The Naboa Tulum Hotel, designed by Jaque Studio, represents a masterful integration of contemporary architecture with the natural tropical landscape of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Completed in 2025, this boutique hospitality project spans 1,454 square meters across a 2,500-square-meter plot in the heart of Tulum, one of Mexico's most sought-after coastal destinations.

The architectural concept behind Naboa is founded on the premise of creating a harmonious dialogue between built structures and the existing natural environment. The design team, led by César Pérez with architect Jesús Acosta, developed a project where pure, orderly geometric forms create a striking contrast with the disordered and random nature of the pre-existing tropical vegetation. This intentional juxtaposition creates a unique visual tension that defines the property's distinctive character.

The hotel's layout is strategically organized around two central elements that serve as the guiding axis of the entire project: a swimming pool and a carefully curated tropical garden. This arrangement gives the complex a distinctly introspective character, effectively creating a protected microclimate that prioritizes guest privacy while fostering ideal conditions for the development of a unique hospitality identity. The inward-facing design philosophy ensures that guests experience a sense of seclusion and tranquility despite being located in the bustling tourist destination of Tulum.

Accommodation at Naboa consists of 10 carefully designed rooms distributed across two distinct architectural typologies, each responding to different guest needs and preferences. The ground floor units feature a horizontal spatial composition that emphasizes direct connection with the surrounding environment. These rooms are characterized by their expansive terraces and innovative outdoor bathroom facilities, which blur the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces while taking full advantage of Tulum's year-round tropical climate.

The upper floor accommodations offer a contrasting vertical layout that maximizes space efficiency while maintaining the project's commitment to openness and natural ventilation. These rooms incorporate a dramatic social space featuring double-height ceilings, complemented by two full bedrooms with complete bathroom facilities. The vertical organization is achieved through an elegant mezzanine design that creates spacious, well-ventilated areas perfectly suited to Tulum's warm, humid climate conditions.

The architectural language of Naboa demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of when to embrace transparency and when to prioritize privacy. The buildings appear solid and closed when seeking to create intimate, introspective spaces for guests, while opening up with full transparency when the design aims to establish visual connections with the surrounding landscape and central pool area. This is particularly evident in the social spaces, where large openings frame views of the tropical garden and create seamless indoor-outdoor living experiences.

The reception area is conceived as a linear pavilion that exemplifies the project's architectural philosophy. Built on a foundation of concrete and chukum - a traditional Mayan stucco made from the bark of the chukum tree - the reception is topped by a lightweight wooden roof structure that appears to float effortlessly among the surrounding vegetation. This illusion of weightlessness is achieved through the use of slender structural columns that visually blend with the natural tree trunks, creating an almost magical integration with the forest canopy.

The hotel's restaurant represents another architectural highlight, configured as a dramatic double-height space featuring an open kitchen concept. The dining area is oriented toward a wide terrace that is elevated one meter above the natural ground level, providing diners with elevated views of the surrounding landscape while maintaining connection to the natural topography. This elevated position also provides natural ventilation and helps protect the space from occasional flooding during Tulum's rainy season.

Throughout the property, limestone walls function as important organizational elements, serving not merely as boundaries but as transitional devices that mark the flow between different spatial experiences. These walls, constructed from local Yucatan limestone, provide both structural support and aesthetic continuity while referencing the region's rich architectural heritage, including the nearby Mayan ruins that make Tulum famous.

The material palette employed throughout Naboa reflects a deep commitment to natural materials and earth tones that harmonize with the coastal jungle environment. The primary materials include locally sourced wood, limestone quarried from the Yucatan Peninsula, travertine marble that adds subtle luxury, and chukum, the traditional Mayan finishing material that provides both practical weather protection and cultural authenticity. This careful selection of materials ensures that the hotel ages gracefully while maintaining its connection to local building traditions.

The design philosophy governing the spatial composition draws heavily from principles of passive environmental design, incorporating strategies that have been proven effective in tropical climates for centuries. Natural cross-ventilation, strategic shading, and the use of thermal mass help maintain comfortable interior temperatures while minimizing reliance on mechanical cooling systems. These approaches not only reduce the hotel's environmental impact but also create more comfortable spaces for guests to enjoy.

The architectural approach also pays homage to the vernacular architecture of the Yucatan region, referencing traditional building techniques and spatial arrangements while updating them for contemporary hospitality needs. This respectful interpretation of local architectural traditions helps ground the project in its cultural context while avoiding pastiche or superficial decoration.

At Naboa Tulum Hotel, the overarching design philosophy prioritizes the pursuit of simple, elegant solutions that create atmospheres inviting guests to embrace a slower pace of life. Every detail has been carefully considered to stimulate interaction with the senses, from the texture of natural materials under hand and foot to the play of light and shadow created by the interplay between architecture and vegetation throughout the day.

The landscape architecture, designed by Hugo Sanchez Paisaje, works in perfect harmony with the built structures to create a seamless integration between human intervention and natural systems. The tropical garden serves not only as a visual amenity but as a functional element that provides natural cooling, privacy screening, and habitat for local wildlife.

Interior design by Studio Wenden complements the architectural vision with carefully selected furnishings and finishes that enhance rather than compete with the natural beauty of the setting. The interiors maintain the same commitment to natural materials and earth tones while providing the comfort and amenities expected by discerning travelers.

The general construction, managed by Jaque Studio themselves, ensured tight quality control and attention to detail throughout the building process. This integrated approach allowed for real-time problem-solving and refinement of details during construction, resulting in a finished product that faithfully realizes the original design vision.

Naboa Tulum Hotel represents more than just another luxury accommodation option in Mexico's competitive hospitality market. It stands as a thoughtful response to the challenges of building responsibly in an environmentally sensitive area while creating spaces that honor both the natural landscape and the cultural heritage of the Mayan Riviera. The project demonstrates that sustainable tourism architecture can be both environmentally conscious and commercially successful, providing a model for future development in this rapidly growing region.