Casona los Cedros

Hours away and seemingly a world apart from Cancún’s busy resort zone, the sleepy town of Espita on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula doesn’t see a lot of tourist traffic. A couple of stylish hotels have popped up here in recent years, however, most notably Casona los Cedros, which is best known for its excellent restaurant. The main building, an old colonial villa framed by tropical foliage, was abandoned for decades before a French architect snapped up the property and transformed it into a modern boutique hotel.

The original structure now houses the reception and bar, while the new addition, built by local craftspeople using traditional materials like stone and wood, features nine minimalist guest rooms outfitted with concrete walls, decorative tile flooring, wooden furnishings, embroidered textiles, and private patios with indoor-outdoor showers. Understated and calm, they’re set around a central garden with an elevated infinity pool and a breezy covered terrace. Cacti and agaves dot the grounds, hammocks swing between trees, and freshly picked herbs and vegetables from the restaurant’s garden appear on the communal breakfast table.