Papaya Playa, pop-up design hotel project

Design Hotels Papaya Playa ‘pop-up’ hotel project is up and running on Mexico’s Riviera Maya until May 2012.

The pop-up concept that has long been popular with retail, restaurants and bars is now firmly on the radar for the luxury travel market.

Together with Emilio Heredia, owner of the existing Papaya Playa beach bungalow resort, Design Hotels has created a pop-up paradise on the beach in Tulum.

Aiming to celebrate the ‘luxury of simplicity’, this ‘raw-luxe camp’ has 99 cabañas surrounded by pristine landscape.

The cabañas possess a rustic charm, with something to suit every need and budget – from a house with an outdoor living room and private bathroom, to modest shared Jungle Cabañas with bunk beds and a communal bathhouse.

From the outdoor hammocks, guests will be immersed in the flora and fauna, swinging gently into the laid-back rhythm of life in Tulum.

Bringing a touch of Berlin to the beach, KaterHolzig will lend their culinary skills to the restaurant and bar. Directly on the beach, drinks and snacks are served from late morning until late evening at the Beach Shack. The Raw Food Bar by 42°RAW, straddles a rocky ledge and spills onto the Caribbean white sand. Here, nothing is cooked above 42 degrees celsius to avoid the loss of enzymes and vitamins – a breakthrough food concept that began in Copenhagen.

The So Happy Neo Spa uses Mayan shaman secrets, going beyond the usual wellness offerings, with the aim to nurture the mind just as much as the body.

A vibrant indoor and outdoor space on the beach, here guests can enjoy massages, beauty treatments, yoga, tai chi and meditation, as well as fresh juices, snacks, tea and smoothies.

Music is a key component of the experience and Design Hotel Founder Claus Sendlinger plans to bring famous DJs and musicians to perform on the natural amphitheatre on the beach, introduce an on-site designer boutique and offer the luxury traveler perks such as sustainable and organic food-on-the-go.

Papaya Playa is located around an hour from Cancun in Tulum, an area of beautiful forests, pristine beaches and azure waters. With the only major Mayan ruin along the coast, it is one of the last unspoiled places on the Mayan Riviera.

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