They say that everything is bigger in Texas, but there are many Texan hotels that maintain an intimate feel, despite their state’s reputation. The Statler is one of them. With 159 rooms and 219 apartments (down from the 1,001 guest rooms that were in place when it was first established), this hotel offers personalized service and a swanky, retro ambiance that stays faithful to its downtown Dallas location.
According to Historic Hotels of America, of which the Statler is a member, the hotel opened in 1956 and was the first building to have elevator music (which, fun fact, was made to calm fearful first-time elevator passengers). In keeping with their proclivity for innovation, the Statler hosted Tony Bennet, Liberace, the Jackson 5, and other superstars in their Grand Ballroom. The hotel cost $16 million to build and was the largest convention facility in the South when it was founded.
My journey to the Statler, in an accidental nod to its history, came about because of a convention as well. I decided to attend the AAHOA conference at the last minute, and all the hotels in their “block” were sold out… so I decided to do some Googling. There were a few cute options in the area, but what struck me about the Statler was its bathtub. I saw that they offered freestanding, massive soaking tubs in their bathrooms and I was sold.
There is something incomparably serene about slipping into a hot body of water. Maybe it’s the cleansing power of water itself, maybe it’s that sinking into a tub replicates the womb, or maybe it’s that the all-encompassing warmth is just that comfortable. Whatever the case, I couldn’t wait to take a bubble bath in the Statler’s majestic bathtub. And when that tub is deeper than reading Socrates after an edible, it makes the endeavor all the more exciting. Soaking tubs really are as excellent as they look.
When you reach the hotel itself, you first see a light yellow Chevy convertible greeting you upon arrival. It’s a sunny and friendly flicker of color and style that sets the tone for your stay, and you feel somewhat transported by its antiquity. The lobby has a mid-century modern design, peppered with neon features and more bright relics. They have a breakfast and lunch spot and restaurant/bar that are adjacent, which were both quite lively (but not so much so that you had to wait in line).
Their pool that is reserved solely for hotel guests was unfortunately closed when I visited, but their other rooftop pool, “Waterproof,” was open. Located on the 19th floor and featuring blaring Top 40 music, it definitely targets a party crowd. It gets packed on weekend nights, though was empty when I visited for the first time, right when it opened at around 11AM. I was looking for something a little more quiet, so I went back to read from my room, which had plenty of space to relax in.
The room itself was large enough to accommodate a remote workday — the table comfortably fit two armchairs and the windows brought in significant amounts of natural light. The bright white and taupe aesthetic fit with the airy, retro vibe.
Despite the charming bedroom itself, the bathroom managed to upstage it. In addition to that soaking tub, it was massive enough to accommodate a sink large enough for even a celebrity’s toiletry collection, an overhead shower, and a separate room for the toilet – all made private and discreet by darkened glass. The color contrast with the bedroom kept things interesting, too.
I indulged and ordered room service – a bottle of rose champagne and poached eggs – which were fabulous. Service here in general was exceptional. They texted with guests using the number I provided at check-in to ask if I needed anything (I asked for and received a bathrobe, of course), and were ever ready to open the door or assist.
The Statler paradoxically feels both nostalgic and modern, with its fresh retro decor transporting you into some alternate universe where the past was actually a pleasant thing, and the strains of modern life become irrelevant… but with all the amenities intact. Almost as if the yellow Chevy is the car from Back to the Future ready to bring you not just to a new time, but a parallel world… where everything is different. Buckle up.
Today marks my first week at Les Roches’ graduate school for hotel management. I am a bit of an unconventional student – 28 years old with no formal hospitality background. But while hospitality must start from a state of mind, finesse in the subject is an art that can be learned. And I am eager to take note from the experts.
Every time I am abroad, I inevitably become awestruck by the nuances, novelty, and kindnesses of a new place. And these are some of my first impressions, one week into this next adventure.
New Country
There is something incomparably thrilling about new terrain. Maybe it’s the deliberate act of deciding to make a change, an energetic shift that happens before you even take flight. Maybe it’s that newfound anonymity brings with it a Great Reset when you arrive, unencumbered by roles and expectations that you bestowed on yourself or were bestowed on you prior. Or maybe it’s that, in a new country, you’re not supposed to know everything. There is more room for grace.
You’re allowed to mess up the order, to get lost, to find purpose in meandering alone. And then the small things become much bigger, in a good way. Like the inordinate amount of joy I felt when my Spanish landlord helped get me extra hangers and gave me great restaurant tips. Mastering the art of saying a proper “thank you” in a new language, successfully asking for directions, and ordering the meal you actually wanted (or getting an even better one by surprise!) lead to an adrenaline rush that I imagine is similar to the feelings a child has as they are navigating the world for the first time.
There is so much beauty in that space of unknowing. In finally knowing that unknowing. In the ability to form and reform yourself in the present, to let life in.
Everything is technically harder, and yet somehow life just feels… easier… once the preparations are over and you can enjoy existing in your new destination. There are constant, small victories, in friendship especially.
It always baffles me how simple it is to make friends when you’re abroad. Striking up conversations with strangers feels easy when time in a place is finite but… when is it not?
Maybe the real beauty of travel is that we become more reliant on other people and, in that reliance, in that exaggerated interdependence, we are forced to see that people are, overall, mostly good. We get to the heart of what it means to be human… energized by our inescapable interconnectedness with each other, a truth we often try to escape through a mastery of our environments while at home. In traveling, we become the outside looking in on itself again.
Marbella
Beautiful sea… that’s what it touches, Marbella, and that’s your first sight when driving southwest from the airport in Malaga. A spread of bright, still turquoise sea.
There’s something about having hair swept up with saltwater wind that I’ve always loved… it’s impossible to fully tame, so you just have to accept it and indulge in the wild sumptuousness of nature. In Marbella you get this special wind. You also get sun and sand and cafes and those city dogs that comport themselves with more dignity than most people. You get Marbella Club Hotel, once frequented by Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, and the like, and a Nobu. You get mountains and palm tree-laden streets. You get quaint, beautiful buildings in Old Town and a ritzy club scene in Puerto Banús.
Being here for just over a week now, I have some half-baked impressions that may or may not be true. The first is that a Marbella winter is similar to a Miami summer… things are supposedly much quieter now during “off-season,” and October so far has been delightfully calm. There is still plenty of activity, to be sure, but it does not overwhelm the streets… I can walk on the beach in peace, with enough pedestrians around to feel safe doing so. It’s a small city, and that’s part of Marbella’s charm.
The people so far have been incredibly welcoming. My landlord and his wife gave me full lay of the land and even drove me to class one day. Waiters and waitresses have been extremely generous with my poor Spanish. And everyone I’ve interacted with has seemed kind.
Maybe it’s the constant influx of tourists, or the calming effect of the beach… whatever the magic ingredient might be, Marbella marvels visitors from all over the world and is a beacon of hospitality. And after all, that’s why I’m here… to learn about it.
Hospitality
There is something metamorphically enchanting about stepping foot in a hotel. Like travel more generally, just being in a new environment offers us the opportunity to get out of routine and shift ourselves. But hotels, and the hospitality industry overall, brings with it an added imperative – to make people feel better than they do at home. Why else would we venture out, if not to feel better than before we left?
When hotels are done right, they are pure magic. And the transformative effects can make ripples on society. When people are treated well, as they should be in a hospitality context, they start to rewire the parts of their brain that tells them they’re not enough. When they’re exposed to unique colors, designs, and furniture, they marvel at the possibilities of the physical. And when the hotel cultivates an environment that people want to be a part of, it creates community.
Right before I turned thirteen, my parents took my sister and I to France. This was our first time outside of the United States, and I was captivated by the newness of it all. I remember every aspect of our lodging – the long corridors etched from stone, the grand ceilings with windows dripping with light, the intimate dinner for eight at the base of the chateau. I remember the cheeky comment from the bellhop and attempting to order “pan au chocolat” in the most convincing French accent I could muster. There was nothing particularly eventful about this trip, and yet fifteen year later I still remember it as a formative experience.
