Casa Playa Hermosa is on a beautiful sandy beach in a tranquil bay. Your beachfront backyard is a brand new infinity pool and deck that includes a beautiful pergola, a swim-up bar, and sunken lounge. It truly is paradise in the Mexican Riviera Maya.
Swim, snorkel, kayak, or paddleboard in the water. Take a siesta in the hammock under the shade of the beachfront balconies or pool deck. Dine with the magnificent view of white sandy beaches. Fall asleep to the sound of the waves.
Casa Playa Hermosa is a newly renovated villa that is warm and inviting. There are three bedrooms on the upper level, all with an ocean view. The main floor has an open-plan living and dining area and a fully-equipped kitchen. From the living/dining area, you will enjoy a full view of our infinity pool and the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Beautiful boho-chic furnishings inside complement the tranquil white sandy beach outside.
Across the enclosed and gated courtyard is a private casita with a kitchenette and a small dining set for four, king bed, queen-size sofa bed, full bathroom, and small living room with a TV—the perfect space for privacy and relaxation.
AMENITIES:
For your comfort, we’ve installed individual air conditioning units in each bedroom as well as in the living room and kitchen. We provide three 5-gallon water jugs for cold/hot water dispensers in the main house and casita. We’ve installed a fiber optic cable network and have three TVs with Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as a DVD player and over 30 movies to choose from. We also have beach gear for you to use and enjoy - snorkel gear, life vests, sand toys, spikeball, kayak, and paddleboard. And for your peace of mind, we provide a private, on-premises security guard from 7pm-6am almost every night. Please see our list of amenities for a more complete list.
We can also help with extra cleaning services and in-home meals. Please contact us for more information.
NEIGHBORHOOD:
We are located right on the beach in a private, tranquil bay, about one hour south of Cancun airport, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Our beach, Aventuras Akumal, is known to be one of the nicest beaches in the area - all white sand and crystal clear waters most of the year. The turtles love it, too; every year, thousands of baby turtles are born right on our backyard beach. After a seven-minute drive from the house, you’re at the famous beach where you can swim with the turtles.
** The beaches in the Riviera Maya are usually clean and beautiful, but there is always a chance that you might see some seaweed (sargassum) during the summer months. We do our best to clean up and manage our area of the beach regularly, following recommended practices that vary according to the amount of seaweed coming in, so that you can fully enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Sea.
Casa Playa Hermosa is minutes away from the most beautiful cenotes (underwater caverns and natural swimming holes) in the world, the Tulum Ruins, swimming with sea turtles, snorkeling with exotic fish in a lagoon and in the reef, extreme ziplining and ATV tours, golfing at Bahia Principe, and the top adventure parks in Mexico: Xel-ha, Xcaret, Xplor, and Xenses.
There is a restaurant/bar within a two-minute walk along the beach, but if you want to explore all the wonders the area has to offer, we definitely recommend renting a car.
We have put together a big list of options and recommendations we share with guests.
We've spent many vacations in our home, and we've put together a comprehensive visitor's guide to the area. Let us know if we can help plan any activities during your stay!
AKUMAL VISITOR GUIDE:
Our favorite local restaurants:
* Bikini Bar: 2 min walk, casual beachside restaurant with surprisingly delicious food & drink – we recommend the ceviche, nachos, and margaritas.
* Kay Beach Club: 10 min walk, nice beachside restaurant that’s open from 9am-6pm
* Taverna (Italian): 5 min drive, a tradition for us every trip – outdoor dining on a terrace surrounded with tree lights. Super friendly staff and delicious food.
* Turtle Bay Bakery & Café: 5 min drive, best breakfast in town. Famous for their ‘sticky buns’.
* La Buena Vida: 7 min drive, beach bar & restaurant offers a gorgeous view of Half-Moon Bay, evening lights, and fun treehouse tables.
Beautiful nearby cenotes:
* Cristalino (15 min) – Mostly outdoor cenote. Charming and a favorite for Instagrammers. Over-water swing and diving platform. Also offers a free guided tour.
