A hotel review

Close to the border of Belize lies the small town Bacalar on la laguna de los siete colores – the lagoon of seven colors. Technically not a lagoon but a lake, Bacalar is a long, narrow body of freshwater consisting of seven cenotes, fed by underground rivers. With its crystalline waters in eclectic hues of blue and green, Bacalar is often referred to as the Maldives of Mexico. Compared to the busy resorts of Cancun and Tulum, this is a true hideaway in what feels like a masterpiece of art created by nature. This is where we found paradise. 

We stayed for four nights at the beautiful Habitas Bacalar and never wanted to leave again. Nestled into the deep jungle stretching onto the banks of the lagoon are A frame tented cabins with thatched roofs and full-sized glass doors offering undisturbed views into the lush greenery. The rooms are comfortable, spacious and furnished in the typical bohemian chic, earthy toned look of the Habitas hotels. Our favorite feature was the outdoor shower: the sounds of the jungle, the sun shining through the thick vegetation, and the homemade honey-infused shower gels and shampoos felt like a wellness journey.

Heading from our room down to the lagoon felt like a walk through an enchanted tropical forest. Closer to the lagoon, wooden footbridges loop across small streams colored in deep turquoise and so clear that you could watch little fish wizzing around. At the lagoon deck overlooking the unreal blue waters is plenty of space to lounge in the sun, read a book, or enjoy a drink at the bar.

You can also choose to have your breakfast, lunch and assorted bar snacks right by the lagoon. We loved jumping into the lagoon off the landing bridge for a refreshing dip and did so countless times in between sun baths, smoothies, and sunset cocktails. 

Dinner is served at Siete, a beautiful candle-lit, two-storied structure set in the jungle. All dishes we tried were delicious, blending local ingredients in a creative way, always with a Mexican twist. As a lover of electronic music, I enjoyed the atmospheric deep house music played at the Restaurant and bar – you can find Habitas’ music curation here on Spotify. The vibe was magical, only disturbed by a lot of mosquitos especially after rainfall, so don’t forget to apply repellent before dinner. 

Habitas offers an abundance of free activities you can join during your stay. We partook in daily yoga classes, an incredible sound healing session that left my whole body tingling, as well as a painting class accompanied with a glass of wine. They also offer canues and paddlebords so you can explore the lagoon, as well as sailing trips or e-foil lessons (those come at additional charge).

To me, a visit to the spa is a must when I’m staying at an amazing hotel. At Habitas, you start your spa journey by burning copal, a type of tree resin that creates fragrant smoke and setting an intention. The treatment rooms are beautiful huts with windows into the greenery, and the therapists made me feel so comfortable. I went for a relaxing massage with a herbal steam to clear the passages as well as a facial, and I left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. 

What I will say is that ahead of our trip to Mexico, we contemplated whether to rent a car or not. I read a lot about the fact that driving is easy and roads are in good conditions, so we went for it as we wanted to have the freedom of our own vehicle. I’m a very experienced and secure driver, but I do have to say that I found the roads in parts treacherous, with massive potholes appearing seemingly out of nowhere. We drove to Bacalar out of Valladolid and drove to Cancun after, and especially on the latter route I felt we needed to pay a lot of attention. Don’t get me wrong, it’s 100% doable, but its good to know what to expect as Bacalar is quite a drive away from Cancun (roughly 6 hours). If you don’t feel like driving yourself on your trip, you can always opt for the bus which we heard was very easy and comfortable to use, or fly into Chetumal from where its only a 40 min drive to Bacalar.

To us, Bacalar was the absolute highlight of our trip to the Yucatan. The beauty of the lagoon is unreal, undisturbed, and sleeping amidst the jungle felt so magical. The vibe at Habitas was something else, with a huge credit to the friendliest staff fulfilling all our wishes. This is one of the places that make me feel warm inside thinking back at the memories.