Playa del Carmen’s renovated Mahekal Beach Resort is the perfect fusion of laid-back luxury and smart modernity — like vacationing in a lush seaside jungle with Swiss Family Robinson. When I arrived in the spring, a drizzle fell as the concierge led me to a third-story bungalow, one of 196 palapa-style rooms, none of which have televisions — perfect for digital detox.
Co-owned by Dallas–based Circa Capital, Mahekal has five restaurants and bars, three pools of an ocean blue-green hue, a gym, aquatics center and the new Revive Spa. One can snorkel along the Mesoamerican Reef with sea turtles and stingrays; tour Mayan ruins in nearby Tulum; float into tranquility with a massage at Revive; or partake in an on-site pottery class taught by a local artist.
The culinary offerings are just as wild: Order the Chilean sea bass at Fuego; for lunch, go al fresco and request a traditional Mayan meal of lime soup and fish Tikin Xic; for dinner, let executive chef Crescenciano Nerey work his magic.
Give it three days, and wanderlust will be sated. Rooms start at $249.
Mahekal Beach Resort, Calle 38 Norte, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo Mexico 77710, 877.235.4452.