When the world shutdown and we were on lockdown for 3 months, I overdosed on the Netflix series, Narcos. Seasons 1 and 2 are based on the story of Columbia based drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, who became a billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine. The series also focuses on Escobar's interactions with drug lords and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents.
It was Escobar who unintentionally put Tulum’s boutique hotel Casa Malca on radars of wander lusters from around the world. Its owner, renowned art dealer Lio Malca, had purchased its initial building, an abandoned Mexico based mansion, in 2013 not knowing that legend had it the late Colombian drug lord had once owned it.
When I found out Pablo Escobar’s 24 room mansion was now taking reservations, it quickly inched up my Tulum “to-do” list. Located on a deserted end of the main beach side drag, we initially thought the driver had made a wrong turn as we pulled up in front of the walled off property. Offering an eclectic mix of 71 suites, the beach front property has been totally transformed from its days as a drug lord’s vacation home. It now boasts wall-to-wall art, sculptures and furnishings by contemporary designers from Lamca’s personal collection.
Offering a more luxurious spin on a traditional art house, we eagerly explored the polished concrete floors to the whitewashed walls covered in colorful art in each room.
Beyond the gorgeous interior, the hotel’s chef only uses locally-sourced produce from small businesses in the area to not only create traditional Yucatan cuisine, but also fuse it together with contemporary dishes from around the world to create a taste as unique as the space.
