Working on a home is enough to fill any interior designer’s plate, but Adam Ben Wagner was looking for a challenge. Stretching across a 2,300-acre ranch in Monterey County, California, this project entailed building a family a main home, two guest cabins, and a two-story entertaining barn to serve as their getaway from Los Angeles. “These clients typically lean more towards a bright and airy aesthetic,” says the California-based designer and founder of a.b.w. Interior Design. “But that aesthetic didn’t make sense in this environment.” Assisted by Amanda Plott, Wagner had his work cut out for him. First, the pair had to rework initial floorplans that had been drawn up by a builder, in order to better suit the family in both size—they wanted a place to hold up to 300 of their friends comfortably—and in style. “The contractor designed the buildings as utilitarian shells,” says Wagner. “The layouts required some reworking, and a very high level of added detailing to give each building serious character that was otherwise lacking.”Wagner spent most of his time focusing on the nitty gritty details, like the finishes and millwork, to lay a strong foundation for his laid-back aesthetic. Every single finish, from the limestone floors to the reclaimed oak paneling (which came from old barns), was carefully chosen by Wagner to reflect a ranch aesthetic that was more elevated than farmwork-ready. “We looked at a lot of 19th-century historical precedent to guide our design language, where interiors were often darker and heavier,” he explains. “We then balanced this with more minimalist furniture silhouettes and fixtures to create a Californian blend of rustic traditionalism and minimalism. The project feels textured and layered, yet refined and even, at times, austere.” It’s a mix of tradition and modernity that suits this family perfectly.FAST FACTS:Adam WagnerDesigner: Location: Monterey County, CaliforniaThe Space: Four residential buildings over 2,300 acres including 11 bedrooms, 2 bunkrooms, 15 bathrooms, and 2 kitchens.“When someone says ‘Californian design,’ we often see the same type of bright, beachy, and mid-century design motifs. I wanted to approach this project from a different perspective.”GREAT ROOMA custom wood stain keeps the paneled ceilings modern.Michael CliffordSofa fabric: De Le Cuona linen; Armchair fabric: Mimi London; Coffee tables: custom from Petersen Antiques; Credenza: Custom by Wagner and DUSK; Artwork: Earl Biss; Chandelier: Rose Tarlow; Drapery: Pindler Linen made by Valley Drapery; Fireplace stone: Eco Outdoor; Side table: Rose Uniacke. Wagner designed this living room to be the grand yet casual gathering place of the property, looking out onto thousands of acres filled with protected Coast Live Oaks. The original woodwork, all Douglas Fir, gave off a severe orange tone, one that dated the entire room. To combat the wood’s natural tone without losing its beauty, Wagner worked with the painters to create a custom stain that neutralized the wood, lending it a white oak appearance.LOUNGETight seating arrangements create intimacy.Michael CliffordArmchairs: vintage Nickey Kehoe (leather) and vintage 1950s for Asko Finland; Coffee table: custom, Adam Wagner and DUSK; Rug: Lawrence of LaBrea; Lighting: Urban Electric; Flooring and wall paneling: The Hudson Co.Sprawling nearly 3,000 square feet, the ground floor of the main house was made to entertain large groups of guests. To create a sense of intimacy, Wagner chose to install multiple, smaller seating sections in front of the fully functioning bar. The first group has swivel chairs to allow for a perfect TV view wherever you are. The project was a learning experience for Wagner. “This was my first time using reclaimed oak paneling, and we learned that it’s beneficial to paint the drywall underneath it a dark brown/almost black color,” he explains. “This is because many boards had holes from knots and old nails that exposed the underlying substrate.”Michael CliffordThe back end of the lounge was designed for conversation. A tighter seating arrangement, with stagnant chairs rather than a swivel, keeps guests within arms’ reach of the coffee table for puzzles and games. Always game for impromptu karaoke sessions, the family ensured a guitar was nearby.KITCHEN & DINING NOOKA revamped floor plan leaves room for a warm welcome.Michael CliffordMichael CliffordThe initial mock-up made by the builder broke the kitchen in two, disrupting the flow by placing the pantry doorway roughly where the range is now. “This meant you walked right into a very large and awkward laundry area from the garage, with no real separation from the main living space,” says Wagner. “The location of the pantry door also severely limited the kitchen space.” By closing off