Hola, Mexico: South of the Border Second Home

La Amada, Playa Mujeres

Imagine swaying palm trees, gentle lapping turquoise waters and a white sand beach speckled with palapas. This place has all the trappings of a luxury resort, but it’s not, it’s even better because it’s the site of your second home. Located half an hour north of the Cancun airport, close enough to the action yet out of the fray, the La Amada residences within the gated community of Playa Mujeres offer owners and their friends a secluded playground in one of the most idyllic settings in the region.

Starting in the mid-$300Ks, the property along with its 215 residences recently underwent an $8 million renovation by Hamak, and PowerPlay Destination whose portfolio includes Montage Residences Kapalua Bay on Maui and Kohanaiki on the Big Island. The homes range from one to three bedrooms and feature spacious kitchens for entertaining, marble floors, large sliding doors, private terraces, as well as deep soaking tubs and sprawling rooftops in penthouses.

Among the additions to the property’s already robust offerings are a beach club replete with expansive decks, shaded cabanas, and a swim-up bar and two new infinity rooftop pools. Other highlights include an well-appointed gym with the latest workout equipment plus views of the pool and gardens, and a marketplace cafe which carries grocery staples including beverages and numerous to-go dining options for easy outings, of which there are many.

An 18-hole Greg Norman designed golf course — considered to be along the best in Mexico — is just outside of the residences, surrounded by lush jungle and flanking the Caribbean Sea. For marine adventures, La Amada’s onsite deep-water marina serves as the perfect launchpad with 176 slips for boats up to 200 feet in length.

The property is a diving and fishing paradise, located next to the world’s second largest coral reef and close to the world-renowned scuba spot, Cozumel. Additionally, quick boat or ferry ride yields the charming Isla Mujeres, where visitors are free to explore the diminutive isle to their heart’s desire via golf cart, enjoy ceviche and margaritas on by the water, and get very affordable massages on the beach.


Kasia Pawlowska

Kasia Pawlowska loves words. A native of Poland, Kasia moved to the States when she was seven. The San Francisco State University creative writing graduate went on to write for publications like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and KQED Arts among others prior to joining the Marin Magazine staff. Topics Kasia has covered include travel, trends, mushroom hunting, an award-winning series on social media addiction and loads of other random things. When she’s not busy blogging or researching and writing articles, she’s either at home writing postcards and reading or going to shows. Recently, Kasia has been trying to branch out and diversify, ie: use different emojis. Her quest for the perfect chip is never-ending.