I have felt that same feeling – that of wonder and discovery – in hotels many times since, and it never fails to unearth the conviction that anything is possible.
Hotels and the positive feelings they can engender in their guests have effects far beyond the duration of a guest’s stay. They help people see and experience beauty. They serve as the gateway to a new destination, with the diplomatic responsibility that comes with opening a door to a new place. They facilitate connection.
The hospitality industry is a powerful antidote to the isolation and separateness that can run rampant in our modern times. And with every day that goes by, I am more and more thrilled to be studying hospitality at Les Roches.
Les Roches
I learned about Les Roches, as many people hear of most things these days, from a Google search. Then I spoke to alumni, who invariably raved about their experiences. Everyone I conversed with seemed to carry the values of the hospitality industry… open, smart, and willing to engage. I chose the school because it combined academics with warmth. And the impression I had before I started carries through as I begin my studies here.
Because of a visa situation, I had to arrive a few days late… missing orientation and the first couple days of class. Students immediately made me feel welcome, despite my unconventional arrival. Within the first two days, they invited me to hangouts and parties and WhatsApp groups. The international diversity of the student body is incredible… rarely have I been so outnumbered as a North American, and I love learning about so many different cultures. I’ve had conversations with people from India, Spain (obviously), Greece, Russia, France, Mexico, the UK, Lebanon, Cyprus, and others… all in the first week.
The first two weeks are “practicals,” meaning that we learn the basics in a hands-on way. I got to wear a chef’s hat and try my hand at Pasta Carbonara for the student dining hall, and luckily for all parties involved, the Head Chef was heavily involved in the preparation of the sauce. This week we’re learning about housekeeping and Front Office operations, and much to my family’s surprise, I’ll actually learn how to properly make a bed. Next week we start the formal academic semester with more courses on hotel revenue management, design and engineering, people management, marketing, and others.
Already I feel like I’ve stepped into the insides of a world I’ve wondered about for so long. How does the “magic” happen, how do hotels generate that transformative feeling in their guests? It’s a knowledge that I hope to fully unlock before the end of my time here, and I know that my studies are in great hands.
With every moment I just feel… profoundly blessed. The feeling of being here at school in Marbella, surrounded by a welcoming community with ambiance and novelty is the feeling I want everyone to experience at a hotel. Now is the time to set that foundation.
When a person thinks of Miami, they probably conjure images of wild parties, music, and libations that flow from day to night. A hotel can either cater to the carousing crowd or provide a respite from the revelry. Somehow, the Setai manages both without compromise.
During the day, the Setai provides a calm, tranquil oasis. Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, who also created the aesthetic for Aman’s Amanwana resort in Indonesia, the Chedi Muscat in Oman, One & Only Reethi Rah villas, and more, the hotel blends Miami’s famous Art Deco with Eastern influence. The tall, open ceilings of the lobby create a sense of grandeur, which are tempered by dark mahogany panels that entrance guests with their warmth.
The Pool is central to most Miami vacations, and the Setai excels. Before stepping foot into one of their three pools of varying temperatures (75, 85, and 90 degrees), you stroll through a lush, tree-lined walkway, with water-filled enclaves jetting off behind stone walls, perfect for meditation or sending a quick work email en route to the sun. You won’t choose the Setai for loud music or day parties — it attracts a more relaxed crowd that wants to lounge by the water surrounded by palm trees, privacy, and great service.
At night, however, the main restaurant morphs from an airy and mist-filled open space to a sexy, swanky, red-lit venue to see and be seen, with only a handful of tables surrounding the prominent water display in the center of the room. Its two bars – one in the lobby and one in the back of the dining space – become a nucleus for high end Miami nightlife, spilling out into the sea of restaurant goers. Their other “Ocean Grill” restaurant is the liaison between Setai’s private pool and beach offers more of a Palm Beach ambiance, with white table cloths and a calmer, breezy atmosphere.
