Tulum Just Got a New Luxury Hotel — With Five Pools and Sea Views From Every Room

The Yucatán Peninsula has long been a popular getaway for sun-seekers and ocean lovers, but now there's a new resort upping the luxury game in this coveted destination. Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, which just opened its hand-carved doors on Jan. 18, is raising the bar on the area's high-end resorts, offering both the seclusion and convenience of being eight miles north of Tulum, on a bay surrounded by mangroves.

The 349-room hotel takes its design inspiration from its surroundings, with wooden doors carved by local artisans and an immersive art piece inspired by the area's ancient Mayan architecture and Tulum's landscape. But the Caribbean Sea is the true star of the show, with sweeping views from both the common areas and individual rooms, each of which has a private balcony and relaxation tub or plunge pool.

Also on-site is the Conrad Spa Tulum with 16 individual treatment rooms housed in casitas. Each treatment starts with a cleansing copal limpia ceremony and guided meditation inspired by the Mayan gods. Among the offerings are herbal therapies, water rituals, and sacred healing from the in-house shaman. The resort also has five pools, as well as the opportunity to swim, snorkel, or kayak in the bay.

The dining options are plentiful and diverse with five restaurants and six bars, including Mediterranean-influenced Marata, sushi bar Ukai, and Teppanyaki house Kengai. The most upscale option is at Autor, where guests "experience a personalized culinary journey" from Chef Jersaí Miranda.

"Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya represents so much of what we strive for in our ever-expanding brand portfolio — bold and locally inspired design, innovative culinary offerings and fulfilling, meaningful experiences for our guests," Hilton's chief brand officer Matt Schuyler said in a statement released to Travel + Leisure. "With a record-setting year of openings ahead for the brand, it's a pleasure to start 2022 with such an exemplary addition to Conrad's resort offerings and to Hilton's luxury category at large."

There are currently 40 Conrad Hotels across five continents, including in New York City, London, Dublin, Istanbul, Dubai, and Las Vegas. Earlier this year, the brand debuted Conrad Shanghai in the city's People's Square, and locations in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Sardinia are also scheduled to open in 2022.

At this time, there are no entry requirements to Mexico, but visitors do need to register on the Mexico Vuela Seguro Platform before boarding their flights. The State Department currently has the country on a Level 3 Reconsider Travel alert, and the CDC has indicated there is a "high level of COVID-19 in the country," adding that "your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated."