Summer travels in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
View from pool area at Hotel Esencia, Tulum, Quintana Roo
Summer family travels are always special, and we try to plan different experiences from the previous summer adventure. This year, our travels took us south to Tulum. Located in the Caribbean coast of the state of Quintana Roo, at the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, it is well known for its white sandy beaches, Mayan ruins, and incredible cenotes with turquoise waters. Tulum is home to roughly 47,000 people, and the area has seen an exponential growth in the last few years with new residential development, hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, and shopping all near the downtown area.
Even with all the growth it has experienced, parts of Tulum still feel like a small town, catering to the more rustic and boho tourism. The main street in town offers a very local feel of the beach location, however, once you get to the “Zona Hotelera (Hotel Zone)” area, it feels like Tulum is Ibiza’s sister in the Americas, bustling with high-end hotels, restaurants, and boutiques catering to the discerning tourists.
One of the things I loved most about Tulum was the inspiring aesthetic. While still having a very beachy feel, it has a chic boho minimalism that takes its cues from Mayan culture, straw thatched roofs, earthy elements and colors, and an eco-conscious local culture.
Catering to international and Mexican tourists, the area has expanded its choice of cuisine. Ranging from healthy-conscious to decadent, you can find an array of international cuisine and fusions. We had some recommendations going, and made sure we stopped at a few of them, while also finding our own “eatery treasures”.
Along the Zona Hotelera, we dined at Hartwood. Though comprising of a small menu, the bar drinks are creative and the atmosphere is alive. With a fun menu that changes daily based on seasonal sea and land harvest, reservations are highly recommended. Hartwood is a super eco-friendly restaurant, obtaining their power with solar panels, and creating a zero carbon footprint.. You will dine on a rustic wooden table under white tents, walking through the rustic flooring…truly off the grid kind of establishment! https://www.hartwoodtulum.com/
Another amazing dinner locale was Casa Jaguar. Located in what feels like a house of spirits with an interior courtyard, you will dine under the stars, amidst incense that is supposed to keep the mosquitos away. Self-described as a voodoo culinary experience, it is a cool place to spend the evening, enjoying the artisanal unique taste of its dishes along a bar menu that features traditional recipes with, as they put it, contemporary concepts. https://www.casajaguartulum.com/casa-jaguar
You will find plenty of daytime eateries as well, ranging from street taco stands to locations along the main strip. We stopped at Burrito Amor, the mastermind of husband and wife team who fell in love with Mexico, packed their bags, and started on their adventure back in 2010. Burrito Amor features clean eating, healthy fresh and conscious, as well as a fun bar menu. The location is charming, with an outdoor gravel area and an indoor seating area with a dramatic high ceiling palapa. Their burritos wrapped in plantain leaves are amazing, and you can order clean detox/energising juices and smoothies, horchata and mixed drinks. http://www.burrito-amor.com/index.php/en/
Last but not least, let’s talk about Hotel Esencia. It is a magical spot between Tulum and Playa Del Carmen, located on the water in the midst of the Yucatan jungle. Initially built as a vacation home for an Italian duchess, this magical hotel with about 47 suites is not only gorgeous, but the service is exquisite. Upon check-in, you are assigned your own concierge who can help you set up archeological tours or visits to nearby cenotes, dinner reservations, car service, etc. It is the only 5-star hotel in the area, and they love making you feel like it’s your home away from home. Two of my favorite service features were the morning delivery of coffee, tea, or cocoa along with Mexican pastries right to your door, as well as the afternoon tea and macaroons served in the main “casa”. We had been driving for roughly 3 hours from Merida (with a stop at Chichen Itza), and were ready to relax - this was exactly what we needed.
The boutique hotel features 2 homes with private pools, a few suites with plunge pools, a jungle suite, a wellness suite (with your own peloton and TRX suspension equipment, and rooftop plunge pool with views of the jungle and ocean), as well as other suites in the “main house”. The hotel is gated and you will need to catch a lift on their golf cart to go down to the actual hotel, which is setback quite a bit from the main highway (meaning when you go back to your suite, you will only hear the noise of the local fauna and the occasional tropical rain). Every room is so private amidst the heavy green vegetation, yet you can come out of your oasis and visit one of the 2 main pools, spa, restaurants, and of course, don’t forget the 8am yoga class in the thatched-roof open room overlooking the Caribbean. Here and there you see wild life including the resident iguanas, nesting turtles (which they help protect), manatees (you can take a paddleboard and swim with manatees in the lagoon next door), and the resident peacocks (including a feisty albino peacock).
The hotel features 3 restaurants, a coffee/juice bar, and the pool bar. One in particular was our favorite, BeefBar. From the modern, boho chic decor, to the dishes, this is an epicurian experience not to be missed. It is an ode to meat lovers, serving Australian Black Onyx , Wx Wagyu Beef, and Japanese Kobe Beef, as well as a Kobe Karbonara pasta dish that was to die for. Then there is Mistura, our usual breakfast spot overlooking the ocean. The white-painted wood floors and colorful furniture under a towering palapa added to our gastronomic breakfast and lunch experience encompassing chilaquiles, huevos Motulenos, lobster tacos, gazpacho, among other Yucatan Peninsula specialties.
https://hotelesencia.com/