The room itself is spacious, complete with a foyer, desk area, closet, bathtub, and large couch. All incorporate the same Eastern aesthetic that transmutes the Miami experience from rowdy to relaxing, providing a grounding touchpoint for the trip. Oranges are displayed under glass throughout the property like the enchanted rose from Beauty and the Beast, a seemingly mystic nod to Florida’s unique offerings. Even the experience in the elevator is entrancing, with intricately designed metal coating the interior.
As a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, repeat Forbes Travel Guide Five Star award winner, and “#1 Hotel Resort in Greater Miami Beach” according to Travel + Leisure in 2018 and 2019, the Setai is well-regarded for the caliber of its ambiance, which contrasts dramatically from the typical Miami party hotel. If you are looking for quality, relaxation, and aesthetic, don’t hesitate to choose the Setai. A tropical oasis awaits. If you are looking for a rager, choose elsewhere.
Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most South Beach of them all? The SLS is a strong contender, with its Art Deco roots, multifaceted pools, and location right in the heart of Collins.
Its entrance evokes theatrics from the start. A giant SLS sign and bright red carpet leads guests up to the lobby, with an Instagrammable pink butterfly-painted jeep parked aside the steps for patrons to pose in. Small pieces of debris on the steps took away from the swanky aesthetic, but you can still imagine yourself being part of a movie premiere as you walk in. The interior is equally vibrant, with quote-adorned pillars, red and black carpet, high ceilings, and a swan mural above the bar. Walking through to the back area, which morphs into a restaurant at night, the decor changes from deep red to lighter green undertones, drawing you out to nature.
The SLS’ pool is striking for its simplicity, in contrast to the extravagance welcoming you to the hotel. However, the decorated duck and throne that sits in the shaded portion of the pool remind you where you are. And if you walk behind the trees and painted duck, there is another, very different, type of pool waiting for you. Hyde Beach is the SLS’ daytime beach club, where you get the classic Miami experience that leads many to book the trip in the first place. I saw bachelor and bachelorette parties interspersed between friend groups, and even a few folks who came solo just to vibe. The DJ was great, and it is definitely a place you could spend the day.
The South Beach SLS is inseparable from José Andrés’ restaurant, The Bazaar. The whimsical food mirrors its settings — my favorite was the coconut risotto served in an actual coconut. Scraping the coconut meat from the dish added a fun layer to the dining experience.
Then the mirrors. The SLS South Beach is defined by its mirrors that, coupled with the theatrics of its design, create an Alice in Wonderland meets Underworld ambiance. There are mirrors in the hallway, mirrors on the elevator, and mirrors above the ceiling in your room. The baroque wallpaper hanging loosely on the wall like a tapestry creates an atmosphere of whimsy, and the SLS goes further to encourage your romantic dalliance by leaving a “Naughty Lovers” box in their “Sinner” drawer (with small bottles of Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Jameson, and Bacardi lined up in front). If you’re looking for an environment that triggers the senses, this is it. The SLS South Beach is a great hotel for couples. It was wasted on me as a single person.
The hotel is busy but not crowded, and if you have to take meetings, they have a quiet room on the second floor. This came in handy for a couple Zoom calls. Overall, the SLS South Beach provides a swanky, whimsical ambiance for your Miami vacation. If you’re looking for a trendy, fun hotel that still offers some respite from the craziness of South Beach, this could be just the place for you. Make sure to take a picture in the pink jeep on your way out.
Going on vacation is exciting, and flying first class is like an extra bonus trip on top of it. On long flights especially, choosing to fly first class can make all the difference when you’re settling into your new destination or returning home. You arrive at your next stop feeling refreshed and taken care of (you deserve it!) and ready to take on the world.
JetBlue has long been my favorite airline, so when I realized I could use points from my travel credit card to buy a first class flight on their “Mint” program, I didn’t hesitate. JetBlue Mint provides an exceptional first class experience, and I landed after my red eye ready to get to work (… though I may have closed my eyes for a few minutes by the pool first 😉 ).
This post, which for the record is not sponsored by JetBlue, is about why you should book a JetBlue Mint first class flight without doubt. A few of the perks might surprise you!