the remainder of that wall, Wagner was able to add more storage as well as limit the visual clutter often caused by extremely open floor plans. Michael CliffordPaint color: Plaster based on Portola Paints’ Books; Cabinetry: custom white oak; Countertops: Perla Venata quartzite in a leathered finish from TriStone; Stool fabric: De Le Cuona linen; Chandelier: Cox London; Sconce: Obsolete; Window treatment: Pindler linen, made by Valley Drapery; Flooring: The Hudson Co.; Plumbing fixtures: Waterworks; Cabinet hardware: DeVol. Every oak-leaf light fixture is an homage to the property’s vast amount of oak trees. In the dining room, Wagner set out a much more intimate space than the entertaining barn next door, one better suited to early mornings than late nights. SECONDARY KITCHENLibrary-style storage hides the daily essentials.Michael CliffordCabinetry: custom sandblasted white oak; Countertops: Perla Venata quartzite in a leathered finish from TriStone; Pendant lights: RW Guild; Picture light: Hector Finch; Sconces: Urban Electric Co.; Cabinet hardware: DeVol; Oven: Thermador; Pot filler: Waterworks; Flooring: Limestone from Eco Outdoor.One of the only true open-concept floor plans on the property, this kitchen flows directly into the bar, lounge, and dining room in the entertaining barn. Wagner kept the wood finishes throughout for a seamless look. “I wanted the kitchen to feel incorporated into that space but without sticking out like a typical kitchen,” Wagner says. “I conceived of the cabinetry as full-height bookshelves and storage, reading more like an intimate library space.” Unlike a library, this kitchen is fully equipped with chef-quality finishes and appliances for when the need for a home-cooked meal or midnight snack strikes. Limestone flooring and quartzite countertops are a durable surface solution for such a high-traffic space.DINING AREAFour tables can become one to fit any sized party. Michael CliffordChair fabric: Classic Cloth from Jasper Showroom; Flooring: Eco Outdoor; Pendant lighting: Cox London; Sconces: Urban Electric Co.; Outdoor pendant: RW Guild.What looks like a standard, extra-long dining table (able to sit 18) is actually four separate pieces. “Because the client wanted the flexibility to host gatherings large and small, I designed a large 18-person dining table [in partnership with DUSK] that can be divided into four separate tables when they’re not hosting large groups,” says Wagner. In typical usage, the clients have them separated, which creates a saloon-like atmosphere.” The expansive French doors open out onto the ranch land and an outdoor seating area that allows guests to wander in and out with ease.LAUNDRY ROOMA closed auxiliary space helps create a proper hallway.Michael CliffordPaint colors: French Grey (cabinets) and California Sand (walls, ceiling, and trim) by Farrow & Ball; Countertops: Cardoso Light quartzite from Tristone; Cabinet hardware: DeVol; Sink and faucet: Waterworks; Roman shade: fabric from Thomas Lavin, made by Valley Drapery. This laundry room did not exist in the builder’s original floor plans, but it only made sense to include it as Wagner began to plan the Washington building’s pantry spaces. Once an open section of cabinetry and storage, Wagner enclosed the space, creating a proper hallway to lead through the auxiliary rooms (pantry, laundry, and powder room) into the garage. Beadboard was added to marry this space with the wood paneling in the rest of the home.PRIMARY BEDROOMA serene departure from the wooded common spaces.Michael CliffordMichael CliffordLooking to create a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ranch, Wagner allowed the bed to pull focus in the primary bedroom. “The bed's fabric is so detailed and intricate, as are the large oak leaf sconces, so we chose to forgo any art above the bed or on the adjacent walls,” he explains. Plaster walls were an airy choice to counteract the heavy wood paneling in the bathroom and elsewhere in the home.BEDROOMThe yellow hue mimics the golden grasses found outside.Michael CliffordBed fabric: Hand-embroidered textile from Chelsea Textiles; Bedding: Parachute Home; Throw pillow: Nickey Kehoe; Armchair: Shoppe Amber Interior; Side table: Vintage, West Haves; Light: vintage Fog & Morup; Rug: Lawrence of LaBrea.Looking to capitalize on the ample natural light on this side of the home, Wagner doused this bedroom in a custom, buttery-yellow plaster. The rest of the room was kept simple to draw the focus to the natural beauty outdoors.PRIMARY BATHROOMSleek marble contrasts the wood paneling.Michael CliffordMichael CliffordWithout abandoning the ranch aesthetic completely, Wagner looked for key ways to elevate the natural beauty of the materials. The Douglas Fir paneling, used throughout the home, was paired with a similarly moody marble. “The polished nickel fixtures (with oak lever handles) act as jewelry to balance out the raw masculinity of the wall paneling and limestone floors,” he says.ADDITIONAL BATHROOMSHand-painted tiles add character to the new-build bathrooms.Michael CliffordCounters: Cardoso Light quartzite (leathered finish) from TriStone; Shower stone: Hand-painted tile from Walker Zanger; Fixtures: Waterworks; Mirror: Rejuvenation; Sconces: Lumfardo; Flooring: limestone from Eco Outdoor.