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When we were planning our trip to Mexico, we started looking at places to rent other than hotels, so that we could save some money and spend some days going on road trips. When you plan time for road trips, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend money on an all-inclusive. There are so many hotels and rentals, which can be overwhelming. We finally decided on a condo in Aldea Zama through AirBNB. Aldea Zama is a large area with condos, many currently under construction. Our specific rental was in the Natura section, unit #302.
Getting there is fairly easy, and we used the directions provided plus Google Maps. You head down to Tulum (about 2 hours south of Cancun), and make a left at the main intersection on Avenue Coba. Not far up there is Pemex gas station, and then you bear right into the Aldea Zama road.
Each section has it’s own front gate, and I believe the Natura entrance was the second on the right. Each time we went in or out, we checked in with the guard.
When we first arrived, we checked in with our host, and the kids couldn’t wait to take a dip in the pool! You can see the balcony of our rental on the upper left.
Our condo had everything we needed, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, and living room areas. Plus, several balconies and a rooftop patio with jacuzzi.
The master bedroom was very comfortable, with its own balcony and an attached master bathroom.
The kids loved their room, with two beds, soft blankets, and lots of storage.
We enjoyed using the full sized kitchen, and saved money by shopping down the street at Chedraui (a nice grocery store) instead of always eating out. We kept a lot of drinks and breakfast items (like smoothies and yogurts) in the fridge. The kitchen is stocked with essentials, including plenty of dishes, utensils, serving dishes, and more.
The view from our third-floor balcony, overlooking the pool.
The patio area was a nice place to hang out, with a beautiful patio set and jacuzzi. We had some issues getting the water hot enough in the jacuzzi, but we it wasn’t a big deal because we were usually hanging out at the beach nearby and doing other activities.
It was nice to enjoy the view from the balcony in the morning.
We went in late November, and while evenings got a little chilly, the kids still couldn’t resist going for an evening swim.
It was very helpful that our unit had a washer and dryer. We were able to keep up with laundry and also weren’t stuck with wet towels and swimwear from all our adventures. There was laundry detergent and cleaning supplies as well. It was nice that other essentials were stocked too – dish soap, shampoo, soap.
We felt very safe at Aldea Zama, and there were no issues with noise or security.
Our hosts were thoughtful, and left out some kid’s games for us! There were also some DVDs, magazines, and brochures in the unit.
Some minor things I would change: hot water did not last very long (it is tough when a family of 4 comes home and everyone wants to shower!), the safe did not fit our laptops, Wifi was a bit slow, and the parking lot was very compact.
We spent our days doing road trips (see below), including a full afternoon in the town of Tulum, exploring and shopping. Another great thing was how communicative the rental hosts were. Lorena and Diego helped us with any questions or advice, for example, the suggestion to visit the Zazil Kin beach in Tulum (which was incredible!).
We stayed 5 nights in the end of November and paid just over $100 a night. Definitely a great price for a great place!
Check out our specific rental at AirBNB here.
(Note that other units are owned by other people).
You can view more photos on the AirBNB page (including the washer/dryer, bathrooms, etc.)
Some of our related reviews:
Our Mayan Riviera wedding
Aldea Zama condo rentals, Tulum
Avant Car Rental, Cancun
Cenotes Casa Tortuga, Tulum
Coba Ruins, Coba
Fiesta Americana Villas, Cancun
Muyil Ruins, Tulum
Hacienda Tres Rios, Playa del Carmen
Punta Laguna Nature Reserve, near Coba
Xcaret Park, Playa del Carmen and Tips for Visiting XCaret
Yal Ku Lagoon, Akumal
Zazil Kin Beach, Tulum
Our Mexico Road Trip Itinerary (with Kids)!
Tips for Traveling to Mexico with Kids
Tips for Swimming & Traveling with Reef-Safe Sunscreen
About the Author: Marysa
Busy blogger and mom of two girls! We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure! Feel free to contact me with questions: marysa@anationofmoms.com
These photos are just wonderful and the scenery is so beautiful. I know I would happy visiting there!!
Love the addition of a kitchen AND washer and dryer!! Super important with kiddos!! I am always one to get out and explore so we never did all inclusive either!! But I love the idea of a condo!!
That looks like such an amazing place to stay! I have stayed at a lot of hotels and rented homes, but this place takes the cake. A condo sounds great!
Your photos really capture the essence of just how beautiful Mexico is. I would love for our family to go there sometime.
That looks like an amazing trip!! I have never been to Mexico but have always wanted to go! This place is so beautiful!! I never thought to look at Air BnBs.
What an incredible looking place! I love that it has a kitchen, which is so important for a family!
The photos are stunning. A rooftop jacuzzi would be so awesome! That is a great price for the place.
What a pretty hotel! I would love to travel to Tulum one day! I love that pool at night!
I have never been to Mexico before, but Tulum ranks high on my travel bucket list. I’ll have to keep this lovely hotel in mind if I ever visit.
This hotel looks amazing! My husband and I are big travelers so I’m excited to look more into this. That pool looks so enticing 🙂
Wow, that room looks so cozy. I would love to go to Mexico again. We stopped there on a cruise and it was so beautiful.
WOW! The view and location is sensational! What a great price too. I have never been to Mexico other than ports for cruise and the beaches!
What an amazing looking place! Love the pool and the kitchen! I would love to stay in a place like that!
Wow what a beautiful place. So close to the water and it has everything you could need! I’ve never traveled to Mexico but it’s on my list.
That looks like a beautiful place to hang out with the family. I love that view from your balcony. Gorgeous! I would love to visit Mexico someday.
This is a gorgeous hotel. Love the space and how clean it is.
This looks like a wonderful place to stay and I love that kitchen! Love the pool too and the scenery is amazing.
The place looks lovely! And kid friendly, too. We’ve never been to Mexico, but I’m keeping this hotel in mind.
I love the looks of this place. So many of my friends have gone to Mexico on vacation. I need make that happen
This looks like a fun place to visit with your family. I always appreciate staying somewhere that has a kitchen so I can keep fresh snacks on hand and even save a bit of $$ by making a meal or two at the resort.
Everything about this location looks amazing!
What a beautiful hotel!! This part of Mexico has been on my bucket list!
That pool though! Gosh I need a vacation.
What a beautiful place to stay! I’ll definitely be adding this to my list. We would love to visit Mexico one day.
OMG i literally want to book a stay here immediately!!! How beautiful!!!
Ah what a paradise!! Really looks like a stunning getaway.
Looks like a place worth staying. It definitely makes an amazing destination for my next travel plans
I have never been to Mexico! Thanks for the tips on how to save money there!
This place looks amazing!!!! I’m dying for a vacation like this!