Wakax Hacienda - Cenote & Boutique Hotel

Lots of travelers choose Tulum for its beautiful beaches and festive nightlife. Slightly inland, set apart from the hip village center, Wakax Hacienda taps into some of the region’s other assets — namely its Mayan history, its lush jungle setting, and a network of cenotes, or limestone sinkholes fed by underground rivers. The hotel is strategically positioned right beside a trio of cenotes, and easy access to these ethereal, turquoise-hued, all-natural swimming pools is reason enough to stay.

Modeled after a traditional 18th-century hacienda, complete with a church and a central plaza, the hotel sits on the shore of an emerald-colored lake; guests are free to help themselves to kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, relax in a hammock, or snack on fresh fruit in one of the breezy lakefront palapas housing a restaurant and bar. Inside, the look is minimalist with a Spanish colonial twist: exposed wood beams, polished concrete walls and flooring, Scandinavian-style furniture, artisan-made ceramics, and colorful Mexican artwork. Standard rooms are located in the main building, while freestanding casitas and villas are dotted around the sprawling grounds, offering extra space and perks like private patios and plunge pools.

Three photogenic swimming pools, in addition to the lake and cenotes, await outside, as well as a striking indoor-outdoor spa, ceremonial sweat lodge, and yoga deck. The best way to appreciate all that Wakax Hacienda has to offer is to join one of the hotel’s guided bicycle excursions: each trip follows a five-mile circuit through the jungle, stopping at a Mayan cultural center before continuing to a refreshing dip in one of the property’s cenotes. After dark, the hotel’s larger cenote, gorgeously illuminated and open to the night sky, is a downright magical spot for night swimming.