“I love using raw, textured materials in the bathrooms, treating them like utilitarian spaces often found in 18th and 19th-century ranch buildings,” says Wagner. The shower tiles, hand-painted terracotta, felt appropriately rustic for this Californian compound. Michael CliffordA sleek vanity gives a visual break to focus on the textures found elsewhere in the space.About the designerA Los Angeles native, Adam Wagner is greatly influenced by the city’s diverse architecture and landscape. After studying architecture at the University of Michigan, he began his career at a large corporate architecture firm in Seattle before returning to Los Angeles to transition into interior design. Having worked with several noted designers, most recently as a senior designer for Jake Arnold, Adam launched his design studio in 2021, with this ranch project as his first commission. To tackle this expansive ranch project, Adam brought on by Amanda Plott, an interior designer and florist, to assist him. Shown here with Adam, Amanda is also based in California. Adam now focuses on large-scale remodels and ground-up residential construction projects, approaching every project through an architectural lens, and allowing the building’s context and structure to inform the interiors. SHOP THE SPACEParachute Home Linen Sheet Set$319 at Parachute HomeCox London Small Oak Wall Light (Single – Bronzed Iron)Shop at coxlondon.comNickey Kehoe Velvet Pillow in Chocolate$450 at nickeykehoe.comdeVOL deVOL Classic Handles$86 at devolkitchens.com

Apple will unveil iPadOS 19 at WWDC 2025 in June, and while most rumors focus on a new visionOS-inspired interface, a recent report revealed that Apple wants to make the iPad’s operating system “more like macOS.” This sounds too good to be true, and honestly I’m not expecting much. But there are some key changes that would already make iPadOS 19 more like macOS. iPadOS 19 feature request One feature I really miss on the iPad is Clamshell mode. Here, my MacBook is always connected to my Studio Display, and I use it with the lid closed because I like to focus on a single screen. But on the iPad, even if I have an external keyboard and mouse connected, I can’t turn off the iPad screen – otherwise everything stops working. For a device that tries to be a computer replacement, a feature like Clamshell mode is essential. Of course, there’s a lot more Apple could do to improve the use of the iPad with external monitors – like having more interface scaling options like macOS. I also hate how you can’t choose to play audio through the iPad’s built-in speakers when it’s connected to a display. This works fine when I’m using Apple’s Studio Display, which has great speakers, but not so much when I plug the iPad into a display without speakers. Speaking of audio, iPadOS also needs to better handle two or more audio sources playing at the same time without interrupting each one. Another small detail that would make a huge difference: having the ability to resize the Dock. On the Mac, the Dock can be any size you want. But on iPadOS, the Dock is sized according to the number of apps you have in it. Having fewer apps in the Dock means that it will look bigger on the screen, which is something I personally don’t like. Let us resize the iPadOS Dock, Apple. I can also list a lot of other things, like having a better Files app, an easier way to install custom fonts, support for multiple user accounts, and more keyboard shortcuts. Again, I don’t expect Apple to turn iPadOS into macOS, but these details would already improve the experience of using the iPad a lot. What are you expecting from iPadOS 19? Let us know in the comments section below. Gadgets I recommend: Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Last week, hackers took over the crosswalk buttons of downtown intersections in Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park in California, to play seemingly AI-generated clips of Elon Musk's voice.As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the satirical clips mock the billionaires in a number of creative ways, as seen in videos going viral on social media.While the perpetrator — or perpetrators — have yet to come forward, the hack highlights growing disillusionment and