1) Separate Check-In
If you are Mint or Mosaic, you get a separate check-in booth at the airport. Now while you might be thinking “why would I need this?”, imagine the following scenario: you are packing for a multi-destination trip and need a lot of variety in your clothes. It might snow, it might rain, and you need to be prepared! You have several pieces of luggage to check in and when you get to the airport, you have to lug them all to a confusing ticket printing machine and then wait in a meandering line. So unpleasant. Not a deal breaker, but imagine how nice it would be to stroll up to a dedicated check-in area where they take care of all that for you.
Or, you are running late but have carry-on luggage with you… and when you arrive at the airport, the regular line is out the door. Now this does become a deal breaker for you, since waiting in that long line can mean missing your flight!
JetBlue has a special check-in dedicated to Mint (first class) and Mosaic (frequent flier) customers. This means a much shorter line. And, in my personal experience, they’re much more forgiving about bags that are slightly overweight 😉 .
This piece was over 50 pounds and they let it slide.
2) First to Board
JetBlue Mint and Mosaic passengers are first to board the plane (after folks who need assistance of course). This is a huge relief for those who want to get settled right away or need guaranteed space for their carry on. Plus you have more time to enjoy the comfy seats, and the…
3) Delicious Food... and Drinks
JetBlue Mint has delicious food worthy of its first class distinction. It’s great for those with allergies too. I have celiac, which means I can’t have gluten or anything that has touched gluten. The attendants were all very considerate about looking up what I could and couldn’t eat and made the necessary modifications when possible. For example, the ice cream dessert came with a crumble that they simply didn’t have to put on… and voila, it was gluten free! (I loved the peach sauce).
The drinks are a huge part of Mint’s appeal. If you’re the type that likes to indulge or needs alcohol to put you to sleep while in the air, imagine getting as many drinks as you want at no extra cost… that future is waiting for you. They have one in particular that I’ve tried to replicate at home. Aptly named “Mint Condition,” it has gin, club soda, ginger, lime, cucumber, and mint of course. I made friends with the person sitting next to me and they made our third round extra strong for us… an all-inclusive boozy brunch!
4) Comfy, Lie-Flat Seats
It is hard to overstate how important the seats are. On long flights, these Mint seats are a godsend. For someone under 6 feet, you can fully lie down and hopefully get some rest. Even if you’re just looking to watch a movie and not fall asleep, the recline and spacious accommodations make the experience a significant upgrade. The seats even have a built-in massager that can work on your back in preparation for your trip.
5) Blanket And Headphones Are Included… And Are Actually Good
If you’re anything like me, the idea of taking an extra item to the airport feels… exhausting. I try to be a light packer most of the time, and bringing unnecessary items bothers me. This is how I think about carry-on blankets or even bulky sweaters that I wouldn’t need otherwise (especially during summer travel). Planes get very cold, though, so a solution is necessary. With JetBlue Mint, a Tuft & Needle blanket is waiting on your seat upon arrival. This is a total game changer for your packing and airport experience. Your hands and shoulders will be light and free before takeoff and after landing, making it easier to use the restroom or even do some duty free shopping if that’s your thing.
The blanket is thick, and was enough to keep me warm even as I wore a strapless summer dress to the airport. Slippers are my secret airplane trick, and the ones from the Setai are my favorite.
[RELATED: Hotel Review: Setai Miami Beach]
6) The Goodie Bag
Now, while it may have been a while since you received a goodie bag from a friend’s birthday party, getting one is still a great feeling. The suspense as you contemplate what’s inside, the surprise as you open it… so much mystery! It’s a fun adventure, and JetBlue doesn’t disappoint. Most, if not all, of the items are deliberately allergen free, which was great for someone like me who has to read the ingredients on a lip balm. Their oxygen spritzer quickly became a new favorite travel essential and makes your skin feel super fresh. They also included some melatonin and energy mints to help you fall asleep and wake up, respectively.
They also give you a bag of delicious chocolate-covered cashews on your way out, which taste like a modern spin on those truffles that are super popular around Christmas time. Delicious and great finale to the flight.
