Tulum Hotels Stay Open Through Renovations Ahead of High Season, Union Says

Aerial view of hotel and resort buildings along the coastline in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Tulum, Quintana Roo — No hotel in Tulum has closed permanently, and properties that appear shuttered are simply renovating ahead of the coming high season, the head of a Quintana Roo labor union said.

Martín de la Cruz Gómez, secretary general of the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC) in Quintana Roo, said some hotels have halted operations in certain areas or scaled back activity to carry out remodeling and modernization work, but none has shut down for good.

He pointed to hotels in Playacar, including Iberostar and Riu, where construction and upgrade work is under way. Some properties may look closed from the outside, he said, but are in fact undergoing renovation aimed at the upcoming peak tourism period.

Workers Reassigned During Renovations

Employees in the areas under renovation have been reassigned to other hotels or have used the period to take vacation time, according to de la Cruz Gómez, who said the works have not caused significant job losses.

He said several hotels are currently being remodeled but did not provide a specific number. Not all of them suspended operations entirely, he added, noting that in some cases only certain areas were closed while the rest of the property continued to operate.

The CROC leader described the work as part of the routine maintenance and renovation cycle for lodging establishments. The union said it is monitoring the employment situation of workers while the projects are completed and the hotels prepare for the busiest stretch of the tourism calendar.

Discover more from Riviera Maya News

Sign up to receive a summary of the best news in your inbox, every day.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

By Laura Castillo

Laura Castillo covers tourism, business, and economic development across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the wider Riviera Maya for Riviera Maya News & Events. She tracks the region's most important business stories — from hotel investments and airline route expansions to real estate market trends and local economic policy — helping English-speaking readers stay informed about the economic pulse of Mexico's Caribbean coast.Laura has been reporting on Quintana Roo's tourism sector since 2020, closely monitoring developments in Cancun's hotel zone, Tulum's rapidly growing commercial corridor, and the evolving business landscape in Playa del Carmen. Her coverage includes corporate investments, employment trends, infrastructure projects, and the economic impact of events like sargassum seasons and hurricane preparation.Before joining Riviera Maya News & Events, Laura worked in business development and market analysis in the Riviera Maya region, giving her first-hand insight into how tourism, real estate, and local commerce intersect. She is fluent in English and Spanish.For story tips: laura@rivieramayanews.mx