anger aimed at ultra-wealthy tech oligarchs who have accumulated huge amounts of influence and power.Anti-Musk sentiment, in particular, has surged as of late, with his embrace of far-right extremism and dismantling of federal agencies spawning a major protest movement across the country.One crosswalk voice clip relentlessly skewers Musk's close — but possibly unraveling — relationship with president Donald Trump."You know, it’s funny, I used to think he was just this dumb sack of sh*t," Musk's cloned voice says in a video shared on TikTok. "But once you get to know him, he’s actually pretty sweet and tender and loving.""Sweetie, come back to bed," a second voice mimicking Trump's replies.A different clip paints Musk as a lonely billionaire who struggles to maintain friendships and is desperate for attention."Hi, I’m Elon Musk," the crosswalk button says in a separate video. "Welcome to Palo Alto, the home of Tesla engineering. You know, they say money can’t buy happiness, and yeah, okay, I guess that’s true. God knows I've tried. But it can buy a Cybertruck, and that’s pretty sick, right? Right?""Fuck, I’m so alone," the Musk-alike"Will you be my friend? I’ll give you a Cybertruck, I promise," the fake Musk begged in a separate clip. "Okay, look, you don’t know the level of depravity I would stoop to just for a crumb of approval." It's still unclear who's behind the stunt and how they exploited the crosswalks to play these messages, and City officials are investigating. A spokesperson for Palo Alto told Palo Alto Online that the voice feature was disabled until they could fix the issue.But the damage has already been done, with users on Bluesky calling the stunt "hilarious" and "next level.""I am sending all of my love to whoever hacked these crosswalk boxes with the Elon voice," one user wrote.Given previous statements, there could be a degree of truth to the brutal satire."There are times when I feel lonely, yes," the SpaceX CEO said during a 2022 interview with Business Insider. "I'm working on the Starship rocket and I'm just staying in my little house by myself, especially if my dog is not with me, then I feel quite lonely because I'm just in a little house by myself with no dog."Experts have suggested that growing up with an emotionally abusive father, among other instances of childhood trauma, caused him to become increasingly isolated.The billionaire has also made plenty of enemies over the years, including his ex Claire "Grimes" Boucher, with whom he's had an on-and-off-again relationship for quite some time now, culminating in a nasty custody battle.Meanwhile, Musk has played the victim card, claiming that he has no idea why he's become a major target of hate lately."My companies make great products that people love and I’ve never physically hurt anyone," Musk complained in a tweet last month. "So why the hate and violence against me?"More on Elon Musk: Tesla Shows Off Cheaper and Slower Cybertruck That's an Even Worse DealShare This Article

The Last of Us is finally back with the first episode of Season 2. And that means it’s also giving us our first look at its adaptation of the The Last of Us Part II game. Some parts of this season premiere come right out of the game — including a sequence involving sniper rifles that was based on a tutorial for using the gun in the game. How’s that for clever reuse of source material?That’s just one of the many Easter eggs, hidden secrets, and little details you might have missed in The Last of Us Season 2 premiere. We’ll also discuss some slight changes in the relationships between the central characters from the game, including Joel and his brother Tommy, and discuss the symbolism involving those giraffes. Watch our full breakdown video below:If you liked that video on all the Easter eggs in Season 2 Episode 1 of The Last of Us, check out more of our videos below, including one explaining why The Last of Us is such a great television show, one on why the controversial The Last of Us Part II is actually a great game, and our video comparing the differences between two zombie shows, The Last of Us and The Walking Dead. Plus, there’s tons more videos over at ScreenCrush’s YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes. New episodes of The Last of Us premiere weekly on Sundays on HBO and Max.Get our free mobile appEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie, Ranked From Worst to BestIt started with Iron Man and it’s continued and expanded ever since. It’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 35 movies and counting. But what’s the best and the worst? We ranked them all.

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Even though gamers are ready for the June release date, preorders are paused due to tariff impacts.

