La Casa de la Playa Review: You’ll Feel Like You’re Staying in a Private Beach House at This Mexican Resort, Ranked No. 2 in the World by Our Readers

"Staying here felt like having our own private beach house — a 63‑suite beachfront boutique where we lounged in a hammock over our private heated plunge pool, swam out along an Olympic‑lane‑length infinity arm that floats over the sea, and raided a private wine cellar on a whim. La Casa de la Playa delivers classic luxury touchpoints — eye‑catching natural‑material design, volcanic‑stone hydrotherapy tubs, lighted in‑wall jellyfish habitats, 24‑hour butler service, and celebrity chef‑led restaurants — but what redefined luxury for us was the unfettered access: unlimited all‑inclusive entry to all Xcaret parks and sister hotels, private transfers and ferries, and the “Exclusively Your Way” experiences (a private guided tour of a newly discovered underwater cave, a romantic cenote dinner with live jazz, or an after‑hours Mayan purification ritual). The food program impressed: Estero’s Peruvian‑inspired multi‑course seafood tasting, Lumbre’s meats (especially the barbacoa arrachera), Centli’s corn‑forward menu, and Tuch de Luna’s breakfasts and must‑try pink mole — with adventurous options like escamoles, lengua, and huitlacoche available — plus access to 21 restaurants across Hotel Xcaret Mexico and Hotel Xcaret Arte. Suites are spacious and richly detailed with local artisan decor, private terraces with hammocks and volcanic tubs, thoughtful tech and amenities, and larger Master and Presidential Suites that include multiple outdoor spaces and private pools; wellness highlights include the Muluk Spa with hydrotherapy rituals, a salt room, and custom apothecary scents. Sustainability and privacy are central — a gated beachfront set against jungle and ocean, guided by Grupo Xcaret’s Xustainability model and EarthCheck evaluation — and concierge support, private transfers, and loyalty perks (I Prefer, Amex Fine Hotels) make it straightforward to plan and maximize the stay. By the time Travel + Leisure readers named it Best Luxury Hotel Resort in Mexico and the second‑best hotel in the world in 2024, we already felt the property’s mix of comfort, exclusivity, and once‑in‑a‑lifetime experiences had shifted our definition of luxury." - Katherine Alex Beaven Katherine Alex Beaven Katherine Alex Beaven is a Los Angeles-based travel, food and drink, and culture writer. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines