We stayed here for a week during the peak holiday season. The rooms were basic, but the low room price more than made up for it! Los Arrecifes is by far the best value to be found on the beach in Tulum. The staff members were very friendly, although I don't believe they speak much English (which isn't a problem at all!) so if you don't speak any Spanish you might want to pick up a phrase book just in case.

It's true that there is no electricity in the rooms at night - it cuts out around midnight - but it really isn't noticeable since most people would be sleeping then anyway. This is also the case for many hotels in the Tulum beach area, not just Los Arrecifes. We did not notice any issue with water being off as other reviewers have mentioned.

The hotel has a restaurant with a large outdoor patio that looks directly onto the beach. The service is a bit slow but the food is very good and very fresh, and is half the price of the restaurants at other neighboring hotels on the beach. And with a beautiful view there is no need to rush the meal anyway!

Los Arrecifes also has a large sandy space between the hotel rooms and the public beach, with lounge chairs and several hammocks, so there is plenty of space to stretch out and relax with a view of the ocean.

All in all we enjoyed our stay and would definitely return or recommend the hotel to our friends. In fact, we are planning our wedding at a nearby hotel and have recommended Los Arrecifes for many of our guests.

Rooms without vibes. No creativity present. Beach showers not working. No water/No electricity during the night. Slowest service in Quinta Roo. Great fruit platter.

Arrecifes - “The Reefs”
This is a small resort with a charming history. Originally it was a place that backpackers could camp or find a cheap room – with shared bathroom/shower and outdoor sinks. The original beach side ‘rooms’ were sapling-sided cabanas (one a two story) with bed and dresser stuck in the sand. 4 concrete rooms along the north side were added, with wonderful porches whose ocean view could be enjoyed from a relaxing hammock. At night the only light came from candles in plastic jugs. A clean, peaceful, safe paradise. The owner’s home also shared the kitchen and dining room as restaurant, with a covered patio and bar, and novel foot bath. .
Back in the late 70’s there were only a few places to stay at the T intersection of the Punta Allen Rd. To the south, only 3: Los Arrecefes, Ana y Jose’s, and ? were available along the coast to the rickety bridge and on to Punta Allen itself. This gorgeous beach was pretty unknown until a spread in Sports Illustrated opened up the possibility. The first time I came to LA was in 1982, and then again in 1986, and many times since. The welcoming entrance arch meant I was in a unique location. Now of course small hotels exist shoulder to shoulder – sadly , and enroachment this year is evident past Zamas on the non-beach side of the road. Fortunately NO high rises mar any view.
As I have continued to stay at LA, things have changed - some. There are more rooms – all facing the ocean with large windows, porches, and their own bathrooms. Several of the cabanas have been moved to the camping area - that must have been ‘fun’. There is electricity from dusk until 10. The arch top of the entrance is long gone in a hurricane. A low fence separates the public beach from the private resort. But the best remains: same "just ask" staff and the peace of the close-by ocean surf.. Climb to the top of the dune and the view is spectacular – due in part to a major focus of planting palm trees uprooted by hurricanes, both to protect the dune from getting higher and to provide welcoming shade and beauty. The trees form a picture frame to the fabulous beach, which is cleaned regularly – though that was unneeded in the 80’s. The owner is the same. Boni still manages – 20 years this year. Rates are reasonable. Spanish is the predominant language, and Boni and the others show patience as I muddle through with my limited grasp. People from different countries come year after year as well as families from nearby Mexican cities. Or some discover this place for the first time – like the newly-weds from Rome I met. The same person – this year Urbano - who took my meal orders cooked the meal and made the drinks, served it, took payment, and did the dishes. Hammocks are all over, the swings and viewing tower remain, and the outdoor shower still has working conch shells for the water spouts. Added are chaise chairs.
Over the years I have used my stays here as the jump-off point to visit Coba and Villadolid, explore the caverns and snorkel the lagoons up the coast that are now more commercialized, and drive to Chetumal and its near-by ruins. This year I just stayed put, staying in exact same romantic cabana as always – enjoying this gem. If it is possible to love a Place, I love this place, the familiar faces, its rhythmns. I just hope in the future that there will be still ‘my’ cabana, as this area booms in tourist business from the new airport and finished 4 lane highway. And if a cabana is not your style, the rooms have character in their furnishings, are spotless and smell good. - I peeked in all. And finally, I can just call for a reservation – Boni has now a cell phone. Karina

We stayed in a small cabana with a sand floor and no bathroom. Sleeping so close to the ocean was a fun tropical experience. The price was very cheap, considering that the surrounding places are veyr posh and charge a ton.
the downsides are that the restaurant is very expensive and not that good. The problem is that the receptionist doubled as a waiter/cook, so service was horribly slow if there were more than 4 people at the restaurant. They may have more staff there during the busier season. Also, the strip where all the beachfront hotels are is a little far from downtown Tulum, so unless you have a car you will need to catch a cab every time to go in and out. The cab was always around $60 pesos, so not too bad but it adds up. The ride into town would be alright with bikes, but at night it would be quite creepy because it's so dark with many stretches without any light.
All that was worth being able to roll out of bed and into the ocean!!! I definitely recommend this place for people who are on a budget and aren't too high maintenance, but still like to be comfortable.