The Best Resort in Mexico, La Casa de La Playa

Xcaret’s newest property is truly what dreams are made of. The third hotel in the Xcaret group, La Casa de La Playa is the smallest, with only 63 suites versus 900 at the other two locations, and it shows. This is by far the best resort I have ever stayed at from the attention to detail, the incredible service, and the breathtaking suites this all inclusive adults only resort is a must see.

This property was finished in December of 2021, it is still a fairly new resort but it is quickly coming onto the scene. It is famously known for its infinity pool which stretches out 40 meters over the Mexican Caribbean allotting a full view of the breathtaking architecture Xcaret properties are renowned for.

We flew from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Cancun (CUN) on JetBlue, it is a super easy under 3 hour direct flight. When landing in Cancun after clearing customs you will walk out to the area where all the resort drivers are waiting. Don’t get reeled in, like we did, to one of the tourism boards hawking you right before the entrance. They will ask you what hotel you’re looking for and act like they’re going to help but it’ll really just be a waste of 20 minutes and you’ll just continue on your way afterwards. The airport transportation is also included in your all-inclusive stay.

Xcaret has a building all the way to the right when you get outside after you pass the little convenience store. One of their professional drivers will be waiting for you in one of their many Denalis to take you to Xcaret in comfort and style. The ride is about an hour, more or less, and takes you past nearly all of the Xcaret parks on the way. Once you pass all of the seemingly endless beach resorts in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the surrounding areas you will finally reach the entrance to the Xcaret properties.

The Resort

It looks like you’re driving straight into the jungle and you feel like you’ll never reach the resorts. The entire property has bike trails if you care to take a not so little ride around to see the immaculate preserved nature (bikes are included). Heading to La Casa de La Playa you will see a brief glimpse of Xcaret Arte on your right, the adults only version of Xcaret Mexico (both 900 suites). While all of the properties are absolutely stunning, we’re looking for something more intimate… enter La Casa de La Playa.

Immediately upon driving up the small hill to the entrance you know you made the right choice. The architecture seamlessly blends into the nature that coexists amongst the resorts. The lobby is wide open allowing the most inviting sea breeze to enter and enchant you from the moment you step foot into the resort. The entire property, including the lobby, is adorned with unique art from local artisans and hand woven textiles. To say Miguel Quintana Pali (founder of grupo Xcaret) is an artist is an understatement.

You are welcomed into the lobby by your butler, the bellhop will take your luggage and you will get the most delicious drink you’ve ever had (nonalcoholic). If I recall correctly it was coconut milk, grapefruit juice and strawberry syrup, or something along those lines. We ended up having it at every meal. Your butler will assist you with check in and then bring you to your suite.

You will be so blown away when you enter your suite. As I said, this is the most beautiful, well thought out hotel I’ve ever stayed at. Your butler will go over the features of your room with you including the little door specifically for your dirty room service dishes so that they are not a sight for sore eyes in or outside of the room. If you weren’t listening to them, there is a booklet explaining every little thing in the room from the hidden drawers to the hand woven chandelier shade by Mexican artisans. Each of the 63 suites are incredibly private. The majority are the ones you see in the photo but they also have suites with beach access and garden suites. The seating on the patio is perfect, the pool, hammock, and volcano tub truly set these rooms apart from the rest.

There are two pools at this resort but remember when you stay at La Casa you also have access to the restaurants and pools at Xcaret Arte and Mexico included in your stay, the reverse is not true. The people staying at Arte and Mexico do not have any of the restaurants at La Casa included in their stay, nor can they access the pools at La Casa making your stay extra exclusive.

The most popular pool juts out 40 meters above the beautiful blue ocean, the color of the blue blends with the crystal clear waters of the Mexican Caribbean. It takes a surprisingly long amount of time to walk out to the end but once you do you feel like you’re in the ocean looking back at the resort with a little sneak peek of Xcaret Arte off to the left. The other pool is a rooftop infinity pool that also overlooks the ocean. A portion of this pool floats freely above the resort making it a super cool photo op (they both are). Both pools have excellent food and drink service.

The Restaurants

There are four restaurants at La Casa plus room service and food service at both of the pools and on the beach. Each restaurant offers unique dishes created by world renowned chefs. While staying at La Casa, once again, you also have every restaurant at Arte and Mexico included (21 restaurants), just let your butler know you want a reservation and they will arrange transport. There is also a 24 hour chocolate bar in the resort which is a lovely touch as I have a sweet tooth 24/7. They have fresh hot chocolate, delicious truffles and chocolate barks and much more.

Estero

The best spot in La Casa, it is on the same level as the beach and is surrounded by rocks and greenery. All of the architecture is inspired by nature and flows with the natural world that the resort is engulfed by. Estero is quite large and we were almost always one of, if not, the only ones in there. There is an open kitchen, a lovely bar, beautiful pothos everywhere and amazing, attentive service. The breakfast was out of this world delicious and the tasting menu was unlike anything I’ve ever tried. They include a signature drink with each dish and were kind enough to give us nonalcoholic versions as we do not drink. They knew this from the start, we didn’t even need to tell them… the attention to detail and level of service is out of this world. Below is the tasting menu plus a bonus of the (to die for) french toast from breakfast.

