Our family (two adults, two children) stayed in Chan Chemuyil for a week over New Years. Overall, this little house suited our needs very well. It's nothing fancy, but it was functional, comfortable and clean. It was generally well-stocked with kitchen appliances, beach supplies, linens and other things you might need. When we were there, it was lacking some small necessities (coffee filters, matches for the stove, etc) - but it was all stuff we were able to restock ourselves. We had a small issue with the windows, which do not close very well, but I guess that's the way they work.
Chan Chemuyil is close to the highway and super convenient to plenty of nearby attractions. Tulum, Dos Ojos and Laguna Yal-Ku are all within a 15-minute drive. We also made the longer trip to the ruins at Cabo. After these great adventures, we spent almost every afternoon at "our" beach at Xcacel (10-minute walk) which is absolutely gorgeous and much less crowded than Akumal or Tulum. We loved this beach - only disappointed that it closes at 5pm.
The immediate surroundings of Chan Chemuyil do NOT have a lot to offer for your down-time - no yard to speak of, no hiking trails, no hammock - but we did enjoy walking into the village for dinner at La Palapa. We also spotted some good birds in the surrounding forests - chachalacas, turquoise-browed motmot, lots of colorful orioles. The neighbors are friendly. The dogs are loud, as are some neighborhood cats, which seem to set the dogs off. But it didn't bother us too much - just an occasional disturbance. Mostly, considering the super busy peak-travel time we were there, we appreciated being able to "escape" from the hordes and retreat to our little bungalow away from the touts and tourists.
Laine was responsive to all of our requests. He even helped us find a local babysitter, which I thought might be tricky but it wasn't, thanks to his recommendation. Overall, we had a good experience. This little house offers excellent value - significantly cheaper than any of the other hotels or rentals that were available when I was looking. While it might not be particularly large or luxurious, we found it had pretty much everything we needed, with the advantage of being off the beaten track. Definitely recommended for independent travelers.
