go, because when it comes to the hotel zone, one size does NOT fit all.

Some hotels are miles away from any restaurant areas and will leave you walking 3 miles or taking a $15 cab… yes, cabs are nearly the same price from one end of beach road to the other, as driving from beach road to town. I can’t stress enough to know your hotel location so you don’t end up upset about walking or taxis.

As I mentioned above, there is ALWAYS traffic on beach road. It’s nuts. You can go faster sometimes by renting a bike. Check out my guide to Tulum beachfront airbnbs here for some options for all budgets and group sizes.

My Top Recommendations for Where to stay in Tulum Hotel Zone/Beach Road

Super Splurge Beachfront Tulum Vibes with cool architecture, yoga, events, wellness, etc

• Super-Splurge 1: Azulik Tulum – This is THE Tulum hotel that you have probably seen on instagram. It has a museum (and the whole thing looks like a museum), nests above the jungle, wood-adorned jacuzzis overlooking the water, and more.
• Super Splurge 2: Papaya Playa Project – Another amazing design hotel at the beginning of the beach road. Has amazing rooftop pool units, event space, a restaurant, and incredible atmosphere.
• SUPER DUPER Splurge: Casa Malca – One of the most unique beach road hotels that used to be Pablo Escobar’s mansion… apparently. It has decor that is different from what you’d expect from Tulum. It’s ritzy and glamorous.
• Spiritual Splurge: Nomade Tulum – Peak Tulum bougie hotel on the beach – yoga, wellness, meditation, temezcal, edgy jungle rooms on the sand, modern architecture, beach club, somtimes shows on the beach. Down the very end of the hotel zone.

Cheaper places to stay in Tulum Hotel Zone

• Affordable and Actually Cool: Chiibal Hu Geo Domes – Spacious little geo dome village in the main area of beach road. I was VERY impressed with this place – photos don’t do it justice. For around $100 a night, it’s the cheapest and best value on the whole Tulum beach road IMO.
• Cute Glamping Tents on the Beach: Casa Nawal Glamp Ikal Tulum – Another more affordable option (from about $100), Casa Nawal is a beautiful beach glamping option on Playa Paraiso.

I hope this has helped [provide some clarity on the best areas of Tulum and the best area to stay in Tulum for YOU!I hope you have a great trip and don’t forget to follow me on instagram.