5 Villas to Make the Riviera Maya your Favorite Christmas Destination

Written by Alex Ruelas

Well, it is starting to feel a lot like Christmas. Even in the Caribbean, we can sense the year coming to an end, unwinding for the final stretch. The weather is nice and mild, sunsets are even more epic than usual, and all we can think of is enjoying the last days of 2021 surrounded by friends and family by the sea.

There are many reasons to love winter in the Riviera Maya. One of them is that there are many vacation rentals to enjoy long sunny days in a place where nature is spectacular. Here, we have chosen five villas that make us cherish this time of year, beautiful homes that will compel you to make a trip to Mexico your new Christmas tradition.

Casa Nikki

10 guests • 5 bedrooms • 4.5 bathrooms – Step inside

Three words: rooftop plunge pool. The top floor lounge is by far our favorite spot in this five-bedroom home in Playa del Carmen. And it is hard to choose one. Casa Nikki has all the amenities you need for a spectacular winter holiday, including a gorgeous swimming pool, a cabana with a sprawling sunbed, and that ocean view.

The villa can sleep up to 10 guests and offers ample space for everyone to get together, indoors in the expansive living room and outdoors on the palapa terrace. Further, the home is just one block away from the beautiful Playacar beach, where you can spend hours on end working on your Christmas tan.

Casa GiGi

8 guests • 4 bedrooms • 4 bathrooms – Step inside

Casa GiGi is all about the Mediterranean flair. This four-bedroom beachfront villa, located in peaceful Playacar, is reminiscent of Italian castles and combines stone walls with stately furnishings to create a classic, elegant atmosphere by the Caribbean. It even has a watchtower, where you can catch breathtaking tropical sunsets.

Here, common areas are sumptuous and the kitchen spacious, both fantastic features if you want to travel with your family and have a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. Further, the residence is equally impressive, boasting a large swimming pool, outdoor games, and unrivaled access to Playa del Carmen’s best beach.

Casa Mam

12 guests • 5 bedrooms • 4 bathrooms – Step inside

Casa Mam is the perfect place for lovers of the outdoors. Enveloped by the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, this striking home is a prime example of top-notch design immersed in nature. Its modern tropical architecture combines wood, cement, and water to create a gorgeous space that fuses with the pristine surroundings.

The open plan living area integrates with the oceanfront deck and swimming pool, and just beyond the palm trees, you’ll find the crystal-clear sea. Meanwhile, multiple plunge pools create cozy nooks around the house, both indoors and outdoors –the one on the rooftop also has terrific 360º views. Finally, appliances are wind and solar-powered, while rainwater is collected to minimize the impact on the aquifer, making Casa Mam a lovely house to submerge consciously in the natural setting.

Casa Chakté

6 guests • 3 bedrooms • 3 bathrooms – Step inside

Are you planning a Christmas escape with your closest people? This cozy hideout might be for you. Located in the heart of Tulum’s hotel zone, this three-bedroom villa puts you right where you want to be to experience this beach town at its best.

The house presents an eclectic style, combining traditional techniques with warm woods and natural textures. Every space is decorated with locally-made furniture and textile art, which gives the villa a modern yet tropical personality. And the beach is steps away. Follow the sandy paths surrounded by endemic greenery, and you’ll arrive at a private area fitted with sunbeds, where everyone can relax and make the most of their days by the sea.

Casa Chukum

11 guests • 4 bedrooms • 5 bathrooms – Step inside

Featuring stunning ocean views, a beautiful swimming pool, a rooftop terrace, and even bamboo bicycles for you to ride around, Casa Chukum is another lovely beachfront retreat right in the middle of Tulum’s hotel zone. The villa gets its name from a local building technic that uses the resin from an endemic tree to give walls a clean, earthy finish, now the trademark of Mexican Caribbean architecture.

Four stunning bedrooms with sea-facing balconies can comfortably sleep up to 11 guests. The master bedroom even has an ocean-view bathtub. Meanwhile, the spacious common areas open up to the pool and beach, where you will find snug sunbeds and the striking combination of white sands and turquoise blue that has made Tulum world-famous.