Casa de las Olas

After a mad dash to catch the red-eye to Cancun, Mr Smith and I were in need of relaxation. And so it began, after touching down in Mexico’s beach-fringed, palm-fanned Yucatan Peninsula. Collected by luxurious mini-van, we travelled through thick, exotic jungle as far as the eye could see until we reached the entrance of Casa de las Olas. Bags dispatched, a white stone pathway led us to a communal outdoor table, adorned with fresh fruit and coffee, set beneath a grove of coconut trees. The first of many subtle yet hospitable touches during our stay, it was a great introduction to the barefoot beach scene of Tulum: where many hotels run on sustainable power and food is often sourced from tree or sea.

Gathered around the table were other guests and James Greenfield, the hotel’s owner. Jimmy, as he is known, is a hotelier like no other. Straight away, he set about finding out who we were, how we discovered Tulum, and just like that, we had a hand-drawn map, with a full itinerary of off-the-beaten-path ruins, cenotes, restaurants and bars, including Chamico’s, a fish shack on nearby Soliman Bay.

A reflection of its owner, Casa de las Olas is also a hotel like no other. One of the first structures to grace the shores of Tulum, it was built in the 1970s by an Austrian engineer. Now transformed into a boutique B&B, it has just seven suites, each facing out towards the ocean which gives Casa de las Olas its name — the House of the Waves. Privacy is ensured, but company is on hand should you need it at the communal meals.

Since 1986, Casa de las Olas has also stood on the doorstep of the 1.3m-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, giving the hotel a unique location between beach and jungle. If you’re into wildlife, look no further: you can spend one day snorkelling amid 84 coral species, turtles, tropical fish and sharks, and the next seeking out manatees, monkeys, jaguars and pumas in the Unesco-listed reserve.

Symbiosis with nature even percolates through to the hotel’s design. The entire hotel runs on solar power and water is irrigated from the nearby cenotes. Instead of cutting down coconut trees to make room for the buildings, they’ve been harnessed back. Vents in the rooms allow air to flow, even though there’s no air conditioning. Wildlife is everywhere, from the iguanas that seem to perch on every hotel corner, to Jimmy’s dog, who pops up regularly for a cuddle and a hello.

Breakfast finished, itinerary planned, we grabbed our coffee cups and strolled through the lush jungle to reach the hotel’s private swathe of the beach, where I collapsed under a palapa and basked in the stillness, as Mr Smith played in the waves. Napping ensued. Just enough to revive us for dinner in the communal dining area, where chef Lulu lavished us with fresh Baja tacos and guacamole like I’d never tasted.

Miraculously, we did manage to pull ourselves up away from the hotel on occasion. Making use of the car rental that Jimmy had suggested, we aimed for some far-off ruins, feeling free and very local as we stopped off at the grocery store to pick up supplies. On the way back, I couldn’t resist a detour, so we found ourselves at one of Jimmy’s approved hideaways for ceviche and margaritas.

With sunset was approaching, we made our way back to Casa de las Olas, where Mr Smith suggested we move down to the beach for a treat that Shawna, the hotel’s manager, had set up.

As we walked through the canopy, and turned the corner, rose petals emerged. Against a Tulum’s beautiful backdrop, Mr Smith got down on one knee and popped the question, before champagne was popped and toasts were made. A hotel like no other; it couldn’t have happened in a better place.