Una Vida

Una Vida is a small hotel and resort in Tulum, with 17 rooms spread across two floors. Its setting is tropical and leafy rather than beachfront, so the mood is more jungle hideaway than resort strip. You get a garden, a terrace, Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and the useful basics for a diving stay, including air conditioning and a refrigerator in the rooms.

English and Spanish are spoken by the hotel team, which keeps the practical conversations straightforward. The hotel suits you if you want to stay close to Tulum while having somewhere to slow down between dives, with a restaurant, bar, outdoor pool, spa and room service all on the premises.

You find Una Vida on Avenida La Selva, between Kohunlich and Xcaret, in Tulum, Mexico. The address places you in a jungle setting while keeping the town centre close enough to explore on foot. This is not a hotel planted directly on the sand: beach access is available on foot, and a beach shuttle is also listed among the facilities.

The surrounding area gives you several reasons to leave the lounger. Xel-Ha Water Park, the Cobá ruins and Xcaret Eco Theme Park are among the nearby attractions, while the hotel can help arrange excursions. A car is useful if you want to cover more ground, with parking available on site.

For a couple who wants a simple base, the Tropical Terrace Double room keeps things uncomplicated: a double bed, private bathroom and Wi-Fi, with a terrace that gives you somewhere to sit rather than dropping straight onto the bed after the day's diving. The Tropical Plunge Pool Double room adds a private plunge pool, which changes the post-dive routine from shower, towel and horizontal to a more deliberate bit of floating about.

The Jungle Double Studio and the 1 Bedroom Double Suite offer alternatives when you want more separation or a more defined living space. The three-bedroom private house is the choice for a larger group looking to keep everyone under one roof. Room facilities vary by category, so check the room card carefully before booking rather than assuming that one room's equipment travels to the next.

Air conditioning matters in Tulum, particularly when you come back warm, salty and ready for a proper nap. Rooms also have a refrigerator, shower, hairdryer, television and alarm clock, with room service available from 7.30am to 10pm. Private bathrooms are available across the listed room categories, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

Ananda Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with dishes built around fresh local ingredients. That gives you a full day of meals in one place: coffee and breakfast before heading out, lunch when the timetable allows, and dinner without needing to negotiate Tulum while your hair is still full of salt.

There is one bar, plus a snack bar and coffee service for the less ambitious moments. Room service runs from 7.30am to 10pm, useful when the best plan after a dive is food delivered to the room rather than a triumphant expedition to the dining room. The meal arrangement depends on the room rate, so check what is included when you book.

The outdoor pool is the obvious place to spend the afternoon when you have finished diving but are not ready for bed. There is also a sun terrace, a garden and a picnic area, giving you a few different ways to occupy the hours between lunch and dinner without turning the hotel into an activity timetable. Water-sports equipment and fishing are also listed among the leisure facilities.

For a quieter reset, Una Vida Hotel Spa offers massages, facial treatments and a hammam. Yoga and meditation are available for the sort of day when your body would prefer a stretch and some silence to another excursion. The spa is a useful counterweight to a full diving schedule: no heroic effort required, just time, warm water and the possibility of walking out feeling less like a folded wetsuit.

Check-in runs from 3pm to 11pm, with check-out at midday. The hotel provides a reception desk, concierge services, luggage storage, laundry and dry cleaning, along with vehicle hire and excursion assistance. Free Wi-Fi covers the hotel, and parking is available on site. Accessibility facilities are also available.

Airport transfers and shuttle services are listed among the hotel facilities, so arrange the form of transport with the hotel before travelling. A beach shuttle is available as well. The hotel accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and cash. Rooms use Type A sockets and 110–120V electricity, a small detail worth checking before you pack chargers and camera batteries.