Kasita Katalina, new beachfront cottage with loft

Description from the owner

This adorable beachfront cottage is set amid native plants and coconut trees with exclusive use of 80 feet of private beach on Tulum's Tankah Bay. Tankah Bay is a residential community about 8 kilometers north of Tulum. It is a quiet low key area with a retreat feeling. The Kasita is a perfect place for a week long or month long vacation, a writer's retreat or a way to spend warm days away from cold northern winters. Guests in May will witness the explosion of the red flamboyante trees viewed from the front porch. Spring will bring the fragrant blossoming of the beach 'lirios' and the red buganbilia will delight guests often.

Imagin...e yourself on this pristine beach walking the path of the Maya who first inhabited this magical place.

The cottage is colorfully decorated with talavera tiles, Mexican art and weavings. The bedroom area downstairs has a NEW resort quality bed and loft has a new mattress as well. The oversized loft sleeps two or three and has an airy feeling. The front porch and loft rails were constructed by local Maya 'palaperos' who use the same methods their ancestors used centuries ago.

The large fully equipped kitchen is perfect for family meals. Guests may dine inside, on the the grass roofed patio or on the beach at a table overlooking the ocean. Bring breakfast out to the beach or sip your coffee in a hammock strung up between large coconut trees.

Early rising guests may enjoy their coffee or tea on the beach at sunrise.

Guests may walk the gorgeous and varied beaches where they will find a fresh water cenote near the shore, tide pools, coral reefs and great swimming areas. Down the road, across from Casa Cenote, is a large cenote where you can swim amid mangrove for a small fee.

OUTINGS:

*The magnificent Tulum ruins only 15 minutes away.

*Xel Ha, an incredible all inclusive water park, is only 10 minutes to the north.

*LEARN SPANISH* or attend other cultural activities at the Casa de Cultura in Tulum just two blocks behind the Municipal Palace. *Spanish lessons will be worked around your schedule. Practice back at the Kasita with Spanish scrabble.

*Shopping for a wide array of artesania ...from locally made hammocks to weavings from Chiapas can be done at the many gift shops in Tulum.

*Spend a day at the Coba ruins.

*Take a drive to the colonial city of Valladolid only 1 1/2 hours away. The improved roads in the Yucatan have made travel so much easier.

*Rent a bike across from the ruins at Lobo Hostal and ride the brand new path to the beach only crossing 2 streets. Bikes are comfortable and inexpensive. Reward yourself with a delicious breakfast at the quaint restaurants on the beach road.or take a dip before heading back

Tankah Bay was recently cited as having a large increase of turtle nests and hatchlings and guests may have the opportunity to actually witness this between June and October.

The location of the cottage and keeping native plants has provided a safe haven for the turtles as well as a home for butterflies, colorful orioles and other birds. You may snorkel right out front and it is a short swim to the reef. Kids will love the hermit crabs at night!

Imagine yourself there at midnight quietly watching a mother turtle burying her eggs in the very place where she was born!

The truth is, the best thing to do is hang up a hammock or two on the front beach, grab your favorite reading material and enjoy a refreshing chilled coconut that Juan, the caretaker, will cut for you.Read more

Additional Location Information

1 1/2 hour drive from Cancun airport on Mexico's Caribbean at Tankah Bay, a residential community about 8 .kilometers north Tulum..
Kasita Katalina is on a large lot with ample parking and lots of native plants and trees. There are 3 restaurants and a small grocery store at Casa Cenote within walking distance.

Location Type Away from it all, Beach, Tropical

Rental fees

Additional notes from owner

Kasa Katalina will be cleaned upon arrival and once during stay.
AC fee will be $100 per week
Longterm rentals will require a security deposit. Smalldog possibility with extra charge.

What Past Guests Are Saying

Overall Rating

• loreek1231
  Lindsay, Canada

  The ultimate in relaxation and enjoyment!

  Left on 04/04/2013 for a stay in January 2013
  
  

  We stayed at Kasita Katalina for 6 weeks, Jan 23-Mar 6/13. We brought our spaniel "Tommy" with us and it was the absolute best vacation ever!! The cottage is lovely, well equiped and clean. The beach is stunning as well as the view. Juan the caretaker was extremely friendly, bringing us coconuts whenever we wanted them and he is a very talented artist! We bought 2 of his paintings and were enthralled at watching his progress on a large sculpture he was working on at Casa Cenote. Kathy Flyn, the owner has a wealth of knowledge and history of the area and we enjoyed meeting her and her Chihuauah "Nico". Proximity to town and ease of transportation made everything simple and easy. We rented a car for part of the time and used the "Collectivo" the rest of the time. All in all we highly recommend this property and we are already planning and hoping to return again next winter for a longterm stay!