Tuch de Luna

This concept is described as “lyrical and feminine”. The restaurant is an all female staff and all of the food and drinks do have a very feminine charm to them that cannot be described without photos (of which, I forgot to take). This was probably my least favorite of all of them, the restaurant itself was beautiful but the food was a little too light for me. It would have been a lovely spot to have lunch but for dinner I would recommend going somewhere else.

Lumbre

Lumbre and Centli share a location and they are open on opposing days. Lumbre is cuisine from the North of Mexico and was so delicious and unique, the theme here is smoked. Nearly everything on the menu is smoked in one way or another.

Centli

Cuisine from the South of Mexico, Centli’s menu is based around corn, nearly every dish has corn in it in some form as a tribute to the importance of the corn crop to southern Mexico. I found this restaurant to be absolutely delicious and unlike anything I’ve ever eaten before which was quite a theme here.

The parks fully included in your Xcaret property stay

First thing’s first, how do you pronounce these words? The “x” sounds like a “sh” or “s” and it comes from the ancient Aztec language. Xcaret is actually pronounced ish-ca-ret. It takes a little getting used to and there is never any shame in asking a local or one of the many incredible employees during your stay.

Xcaret Park – The world famous Xcaret park is almost too much to even try to explain. It is acres upon acres of Mayan history, cultural relics, tributes to Mayan Gods and the traditions of the Maya offering 50+ attractions. There are river tours, aviaries, a butterfly pavilion, a coral reef aquarium and so much more. Catch one of the shows at Xcaret park displaying history of the Maya through dance, sport and more. Xcaret park is on the Xcaret property making it the easiest of the parks to get to.

Xenotes – Located about an hour and 10 minutes from Xcaret property the Xenotes tour is a full day of fun! Starting at around 8am you will be picked up via shuttle provided by your hotel and transported northwest to a hidden oasis. Wear your bathing suit and water shoes are recommended. You will be provided towels, drinks and lunch. 5 gorgeous cenotes await with zip lining, kayaking, water slides, and breathtaking views at every location. The cenotes are a work of mother nature’s art that have been slightly enhanced by Grupo Xcaret. If you like nature, water and a hint of adrenaline this park is for you.

Xel-Há – Known for the best water activities, Xel-Há is located on a Caribbean inlet and is most notably recognized for the scenic lighthouse turned into a massive waterslide! Swimming and snorkeling are this parks bread and butter, there are even red flags throughout the property marking areas that are rich in marine life for the optimal snorkeling experience. This park also features a high jump, water zip lines, cenotes, caves, hidden beaches and a few land attractions. This also just so happens to be one of the only parks that includes unlimited alcohol… unlimited booze + water, couldn’t think of a better combo myself.

Xoximilco – A traditional floating Mexican fiesta filled with music, traditional foods, and good times. The night starts with carnival-esque activities and live performances afterwards you will climb aboard the flat bottom boats (trajineras) and experience dinner which is truly the highlight of the night. Traditional Mexican dishes surround you while you float along the river listening to Mariachi and traditional Mexican music on your floating cruise. Enjoy the food, the drink, the atmosphere, and the experience provided at Xoximilco.

Xenses – Endless sensory challenges wait to greet you at Xenses. It is a small town created to deceive you and make you wonder what is what and what is real… am I just seeing things? How is that happening? You’ll leave senses feeling confused and a little crazy but you won’t be alone. Yet another fun unique experience offered by Grupo Xcaret.

Xavage – Xavage is also a bit of a drive, around 45 minutes north of Playa Del Carmen but it is by far the most involved, most people explain is as Xcaret park on steroids. The activities in Xavage park are all named after animals; ropes course (howler monkey), monster trucks (puma), white water rafting (barracuda), superman ziplining (hawk), kayaking (crocodile), high speed jet boat (dragonfly), and kids pool (serpent). From what people at the hotel were saying the monster truck and the white water rafting were some of the craziest experiences and also incredibly unique… where else can you just hop into a monster truck? This is definitely a must see for the adrenaline junkie.

Xplor – Another park that is basically on the Xcaret property just a small drive from the hotels is Xplor. This park features sky high ziplines, underground caves and ATV experiences. An amphibious vehicle tour through the jungle and the flooded caves featured at Xplor is a lovely start to your adventure filled day. If you can make it, go closer to sunset to get an absolutely spectacular view and to catch the transformation to Xplor Fuego!

Xplor Fuego – Xplor after dark is not for the faint of heart. The sun sets and Xplor turns into a whole different adventure park illuminated only by torches. The zip lines are now hauntingly dark as you glide into the unknown mystery of the jungle. The underground rivers are lit only by torches making for a truly mystical and magical experience. A beautiful, slightly mysterious, and adrenaline pumping nighttime experience.

Enjoy your once in a lifetime trip to this beautiful resort, it is absolutely top notch and you won’t ever want to go anywhere else.