7) Great Service
JetBlue provides exceptional service to facilitate the “Mint experience.” Flight attendants were very gracious and friendly, and it was just an all-around pleasant atmosphere. My seat mate and I got several rounds of drinks and didn’t have to flag anyone down – they very attentively anticipated our needs, a testament to the program’s hospitality.
A former JetBlue flight attendant told me that JetBlue’s CEO used to come around and be an attendant himself from time to time! I’m not sure if that’s still true, but business standards really do start from the top and I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.
BONUS TIP: You don’t have to purchase a Mint ticket online to get a seat. If they have space available, you can upgrade at the front desk for $499. If you want to fly Mint and are comfortable winging it, this can be a great trick for less popular flights.
Those are a few reasons why you shouldn’t wait to book your next flight with JetBlue Mint, if you can (they only have select routes, including a new cross-continental trip from NYC to London). Make sure to bring some plane slippers and get ready to sink into the lie-flat seats. The perks live up to the cost of the ticket, and you’ll get to your next destination feeling rejuvenated and ready to conquer the world.
Tulum is known for its yoga, tranquil beaches, eco-luxury waterfront bungalows, and an underlying ethereal magic that keeps luring visitors back. English signs telling you to “be yourself” and “embrace the mystery” pepper the one thin road to the ocean, where streets and buildings are draped by jungle. This is not Cancun – there are no rowdy resorts, just small boutique hotels, each with their own unique (but always bohemian) personality, carved around and into nature. So what happens when you throw in tens of thousands of tourists for a two-week electronic music festival?
Before tourists, Tulum is a city of about 20,00 inhabitants. And its tourist boom is relatively new. In the 1970s, Mexico set aside 25,000 acres of Tulum as a collective farm to provide underutilized land for the impoverished. Some of that leased land was sold to foreigners, who were charmed by Tulum’s pristine beaches and lush greenery. Backpackers flocked there in the 80s and 90s, and Tulum was still undeveloped. But in the 2000s, Tulum began to see a different kind of tourist – one that was willing to pay for finer amenities while still wanting to be immersed in nature. Thus, Tulum’s bohemian-chic/ eco-luxury boom was born. In a series of ambiguous land sales, boutique hotels and restaurants began popping up across the oceanfront, and Tulum became a haven for celebrities and their companions.
Fast-forward to 2019: some of the now-coveted land changed hands in forceful and abrupt property grabs, though Tulum’s reputation as an idyllic oasis remained intact. Tourists were mostly shielded from the disputes. Celebrities are now likely venturing to more private destinations, but are being exponentially replaced by Instagram influencers and the wealthy and eco-conscious. This growth would likely be more pronounced were it not for Tulum’s geographic inaccessibility – to get there, a person needs to fly into Cancun and take at minimum a 1.5-hour cab, bus, or shuttle ride before reaching the final destination. This inconvenience means that Tulum is largely self-selecting – only the people who deliberately seek it out venture there – and forces a rite of passage by way of a lengthy car ride, magnifying the aura of magic upon arrival.
It’s easy to see why Tulum draws in foreigners and Mexicans alike. The restaurants are largely open faced, with roofs but seldom with walls, the façade blending into trees that mingle with guests. The sand is meticulously cleaned. Turquoise water shimmers invitingly for miles. Cell service and WiFi is spotty the further you get into the jungle, impelling guests both by their self-selection and by force to just “be.”
The more Tulum becomes a bona fide scene, particularly during high season, the more infrastructure struggles to keep pace with the influx. The one highway from Cancun to Tulum accommodates all airport traffic, and once in town, there is still only one road taking visitors between Tulum proper and the beach. Other roads are privately owned. In order for Tulum to be sustainable, it needs water, sewage, and architecture that both meet the needs of budding tourism and preserve the environment that led to its tourism in the first place. None of this happens in a bubble.
And then there’s the festival. This year was only its second incarnation, with a large audience that signals further growth. It seemed to advertise mostly through word of mouth – googling “things to do in Tulum” doesn’t show any trace of the event. With the festival came not just thousands more visitors, but a new clientele. You still have wealthy eco-tourists and Instagram influencers, but those guests are then layered with wealthy party hoppers, the people who accompany them, and lovers of electronic music around the world. For two weeks, Tulum was the new Mykonos or Ibiza. An avant-garde Burning Man.
