During a special investigation into price gouging in the troubled tourist town of Tulum, Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO) placed suspension seals on the Hotel Diamante K, owned by actor Roberto Palazuelos, after detecting unjustified rate increases and other irregularities that violate consumer rights.
The ostensibly luxury hotel has been decried in online reviews for featuring “poor service,” rampant “dishonesty,” airport transfers costing hundreds of US dollars, unreturned damage deposits, deceptive marketing, with minimal and spare amenities disguised as a luxury, eco experience; although it should be noted this is hardly unique to Hotel Diamante K, but rather a common feature of the hospitality experience driving a recent crisis of tourism in Tulum.
According to Palazuelos, the Diamante K features two sculptures by Salvador Dalí, and also includes an area that was once declared a protected zone, but was handed over to him in a legal battle. The actor also owns Villa Pescadores, which was also shut down by the Consumer Protection Agency.
It’s not the first time scandal has dogged the actor and hotelier over his Tulum properties. In 2022, a viral video which alleged Palazuelos closely monitored the eating habits of his guests, re-using left-over food scraps from bread to mayonnaise to vegetables so as to keep a handle on price, while in 2017 and 2022, stories of land-grabs, evictions, obscure financing and shady connections to the former PRI governor began to be attached to Roberto Palazeulos’ Tulum business endeavours. Truly at the vanguard of eco-tourism!
In response to complaints from visitors and residents of the municipality of Tulum, Quintana Roo, regarding a significant increase in the price of basic products and tourist services, Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) carried out a special monitoring and verification operation.
The Attorney General’s Office along with SECTUR & Quintana Roo government carried out a monitoring and survey of prices with the help of the Who’s Who in Prices program, visiting 29 establishments: five self-service stores, five convenience stores, five pharmacies, five hotels and nine restaurants and cafes,
Within Mexico’s National Jaguar Park, 22 establishments were visited, including hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants. Among the findings, it was discovered that the average price of a single hotel room is $3,577.50 pesos, with a minimum of $1,200.00 and a maximum of $10,569.00. The Hotel Mi Amor had the highest price in this category.
The average price found for a double room was $4,771.94 pesos, with a minimum of $2,200.00 and a maximum of $13,860.00. In this category, the “Hotel Diamante K” had the highest price.
Prices are significantly high compared to hotels in downtown Tulum, where a single room costs between $600.00 and $1,200.00 pesos and a double room between $700.00 and $1,400.00 pesos.
The Diamante K, Pocna Tulum, Villa Pescadores and Cabañas Playa Condesa Tulum hotels were placed under suspension due to various violations of the Federal Consumer Protection Law (LFPC) since they did not display rates, did not have terms and conditions of service provision, induced the payment of tips or did not have notes or receipts of the lodging service provided; prices were not offered on the menu or were displayed in foreign currency and the dishes were in a language other than Spanish.
The Kore Tulum and Villa Miramar Tulum hotels were found to have no commercial activity at the time of the visit, and the former reported that they had decided to close around June due to low occupancy.
The Future is Orange: actor Roberto Palazuelos was an unsuccessful candidate for the neoliberal Movimiento Ciudadano party in the 2024 Quintana Roo state elections.
PROFECO staff also monitored 11 food and beverage products, detecting excessive prices, such as in the case of guacamole, for which tourists can pay up to $280.00 pesos for an order, a minimum of $160.00 and an average of $226.92 pesos.
The same thing happened with a simple hamburger, for which tourists can be charged more than 400 pesos. Its average price is $270.00 and the average is $348.18 pesos.
An order of three tacos (of carne asada pastor or bistec) can also cost $400.00 pesos, $306.31 on average or $240 minimum.
Three quesadillas with cheese, chicken, or beef can cost a minimum of $120.00, an average of $201.25, and a maximum of $290.00.
The Attorney General’s staff deployed in Tulum also carried out eight verifications and seven surveillance operations, through which they requested information in order to find variations in prices.
At the same time, it’s hard to feel bad about a hotel ripping off gringos and Eurotrash who look at this and want to pay a thousand US dollars a night for it.
The inspections were carried out at the Super San Francisco de Asís, Nueva Wal-Mart de México, S. de RL de CV, Chedraui Tulum, Comercializadora Farmacéutica del Sureste SA de CV, Farmacon, SA de CV, and Proveedora del Panadero, SA de CV (Grocery Store). Suspensions were issued at the establishments, except for Farmacon, primarily due to the lack of price displays and information regarding warranties and returns.
Monitoring visits were conducted at the following restaurants: Burrito Amor, Batey Mojito and Guarapo Bar, Encanto, Wang Tulum, Restaurante Estrada, Sabor de Mar, and Negro Huitlacoxe. In all cases, they were advised to make the necessary adjustments to comply with the Federal Consumer Protection Law, as it was found that sometimes they were encouraging customers to pay tips or were not displaying prices for some of the products they sold.
Prices were also monitored in seven convenience stores: OXXO, GO MART and 7 Eleven where data was obtained using the Who’s Who in Prices tool for 11 products sold in the three chains.
For most of the products surveyed at 7 Eleven and OXXO, it was found that prices in Tulum are higher than the national average price, and that of the three chains monitored, prices at GO MART are higher than at the other two.
Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency Shutters Actor Palazuelos’ Tulum Hotel & Other Traps Over Rip-Off Rates
November 26, 2025November 26, 2025
The waning power of the Tuluminati is less likely to ensnare Mexican consumers in its morbid, macramé web of infantile regression & extortionate price tags.
Dependency & Development
November 26, 2025November 26, 2025
Mexico’s problem is that, despite an influx of foreign capital, the economy isn’t growing: corporations profit, but don’t stimulate domestic production because they rely heavily on imported components & transfer profits abroad.
For a Comprehensive Agricultural Plan for Mexico
November 26, 2025
It’s essential the government develop a comprehensive plan for rural development that goes beyond combating poverty & marginalization & promotes a development policy that supports farmers.
The post Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency Shutters Actor Palazuelos’ Tulum Hotel & Other Traps Over Rip-Off Rates appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via this RSS feed