Where to Stay in Tulum: Chill Inn Hostel

Tulum is one of the places we were most excited about travelling to in Mexico. If you spend any time at all on Instagram, you’re sure to have seen photos of the Mayan ruins next to the turquoise Carribean sea. I had seen plenty of these photos and when we decided to go to Latin America, spending some time in Tulum was a must. Plus, the town has a cute hippie vibe, loads of yoga studios and healthy cafes and chilled vibes. Sounded like my perfect place and, after 2 weeks of travelling in Cuba, it was just what I had been craving.

There are lots of different accommodation options in Tulum and it can be difficult to decide where to stay. For us, we decided on Chill Inn for its great location, unique decor and affordability. Here’s a review of our time there.

Location

When it comes to staying in Tulum, you have 2 choices. To stay near the beach, or stay in the town centre. Since most of the accommodation choices on the beach are resort type hotels, we decided that the town centre would be better for us. Plus, this is where all the best and most reasonably priced places to eat are.

Luckily, we weren’t too far from the beach and hired bikes every day to get there. It cost us MXN 70 each to hire a bike but then we could go anywhere. We even used our bikes to cycle out to the ruins which you should definitely do while you’re in Tulum!

Atmosphere

As you’d expect from the name, Chill Inn has a completely chilled vibe- you’ll probably forget that you’re not actually at the beach when you’re lying in a hammock with a beer in hand.

I find big hostels quite overwhelming so it’s always nice to stay somewhere relatively small. The crowd at Chill Inn were really close knit and there was a sense of community. I liked the fact that most of the travellers we met were slightly older and there wasn’t too much of a party vibe. Seriously, the name says it all- it’s a very chilled place and perfect to kick back and relax in!

The Staff

All the staff at Chill Inn were friendly and went out their way to make sure everyone made the most of their time there. They were always on hand with tips and recommendations and even gave out maps, which I thought was a lovely touch.

And, I must add, the owner, Abas makes an awesome breakfast every day which set us up nicely every morning!

Facilities

Chill Inn is set up like a series of cabanas with dorm rooms inside each one. As a backpacking couple, we were pleasantly surprised that there were even double bunk beds! This is something I’ve never encountered in a hostel before but that’s a really great idea!

Each bed has a plug point, a personal light and a personal fan. Personally, I hate being in a dorm with air con fiends because I can’t sleep when I’m cold so a personal fan was lovely. The rooms don’t have air con but we didn’t need it at all, even though we were there during the hot season. The cabana style roofs did a good job of keeping the room cool naturally. There are also curtains on the bed so you can have a bit of privacy at night!

As I mentioned, Chill Inn hires out bikes which I definitely recommend taking. There are also snorkels for hire. We didn’t realise this and hired from someone on the beach when we went to Akumal to snorkel with the turtles. It’s much cheaper just to hire from the hostel and avoid dealing with touts when you get there.

There’s also an amazing breakfast that changes every day. Most days, it’s something Mexican so it’s the perfect way to sample a few different things that you wouldn’t usually order.

Eco Rating

I’ve always got my Eco-eye open wherever I go, and Chill Inn was at the top of their game. I’m always pleased to see hostels giving travellers the option to fill up their water bottles rather than constantly buying new ones. Chill Inn had a water dispenser that travellers could use to fill up their bottles every day for the mere price of 5 MXN. Much cheaper than at a market and a great way to deter people from buying a new bottle!

Value for Money

Dorms in Chill Inn are US$10 per night which is inclusive of breakfast. We thought it was great value for money- especially since they really don’t scrimp on the food in the morning. Plus, with its central location and clean, friendly environment, I think it’s the perfect place for backpackers on a budget in Tulum!

To book a room, check out their website!

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What’s the best hostel you’ve ever stayed at? Let me know in the comments!

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Disclaimer: We were guests of Chill Inn. However, as always, I only work with brands and companies that I love and know you will too. All thoughts and opinions are my own.