Casa Vela is completely unlike any house you can rent in Playa del Carmen or a suite at the Four Seasons or Fairmont – much more fun with none of the crowds, and right on the beach.

Basic lodging rate covers up to eight people and Includes daily maid service, kayaks, paddle boards, and concierge, and there is no cleaning fee upon exit. Additional lodging charge of $65 per person per day for extra people beyond 8.

Most guests select the gourmet inclusive option of three meals daily with professional chef preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner at $500 per day for up to 8 people, with an additional food charge of $65 per person per day for extra people beyond 8.

If the extra people are children under 12, they are charged at half price.

Other popular amenities may be ordered at reasonable extra charge - airport transfers, tours to the Mayan ruins, shopping for your choice of adult beverages and groceries (at cost plus 25%) if you want to cook. We look forward to hosting you if you are the right match for this experience.

Casa Vela is a handcrafted, all hardwood home accommodating four couples in luxurious privacy in four master suites, each with unobstructed views of the ocean on one side and the forest on the other. The white sand beach is at your feet. Hammocks and private lounge chairs downstairs, along with kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and your own beach bar make this your private club for the week you are in residence.

The master suite has a king size bed, living area, enormous dressing area, full bath with standalone marble tub, separate shower and toilet rooms, and outdoor deck with chaise lounges.

Another suite has a king size bed, living area, full bath with separate shower and toilet rooms, a comfortable futon for an extra person, and a sleeping loft with two single beds for families with children who might enjoy the adventure of climbing a ladder.

Two additional over-sized bedrooms each feature two queen size beds (four queen beds in total) and ensuite bathrooms. One of these bedrooms has a private deck with chaise lounges. All have handcrafted furniture and direct ocean views.

We have Wi-Fi, and every suite has a large flat panel television with Satellite TV service. Three rooms can stream Netflix.

You may dine outside under the romantic three story palapa, or take a quick snack at the eat-in kitchen table.

As noted above, the bedrooms and the palapa are graced with lovely hardwood furniture custom-made in our workshops. Because of our preference and the fire hazard, we are strictly non-smoking throughout the villa, inside and out. Please do not book the villa if you are a smoker (or if you have pets).

We provide bottled water for drinking and cooking, and as an ecological resort, we collect rainwater for washing and flushing toilets. We encourage guests to conserve water and energy, turning off the ceiling fans, A/C, televisions, and lights when not in use.

The house is sited on our 100 acre property, with diverse eco-systems of forest, jungle, and mangrove, home to deer, spider monkeys, parrots, iguanas, butterflies, and tejones.

Wade into the fresh water spring-fed rivers (“cenotes”) just 3 minutes walk to our north and swim against the refreshing current. However, the management of that hotel frowns on outside guests using their bridge or people swimming too far upstream.

Part of the experience at Casa Vela is the interaction with my partner and property manager, a noted breeder of rare birds, and his wife, a licensed biologist who works full-time as a consultant to various hotels and developers on environmental matters. You can reserve some time with them for a fishing trip or a snorkeling tour to the nearby reef or just invite them over for a beer and chat about the local flora and fauna.

They can suggest visits to the Mayan pyramids: Tulum less than an hour south, Coba an hour and a half southwest. Ek Balam just two hours northeast, and Chichen-Itza under three hours west, as well as an enjoyable excursion by boat through the canals of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere, with the starting point just south of Tulum. After the pyramids, add a short visit to the cenotes (also called "grutas" or grottos) - walk down stairs (around 20 meters) for a refreshing swim in these marvelous underground caverns.

We look forward to hosting you!