For the yogis and dreamers of the world

It was Olivers 30th birthday. The big 3-0. The end of an era and the start of a new. So, naturally, I wanted to celebrate my loved one by taking him someplace truly special as a surprise. Surprise trips is kind of our thing by now. I wanted us to detach from work and San Francisco's rain season, and enjoy lovely food, sun and top notch company. What better then than a trip to our beloved Mexico together with our friends Nicole & Vakis. We had all been longing to visit the bohemian fisherman's village Sayulita, just north of Puerto Vallarta, and I didn't have to look for long until I found our little hidden paradise, Playa Escondida. Please scroll for our photo series and review of this gem of a boutique hotel.

When Oliver found out, he was thrilled to say the least. With sun hats and flip flops packed, we flew into Puerto Vallarta, excited for what must have been the best birthday weekend in the history of birthday weekends! After a beautiful 50 minute taxi ride straight to Playa Escondida, we jumped out - high on life - and were greeted by the amazingly attentive hotel staff. They took care of our luggage and then took us on a hotel tour to show us to our villas and all of the hotel amenities. The four of us had the same thought in mind - "this is paradise". After the tour we were taken to the beach to see the sun setting over the Pacific. We were greeted with a welcome Margarita by the skilled beach bar bartenders, and asked ourselves "Is this real life?"  We zipped on the margaritas by the beach, surrounded by parakeets and the sound of waves, while the day turned to night and the hotel slowly lit up by warm, romantic glow.

Playa Escondida is nothing less than jaw dropping. It has something quite surreal about it. It is tropical, authentic and bohemian without sacrificing modern comfort (we once stayed in an Eco retreat in Tulum without electricity. Romantic? Yes. Convenient? Well, not when you come home in the middle of the night and find a half chewed apple in your bungalow with no way to turn the lights on to find the guilty animal). The architecture is clearly thought through with the highest respect for nature in mind. The whole property naturally blends in with its green grounds. The hotel is set on a beautifully lushhill side, and the gorgeous bungalows are all connected by jungle covered paths. Every detail lets you immerse yourself with nature. An instant urge to never put your shoes back on, check your social accounts nor set your alarm ever again is guaranteed to kick in. 

sol 3 - a little piece of heaven

As it was Ollie's 30th birthday I wanted to spoil him with one of Playa Escondida's very best rooms, lucky man! Room Sol 3 left us in awe. Set a few steps above the private beach, with a widespread view of the ocean that could be enjoyed from our bed as well as from our private outdoor common area that came with a Jacuzzi, two sunbeds, a few chairs and two cushion covered couches. We couldn't dream up a more perfect spot for a margarita at sunset if we tried. 

The room itself had a queen bed, traditional Mexican furniture and a beautifully decorated bathroom. Palm leaves covered the rooftop. The kind of roof we dream of having one day! The windows opened up to the memorizing ocean view. Some treat to wake up to each morning.

For yogis and dreamers

To make matters even better, there is - of course - yoga. How about starting your day with a yoga lesson on this palm leaf covered porch while listening to the waves and admiring the horizon? That's everyday life at Playa Escondida. We noticed that the guests staying at Playa Escondida seemed to be quite likeminded. We did yoga together in the morning, had slow, colorful meals side by side in the restaurant and all found each other gazing at the glorious horizon with a green juice or Margarita at hand. Yogis, dreamers, travelers and artists alike all find their way there.

jungle and beach ride

The Hotel Director Carlos kindly organized a true dream excursion for the four of us, a horseback ride through jungle and along beaches! We jumped into the open air back of a truck and were taken to the cute ranch in true Mexi style, where we were greeted by an amazing Mexican cowboy. We got to our horses, jumped up and rode off into the jungle. The ride lasted about 1.5 hours, and was absolutely glorious. As old horse girls, Nicole and I felt ecstatic to be back in the saddle. The boys' nerves washed away the longer we went. We finally reached a long, golden beach, completely empty of people. We galloped back and forth a number of times and felt like the luckiest four in the whole world.

pool and jacuzzi area

Apart from the horse ride and the occasional margarita in Sayulita town, we spent most of our time on the beach, in the jacuzzi or by the pool at Playa Escondida. The infinity pool blended in beautifully with the mesmerizing horizon of the Pacific, and was set just by the restaurant/bar area, making it a perfect spot for a kinds of obvious reasons!

a foodie's dream

If you love Mexican food, Playa Escondida is your place. The menu has a good variety of traditional Mexican dishes as well as a few international ones if you would like to change it up a little. Everything is home made with flavorful, local ingredients. We loved everything, and especially recommend their amazing breakfast dishes.

 Many thanks to Hotel Director Carlos, and the whole crew at Playa Escondida for making our stay and Oliver's 30th birthday absolutely magnificent and wonderful in every way. We will never forget it! We cannot recommend Playa Escondida highly enough for anyone who wants to loose themselves in paradise and forget about the rest.

Visit www.playa-escondida.com to book your dream trip.