All photos courtesy of Azul Nomeolvides

Azul Nomeolvides

Bacalar, Mexico
www.azulnomeolvides.com

Folded into the lush arms of Bacalar’s Mayan jungle, along the edge of its radiant lagoon, Azul Nomeolvides hums with a stillness that seeps into you and stays. Step across its threshold, where wood meets the water’s soft song, and you’ll find yourself plotting a return before your bags are unpacked. Azul Nomeolvides is more than a stopover; it’s a refuge that roots itself in your core, turning Bacalar into a fragment of home you carry with you always.

Perched on the lagoon’s shore, a whisper away from the town’s pulse, Azul Nomeolvides balances nearness with seclusion, its six elevated cabins gazing out over water that shifts through endless blues and a jungle that breathes alive. From this perch, the lagoon stretches wide, the trees sway in quiet rhythm, and the sky bends with the day’s moods—a retreat close to life yet free of its noise. Tied to the land’s natural flow, it faces the water and the wild, offering a view that feels both hidden and vast—a rare pocket of calm carved from the earth.

“One of the biggest challenges was designing a space that not only respected the delicate ecosystem of Bacalar but also provided a high-end experience. Ensuring sustainability while maintaining an elevated level of service required careful planning and innovative solutions. We overcame this by going completely off-grid—producing our own electricity, recycling wastewater, using only biodegradable products, involving and hiring the local community, amongst other practices.”

— Samantha Calzada, Owner

The retreat’s six cabins rise from a vision shaped by Samantha Calzada and her husband Bernardo, blending the raw grace of Bacalar’s spirit with a refined ease. Wooden frames lift high on stilts, their pitched roofs catching the breeze, while open walls frame the lagoon’s gleam—each piece a nod to the region’s old ways, reimagined through an architect’s eye. Inside, the spaces stay simple—bare floors, a bed under slanted beams, a seat by the view—all for those seeking peace over rush. Jungle vines curl near, and a curated moment by the water meets the dusk—a pause that pulls you into Bacalar’s slow pulse. Dawn brings the scent of the wild to your door, a cool drink waits from the land’s own yield, and every touch binds you closer to this place.

Azul Nomeolvides is a gentle truth, a haven of deep rest that lifts your spirit. Time unwinds here, guided by the lagoon’s ripple and the light on the leaves. Sit with the morning’s hush as the sun spills over the water, or watch the day fade from a shaded nook—each breath feels like a quiet treasure. Built to mirror Bacalar’s soul, this retreat settles into its green curves, offering a warm escape that feels ancient as the soil and new as your own—a mark of the lagoon’s enduring pull.

BACALAR RECOMMENDATIONS
Samantha shares her treasures of the region: guests are welcomed with suggestions to explore beyond the retreat, from the well-trodden paths to secrets only locals know. Her favorites include the ancient Mayan sites of Ichkabal and Dzibanché, where stones hold centuries of stories, and the workshops of Bacalar’s artisans, crafting pottery and textiles with hands that know the land. For a taste of the real, she points to small, unnamed spots where the community gathers—places alive with the region’s heartbeat.

RELATED ARTICLE