This is a sweet hotel in a lovely part of Tulum and it could have been a beautiful vacation were it not for an impending hurricane. The staff was wonderful, immediately advised us of the potential danger and was more than willing to refund the remainder of our prepaid stay and help our family (including two children under 5) evacuate. Unfortunately, once the owner arrived to protect his money and property, he suggested that we were fearful wimps and refused to release any of our remaining money unless the authorities demanded it. Although the excellent desk clerk helped us arrange for flights home, the owner stared at us with daggers in his eyes for using his precious telephone for too long (10 minutes). In such a small hotel, so much of the vibe is created by the owner and unfortunately, this owner, Yannick, was unkind, unfriendly and appeared to be thoroughly lacking in compassion. He begrudgingly returned out money after the enforced evacuation and although I would like to attribute his poor manners to the stress that he also must have been under and for which I am sorry, former reviews indicate that this behavior was not an aberration. I wish the best for Tulum and for this hotel and hope that Yannick is able to learn from his staff the manners and generosity of spirit that any good hotelier should possess.

We have been to Mexico over thirty times...interior and both coasts. We've paid anywhere from $100 per night to $800, so this isn't our first rodeo!

We were looking for a quick drop-out trip and chose Tulum. We initially checked into another property arriving after 10 at night, and would have stayed if it had wall outlets. Read about Las Ranitas in another travel guide while watching the sun come up...drove 2 miles down the road, talked to the lady at the front desk...looked at three rooms, made a choice and NEGOTIATED a great rate with the manager...drove back to Posada Lamar..checked out, and re-checked in by 9..including an excellent breakfast at Posada Margharita.

We stayed in the main building in a terriffic junior suite with two balconies and a hammock.

The property was designed, and still owned by a Frechman...needs a little maintenance here and there, but the location is absolutely stunning, and the staff is competant with smiles if you don't act like a supercilious jerk as many of us are wont to do from time-to-time.

Lots of great dining choices near-by...food in the hotel was good...and the beach might be one of the two to three finest I have ever seen anywhere. Would still be there if we didn't need to get back to the States.

Don't overpack...you won't need a lot!

Beach can be be clothing optional.

Absolutely fabulous time...

We arrived with a certain amount of trepidation because we'd read some of these reviews saying perfect beach but snooty, uncaring management. We found the management to be very caring, and the staff very friendly. HOWEVER, I can see how it could go a different way. Here's the giant caveat about Las Ranitas....ASK ABOUT YOUR BED. Ours upon arrival was like something from Medieval times. Old, unpadded....we actually thought it was a box spring. We're not particularly fussy about beds either....this was just like a rack or something, with springs that jabbed into your side (I swear this is no exaggeration). When we complained we were told that no one had ever complained before (always the wrong answer, and actually I seem to recall that indeed someone on this site mentioned the bed issue) and that all the "mattresses" were like this (we spied on another room and found to our horror a similar looking bed). But when we insisted that we wouldn't be able to stay under the circumstances, a soft, comfy mattress suddenly materialized. Literally 6-8 inches thicker. It wasn't ESPECIALLY soft or special......it was just a normal mattress. And from there on, our stay was absolutely perfect. The staff members checked up on us in a friendly way, the waiters and barmen were lovely (though inconsistently talented....one mixed fabulous fruit cocktails, the other created bland, watery messes). Same for the cuisine....mostly delicious, though sometimes bad. And I'm talking about the same dish.....it could be great, or awful. The patio and beach are nothing short of stunning. White sand carpet, beautiful water color and temperature, excellent chaise longue and palapa shades on the beach. Endless cool ocean breeze (cool as in perfect.....not cold). I'd also suggest an upper floor room facing the beach. The heat can be stifling facing away from the beach, and several of the ground floor rooms have patios looking right onto the dining area, which seriously compromise your privacy (as in, you'd need to keep your shades drawn, and who wants that with a beach view?). So my advise is this: ask about your bed (I know it sounds nutty, but you'll be glad you did), make sure your room faces the beach, and remember that the real value here is the beach and the public patio area (which are exquisite). We would definitely go back to Las Ranitas.....we'd just do a bit of advance work before arriving.

My girlfriend and I stayed 2 nights at Las Ranitas in January 2007. We occupied the upper floor Junior Suite where an expensive bottle of perfume disappeared at the end of our stay during a 2-week trip in south Mexico. After 3 inquiries we were finally told that no employee had seen or found this bottle.