Xela Tulum, a Member of Design Hotels

We recommend Xela Tulum to thirty-something and forty-something couples seeking design without the bling, beach without all-inclusive resorts. It's an address for discreet honeymoons, wellness retreats, off-grid weekends with sunrise yoga. Families with young children will find the vibe too zen, the clientele remains mostly adult and cosmopolitan.

Xela Tulum unfolds low pavilions in raw concrete and driftwood, minimalist architecture inspired by Japanese Wabi-Sabi. Interiors by a Mexican collective: polished cement floors, recycled teak furniture, Chiapas artisanal textiles, lava stone bathrooms. Tropical vegetation grows right up to the terraces, palms and frangipanis frame each suite. The scale remains intimate, around thirty rooms maximum scattered in the jungle.

The main restaurant occupies a large beachfront palapa, raw wood tables, feet in the sand. Short menu focused on grilled fish, ceviches, lobster tacos, Yucatecan cuisine revisited with local produce. Mezcal and rum cocktail bar, service until 10pm. Continental breakfast served in room or on the communal terrace, fresh juices and tropical fruits. Room service available all day, simplified menu.

Xela Tulum stands on the Tulum-Boca Paila coastal road, 8.7 km south of the Mayan ruins. Beach hotel zone, no public electricity grid (generators and solar panels), jungle and sand vibe. Tulum town centre fifteen minutes by car, restaurants and shops on the main avenue. Cancún airport 1h30 drive, private shuttle organised by the hotel. The area remains wild, dimly lit at night, ideal for stargazing.