Travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic is nerve wracking and stressful. Not only worrying about undergoing the necessary safety precautions, working out where you can even travel to right now is also a concern.
During the pandemic, my fiancé has been stuck in Italy, while I am based in Los Angeles. Exploring the options of where we can safely meet and return, and for it to be a gay-friendly destination, without having any issues getting back to our respective homes, Mexico became our best option.
While researching, Tulum quickly appeared to be the perfect location for our exciting reunion. We had been separated for over 7 months because of the travel ban and we were looking for somewhere romantic and relaxing but still with lots of life, exciting things to see and do and delicious places to eat.
The simple but stylish Casa Ganesh Tulum of the Ahau Collection is an authentically Mexican beachfront resort with 12 rustic casita-style rooms and beach houses. Located an hour and forty minutes from Cancun airport, the eco-friendly rooms include private bath, purified water, bluetooth speakers and premium Egyptian cotton linens. Ceiling fans and overnight air conditioning to keep you cool, wifi and organise, all natural toiletries to pamper yourself with.
Choose from garden view rooms with balconies or the larger beach house with stunning views of the Caribbean ocean and its own private pool.
The hotel itself is located in the heart of Tulum’s bustling restaurant and bar scene. Casa Ganesh is perfect for singles looking for a lively place to stay with friends, right in the middle of all the action or romantic couples looking for an affordable get away.
There was plenty to see and do in the area. Our main priority, however, was quality beach time.
We were able to unwind in our own private beach casita on the white sand. Sunset walks and plenty of exploring up and down the picturesque coast.
There are many fantastic eateries to choose from around the hotel from relaxing cocktail bars and lounges to more lively restaurants all featuring organic and locally sourced ingredients. Our two top recommendations would be Ahau Tulum (also of Ahau Collection) which is a few minutes walk along the beach. At Ahau we treated ourselves to the incredible authentic Mexican Caribbean brunch menu whilst looking out to the crystal blue ocean. We enjoyed mezcal-cures seafood and steaks prepared on the beach grill and washed it all down with refreshing cocktails. All ingredients are harvested and sourced locally using traditional and sustainable cooking methods.
Later in the evening we ventures out to the nearby restaurant Wild Tulum. A very elegant and trendy local restaurant with a jungle meets industrial vibe. Known for their cocktails, we sampled the Circo-Loco with coconut and and mango and the Hayate which has Tequila infused with red pepper, lime and other spices – delicious! There we dined on a delicious pork dish with papaya salad and catch of the day with incredible mole. The dishes are very creative and artistically presented. The chocolate churros were heaven.
Things to do in the area include visiting the nearby historic sites such as the Mayan ruins and the temple. Make sure to also spend a day diving at the cenotes caves, a truly unforgettable experience. Other trips on offer include boat rides where you can swim with rays and turtles, kite surfing, paddle boarding and exploring the rest of the city by bike.
We were super impressed by the professionalism and kindness of the attentive staff at Casa Ganesh. Dealing with the pandemic in hospitality is challenging. The staff were taking all the necessary COVID-19 precautions with temperature checks and hand sanitising everywhere. The rooms were impeccably clean and all staff were wearing face masks at all times.
Casa Ganesh was extremely welcoming and accommodating to us, as a gay couple. Though Tulum has no gay scene to speak of and no LGBTQ+ bars, we felt totally safe in the city and were never subjected to any negativity during our stay. Special mention to our incredible host Hector Lizarraga who kindly became our friend and guide and was amazing at suggesting us unusual and exciting things to see and do.
Take advantage of the special offers and package deals currently available for Casa Ganesh. Indulge in the barefoot, bohemian energy of this charming and affordable boutique hotel. We had a fantastic time there.
You can visit the Casa Ganesh website here, and their Instagram page here.
