Ser Casasandra

Why book?

For a tranquil getaway on an island known for warm waters, soft sands, lobster fishing, bird-watching, and whale sharks, set apart from the crowds in nearby Cancún.

Set the scene

It’s become something of a cliché to say a boutique hotel feels more like a private villa or vacation home than a hotel, but at Ser CasaSandra, the description truly fits. What started as a five-room holiday home for Cuban artist and writer Sandra Pérez Lozano’s own family gradually transformed into an 18-room hotel. Steps from the soft sands of Holbox, it’s reached via a two-hour drive and a 25-minute ferry ride from Cancún. Yes, it’s a bit of a trek to get to, but that’s what makes it special – and you’ll find it more than worth it once you arrive. On the largely car-free island, taxis come in the form of four-wheel-drive golf carts; as I drove from the pier over to CasaSandra, glimpses of the ocean peeked out in between the neighbouring hotels, restaurants, and shops, a taste of the tranquillity that was to come.

Inside the hotel’s main lobby, home to the main restaurant, bar, and café, the decor is ever-changing – art by Sandra herself, along with other Latin American artists, lines the walls, until they’re purchased by a visitor and replaced with something new. Some of the decor comes from Sandra’s own travels, with Czechoslovakian lamps and planters she thrifted from an antique store in Cuba in the main lounge, and a shelf of books that come and go with guests; Sandra continuously tinkers with the design, picking up new items to bring back to her second home.

With fewer than 20 rooms, it’s a given that you’ll start to see familiar faces throughout your stay; depending on the season, that's likely a combination of Americans, Brits, Mexicans, Spaniards, and Frenchmen, primarily couples, but sometimes work groups here on a retreat, gal pals, or families.

The backstory

Burnt out from a busy career in the music business that had her travelling the world with Cuban musicians, Sandra radically altered her life path after first arriving in Holbox 25 years ago. She first built a segment of the hotel as a place for her family to gather, but as more friends came to visit and wanted to stay, she realised she was onto something and could turn this land into a proper boutique hotel. It wasn’t a fast process – she could only pay for so much at one time – but bit by bit, and with input from some of her earlier guests (who insisted on a pool, for example), the property evolved into its current form, an 18-room boutique hotel steps from the sand.

Sandra's vision for the hotel includes expanding the wellness area and creating more indoor-outdoor spaces for yoga and meditation, but not necessarily increasing occupancy. Instead, she aims to balance growth with preserving the unique character and charm that have made CasaSandra a special place – a line the island itself continues to toe.

The rooms

With 18 rooms and 9 room types running from studios to a two-bedroom villa, this place does function more like a (rather large) private home than a hotel. The rooms are far from a copy-paste project; as in the main common area, much of the decor has been collected piecemeal along Sandra’s travels, and continues to evolve as her own tastes do. The lampshade in my room was not the same as the one over, or the one after that. Which one to stay in really depends on what you prioritise – room 1 (named Origin, as it was once Sandra’s own room) is a two-bed, two-bath layout (the second smaller room can flex into an office if needed), while room three, where I stayed, is one bedroom, one bath, but with a direct view of the ocean from the balcony; room five is a bit larger than three, but with a less direct ocean view.

Across the board, the rooms are beautifully designed but not precious – they know you’re going to come back from the beach and track sand onto the terrazzo floors, and that’s okay. Seashells are used as a do-not-disturb symbol – there’s a touch of whimsy here – and as decor on the walls both inside and out, in a nod to Mayan houses. Noticeably absent are televisions, radios, telephones, or alarm clocks; while you’re not prevented from using your own electronics, this was done purposefully to encourage guests to unplug and reconnect.

Food and drink

With around 10 tables in Ser Esencia, the hotel’s main restaurant, and such a small footprint overall, the hotel would be forgiven for not putting too much care into its food and beverage program. That’s not the case here, though – I found ordering to be a struggle given the spoils of choice; dishes are a mix of local specialities, heavy on the seafood and fresh fish prepared through a Mayan and Cuban lens, with a menu created by Yucatecan chef Andres Fernández. I’m still thinking about the lobster pasta, octopus, and castacan (a traditional pork belly dish).

A generous complimentary breakfast is available daily in the same space – your table fills up fast with yoghurt, fruit, and granola; pastries; juice and coffee or tea; plus an entree of your choice. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, there is an à la carte menu, too.

You’ll count yourself lucky to be there on a Sunday, when chefs grill out on the beach, cooking up fish, lobster, whatever’s in season and fresh. Any day of the week, though, you can dine with your toes in the sand at Mojito, which serves up delicious ceviches, tacos, and more (along with an extensive mojito list, naturally).

The spa

Made out of shipping containers – less disruptive to the land, and the ideal space for a treatment room – the Ahal Holistic Centre is just as infused with Sandra’s story as the rest of the hotel. It offers the standard massages and facials, yes (including a fantastic lymphatic), but also osteopathy and restorative physiotherapy treatments, meditation sessions, yoga classes, healing ceremonies with Tibetan bowls, Mayan cleansing rituals, and more. Ahal affords an opportunity to immerse yourself in the serenity of the island and, for those willing to lean into it, your own spiritual nourishment.

The neighbourhood

Holbox, an island in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the Caribbean Sea, is 26 miles long by 1 mile wide; nearly 75 per cent of it is wild mangroves and beaches. Fishing is the main industry here, and while tourism continues to climb, the island has managed to avoid overdevelopment thus far, in part due to its status as part of the Yum Balam nature reserve and laws restricting building height (40 feet). The island’s largest hotel has around 40 rooms, and the only chains that have slipped in are Subway and Shermin Williams. In short, it’s the opposite of its resort town neighbours; you come here to do little, to disconnect.

And while you may find it difficult to peel yourself off the lounge chairs by the pool or on the beach, this isn’t a place where the property is your only option – nor are the staff aiming to keep you on-site 24/7. It’s a small island, and the hospitality industry is even smaller; the team seems genuinely happy to send you on your way to nearby bars and restaurants. Walk down the sand for beach bar happy hours or gelato, or into town to dine on tapas like shrimp crackling and lamb tacos at Luuma, partake in a tequila tasting with Erika at Tequila O’Clock, or shop for swimwear, crafts, incense, and more at the small shops dotting the sandy roads.

The concierge team can arrange fishing trips or boat tours around the island; I did the latter and was delighted to walk onto Bird Island and stop to ogle at flocks of flamingos. I recommend waking up early to beat the sun and avoid afternoon rain showers, especially if you’re there during the rainy season.