Casa Las Tortugas

The hotel is situated around a centralized oasis of a hot tub and pool, slithering between the treehouse-like villas, leading to the restaurant/lounge that seamlessly transitions right onto the tranquil white sands of this eco-conscious island. The setting is ideal for romantic dinners, beachside walks, kite surfing and nature sighting (whale shark season is May – July and at night in the spring/summer you can see bio-illuminescent plankton light up the tranquil waters!).

The location just on the edge of town is perfect- you can walk the entire village (population of about. 2000) side to side in ten minutes. Rent a bicycle (or the less eco-friendly golf carts) and you can explore the entire 25 mile length of the island and its nature preserve. You can try kite surfing at the hotel’s school, and during whale shark season, kayak and other boat tours can be arranged from the hotel.

Isla Holbox is an environmentally friendly alternative to some of the overly populated and “bro-ey” destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean - and that ethos is the very breath of the property. The walls are lined with art contributed by talented wayfarers, and the entire community is awash in a plethora of freshly done street art completed during a recent festival honoring the artistic spirit of the town and its eco-minded visitors. With a planned yoga center, bakery, surf bar, café, an artists’ residency program, and a fashion forward boutique in the works, Casa Las Tortugas brings an increasingly cosmopolitan-meets-boho aesthetic to an island largely untouched by mass tourism.

With a focus on eco-consciousness, Casa Las Tortugas offers custom-made soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and mosquito repellants made from locally and organically grown flora and fauna- the honey-based body products are certifiably “stealable.”

The staff is amazing, day and night - from Jorge, the head chef, to Chloe the hostess, Lorena, Gonzalo, Carolina, and the rest of the crew. Their kindness and attention to the needs of their guests is convivial and well weighted. Francesca Golinelli and Patrick Wiering, the owners and operators, are absolutely delightful and charming, creative, design-oriented, thoughtful, and superbly hospitable.