Nest Tulum

There’s not much in the way of concept to separate one of Tulum’s beachfront boutique hotels from any of the others — you can pretty much count on a laid-back, indoor-outdoor vibe, a sort of rustic-minimalist approach to design, and a wealth of arts and crafts by local makers. The differences come down to execution, and Nest Tulum is earning a following by getting all the details just right.

Its founder, an American music-business veteran, was a Tulum traveler before he was a hotelier, and Nest is his chance to create the hotel he always wanted to see. Along with alums from other well-known Tulum hotels, he’s established a stylish 12-room boutique hotel just off the beach to the south of town, at the far end of the Riviera Maya from busy Cancún.

Ocean rooms, perhaps unsurprisingly, offer immediate beach access, while Garden and Jungle rooms recede into the foliage; the Villa, formerly a private home, is a four-bed unit in what might be the property’s best location. The Nest restaurant and bar opens right onto the beach, just as you’d want it to, and serves a casual Mexican fusion cuisine that showcases the flavors of the Yucatán.