Casa Priakos

Casa Priakos is part of the curated Villa Experience collection, a five-bedroom beachfront villa on the quiet shores of Soliman Bay, a sheltered stretch of coast just north of Tulum. The house is built for groups of ten, with capacity for twelve, and it suits families and friends who want the Riviera Maya at its calmest rather than its busiest. Chef service is included in the stay, which changes the rhythm of a week here considerably.

Arched corridors, vaulted brick ceilings and thick plaster walls give the villa a character closer to a Mexican hacienda than a modern beach house, with Mediterranean influences in the arches and terraces. Ocean-facing terraces run along the front of the property, a private pool sits between the house and the sand, and a rooftop observation deck takes in the whole sweep of the bay. The interiors stay cool through the day and open directly to the water. Living and dining spaces run together rather than being shut off from one another, so the house works as well for a long lunch with twelve as it does for a quiet morning with coffee.

All five bedrooms sleep two and every one of them looks at the ocean. The ground-floor bedroom has a king bed with pool and ocean views and its own ensuite. Three more sit on the first floor, two with king beds and one with a queen, each ensuite, two of them with double vanities, and one opening onto a shared balcony with seating. The fifth takes the rooftop level with a king bed and direct access to the observation deck. Every room has air conditioning, a ceiling fan and a walk-in shower.

Soliman Bay itself is the reason to come. A natural reef shelters the bay, so the water stays calm and clear enough to swim, snorkel or paddleboard straight off the beach, with no beach clubs and no crowds. Kayaks and paddleboards are on hand. Daily housekeeping and maintenance staff keep the house, a concierge handles arrangements before and during the stay, and the chef covers breakfast, lunch and dinner between eight in the morning and eight at night. Tulum’s restaurants and boutiques are a twenty-five minute drive away, which keeps the villa quiet without making it remote. Puerto Aventuras and Playa del Carmen are both within a comfortable drive when a change of scene is wanted, and the airport at Tulum is under an hour away.