Era Hotel & Spa Tulum

The first wave of stylish boutique hotels in Tulum was concentrated in the hotel zone along the beach, but lately the town has been filling in with noteworthy openings as well. Era Hotel & Spa Tulum is set in a leafy residential neighborhood on the western edge of town, which means urban life isn’t far away — but the immediate surroundings are verdant, quiet, and exceedingly private.

Architecturally, it’s an appealing building, blending the orderly geometries of modernism with the appealingly warm and organic textures of traditional carpentry. The walls are made from chukum, a sand-based stucco, and there’s sisal and organic cotton everywhere, a tactile contrast with the cool polished concrete floors. Balconies face an interior courtyard with a pool; while a hut on the beach might feel more private, Era’s modest size means it’s incapable of feeling crowded.

The Ritual Spa makes good on the last part of the hotel’s name, incorporating Mayan influences and conventional wellness and beauty treatments. And Dreamcatcher Café is the hotel’s organic restaurant — and its semi-urban location means that many more options are located within a pleasant half-hour’s walk.