Quick Recap of Part 1 - Experience Tulum, MX Like a Well-Traveled IT Girl...
Step 1: Book your flight to CUN (Cancun, MX).
Step 2: Prepare to Travel Unbothered by arranging your 1.5-2 hour transport from CUN to Tulum
Step 3: Have snacks for both your flight(s) and the drive, especially if your flight is lengthy.
Step 4: Enjoy your soft life.
I arrived in Tulum on a Tuesday. Stayed at the Ma’xanab Boutique Hotel until Friday (click here for Part 1).
Step 5: Indulge in First-Class Energy.
Take in your environment, understand & believe you belong there—in luxury, glowing, and being the Goddess that you are, and feeling like 100% THAT B*.
If none of the above steps are sounding familiar, you might need to go visit Part 1 here, prior to continuing on to Part 2, below.
PART 2
Step 6: Take it up a notch.
On Friday, we took a 10 minute taxi further down south along the coast to Hotel La Valise, where we completed the rest of the vacation.
Smaller property with only 11 rooms, this boho-chic villa came with an upgraded price.
Very safari-like entrance and romantic af, La Valise was giving all the nature luxe vibes.
Upon check-in we were greeted with a refreshing cocktail, relieved of our luggages, and escorted through the jungle-like foyer, up the rail-less staircase that split the pool, and into our upstairs suite.
Upon entering—the decor, architecture, and the view, together, were quite impressive. Right as you open the door there’s a large rounded partitioned wall with its back facing you, spanning from the floor to roughly halfway up to the pointed ceiling. After passing the secluded toilet room off the right, you reach the frontside of the thick curved wall and you realize it’s your shower.
** this layout is not for the timid or those who value their privacy during bath time, as there are no doors, curtains, room dividers, etc. that aids in privacy.
In front of the shower was a long counter with the sink and small vanity area, and a huge bed in front of it. Then, there were the heavy sliding accordion doors to the balcony (see post’s cover photo). Also, the backside of the shower was the center of the layout, when entering the suite. So one could also veer left upon entering and first see an open closet, luggage racks against the wall then finally appear in front of the shower.
This glass door spanned across the back wall of the room. Imagine waking up in this bed on a lazy Sunday morning… Straight views & Vibes… 💜
My honest opinion…
If I had to choose between the first location (Ma’xanab Tulum) & the second location (Hotel La Valise), my choice would be…
Ma’xanab Tulum
And this is me being extremely picky because I enjoyed them both for different reasons. I found Hotel La Valise to be a posh, bohemian getaway. Their grounds are gorgeous, well-kept & groomed, with lots of trees, plants, and wood— which provides a nice ambiance. The staff were all very nice, accommodating, and helpful—the group WhatsApp chat was instantly created to have direct service to concierge.
And if being outdoors is your thing: The suite’s floor mimicked more of a natural ground… outdoors, almost mud-looking ground, rather. The room decor was beautiful. The huge accordion-style balcony doors were impressive, and the bed was beyond comfortable. These are all more than enough to get a 4.5 star rating, out of 5.
Step 7: Be Picky.
What was missing for me was, #1: natural light. It was dark af in the room, no matter the time, the entire room was never truly bright. With the balcony curtains completely drawn, natural sunlight hit as far as the bed.
Next, the breakfast. I was not impressed; the options were pretty basic, and there were no good pork-alternatives. Then there was the coffee—it just wasn’t hitting. It instantly made me feel like I took the daily delicious, non-dairy coffee at the Ma’xanab for granted.
Moving on to the toilet room. The small toilet room had a peculiar scent, and I refused to close the door so I wouldn’t be trapped inside with the scent. Lastly, the flooring of the suite was not my favorite feature, however, it didn’t stop the show either. Like always, I carried my VIP Lounging Hotel Slippers on the trip so I still received the protection I wanted and luxe vibes I’m always going for.
Overall, Hotel La Valise is more on the nature, outdoors-y side yet it’ll definitely still give you soft-life vibes, self-care bliss, and First-Class Energy.
Follow our IG @seatedandstowed for our Hotel La Velise content. Our content stays hot on the gram!
In Summary, Tulum was a trip I took for my birthday. It was amazing. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do while there. But I did know I wanted to slow down... reflect... be vulnerable... relax... sit pretty in soft-life vibes & First-Class Energy.
But at the end of the day, what matters is what makes you feel good. I wanted to share my experience because travel is at an all-time high and if you're looking for your next place to go - I felt comfortable and seen, while black, in Tulum.
As Black women/Women of color (WOC), we've had to be strong most of our lives. Now it's time for us to indulge in more self-care; find safe spaces to let down our guards.
I think it's important for us to be seen, be heard, take up space, and not to settle. We belong in safe spaces and we thrive in solitude and nurturing environments. If taking the trip, that is within your budget, is something you want to do, TREAT YOURSELF. Stop waiting on a man, a friend, a relative, a sign, a promotion... stop waiting on outside forces to live your life. Make a goal; plan for it; win the day... then the week... then the month... then the goal. Repeat.
Win at creating routines that can set you up daily, when done consistently.
No more excuses, enjoy the fruits of your labor, at your level. Don't go broke trying to keep up with others, but also don't operate from a poverty-stricken mindset. Find balance. Find solitude. Do what needs to be done to live the lifestyle you desire. And most of all, do not be afraid to show up fully as you.
If you found this valuable, entertaining, or new/relevant — please SHARE with your friends & family via a fwd email or the social media links below.
COMMENT below if you’ve ever visited Tulum.
0 comments