Tag Archives: new yorkers tulum

Coqui Coqui, eco-chic hotel and fashion celebrities at the Tulum beach

Posted on by
Reply

Coqui Coqui is a one of a kind hotel in Tulum and one of the best examples of the trendy eco-chic design style that predominates in Tulum.  Founded by the famous Burberry, Donna Karan, etc. model Nicolás Maleville, this 7-room hotel is visited by celebrities and owner’s friends from the fashion industry and Hollywood.

Daria Werbowy, Kate Bosworth, James Rousseau, Rene Zellweger, Sienna Miller and Amy Sacco among other are some of the names in the guest list.  The perfect Mayan beach, far away from tourists and fan hordes are an irresistible attraction for true celebrities.

The Coqui Coqui hotel value proposition is simple, yet unique in Tulum: architecture resembling the Mayan ruins (local limestone), traditional mayan handycrafts (including a hammock) and a gadget-less life (rooms have no electricity, and night light is provided by an unlimited amount of hand made candles).  Mobile phone coverage is dodgy or non-existent. All the hotel 7 rooms and the restaurant-bar are powered by 12 volts solar panels; back to basics.

Coqui Coqui is the perfect romantic getaway for couples, do not expect much more than a perfect beach, a blue Caribbean sea, a lively coral reef and a cozy rustic-design room.  If traveling with kids Coqui Coqui might not be the most comfortable place, and you might spoil somebody’s honeymoon or romantic escape.  Dogs are welcome.

If you feel like leaving your little heaven in Coqui Coqui for some more social activity and try the Tulum dining scene you have very good alternatives just a 30 minute walk again (or a 5 minute bicycle drive away).  Just 1.500 meters/0.9 mile away (on the direction of the Sian Kan natural reserve) you have Casa Jaguar, the trendiest bar in Tulum, 200 meters more and you can find The Hartwood, the best of the New York dining scene with local organic ingredients, creative tropical cocktails, a wood fired oven and a sandy floor.

Coqui Coqui offers double rooms and suites from $250 (and up to $500), a reasonable price for a piece of paradise and a 24hs of cable, wireless, wired, 3g, 4g and satellite disconnect.  Anywhere, if you just cannot wait to update your Facebook status and post photos of your feet at the perfect pristine beach you can access free internet wifi at the lobby/restaurant.

Coqui Coqui offers full spa service, using the scents, soaps and oils made by themselves using local ingredients (also provided at the rooms as part of the service).   Rene Zellweger is told to ship tons of them on her way back to the US.

The hotel is run by Nicolas’ friends and family, and the help of friendly locals.  Expect warm service, like your family’s tropical beach retreat.  Actually, the hotel was born as Nicolás’ idea of a private beach cabana, but living in New York City while modeling required a lot of attention and maintenance costs, so Nicolas’s decided to start renting it out.  Coming from a tiny town lost in the Argentine Pampas (Adela María, 60km south of Río Cuarto, Córdoba Province), he was fascinated with the Tulum pristine beaches and palm trees as me when he first visited them in 2001.  Nicolás now lives in Williamsburgh (Brooklyn, New York City), only 3 hours away to the Cancún airport.  If the Tulúm airport (Aeropuerto de la Riviera Maya) is built he and all the New Yorkers that love Tulum will be closer to paradise than ever.

Nicolás Maleville also owns another two boutique hotels, one in the middle of the Yucatán Jungle nearby the impressive Mayan ruins of Cobá (probably the most authentic, uncovered, jungle surrounded ones) and another one at the cozy small town of Valladolid, a XVII’s century Spanish colonial town and the heart of the splendor of the “henequen” (rope) exploitation in the XIX’s century, a place worth visiting to fly back on time just 1 hour drive from Tulum.

If you notice the hotels’ decoration and landscaping are just perfect it is not a coincidence.  Nicolás Maleville graduated as landscape architect.  He studied in Argentina and then in London, where he used to have garden clients in Chelsea and other affluent neighborhoods.  His career as a model started just by chance.  He was visiting Punta del Este, the trendy summer spot in Uruguay, working part time at Los Negros, the famous Francis Mallman restaurant when he was spotted by Kate Moss and his agent.