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  Recommended for: Friends, Families w children

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• Kimberly S
  San Francisco, California

  Tranquil Cottage On a Private Beach

  Left on 01/05/2013 for a stay in December 2012
  
  

  My husband and I spent Christmas week at Kasita Katalina, and it was heaven. The cottage is charming and clean, the property is nicely landscaped and very tranquil, and what's really spectacular about it is the private beach space. It's your own slice of paradise while you are there; you can relax in a lounger or a hammock on your own quiet beach space while watching beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and see pelicans fish in the mornings. If you are looking for a relaxing, tranquil, cabin style getaway in Mexico, Kasita Katalina is it. The cottage is in walking distance of two restaurants, one of which is a B&B; where you can get breakfast and Wifi if you need a technology fix, and it's also just a short drive from Tulum, where you get groceries and enjoy many great restaurants, including Cetli and altamar. We were glad we chose Kasita Katalina over a large resort; the big resorts blast loud music on their overcrowded cabanas and beaches, but at Kasita Katalina, you have a peaceful slice of beachfront where the only sounds are those of the ocean and nature, and you can enjoy swimming and wading in a shallow, unspoiled natural reef. You can rent a kayak from the B&B; and explore the reef and coastline as well. We could not have asked for a more beautiful and relaxing vacation, and we would highly recommend this property to anyone who wants the same, because you won't find this kind of bliss at a resort.

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• Lex A
  Seattle

  Beautiful Beach Getaway

  Left on 09/19/2012 for a stay in July 2012
  
  

  The Kasita Katalina is a great little house situated in a quiet bay, providing a real feeling of being away from it all.
  We were looking for a vacation where we could do as little as possible (aside from lying on the beach or swimming in the ocean) and see as few people as possible. Kasita Katalina delivered!
  When we arrived, Juan, the caretaker, had left two coconuts chilling in the fridge for us. It was a wonderful welcome especially given the heat of the day. During our week-long stay, he visited 3 times to keep the property clear of fallen debris (i.e. large palm fronds felled by a storm or even trash and weeds that washed up onto the beach. By contrast, you can look south to the defunct resort and see all of the trash and weeds that build up when there is nobody there to remove them.
  The house itself can be described as a studio cottage with a separate sleeping loft. There is a well-appointed kitchen, 2 beds (one upstairs, one down) and a bathroom with a tiled shower (no tub). There is bottled drinking water also, and it is on a delivery route in case you run out. There are 2 a/C units, one above the kitchen and one in the sleeping loft, but be aware that there is an extra charge for using them (extremely reasonable given the energy costs associated with running them). If you're there in a cooler time of year, I imagine opening the windows would be enough to forgo the a/C charge.
  Important to note that the Kasita is set back away from the water and you don’t really have a view of the ocean from it (you can kind of see some of it through the upstairs window) but it’s just a walk through the garden to the beach where there are hammocks and ample seating options with the palms to shade you. Also, there is a decaying little cottage on the property between the Kasita and the beach so don’t be surprised by that. It doesn’t look to be a safety hazard (just don’t try to climb the stairs) and isn’t really in the way, it just ads a little charm and provides a nice shaded area to keep your stuff if you don’t want to leave it on the beach and don’t want to take it back into the Kasita. Look along the foundation at night for Hermit crabs, they seem to live in there.
  Despite its remote location, the property feels safe. There is a security guard monitoring the road in and patrolling the beaches at night.
  Cenote Manati is walking distance either along the beach or the road. Definitely worth the admission price. You can also rent kayaks from Casa Cenote by the hour.
  Snorkeling is not bad if you’re willing to swim a little way out (don’t attempt without flippers and preferably a flotation device). There’s a really nice reef formation maybe 150-200 meters off-shore. Swim toward the buoy and you’ll run into it. We saw all kinds of fish and crustaceans out there.
  Kathy(Katalina) was extremely helpful, answering my barrage of questions about the property and the area. You can tell that this is not a mere source of extra income, but rather a home-away-from-home; the place has a warm, comfortable feel to it.
  All in all, the Kasita was a perfect place for a romantic getaway, though I wouldn’t hesitate to bring kids here too. I would definitely stay here again.

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• smh65
  Grenada

  Perfect place to relax

  Left on 08/17/2012 for a stay in August 2012
  
  

  We loved the house, it's fairly small but tastefully decorated and set in it's own grounds.
  
  We were looking for somewhere where we could relax and allow our two young children space to run around without constant supervision and this was the ideal location. (Only issue is there are some very steep steps to the upstairs bedroom, so you may have to watch young children).
  
  The grounds lead onto a pristine white beach, with coconut trees, hammocks, there is a small reef directly in front for snorkelling and if you're lucky (we were) you may even see turtles nesting on the beach at night!
  
  There's no TV or Wifi and the house is situated a short drive away from the main tourist stretch in Tulum but we considered this to be a plus.
  
  Juan, the handy man, picked us fresh coconuts in the morning and ensured that everything was clean, tidy and in order.
  
  Exceptional value.. and a hidden treasure!

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• chrisr155
  60795

  Great place to relax and get away

  Left on 04/01/2012 for a stay in March 2012
  
  

  Ideal location right on the beach.Quiet private setting. Good snorkeling. Beautiful sunrises. Peaceful walks on the beach. Restaurants within walking distance. Cenote right near by. 7 min drive to Tulum. Good security. Nice new house. Good cooking area.

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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