Papaya Playa Project
A hotel pops up in Tulum
Touching down in the peninsular town of Tulum in southern Mexico, a collaboration of creative European service-industry innovators have launched Papaya Playa Project, a temporary hotel concept born from the pop-up retail model. The collection of 99 beach cabanas maintains a certain level of comfort while retaining the look and feel of primitive, eco-friendly lodgings in a community setting. More of a camp than a hotel, the cabanas will stand for five months on a beachfront formerly owned by a set of luxury hotels that were abandoned in the financial crisis.
The project is led by Claus Sendlinger of Design Hotels, who recently left the buzz of Berlin for the seaside splendor of Tulum. Copenhagen’s 42ºRaw is providing on-the-go sustenance to visitors while KaterHolzig—offspring of Berlin’s Bar 25—handles the main dining experience. To complete the 1960s-commune vibe, Mamapapacola Company has prepared an event series based around Mayan full moon rituals. While we’d like to avoid thinking of Mayans in the lead-up to 2012, this sprinkling of local flavor is undoubtedly entertaining.
The idea of a pop-up is new to the world luxury resorts, and will hopefully serve to bolster the struggling town’s economic situation. Last minute vacation-goers can book their reservations here.