Checking in: Be Playa

When it’s cold in New York, my family gravitates towards the sun and surf (my husband always has his kites ready). This holiday we packed our bags and headed to Mexico, one of our favorite places. What could be better than fish tacos, paletas, Mayan ruins and the ocean — all, not to mention, a direct flight away. 

We chose Be Playa in Playa del Carmen as our home base. This turned out to be an excellent call.  The decor is what I call  ”modern flea” — lots of vintage, but set against the backdrop of a modern luxe hotel, with everything a traveler could want. Owner-architect Sebastian Sas and his wife Bernice have great taste. She has commissioned local artisans to create amazing pillows and textiles that are also for sale in her shop, La Trouppe, in Tulum.

The hotel is on a lovely leafy side street, just a short walk from the ocean. It made for a great town/beach experience all in one, allowing us to feel a bit like locals. The roof, complete with a pool and a vintage foosball table, was a fun alternative to the beach. The kids loved the rocking chairs in the water and played on them for hours. We also loved the hotel’s breakfast, which included heaps of fresh croissants straight out of the oven. For lunch and dinner, there are many good restaurants within walking distance (also great for the kids). For paletas,  Mexican popsicles, our favorite place was La Flor de Michoacan. If you’re traveling with adventurous eaters, HC de Monterey, a butcher shop that cooks great steak is absolutely worth a try. And finally, you can’t visit the beach without feasting on fish tacos. See the doctor at Dr. Taco.

Christiane Lemieux is the globe-trotting founder of the home furnishings and decor line, DwellStudio and the author of Undecorate. All photos were taken by Ms. Lemieux on her iPhone. Follow her on Instagram at @dwellstudio.