April 14, 20253 min readWhy Are Rare Earth Metals So Precious?China is blocking exports of these vital minerals. What makes them so special?By Madhusree Mukerjee edited by Dean VisserAnnealed neodymium iron boron magnets sit in a barrel prior to being crushed into powder in a factory in Tianjin, China. Doug Kanter/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIn response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China, which currently stand at 145 percent, the country has played its trump card: rare earth metals. Along with other minerals that are critical to defense and industry, China has effectively halted exports of seven of these vital metals, as well as products, such as magnets, that incorporate them. China produces 90 percent of the world’s rare earths, as well as 90 percent of the powerful magnets made with these metals—which drive the motors of wind turbines, jet engines and electric vehicles. The suspension is likely to severely disrupt U.S. industry.What makes rare earths so special?Rare earths are silvery-gray metals. There are 17 of them, ranging from lanthanum (atomic number 57) to lutetium (atomic number 71), and most of them are in their own row in the periodic table because of their unusual atomic structure. Their arrangement of electrons can give them remarkable properties such as luminescence—used for the screens of smartphones—and magnetism. They are often added to other metals in small amounts to enhance their performance; magnets with rare earths can be 15 times as powerful as those without them. China has effectively blocked exports of the following rare earths: samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, scandium, yttrium and lutetium.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Why are they rare?“The rare earths aren’t actually all that rare,” says geologist Simon Jowitt of the University of Nevada, Reno. “What is rare are rare earth deposits you can actually extract the rare earths from.” Although rare earths occur in trace amounts in most rocks, there are only a few places on Earth where their concentration is high enough for their extraction to be economically viable. China has clay deposits with relatively high concentrations of heavy rare earths. The U.S. has an active mine at Mountain Pass, Calif., that mostly produces lighter rare earths. But all the ore extracted there—45,000 metric tons in 2024—is sent to China for processing. That’s because refining the rare earths—in particular, separating them from one another—requires a lot of energy, as well as environmentally damaging chemicals such as hydrochloric acid. Besides, low Chinese prices had made processing in the U.S. economically unviable.What can the U.S. do now?In the short run, the U.S. can ease its trade war with China. In the long run, it can develop other sources of rare earths, either among its allies abroad or within its borders. “There’s a significant amount of potential mines in the U.S., in Texas and Nebraska, but there’s no point having a mine unless you’ve got the entire supply chain,” Jowitt says. Mining and processing need to be developed hand in hand.Another possible source of rare earths is recycling. The hard drives of older computers, the batteries of mobile phones, all contain rare earths. But in these sources, all of these metals are mixed in with other materials, which makes them hard to recycle, Jowitt explains. Researchers are working on the problem and have come up with imaginative solutions such as using chemicals produced by bacteria to separate the desired metals. A company based in Texas is already making magnets from recycled hard drives. Rare earths lie in every home—a veritable gold mine. Finding ways to use them would benefit not only consumers and industry but also our planet.

Dark Souls now has seamless co-op thanks to modder who did the same for Elden Ring Gravelord neato. Image credit: FromSoftware News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on April 14, 2025 FromSoftware's seminal action-RPG Dark Souls now has seamless co-op, courtesy of the modder behind similar co-op overhauls for Elden Ring and Dark Souls 3. Modder Yui initially made headlines through their work on Elden Ring, stripping away some of its co-operative faff so players could adventure and battle bosses together seamlessly. A similar mod arrived for Dark Souls 3 earlier this year, and now it's the turn of FromSoftware's stone cold classic Dark Souls, which gets seamless co-op some 14 years after its original release. Dark Souls' Seamless Co-op mod is available to download now on NexusMods and works very much like Yui's earlier mods, introducing a special custom item used to summon up to five additional players into a game. Once in a multiplayer session participants will notice some major differences compared to how things work in the base game. Here's a look at the Dark Souls Seamless Co-op mod in action.Watch on YouTube If a players dies, for instance, they'll spawn at the last bonfire they visited rather than being booted from the session, and clearing areas or defeating bosses won't disband play either. Additionally, when one player rests at a bonfire, the world will reset for everyone; NPC dialogue and events are synchronised for all players; all fog walls and barriers designed to restrict multiplayer zones are removed, and game progression made during a multiplayer session will also progress the game in your own world. Yui has also implemented configurable multiplayer difficulty scaling for all enemies, and says that while seamless co-op makes Dark Souls "significantly easier", the mod's default scaling settings