La Zebra Hotel Review: A Chic Beachside Stay in Tulum
Image: La Zebra Tulum Beach Club and Mulberry Project Bar
La Zebra Hotel in Tulum, is part of the Colibri Hotel Group, who run a number of boutique hotels located in Tulum, Mexico.
In this review for La Zebra Hotel, you’ll see why we consider it one of the best boutique hotels in Tulum for families, as it delivers a consistently good experience year after year. With a dreamy beachfront location in the heart of Tulum’s beach zone, delicious dining, and attentive service.
La Zebra Hotel Review
Image: La Zebra’s beachfront rooms
Location
La Zebra Hotel is located on Carretera Tulum a Boca Paila Km 8.2, Ejido Pino Suarez, 77780 Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico . The hotel is located in a prime position close to many of the best restaurants, beach clubs, and boutiques, making it ideal for exploring the Tulum beach area.
La Zebra is about 5 minutes walking distance from Hartwood, and Arca, and about 8 minutes walking distance from Kanan, Tora, and Bagatelle. On days where you simply want to relax at the hotel, they also have a great restaurant, cocktail bar, spa, and beach club onsite.
Image: La Zebra Hotel - Garden Room
Rooms
The rooms at La Zebra Hotel are understatedly chic, and stylish. The design is influenced by the modern bohemian decor that Tulum has become renowned for. The beds are large and comfortable, there is a safe, good air conditioning, a substantial balcony with loungers, and a large bathroom with toiletries, and a shower.
Most rooms have a beach view, while still delivering a decent level of privacy, and quiet. We actually booked a garden room, and we were pleasantly surprised to have a beautiful view of the beach from our balcony.
Rooms provide all the basic luxuries you want at a reasonable price. These luxuries can often be hard to come by in the Tulum beach area, particularly a decent bathroom with a good shower, and air conditioning as many hotels on this strip opt for eco style rooms with outdoor showers, and no air conditioning.
Image: La Zebra Hotel - Garden Room View
Service
The vibe of the hotel is laidback and welcoming, while still providing attentive, detailed oriented service. The hotel’s small size, and warm, friendly staff make it a great choice for those who prefer the intimacy, and atmosphere of a boutique hotel.
Staff are quick to provide recommendations and advice on things to do and see in the area, and offer interesting experiences in-house such as cooking classes, painting, and cocktail making. We recommend their chef's table experience if you’re traveling with a group.
Image: Aerial view of La Zebra Hotel
Amenities
While La Zebra may be small in size, the amenities they offer for their size are well designed, and considered based on the atmosphere they are trying to create at the hotel. Colibri Hotel Group has a number of hotels in the Tulum area, each focused on a slightly different style of vacation. Their Mi Amor hotel is for romantic couple getaway, while their Mezzanine hotel is ideal for groups looking to explore the cultural sites in the area, positioned to Tulum ruins.
La Zebra’s atmosphere is focused on highlighting the vibrancy and energy of Mexican culture, through delicious food, drink, music, and arts. They have an on-site restaurant with a focus on local Mexican cuisine, La Zebra beach club, and The Mulberry Project - a cocktail bar. They also have a kids playground, spa, games room (foosball anyone?), and a small rooftop pool area.
Image: La Zebra Tulum Beach Club
Beach Club
The beach club at La Zebra Hotel is a fantastic place to relax and enjoy great food and drinks while listening to music. It provides a refreshing escape from some of the other more pretentious locations in Tulum. Here you’ll find a mix of families, friends and couples food and drinks while relaxing on the daybeds. They regularly host events at the beach club, like Tuesday’s volleyball, and beachside games.
Image: Bar inside the main hotel restaurant
Restaurant and Bar
If you're looking for a place to enjoy authentic Mexican food and drinks with a stunning view of the Caribbean Sea, look no further than the main restaurant at La Zebra Hotel.
A chic and cozy restaurant with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, offering classic local dishes, such as my personal favorite - chilaquiles. The restaurant has a spacious indoor dining room, as well as an outdoor terrace overlooking the beach and the ocean.
For a more unforgettable gastronomic experience, you can book a table at the hotel's private dining room for a chef's table experience with Chef Eleazar Bonilla. This exclusive space can accommodate up to 8 guests, and offers an 8 course degustation menu with locally sourced drinks to match.
If you're in the mood for a drink, you can head to the hotel's bar, The Mulberry Project. Led by globally renowned mixologist, Jasper Soffer, the bar's specialty is mezcal, a distilled spirit made from agave plants. The Mulberry Project was listed as one of the best international hotel bars in Latin America & The Caribbean. Here you can even sign up to a mezcal tasting experience, to sample different varieties of mezcal, learn about its history and production.
Whether you're a guest at the hotel or just passing by, La Zebra Hotel in Tulum is a destination worth visiting for its locally inspired cuisine, and its breathtaking location. You'll be sure to leave with a full stomach and a smile on your face.
Image: Bar inside the main hotel restaurant
Price
Room rates in the Tulum beach area over peak season can be as high as $5000 USD a night, so we consider La Zebra to be one of the best value hotels on the beach.
The last time we stayed here was over low season and we managed to snap up a last minute discounted rate on Expedia for as low as $220USD a night - amazing value considering most beach bar entries in this area start at a minimum spend of $50USD and many restaurants in the area also have a minimum spend of $300USD.
Definitely keep an eye out for special rates as they frequently run discounts when they aren’t fully booked.
Image: Salsa night experience at the hotel
La Zebra Hotel Review - Final Verdict
Overall, La Zebra Hotel in Tulum delivers exactly what you want from a Boutique hotel. Charming design style, personalized and attentive service, and delightful dining experiences.
The hotel’s location is one of its highlights, as it is located in a prime position close to many of the best restaurants, beach clubs, and boutiques, making it ideal for exploring the Tulum beach area. The hotel’s cooking classes and events are a great way to immerse yourself in local culture.
Time and time again we are impressed by the Colibri Hotel Groups ability to deliver an exceptional and authentic holiday experience, at a reasonable price point, and we look forward to heading back to both La Zebra, and Mi Amor next time we are in town.
We recommend booking La Zebra if you are traveling to Tulum as a family, or if you are on holiday with a small group of friends.
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