Casa Pueblo Tulum

"Set the scene.A beautiful, oversized home with lush plants, antique Mexican pottery, the light flowing in from a leafy atrium, house dogs padding around. White hand-plastered walls and wood are softened by Yucatan textiles and patterned tiles. With its live music and wellness-focussed classes, it seems designed for a certain nomadic creative and global seeker, yet its appeal is much broader. What’s the story?Casa Pueblo is an independent hotel that was envisioned and brought to life by Derek Klein, who, back in 2013 opened Gitano, Tulum’s acclaimed jungle-chic bar and restaurant. What can we expect from our room?Rooms are spacious and soothing, pristine clean, and minimally furnished with hand-sculpted lighting, floor-to-ceiling slatted wooden shutters, oversized mattresses and floating bedside tables with purified water in glass bottles (no single-use plastics anywhere). Rooms all open onto a three-storey atrium leafy with potted plants and an enormous chaca tree that steals the show. How about the food and drink?Breakfast is not included and there is no minibar, but the restaurant downstairs serves simple and delicious food all day long, with local fruit breakfast smoothie, Mayan greens for lunch, and slow-roasted meat and vegetables for dinner. Anything to say about the service?Smooth and efficient, welcoming and effortless. Check-in and check-out were seamless and the hotel can arrange airport transfers and guided visits or transportation to nearby archaeological sites or cenotes. Who comes here?Globe-trotting creatives seeking true connections, collaborations and authentic experiences. Cool yet understated and elegant, wearing brands you want to know, but can’t quite glean because there’s not a label in sight. They talk about politics, the event they are in town producing, the sound-bath happening this afternoon on the beach, and where to find the best hand-woven hammocks. How does it fit into the neighborhood?The hotel is set right at the beginning of pulsing downtown Tulum, known as Pueblo. The street it’s on can be hectic, day and night, but Casa Pueblo manages to create a sanctuary of serenity amongst the chaos. Is there anything you'd change?A few more shelves and hooks to help organize one’s things in the room. And a bluetooth speaker for music would be nice. Anything we missed?Communal tables, quiet built-in nooks for lounging, a rooftop overlooking the city, and sun beds surrounding a 10-feet-deep salt-water pool. Worth it—and why?Absolutely. This is a calm and super-comfortable hotel in a place that almost doesn’t know what to do with its sudden popularity." - Tansy Kaschak