Hotel Spotlight: Playa Viva

An eco-luxury escape on Mexico's Pacific Coast

April 21, 2026 Mise à jour : April 21, 2026

Unique wooden treehouse with large slanted roof and circular window, surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery at sunset.

On the Pacific Coast of Mexico between jungle and sea, Playa Viva redefines what it means to travel responsibly. This 2 MICHELIN Key, B-corp certified eco-luxury retreat runs entirely on solar power, operates a working permaculture farm, protects nesting sea turtles, and actively restores the surrounding ecosystem, all while offering guests an immersive natural experience. Below, Kerry Skinner, Awareness, Brand, and Culture Manager at Playa Viva, shares what regenerative travel looks like in practice and how daily yoga shapes the guest experience.

Playa Viva describes itself as both an eco-luxury and regenerative travel destination. What do those terms mean in practice?

At Playa Viva, eco-luxury means immersion in the luxury of nature. It's not about excess, it's about abundance. Abundant ocean views, abundant biodiversity, abundant care in every detail. Guests sleep steps from the Pacific in open-air treehouses designed to dissolve the boundary between indoors and outdoors. The soundscape is waves, birds, wind in the palms. That is our luxury.

Regenerative travel goes further. Sustainability aims to reduce harm; regeneration actively restores. Every decision we make is taken from a whole systems thinking approach. Every detail, in terms of the architecture, operations, and the guest experience, is designed not only to minimize impact but also to strengthen the watershed and local community. We achieve this through initiatives like our ReSiMar program.

For guests, this means their stay becomes part of something larger. The experience is intentionally transformative — nourishment through farm-to-table cuisine, daily yoga, turtle conservation, community connection — all woven into a model where tourism directly contributes to ecological restoration and social wellbeing. The result is a vacation that restores both the traveler and the place, and is why our brand statement is "Where Your Vacation Meets Your Values™."

Aerial view of a sandy beach with tire tracks, tropical greenery, palm trees, and thatched-roof buildings near forested hills under a hazy sky.

How does the property's off-grid design shape the rhythm of a stay?

Playa Viva is not just the 20-room hotel; it is 200 acres of abundance, including a turtle sanctuary, a 20-acre permaculture farm, and more than anything, land left to rewild. Being 100% off-grid shapes everything. The property runs entirely on solar power, and this self-sufficiency creates a subtle but powerful shift in rhythm. Guests come to disconnect to reconnect, leaving the hustle and bustle of life at the gate and entering a sanctuary where they can connect deeply with themselves and the natural world.

Our architecture is inspired by and built with nature, with open-air structures that allow ocean breezes to flow through. Guests often tell us they have the best sleep of their lives here. There is something deeply regulating about falling asleep to the Pacific and waking with the sun.

Days unfold as offerings rather than obligations. A sunrise turtle release. Oceanfront yoga in one of our three shalas. A farm-fresh breakfast harvested from our regenerative farm and local producer partners. Afternoon massages, boogie boarding, beach walks, and spontaneous whale sightings in season. There is no rigid schedule, only an invitation to enjoy all the abundance. The absence of noise, light pollution, and digital overload creates space for deeper moments of clarity, presence, and connection.

Woman practicing yoga in a pigeon pose variation on a mat in a wooden pavilion surrounded by greenery.

How does daily yoga fit into the broader Playa Viva experience?

Since the beginning in 2008, Playa Viva was envisioned as a holistic experience. A place where guests could rest deeply, rejuvenate fully, and step away from the constant stimulation of modern life. Offering complimentary daily yoga was a natural extension of that vision.

Practiced from one of our three oceanfront shalas, yoga becomes a sensory immersion. The breath syncs with the tide. The unobstructed, seemingly never-ending horizon softens perspective, and gentle guidance from our Holistic Hosts offers progress. Whether guests are seasoned practitioners or stepping onto the mat for the first time, yoga creates a shared rhythm that supports restoration.

Our Holistic Hosts come for six weeks at a time, each with their own specialisms — whether that's Ashtanga, aerial yoga, dance, or astrology-led practices. With an incredibly high guest return rate, some guests book the same dates as their favorite Holistic Hosts year after year. Yoga is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways we invite guests to reconnect — to their bodies, to the earth beneath them, and to the community around them.

Group of people practicing yoga inside a rustic wooden pavilion with a thatched roof.

What shift do you hope guests carry with them after their time at Playa Viva?

We hope the experience is genuinely transformative. We hope guests leave rejuvenated — nourished by vibrant food, strengthened by daily yoga, rested by deep sleep, and reconnected to nature. But beyond personal restoration, we hope they also leave inspired. Inspired by the understanding that how we travel matters — that tourism can be a force for regeneration, restoring ecosystems, strengthening communities, and creating models that ripple outward.

If guests float out lighter, clearer, and more conscious about their impact on the world, then we've done our job.

Are there upcoming retreats or seasonal offerings you'd like to highlight?

We host up to 40 retreats per year, spanning yoga immersions, dance intensives, aerial arts, creative residencies, and multidisciplinary wellness gatherings. Each retreat brings a unique energy while being grounded in the same regenerative ethos. Our upcoming retreats that are open to the public can be found here.

We are particularly excited for Mujeres de Medicina (a collective of three Latina facilitators devoted to the path of remembrance) who lead a week of collective renewal, weaving ancestral wisdom with modern wellness, October 24–29, 2026.

That said, Playa Viva doesn't require a formal retreat to be transformative. We love when guests simply book a stay and meet us on the mat wherever they are in their journey. Whether arriving for a structured retreat program or a personal reset, we know they will leave feeling lighter.

Left: Casita surrounded by palm trees and greenery at sunset. Right: Open-air yoga deck with mats and ocean view.

What inspired Playa Viva to partner with Manduka?

Quality and sustainability are non-negotiable for us. If we invite guests to begin their day in mindful practice, the tools supporting that experience must reflect the same integrity. We have exclusively used Manduka mats, blocks, and straps for years because of their durability, performance, and commitment to responsible production. Guests recognize and respect the brand, and instructors value the reliability. The partnership feels natural with a shared belief that wellness should be intentional, long-lasting, and aligned with care for both people and planet.

Breathwork and Vinyasa Flow at Playa Viva

Join Playa Viva on the Pacific Coast of Mexico for a gentle breathwork and vinyasa sequence that connects you back to yourself. Led by Becky Neusinger, a breathwork coach, bodywork therapist, energy worker, yoga teacher, and feminine empowerment mentor who shares her wisdom as a Holistic Host at Playa Viva. Suitable for all levels.