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The Originals
Surrounded by lush jungle along the sparkling Caribbean, Tulum’s Papaya Playa Project is cocooned by nature’s majesty. The hotel defied industry norms from the outset by keeping 93% of its original jungle intact. Caring for this jungle—and the beautiful beach that it borders—is core to the hotel’s essence. Dedicated to a low-impact lifestyle, the property treats its own water, maintains fair trade practices, and builds nearly 90% of its furniture on-site. While much of Tulum is powered by diesel generators, Papaya Playa Project took the initiative to install the infrastructure required to join Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission grid, avoiding the production of 1,164,070 tons of carbon dioxide per year. A connection to the community also runs deep. Thanks in part to the on-site workshops, the hotel has become one of Tulum’s leading sources of employment. Papaya Playa Project also runs an advanced turtle conservation that takes sees thousands of baby turtles hatch each year. During the 5 years of the program, the hotel has released 39,444 baby turtles from its beach.
The Team at Papaya Playa Project
Papaya Playa Project
Buildings use ancestral techniques like low thatched roofs to keep areas cool and walls finished in the ancient chukum technique. Facilities are elevated so as not to disturb roots and animal burrows.
The hotel reuses and repurposes constantly. Towels and linens become cleaning rags, puffs are filled with reusable filling, wood and furniture are fixed and reused, and plastic is limited.
Tulum uses highly polluting diesel generators. Papaya Playa Project installed the infrastructure to join Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission grid, avoiding the production of 1,164,070 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The hotel treats wastewater with an aerobic process treatment plant and has installed a reverse osmosis plant. In this way, it avoids transporting the equivalent of over 200 truckloads of garbage per month.
Whenever possible, products are sourced locally and the remainder is purchased from fair-trade Mexican manufacturers. On-site workshops produce 90% of the hotel’s furniture and sew textiles.
The hotel collaborated with groups like Letras Itinerantes to benefit Mayan communities and LADLE (Los Amigos de la Esquina) to offer activities to kids to keep them off the streets.
The hotel takes care of hundreds of turtle nests and sees thousands of baby turtles hatch each year. Guests are invited to be a part of the experience.
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