Condé Nast Traveler: Room With A View

Playa Mambo

THE PLACE In the beach-rich town of Tulum, the only Mayan city built along the coast. There are eight cabanas, ranging from $120 to $200. The Penthouse Cabana is $200 (52-984-803-5989).

THE VIEW "The moon was shining magnificently, drawing a long silvery line upon the sea... For a time we felt ourselves exalted above the necessity of sleep," wrote the American explorer John Lloyd Stephens during his 1841 voyage to the Yucatán. No offense to Stephens, but you'll likely disagree. In fact, there's no use fighting sleep as you lounge in these soft sheets with the sounds (and sights) of the azure sea just beyond your terrace. Should you escape the billowing bed-net, a saltwater shower and the catch of the day await. Outside Playa Mambo's unassuming grounds, the nearby ruins reflect the ancients' penchant for all things aquatic: The Temple of the Diving God was built for Tulum's predominant deity. Visit he mural of the moon goddess Ixchel, too—one of the few remaining depictions of her. And when evening sets in, pay homage to the real thing, just like the adventurers who marveled at her handiwork more than a century ago.