I’ve been to Tulum twice; once in mid-December in 2018, and the second time a few weeks later for the festival. While the enchantment of Tulum’s jungle and ocean felt the same throughout, it’s difficult to understate how much busier it became on the second visit. Pedestrians draped in bohemian-chic attire flooded the road along the beach (there were no sidewalks on that one street), hotels were booked, and taxis were stuck traversing a typically 7-minute ride for over a half-hour. As a tourist, it was busy but didn’t feel overcrowded, but I can only imagine the burden it placed on Tulum’s already limited resources. As the festival and tourism more broadly expands, so does the need for a solution to its rapid growth. Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), Mexico’s new president, proposed a railroad through the Yucatan – the peninsula holding Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. This, however, only addresses the accessibility leg of Tulum’s problems, while putting wildlife at risk. With demand increased even further, how is a small city supposed to keep up?
Tulum’s magic has always been in the gaps – the light shining between the leaves of palm trees, or the wind drifting sporadically through sun rays as you lie on one of the luxury beach beds. Space for tranquility defines a trip here. The festival gives attendees a choice – they can spend every day for days on end, evening to sunrise, partying, or they can find a balance. Most people opt for the latter, but a surprising amount are able to subsist on hours if not minutes of sleep, seeing Tulum only through a DJ booth. The parties range from the most exclusive (you need thousands of dollars for a table, or to make friends with someone who bought one) to completely open, to villa parties hosted by tourists, expats, and locals. It creates an interesting dynamic – Tulum encourages relaxation and inclusivity, but if you’re trying to get into Solomun’s after party, the odds are better with fewer people in your posse.
The key thing to remember in Tulum is that you’ll have a good time no matter where you go. Our first night here, we went to dinner at one of the restaurants along the beach strip, RosaNegra, which turned into a raucous dance scene by the end of our meal. We were all delighted by the surprise and were given sparklers to commemorate the evening. The next night, my friends and I went to Solomun’s performance in Zamna, a venue in a desolate forest, and stayed well past sunrise. The stars sparkled above us throughout – nature still reigned supreme. In what felt like an act of divine serendipity, we ran into some other friends we met on our first Tulum trip in a concert of thousands, and we all danced together under the moon and the echo of electronic music. The exclusive parties are fun, but unless you’re paying to get in, the long lines and maneuvering deprive you of valuable sun time. Finagling your entrance is exhausting and can occupy the entire trip, if you let it. There are always other parties or other beach beds.
Whether it was the drapery of trees surrounding each boutique hotel or the limited paths paving the way for guests, Sound Tulum felt more intimate than I’d imagined for a festival. It was easy to make friends here. I was traveling solo my last three nights and met groups of people from all around the world who welcomed me into their circles. Germans, Italians, and even people from Australia traveled to Tulum for the celebration, and they all left before the 14th – the festival’s official end date. My last night, I ate some ceviche from the unbelievably delicious pop-up restaurant by my hostel and met three artists, one of whom was renting a villa along the beach. It was for sale, and they were seriously considering purchasing it and turning it into a creators’ retreat. Power for purpose. Nothing like that existed yet in Tulum, and a haven for artists would perfectly suit a town that came to prominence because of exquisite beauty and ethereal charms.
Like art, life is made meaningful by the negative space. A person needs time to savor and reflect, to think, to breathe, and to be present. With its deliberate seclusion and mesmerizing landscape, Tulum helps us get there. But we need to be deliberate too. It’s easy to get caught up in the party, the scene, or the money made by developing prized real estate, but getting smothered in superficial needs will only lead to an insatiable wanting – and destruction. Of environment, of relationships, of ourselves. What Tulum teaches us is that peace is invaluable and tenuous. It is nourished by wildlife, by creatures and humans alike, and that interconnectedness merits care. Ensuring sustainability in Tulum’s exponential growth will require commitments from partners across all industries. It will be difficult and complicated, but now we still have a choice – we can continue building, or find a balance.