The Beach Tulum — lostwithlina.com

Sandwiched between lush jungle and a sugar-white beach, The Beach Tulum has a barefoot ease to it, coupled with a feeling of tropical chic luxury.

Arriving at palm-strewn, adult-only boutique resort The Beach Tulum, we were embraced by mother nature herself. Her omnipresence was immediately felt throughout every inch of the resort. With villas perched directly on the sand, we immediately felt intertwined with the surrounding beach and landscape. Perhaps the best way to describe it, is that it’s uncomplicated and remarkably easy on the eye; which is exactly what you want from a property that rests next to the Caribbean Sea in a tropical idyll. The Beach Tulum soothes the mind and senses with its soaring palapa roofs and whitewashed rendered walls, and lets you experience Tulum on your own terms - without sacrificing the stellar service you’d expect from a larger hotel. Each beachfront villa is a showcase of Mexican artistry, filled with local hand-carved furniture, woven lamps and rustic artwork.

Eye-candy aside, The Beach Tulum is a peaceful, private and tranquil oasis that lets you encounter the Tulum version of yourself. The version that wakes up at 9am and starts the day with a beach yoga session followed by a fresh fruit smoothie and pastries - all enjoyed while sitting on your balcony admiring the ocean. The version of you that spends the entire day in a bikini or beach shorts, doesn’t brush their hair after a swim in the salty sea, and simply hops from sunbathing by the beach to the pool to your rooftop jacuzzi, to exploring the Mayan ruins, then rewarding yourself for your busy day with a tequila-splashed cocktail and mezcal with local seafood and guacamole. We’re talking about the type of holiday embodiment where you lose track of time, don’t know what day it is and couldn’t care less about your emails and technology.

I don’t know about you, but that’s my ultimate definition of a ‘holiday’. If that sounds enticing, just head to The Beach Tulum for a week.

LOCATION & HOW TO GET HERE

The Beach Tulum is located in the very heart of Tulum’s busy main drag, adjacent to the beach. There are dozens of extremely good bars and trendy restaurants within a short stroll – most of which have musical entertainment by night. Tulum’s Mayan ruins are just over 6 km away and a taxi will set you back around MXN 150 (£6), or you can borrow a hotel bike free of charge and cycle there yourself. Between 8am and 10am is the coolest time of day, and is also when you’ll encounter fewer tourists.

Cancun international airport is just 90 minutes away by taxi or bus. If you’re arriving from outside of Mexico, you’ll likely touch down in Cancun, which can be reached directly from most European hubs and many US airports. The drive to the hotel takes approximately 90 minutes. You won’t need a car if you’re planning to stay in town – Tulum, its beaches and nearby cenotes are easily explored on foot or by bike, and there are plenty of taxis should you need them. A set of wheels will come in handy if you want to go day tripping to nearby towns and more distant cenotes. This can all be arranged with the concierge at The Beach Tulum.

THE BEACH TULUM EXPERIENCE

Life is lived at a deliciously slow pace at The Beach Tulum. You needn’t lift a finger, thanks to the concierge team who will arrange everything for you; from private romantic beachside dinners, to discovering cerulean cenotes and iguana-dotted ancient ruins. We spent four nights in this tropical hideaway, but you’d need weeks to explore all the surreal swimming sites around the area with the big names, like Gran Cenote and Dos Ojos, usually being at the top of people's lists. Both are worth your time – and you’ll likely recognise them from Instagram – but charming spots like Cenote Calavera and Cenote Car Wash really shouldn’t be overlooked.

The highlight of The Beach Tulum is that it's unpretentious, yet utterly divine. It has style in spades, but understands that its best asset is the stunning nature that surrounds it. The pool at The Beach Tulum is the real head turner. It resembles a rounded Yucatan cenote with tributaries, and is fringed by coconut palms, lavish vegetation and frangipanis, while a dark wooden deck and sandy pathways run between the lobby, villas and the Spa.

Beyond the comforts of your villa, The Beach Tulum practically begs you to slip into the lazy pace of Tulum life: hammocks swing in the sea breeze, daybeds stud the private beach and the restaurants promise long, leisurely dinners with ceviche, guacamole and margaritas. The Resorts Spa, Naj Naay, is one of the latest and greatest additions to the resort, and keeps with the peaceful and harmonic atmosphere of the resort. With an array of Mayan, Thai and Crystal Therapy treatments available, you’ll give your mind, body and spirit the opportunity to achieve a state of wellbeing. There is also a small gym onsite that is merely steps from the ocean. For the yoga enthusiasts, there is a beautiful Yoga Palapa nestled amongst the trees - there is no better place to start your day. Unlike many of Tulum’s hotels that seem to charge guests for all the extras, The Beach provides 9am morning yoga classes daily, which are complimentary for guests (yoga mats can be found in your villa). The resort also has bikes available for guests to conveniently explore the area.

