The Beach Plum Farm
Owners Curtis Bashaw and Will Riccio have turned a 62-acre farm into a wellness retreat. Less than two miles from Cape May’s famed historic downtown, The Beach Plum Farm has been producing food to Cape May restaurants – The Ebbitt Room, Blue Pig Tavern, Rusty Nail, The Boiler Room, Louisa’s Cafe and Exit Zero Filling Station since 2008.
Besides growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, the farm offers luxury cottage accommodations with a farm kitchen and market, and seasonal farm dinners held throughout the year. Prices begin at $369 for two. Of the hotel’s fourteen rooms, five are spacious one-bedroom suites. The suite doors are colored to match the sky at sunrise. Eleven rooms offer private patios with hammocks.
Sheva Kefai
Go back in time while staying at the remodeled 1959’s Azure Sky in Palm Springs. It’s the latest project by Acme Hospitality and Eastern Real Estate that is opening in Spring, 2022. This adult-only boutique hotel features 14 rooms enveloped by mid-century architecture among desert landscape and San Jacinto Mountain views.
The creative Lightning Bar Palm Springs design and build firm managed an extensive renovation while keeping the essence of this architectural jewel. It’s a sanctuary of indoor and outdoor enhanced spaces. Upgrades include walk-in showers with mosaic tile; concrete sink counters; custom millwork; built-in beds; stone tile flooring; and mid-century inspired design accents, all using a neutral palette to express desert colors and a tranquil, cool vibe.
Guests enter the lobby and are greeted at the premium cocktail bar, near a cozy fireplace that is accented by vintage lighting and custom woodworking. Walking to their guestroom, one will notice the grounds, heated pool and Jacuzzi are the focal points of the property. Near the ‘meadow’ courtyard are two fire pits, lounge seating and chaise lounges. The outdoor courtyard offers space for up to 120 guests for reunions, weddings and special events.
Azure Sky offers morning coffee and continental breakfast in the lobby daily. Twelve of the rooms include small and fully equipped kitchenettes for ensuite cooking, yet for those that prefer dining off-property, the hotel will arrange reservations with nearby restaurants within walking or driving distance.
Playa Viva
Stay in a Manta Ray design tree-house along a mile of pristine beach on the Pacific Coast side of Mexico at Playa Viva. The recently unveiled six luxurious new bamboo treehouses are surrounded by lush green palms. This is one of the first resorts to be built with a Watershed Regeneration project. Owner David Leventhal said in an interview, “A stay at Playa Viva is a true return to paradise—you are immersed in nature and have the opportunity to connect to place in a way that transforms you and the local ecosystem.”
The new treehouses were designed based on drone footage of the Mobula Manta Ray migration in front of the resort by Nomadic Resorts. These iconic oceanfront treehouses are being built in a grove of palm trees. Construction is being led by Jorg Stamm, who has led world class projects from Colombia to Bali, including the renowned Green School. Building materials have come from the property’s own harvest of bamboo and palm fronds for the palapa roofs. The landscaping and vegetation are grown on-site in a nursery run by local women entrepreneurs supported by Playa Viva.
The Manta Ray treehouses are made up of two buildings. The “perch” in front includes a king bed and a hammock suspended out over the ground. The “bath” house has a private bathroom downstairs and a second bedroom/lounge upstairs, outfitted with daybeds and a desk area.
In addition to the new treehouses, Playa Viva has made other developments to enhance each guest’s experience. An enhanced culinary program led by Chef Daniel includes custom dining options sourced with ingredients from the on-site farm. Some of these items include coconuts, mangos, cashews, tamarind, tomatoes, lettuces, cactus and many other earthly delights, especially cacao for homemade chocolate. Since the farm grows so much produce, it has begun selling to other restaurants in the area.
A redesigned common area and beachfront bar continue to build community among guests staying on the property. Playa Viva offers activities for couples and families or groups of all sizes. Guests can partake in daily beachside yoga classes, receive a variety of massage services, and visit the resort’s baby sea turtle sanctuary.
Room rates are based on double occupancy and start at $265 – $620 per person, per night based on seasonality. Rates include airport ground transport to and from the resort, all meals, including snacks, all beverages (except bar, blended drinks, smoothies and organic coconuts), daily yoga, WiFi in common area, tips, taxes and a donation to the Regenerative Trust.
