Kimpton Hotels Makes Its Debut in Mexico With A Boho-Chic Property in Tulum

With a more relaxed twist on the big-city splashy designs it’s known for, Kimpton Hotels opens its first property in Mexico on Dec. 18, in Tulum, a cultural hub of the Riviera Maya 80 miles south of Cancun.

Flaunting a boho-chic vibe, the 78-room boutique property, Kimpton Aluna Tulum, features a rooftop bar and restaurant (to sip cocktails while watching the sunset), a spa, a beach club and palapa (thatched-hut) awnings.

“We’re creating a kicked-back atmosphere that offers a remote sanctuary with a chance to disconnect, while also delivering an intriguing, spirited environment that offers a chance to reconnect,” says Ave Bradley, Kimpton Creative Director and SVP of Global Design. “It’s a communal and engaging atmosphere with a level of energy that lives comfortably beside opportunities for solitude and restoration—born from a destination that’s so connected to nature and the lush surrounding landscape.” 

It’s also convenient to get to downtown Tulum—even more so by grabbing one of the hotel’s loaner bicycles. Another draw are the white-sand beaches. All guests need to do is hop onto free transportation to the hotel’s beach club, where perks include a beach butler who ensures guests have drinks and are shaded from the sun if desired. And in perfect pitch with Tulum’s healthy-living mantra, yoga classes are hosted twice a week on property, there’s a spa on site, and fresh-squeezed juice is always available. Like other Kimpton properties, a complimentary evening social hour allows guests to mingle and have a pre-dinner cocktail. A lagoon-style outdoor pool is surrounded by hardwood chaises for lounging. 

Every room has a private balcony (with a view of either the garden or the pool) and features one of Kimpton’s signature in-room yoga mats, Frette linens on the beds, and Atelier Bloem amenities in the bathrooms. Upgrading to a suite means having your own jacuzzi. A nod to the local surroundings is no further away than the mini-bar, stocked with locally derived drinks and snacks. 

Materials used to build out the design in the rooms include travertine marble as well as handmade wood furnishings. Chunky-knit poofs and macramé wall hangings are other design elements. Bradley also turned to “textiles and patterns inspired by Mexican crafts people and Mayan patterns,” she says, “reflective and appreciative of the styles and artisans in the region.”

In fact, Bradley even had a vision of the ideal traveler in mind when making design decisions. “The Aluna is created with the explorer’s adventurous spirit in mind, a traveler that’s unwilling to relinquish their desire for style and the opportunity to indulge in inspired food and drink alongside personal restoration,” she says.

Different to the brand is that this is not a new-build hotel nor is it a facelift of a historic property. Instead, Kimpton put its own spin on the two-year-old Aluna Hotel, a property formerly in the Ahau Collection, featuring seven other micro properties in Tulum.