SUITES & ACCOMMODATION

Designed to be thrown open to the sun, the villas at The Beach Tulum effortlessly melt into their surroundings, thanks to the mostly white walls that borrow their colour from the pearl-white beach, and the stripped-wood furniture and decor that pay homage to the jungle. Each and every one of the 28 villas at the Beach have direct access to the beach, and some even have direct access to the maze swimming pool. In contrast to the hundreds of other resorts and hotels on this stretch of beach, The Beach offers guests plenty of space to unwind, and most villas have views of both the pool and the ocean.

We checked-in to our Beachfront Rooftop Villa, which was the dreamiest abode to spend four nights in. Up a short flight of stairs, the heavy wooden door to our villa opened up to an enormous semi-open air bathroom with a bathtub and shower carved from concrete. Smooth, rendered concrete floors take you from the entrance way out to the main event - the bedroom. Embracing the ocean views, a plush king-sized bed shrouded in a mesh mosquito net faces out towards the balcony and sea. You can soak in the sea views right from the comfort of your bed. Rooms are equipped with coat hooks and hat stands that have been fashioned from knobbly tree branches, and there are filter coffee machines and complimentary water is provided daily. The balconies are complete with in-built couches and a hammock, so you can enjoy the superb views from your terrace while reclining lazily in your very own hammock.

I would opt for the Beachfront Rooftop Villa, as they also include your very own private open air rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi, a queen size sofa and two sun loungers, where you can sunbathe naked to soothing ocean sounds and gaze at star-sprinkled skies.

As we would repeatedly discover over the next four days, the beauty of The Beach Tulum was the mandate to do absolutely nothing other than wander a few feet to the next station of luxury – perhaps stopping to admire a small iguana on the way to the bar, or lazing in our private hammock, or staring blankly at the ocean before heading off to a massage.

HOLY GUACAMOLE

There is more to food in Mexico than tacos - though they’re definitely the best you will ever eat. Tulum has more than its fair share of unmissable restaurants to experience; from barefoot beach options, vegan-friendly restaurants, to high-end fine dining and some of the world's best street food. It’s no surprise that the dining options at The Beach Tulum are sensational. The first of its two restaurant options, Ziggy’s, has a varied menu of salads, seafood and meat dishes. Ziggy’s is a laid back beach club that is attached to The Beach, as well as a restaurant.

The second restaurant, Fresco’s, is slightly more informal, specialising in ceviche and tacos, plus the smoothies are particularly scrumptious – try the one made from passion fruit, orange and matcha. They have a large wine menu, but the selection is exclusively Mexican – which may not be to everyone’s taste – plus lots of potent cocktails and several local craft beers.

For guests, breakfast is included in the overnight rate, and can be ordered from the menus of both Ziggy’s and Fresco’s. Start your day with filling chilaquiles, nibble on grilled fish tacos for lunch and pop by for ceviche after a day at the beach. If you fancy eating from your terrace, you can order anything from the menus of both restaurants, and the concierge will deliver your meal to your villa. I mean, I have tried my fair share of guacamole during our 5 weeks in Mexico, and I can honestly say that the guacamole at Ziggy’s will forever be a standout for me.

WHAT TO KNOW

SARGASSUM: We were here from end of July to August, there was a great deal of seaweed and we were not able to swim in the sea. Generally, from May to October, the Yucatán Peninsula and much of the Caribbean experiences this, but the staff at The Beach Tulum work tirelessly to clear the beachfront of the hotel from seaweed.

CHILDREN: Children are not permitted at The Beach Tulum, as it is an adult-only resort

PACKING TIPS: If you’re going to explore Tulum’s cenotes, bring a pair of shoes that can get wet – your feet will thank you when it comes to scrambling over underwater rocks. Embrace Tulum’s don’t-bother-with-shoes attitude and bring some delicate accessories for dressing up bare ankles and toes. Make sure you have plenty of ravishing swimwear for the pools as well as loose light linens

MOZZIES: Mosquitos can be a real pain here. So, even if that terrace looks particularly delightful, after sunset you may prefer to stay indoors.

BEACH-LOUNGERS: No need to rush to the beach each morning to catch a bed – private beach bed assigned to each room.

Visit https://www.thebeach-tulum.com/ to check their availability or visit their Instagram page @thebeachtulum.

I was hosted as a guest of The Beach Tulum, however, all the opinions expressed in this article are, as always, my own.