About

Hotel Esencia is a majestic 50-acre estate at the midpoint between Tulum and Playa del Carmen in Mexico. It has long enjoyed a storied past in this ancestral cradle of culture, cuisine, and comfort. Originally built as the private hideaway home of an Italian duchess on the most beautiful beach of the Mayan Riviera, it later became a hotel, and, for some time, has been a sought after destination for honeymooners seduced by the serene comforts of this timeless mansion.

A new chapter began in 2014 with the arrival of a new owner and a bold, worldly outlook on how to savor paradise. The estate’s provenance as a place of leisure for nobility is the guiding inspiration for a modern reimagining. The Main House remains the hotel’s centerpiece, around which footpaths lead to only 47 suites and 4 villas where guests enjoy genuine privacy and top flight hospitality. Ideally situated far from huge resorts and the roar of pleasure boats, the immaculate bay of Xpu-Ha is a natural haven where each year sea turtles make their nests. Hotel Esencia invites the happy few who know how rare it is to find a place that is truly unique, to make it their home in the tropics.

TOUR THE PROPERTY

Press

Condé Nast Traveler

January 2, 2023
Gold List 2023 - "Beloved by tastemakers..."
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Architectural Digest Italia

January 12, 2023
'The Esencia Mansion: A unique tropical sanctuary'.
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Robb Report

January 18, 2023
"The entire 12,000 sq ft of the Esencia Mansion is an aesthete’s treasure trove."
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The Wall Street Journal

December 15, 2022
"Lofted above the tree canopy on the Yucatan Peninsula, the new Esencia Mansion seems to have the Riviera Maya all to itself."
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Condé Nast Traveller UK

November 14, 2022
"The Stretch of beach and jungle where Hotel Esencia resides, known as Xpu-Ha, offers a reprieve from the region’s busting resorts and hedonistic eco-hotels."
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Goop

November 10, 2022
"...One of the most stunning hotels in the world."
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Harper's Bazaar

May 10, 2022
"The legendary Hotel Esencia, once the private home to an Italian Duchess, and now transformed into a chic boutique hotel with a glorious old-school sense of glamour."
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Andrew Harper’s Hideway Report

January 19, 2022
"The hotel’s timeless and aristocratic atmosphere, secluded location and refined simplicity make Esencia one of the most exceptional properties in Mexico."
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Vogue Latin America

September 2, 2020
"A jewel in the Mexican Caribbean, Hotel Esencia becomes a secret hideaway for taking refuge in the jungle, a few steps from the turquoise water"
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Condé Nast Traveller

May 1, 2020
"...while a feeling of myth and natural wonder prevails at this fairly low-key, feet-in-the-sand setup, poolside sarongs are still by Chanel"
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Architectural Digest

January 30, 2020
"Discover one of Mexico’s most sought-after new hotel suites"
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Condé Nast Traveller

January 1, 2020
Honeymoon Guide - "It still feels like a hush-hush secret hideaway"
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Town & Country

December 31, 2019
"Plan your event in 2020: Celebrate like fashion players in Mexico"
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Harper's Bazaar

September 1, 2019
"Originally the private home of an Italian duchess, Hotel Esencia maintains its aura of aristocratic refinement"
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Condé Nast Traveller

September 1, 2019
"Body & Soul: Wellness Escapes - Mexico's Caribbean coastline is fast becoming a sought-after wellness destination and Hotel Esencia, delivers in spades"
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Architectural Digest Mexico

July 1, 2019
"A beach oasis surrounded by tropical jungle - a place where heritage, gastronomy, and culture blend seamlessly with the Caribbean views"
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Casa Vogue Brazil

May 1, 2019
"Meet the most sophisticated hotel in Tulum"
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Artful Living

November 15, 2018
"Escape to Esencia: Honeymooning at the Riviera Maya's most exclusive hotel"
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Vanity Fair Italia

July 10, 2018
"In addition to not putting a sign at the entrance, current owner Kevin Wendle chose a property on the most beautiful stretch of beach, talcum powder and heavenly, without neighbors on the whole coast, and furnished it in a 'Mad Men meets Peggy Guggenheim' style"
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Evening Standard Magazine

March 9, 2018
“Perfect Esencia...one of the most fabulous boutique hideaways”
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Virtuoso Life

April 1, 2018
“Hotel Esencia…feels like your most stylish friend’s beach house”
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Harper´s Bazaar

January 1, 2018
"On a pristine white-sand beach and ringed by Mayan jungle, Hotel Esencia is an art-lover's paradise"
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Martha Stewart Weddings

February 3, 2018
"The best 50 beach honeymoon destinations"
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Tatler

January 1, 2018
"Stay in a new beach suite and you can fall straight out of bed and onto the icing-sugar sand, or gaze over the water from your terrace"
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Condé Nast Traveler

December 1, 2017
"The room to book"
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Robb Report

October 16, 2017
"A beloved hideaway on Xpu Ha beach, Hotel Esencia is lauded for its refined charm and tucked-away location"
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Forbes.com

October 24, 2017
"11 new Beach and Jungle suites this season in the perfect stretch of beach"
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Bergdorf Goodman

September 1, 2017
Linda Fargo's BG Radar - A very special hideaway "It's not just about the calm beach, thatched huts and lush tropical garden bungalows but the decor and the design"
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Wallpaper

June 1, 2017
'Sound Stylist' Michel Gaubert's favorite Hotel - "The mood is mellow and the staff great - feels like staying in someone's house"
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The Scott Dunn Magazine

March 1, 2017
"One of my favorite places is Hotel Esencia - it ticks all the boxes, including a gorgeous beach"
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Architectural Digest

April 13, 2016
"For tastemakers…Esencia is the only choice"
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FORBES

April 29, 2015
"A secluded gem on a powdery beach that is a nesting area for sea turtles"
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W Magazine

March 27, 2015
"Best Spring travel destination"
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The Sunday Times

December 7, 2014
"The most heavenly hotel on Earth"
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The Telegraph

December 17, 2014
"An increasingly chic retreat on the Caribbean coast"
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Condé Nast Traveller

December 1, 2013
"Here, on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Riviera Maya we came to chill. And luckily for us, we found just the spot to do it: Hotel Esencia. Irresistibly charming..."
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