Casa Chablé

Worth getting out of bed for

On the map, the skinny slick of land Casa Chablé rests on looks like a loose thread dangling from Quintana Roo’s Caribbean coast, but it contains an immense amount of beauty, with a phalanx of palms to one side and porcelain white sands on the other, fading into waters that look like aqua-stained glass on a sunny day. It’s part of Unesco World Heritage site the Sian Ka’an biosphere, set away from the more touristy parts of Tulum and amid 12 acres of jungle, ensuring you’re fully immersed in nature. The private beach has pairs of loungers, canopied day-beds, hammocks and cosy wicker nests where you could happily while away your stay; however, you should jump on the opportunities to gorge on one of Mexico’s most picturesque parts. Private guides will take you around the wetlands, saltwater lagoons and reefs, pointing out turtles, dolphins and manatees along the way. Roam about by boat or canoe, go on a guided snorkelling safari, fly fish, spot tropical birds or attend talks by local experts to enlighten yourself about the biosphere’s wonders and learn how it can be protected. You can also tour the hotel’s gardens, learning about plants in Mayan culture; go on beach-cleaning missions to keep the spot pristine; discover how drinking water is cleaned using reverse osmosis; learn jungle survival skills (fish catching and preparation, how to hack open a coconut), dive into cenotes and venture into secluded caves, or go further out into the Caribbean on an early deep-sea-fishing trip. Hire a bike for a ride to fishing town Punta Allan with a guide, or staff can also map out a seven-kilometre jogging route which ends refreshingly at a natural pool. Back onsite, you’ll pass the time tequila-tasting; making tamales, salsa and guacamole; contorting yourself to various yoga styles; meditating over sunrise at the wellness cabana; raising a glass to sundown; or getting to know your fellow guests at a barbecue. With Tulum’s clifftop Mayan ruins a mere 90-minute drive away, it’s worth a day-trip, with stops at Laguna Kaan Luum, a lake which looks like an iris peering from the greenery and the ruins at Muyil, one of the earliest inhabited Mayan sites.

Local restaurants

The hotel’s remoteness is part of its charm, so aside from a few humble beach joints to the south, the archipelago doesn’t have much of a dining scene. You’re in good hands though, with menus conceived by Jorge Vallejo of excellent Mexico City eatery Quintonil. To expand that palate just a bit more, head to Tulum for top taquerias (shout outs to Taqueria Honorio where tacos are filled with pit-cooked pork and house-blend spicy recaudos, and Doña Paty, who stuff theirs with different kinds of hearty Mexican stews) and upmarket eateries with heavily romantic, fairy-lit jungly terraces that’ll get the pheremones going. Gitano Jungle has disco balls and palms aplenty, plus serves of shrimp and young-coconut aguachile, lobster tostadas and tlayudas topped with Chihuahuan cheese, huitlacoche and black truffle. Bal Nak works closely with indigenous communities, and uses ingredients sourced from them in shining style. Duck comes in an almond-thickened mole, shrimp is drizzled with a Guajillo-chilli sauce and jicama, and the fresh catch of the day is sliced into a tiradito and punched up with apple vinaigrette and star fruit. And Hartwood is an impressively sustainable, off-the-beaten-track seafood restaurant – their menu changes daily depending on the catch, but the blackboard always bears delicious simple dishes. 

Local cafés

Botanica Garden Café is as leafy as its name suggests and is a serene spot for variously flavoured lattes and tropical juices. Pair with some of their sweet and savoury tartines: peanut butter with banana, agave honey and mint; or roast beef with homemade garlic mayo, pickled onions and charred red peppers. And finish with some dulce de leche-stuffed alfajores.

Local bars

A cool crowd gather under Naná’s thatched roof to slump on floor cushions, listen to DJs and go elbow to elbow round the counter to see the mixologists do their thing. There’s a drinks list – many of which go heavy on the mezcal – but if you tell the barkeeps your preferred flavours they can whip up something custom. Posada Margherita’s beach bar is a low-key spot with sun-bleached tables and pavilions, with high-grade cocktail know-how – they make their own mezcal, for which they’ve won awards, plus their own syrups and bitters to add to concoctions such as the Mark Dillon with mezcal, lime and house ginger syrup; or the Tamarindo Spicy with mezcal, ancho reyes liqueur, tamarind, beer and agave syrup.