* Dos Ojos (15 min) – One of our favorites. Great for swimming & snorkeling and a top choice for scuba divers. Beautiful surroundings, fragrant incense, and plenty of hammocks for lounging. Go earlier to get a spot in the snorkel tour.
A good option is to buy the 3 cenote pass for Dos Ojos, Nicte Ha (platform diving), and Jaguar (zip-lining) for around $55. Start at Dos Ojos and make your way back. (3-5hr adventure, so good to bring water & snacks)
* Sac Actun (20 min) – Stunning, mostly indoor cave system. Great for snorkeling and scuba diving.
* Calavera (20 min)– Fun diving platform cenote. Music and bar - great place to bring a chair and relax.
* Cenote Azul (15 min)
* Casa Cenote (15 min) – Good one for scuba diving – you can start in the cenote and swim out to the ocean. Kayaks are available for renting as well.
* Gran Cenote (20 min)– one of the most famous cenotes in the area.
* Zacil Ha (25 min)– open-air cenote with zip line and diving platform. Good for families.
* Car Wash (Aktun Ha) (25 min)
* Corazon (30 min)
Other nearby activities:
* Swimming with the Akumal turtles: 7 minutes away, an area is roped off and you are guaranteed at least one turtle sighting. Akumal Dive Shop will take care of you. Options to swim up from the beach or take a boat to the turtles
(Our house manager, William, can also take you to the turtles or fishing in his boat. The boat is docked a couple minute’s walk from the house).
* Yalku Lagoon: 10 minutes away. Snorkel with 100s of beautiful fish right off the steps of the lagoon. The closest and easiest way to enjoy all the sea life. Bring snorkel gear or rent.
* Spa and Massages: Right next door to the house, you can relax and get a beach-side massage. Price is around $70/hr.
In Tulum, there is an amazing Spa called Leaf Luxury Spa (+52 98 1427 8702, www.leafspatulum.com) The deep tissue massage and hydro-therapy will leave you feeling totally relaxed and rejuvenated.
* Akumal Monkey Sanctuary: 10 minutes away. Enjoy an interactive guided tour of indigenous monkeys and other local wildlife. The sanctuary rehabilitates the animals and provides a peaceful life for them. Hold macaws, pythons, and monkeys.
Day and Half-Day Trips:
* Xcaret, Xplor, Xel-Ha, Xenses: These fabulous, themed adventure and water parks are all 10-30 minutes away. Xel-Ha is the closest and one of our favorites.
* Cozumel: One of the best snorkeling and scuba diving areas in the world. A 45 minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen.
* Tulum: 20 minutes south (40 minutes to hotel zone) – this is the place of celebrities and Instagrammers. Chic hotels and restaurants with a distinct Tulum décor and vibe. (Let us know if you’d like a list of the best places to dine & hang out.)
* Tulum Ruins: Don’t miss the beautiful Tulum Ruins by the ocean – best to go early and buy tickets at the entrance (approx. $5). After the ruins, you can hang out at the beach or do a boat & snorkel trip and see the ruins from the ocean. You can also rent a bike at the entrance and explore the area ($10 for entire day).
* Playa Del Carmen: 30 minutes away and one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico. There are many clothing and craft shops, great restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies, souvenir shops, etc.
* Cave Diving: We heard that La Calypso Dive Center in Tulum is great for scuba diving in the cenotes. https://lacalypsodivecenter.com/. We also met an instructor at Dos Ojos, who does privates: Daniel at danielmx@hotmail.com
* Coba Ruins: An hour away, with little shops and cenotes along the way.
* Chichen Itza Ruins: About 2 hours away, and probably the best-known Mayan ruins in the Yucatan peninsula, recently chosen as one of the new wonders of the world. We recommend that you go early (interestingly - there is an hour time change to factor in during certain times of year). Around $25/person. We recommended to get a guide.
* Viator.com and Tripadvisor.com are great ways to book adventures in the area.