Coqui Coqui is a great place for a long weekend.  Get to JFK or La Guardia, catch a three hour flight.  Once in Cancún rent a car, drive south 1.5 hour.  Once you get to Tulum (before entering into town and after the Tulum Mayan ruins) go to the crossroad that leads to the beach (Tulum-Boca Paila road).  Get your odometer (milage counter) to zero, turn left towards the beach (you will see a “Chedraui” supermarket and the firefighters station on your left), drive 3km and once you get to the crossroad turn on your right.  You will start seeing hotels on your left and some shops on your right.  And jungle, and people in their bicycles heading to the beaches and beach clubs.  When your odometer marks 5.9 you will see the Coqui Coqui hotel sign.  Enjoy!

 

 

New visit to the Hartwood, a trendy restaurant at the Tulum beach

Posted on by
Reply

The wood oven of the Hartwood restaurant at the Tulum beach

This is my second visit to The Hartwood, the place set up by the new yorkers Eric Werner and Mya Henry.  The Hartwood, and the excellent review it got at the Times is probably one of the reasons why so many New Yorkers are now heading to Tulum.  From movie celebrities to bankers and models, you can now find a lot of people from the Big Apple in Tulum, and almost all of them go to The Hartwood.

The restaurant is clearly different from all the others in Tulum.  In many ways it is very new yorker, with hosts really caring about a fast table turnover (the restaurant is small and there might be a waiting list in any night even in low season).  But the service is warm, good and highly professional.  The ingredients are top quality, hand picked from providers and markets and in the area.

This time I had the flat iron cooked giant shrimps, with a side (on the same flat iron pan) of a vegetables combination reminding ratatouille (red and green peppers, onions, zucchini, etc).  They are cooked (as most hot dished) at wood oven, given them an unique taste.  As a second I had pork loin, it was also excellent, the pork loin is very difficult to cook at the over without a sauce because it can dry very easily.   The wine list is kind of short, but they have good options at a reasonable price (I had a LA Cetto Nebbiolo for $35).  The bar of fresh cocktails is great (I recommend the watermelon, peppermint & vodka drink).

It can be pricey when compared to other Tulum restaurants (mains at approximately $20-30), but it offers really good quality.

The Hartwood, a new top restaurant in Tulum

Posted on by
Reply

Combining local ingredients, with a bit of a New York style, The Hartwood is a totally innovative eating alternative in Tulum.   Despite the local tropical weather, the way the ingredients are selected and treated can give the foodie a sense of Tuscany or Provence (great basic ingredients + simple cooking = amazing food).   The wood burning oven reinforces the countryside feeling.

Tulum “traditional” restaurants started offering just two options: the traditional local food based on fish/seafood and low quality tacos places, and the first “immigrant” cuisine developed by the Italian settlers in the 90s (followed by some French and Argentine who discovered Tulum a little later).

I do not mean to say that Tulum lacked good restaurants, I ‘m just saying this is just new and different.  The Hartwood is run by Eric Werner and Mya Henry.   The kitchen is run by Eric, who used to the be chef of Vineger Hill House (Brooklyn) and Peasant (Manhattan), while Mya is in charge of the restaurant service.

The opening of The Hartwood maybe one of the many signs that Tulum is changing fast, hopefully for the good.

Menu changes almost daily, but some of the recommendations are roasted octopus, lobster salad, stuffed calamari (squid) and the catch of day (freshly bought daily from the Tulum fishermen cooperatives).

The Hartwood is located on the Coastal Road (Carretera Tulum Boca Paila) on the South direction, at the mark of 7.6 Km.  The Hartwood’s email for group reservations is Info@HartwoodTulum.  Opens daily from 6pm to 9,30 PM (no credit cards except for big groups).

 

Roberto Lopez Viajes