More on Kailuum (cito) and the Costa Maya
So, as readers have previously commented, Kailuumcito (p. 177, which is now really known as Kailuum, since the old Kailuum shut) is back open…sort of. At the very present time (summer), it’s shut, but it allegedly will be accepting guests starting in December.
It has changed its policies a bit, however, because it is still welcoming day visitors from cruise ships. The main change: no honor bar! On the plus side, the prices have gone down. And this might all change again, because the owners seem to be reevaluating the setup all the time. It’s still a beautiful spot, and the environment within the resort is a very special one–assuming they don’t tinker with it too much. Oh, and it’s no longer part of Turquoise Reef Group, but bookable on its own website, www.kailuum.com.
In the meantime (or, really, anytime), I would definitely recommend Mayan Beach Garden. It’s not in the current guide because I didn’t have time to visit on that research trip, but I’ve been by since then. It’s just a little way up the road, and very out on the very edge of it all. Marcia, the owner, runs a great operation, and I hear the food is very good. The setup is certainly more formal than Kailuum–actual walls, not tents!, and some rooms even have a/c–but it is also a very special place with lots of loyal repeat guests. And, at the moment, it seems quite a lot more reliable than Kailuum.