Resort Comparison Guide
Best for travelers who want a boutique beachfront hotel with strong dining and wellness options, family-friendly facilities, and a laid-back Tulum vibe — La Zebra is not an all-inclusive; meals and drinks are paid separately.
Better for travelers who want a larger-scale, all-inclusive resort experience with many on-site amenities, wider room choice, and a more resort-style pool and entertainment lineup — Bahia Principe Grand Tulum.
If you want a boutique, beachfront stay in Tulum with a standout restaurant, an ocean-view spa, family-friendly touches (playground, children's menu, babysitting available), and a relaxed pace, La Zebra is the clearer pick — note that meals and drinks are charged separately rather than included.
If your priority is a larger all-inclusive resort with more resort-scale pools, broader on-site entertainment and dining variety, and a stay that bundles meals and drinks into one price, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is the better fit.
Bottom line: choose La Zebra Tulum if you want a smaller, beachfront boutique hotel with strong food and wellness offerings and family-friendly facilities (but expect to pay separately for meals and drinks). Choose Bahia Principe Grand Tulum if you prefer a big all-inclusive resort with more on-site scale and included dining.
| Category | La Zebra Tulum | Bahia Principe Grand Tulum |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Vibe | Boutique beachfront hotel with a relaxed, design-forward atmosphere, focused dining, wellness, and family-friendly touches. | Large-scale all-inclusive resort with resort-style programming, many on-site facilities, and a more conventional resort atmosphere. |
| Location | On Tulum’s Hotel Zone beachfront (Carretera Tulum–Boca Paila Km 8.2) — rooms open onto white-sand beach and the Caribbean. | Located in the Riviera/Hotel Zone area near Tulum’s beaches, positioned as a resort complex with extensive grounds and on-site services. |
| Rooms & Suites | Smaller boutique room collection with ocean-view and penthouse options; some suites have private plunge pools and rooftop options. | Wider range of room sizes and resort-style suites, often with more options for families and multi-room layouts. |
| Dining | Standout on-site restaurant (La Zebra Restaurant) serving coastal Mexican cuisine, a Mediterranean/beach club venue, rooftop bar, and an ocean-view spa dining scene — breakfast, lunch and dinner hours are published. | Typically offers many included restaurants and buffet/à la carte options as part of the all-inclusive package, giving broader on-site dining variety. |
| Pools & Beach | Direct access to a wide white-sand beach, multiple pool areas including a small rooftop pool and beach club pools — beach day-beds are available first-come-first-served or via day-bed packages. | Resort-scale pool complex and beach facilities that emphasize multiple pool choices and entertainment around water features. |
| Kids & Family | Family-friendly by design: kids’ playground, children’s menus, babysitting/child services, and programming that welcomes children of all ages. | Family-oriented amenities are common, often with kids’ clubs and family pools alongside options aimed at adults. |
| Price & Value | Best value if you want a boutique beachfront stay with a notable restaurant and spa, and you’re comfortable paying for meals and drinks separately rather than booking an all-inclusive rate. | Best value if you want the convenience of an all-inclusive package that bundles meals, drinks and many activities into one price for easier budgeting. |
Rooms and suites at La Zebra emphasize beachfront living and local character — rooms are intimate, design-forward, and many offer easy beach access or ocean views.
La Zebra is the better pick if you want a boutique beachfront stay with strong dining and wellness offerings and a design-led room experience.
Bahia Principe Grand Tulum delivers a more conventional resort-room experience with a broader array of room types aimed at families and larger groups.
If you want more room options and a typical resort-scale offering, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum usually provides that flexibility.
Dining at La Zebra centers on La Zebra Restaurant (coastal Mexican cuisine) plus a Mediterranean beach club option and rooftop bar — quality-driven, à la carte service rather than an all-inclusive buffet model.
Expect:
As an all-inclusive resort, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum typically offers a larger lineup of included restaurants, buffets and bars across its grounds.
If dining convenience and variety matter most, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum’s all-inclusive model will usually win on sheer choice.
La Zebra has direct, wide white-sand beachfront access and multiple pool areas including a small rooftop pool with a swim-up bar and beach-club pools — the beach and pools support a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.
Bahia Principe Grand Tulum emphasizes resort-scale pools and beach facilities with programming and entertainment focused around those areas.
If you want a quieter beachfront setting and a boutique pool/beach experience, La Zebra fits better; for pool variety and resort programming, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum usually offers more.
La Zebra is marketed as family-friendly by design: there’s a children’s playground, children’s menu, babysitting and family-focused beach and pool access.
Bahia Principe Grand Tulum typically provides dedicated kids’ facilities, kids’ clubs and family pools as part of its all-inclusive offering.
If you’re traveling with children and want a smaller, beachfront boutique feel with attentive dining and wellness options, choose La Zebra; if you want an all-inclusive with broad kids’ programming included, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is the simpler option.
La Zebra offers value for travelers who prioritize beachfront location, quality dining (La Zebra Restaurant holds distinctions), an ocean-view spa and a boutique experience — remember that breakfast, lunch and dinner are charged separately rather than included.
Bahia Principe Grand Tulum is the better value if your priority is convenience and predictability of costs through an all-inclusive package that covers meals, drinks and many activities.
Choose La Zebra if you want a boutique beachfront hotel with a standout coastal-Mexican restaurant, an ocean-view spa and family-friendly features — meals and drinks are not included, so budget accordingly.
Choose Bahia Principe Grand Tulum if you prefer the convenience of an all-inclusive resort with more on-site options for dining, pools and entertainment, and if bundled pricing helps your travel planning.
For travelers who want a quieter, design-led beachfront stay with direct sand access, strong restaurant credentials, and wellness programming, La Zebra is the better match.
If you want more resort scale, more included dining options, and a conventionally packaged all-inclusive vacation, Bahia Principe Grand Tulum will usually deliver that experience.
Questions? Contact Us!