Playa Del Carmen

Playa del Carmen in the Mexican Riviera is one of my favorite places on earth. This is my second trip here, my first being about 7 years ago during Spring Break when I was in graduate school at New York University. I came with my good friend Alicia, and we had a ball. We rented a lovely condo with floor to ceiling glass windows, that looked out unto a lush oasis of greenery and a pool. I love the area we stayed in so much that when planning this trip I opted to stay on the very same street, though it’s changed a lot in 7 years. This time around I’m here with my boyfriend. There’s just something magical about Riviera Maya. The air is clean and fresh, my hair absolutely loves the climate and the food is nothing short of orgasmic. Playa del Carmen is a little beach town about 45 minutes away from Cancun. It’s more relaxing and quiet and you can really connect with nature. The sand, the beach, the amazing light the pours into your accommodations every morning…it’s enough to make you forget about stressful city life, and ponder if you could live the rest of your life…on vacation.

[aesop_content color=”#FFFFFF” background=”auto” columns=”2″ position=”none” imgrepeat=”no-repeat” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”up”]When traveling abroad I always love to do a good vacation rental instead of staying at a hotel. I like to feel like a local and blend into the culture and surroundings of the place I’m visiting. I like to immerse myself in the culture and its much easier among the residents than amongst other travels, although you can forsake some awesome amenities in the process. My boyfriend who works in the hotel business wasn’t so keen on free balling it with renting some strangers apartment. So we met in the middle and settled on Hotel la Semilla. It’s a new boutique hotel that has a more local feel, with stunning detail to architecture and furniture. It has only nine rooms, a lovely garden for breakfast and late nine red wine, and two terraces both with hammocks. The terrace on the roof is amazing with stunning views of the ocean

and perfect for watching sunrises with a cup of authentic Mexican coffee or sunset with a corona in hand. It’s the kind of place you can walk barefoot in and theres tons of nooks and crannies with comfy upholstered chairs and books for relaxing. The decor of Hotel la Semilla is what really drew me in. I am a major thrifter and I love that many of the pieces in the hotel, from couches, chairs and mirrors were sourced from local Mexican thrift and antique stores. Even if the brief few days we’ve been here it absolutely feel like home, and even has its own scent. A scent of cleaners and relaxation. I’m not quite sure how they get the entire place smelling like this, but I love it. As soon as you set foot into the hotel you are overcome with the lovely smell of Hotel la Semilla.

[/aesop_content]

Dress: Free People

 The  first evening we spent just relaxing in our suite, hanging out on our terrace and walking down 5th Avenue. Yes, Playa del Carmen has their own 5th Avenue chalk full of souvenir shops, clothing stores, restaurants and even two Starbucks. It’s a lovely stroll in the evening hand and hand with your beloved. We had the most amazing and drunken dinner (a feast of delish meats basically) as well and the staff at Hotel la Semilla had wine in the candle lit garden awaiting us on our return. Playa del Carmen is a ghost town at night…and a stroll on the beach after midnight is a must. And if you happen to stay at Hotel la Semilla, an outdoor shower on your own terrace can be the best way to unwind after a long day of sightseeing too.

Check out more of my Mexico adventure on instagram and snapchat @monroesteele

xx

Monroe