should be enjoyable while 'somewhat preserving the game's challenge'. Notably, players can't immediately spawn back into a boss fight on death - they'll instead be turned into a spectator until either everyone in the party is defeated or a player rests at a bonfire. Dark Souls' seamless co-op mod - which also supports Invasions - is currently at the alpha stage, meaning it's "very likely" to contain bugs. Using it won't, however, result in a ban, given it utilises an overhauled peer-to-peer connection system rather than FromSoftware's servers. The mod even creates a different save file to keep things separate in case you want to play the vanilla game at the same time - although Yui warns that attempting to revert a mod saved file to a vanilla save will likely result in a ban. Yui's Dark Souls mod comes ahead of FromSoftware's multiplayer-focused Nightreign, in which up to three players can work together to defeat new and familiar challenges from Elden Ring and other From games - including The Nameless King from Dark Souls 3. Nightreign launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 30th May - and Switch 2 is also getting its own bit of FromSoftware multiplayer in the form of the recently revealed The Duskbloods.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Composer extraordinaire Bear McCreary blew minds with his work on God of War. From his intensely emotional E3 2016 reveal to the end of Ragnarok’s free Valhalla expansion, the composer delivered some of the best music ever in a Western AAA video game. Speaking to VGC in an upcoming podcast episode, McCreary explained that he feels like his work on the God of War franchise is done with the closure of the Norse Saga. However, the composer is also open to return to the series if he’s asked. Bear McCreary “feels complete” with God of War In the unreleased podcast episode, McCreary explained that he believes his work with the series feels like a complete story. After attending the God of War 20th Anniversary Retrospective Gallery and seeing the history of the franchise, it cemented his feeling that his particular era is over. “It was quite moving to realize how many people had been involved and that no single person has been involved in all of them in any kind of primary capacity,” the composer said. “There’s been a sort of brain trust of people that go back to the first game.” “It brings a sort of closure to Kratos’ arc, so I feel like my contribution, starting with E3 2016 all the way through to Valhalla, feels complete,” he continued. “I feel complete. I feel like I told a story.” When asked if he would be willing to return to the series anyway, McCreary didn’t close that door. “If there’s anything else that needs music moving forward, they’ve got my number,” he replied. “Everybody’s got my number, I’m here. I’m really proud of what I did.” While the Norse Saga might be over, there have been rumblings of a new God of War Trilogy starting in an Egyptian setting. With a brand-new setting and a new story, there’s an alleged future for the iconic PlayStation franchise. God of War (PS4) Platform(s): PlayStation 4 Genre(s): Action 9 VideoGamer Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

The private stretch of beach might be the headliner, but the 13 accommodations—Tuluk rooms built using a Mayan method of hand-laid stone, wood, and chukum (boiled tree bark) walls—are a very worthy opener. Natural textures such as driftwood and thatch are dotted through the other spaces, and you’ll spot more than a few hand-carved pieces from local artists. NEST is a great hub for day trips: an afternoon swimming with turtles, a sunset cruise on the Caribbean, snorkeling crystal-water caves, or visiting the Tulum ruins. From $423 per night.BOOK NOWEncantada TulumPerks: In-room breakfast, snorkeling access, airport transportation, full-service spaA 20-minute drive from Tulum town, Encantada bridges the jungle and the sea on a quiet patch of the Yucatán Peninsula. Each of the eight suites is outfitted in rattan furniture, hanging beds, woven textiles and macrame from local artisans, and driftwood details. The private terraces set the scene for a picture-perfect breakfast among the birds. There isn’t a pool on-site, but the beach is steps away, and guests can bask poolside at the nearby Radhoo Tulum. If you’re staying longer than a weekend, look into the five-day culture lab workshops, which cover ceramics, painting, and photography lessons led by creatives in the community. From $902 per night.BOOK NOWLa Valise TulumPerks: Beach access, pool, snorkeling access, conciergePala-style buildings house soaking tubs, terraces, elaborate rattan fans, and open-air bedrooms. The rooms are split—11 face the jungle, and 11 are situated on the beach for a “choose your own backdrop” situation—and there are three pools connected by sandy paths. Guests can learn about the surrounding landscape and its history, which involves cacao ceremonies at the spa and a look at the ancient Mayan farming techniques favored at the on-site restaurant, Nü. Should you book one of the elevated rooms, you won’t be disappointed by treetop views skimming the turquoise waters. Everything feels perfectly placed, especially the Mexican antiques dotted in the common areas. From $963 per night.Casa ChabléPerks: Snack bar, airport transportation, yoga classes, welcome drinksLocated within the boundaries of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere—new developments are no longer allowed in the reserve—Casa Chablé is about as “remote” as you can get when it comes to this beach club destination. There are 10 rooms total: five suites with balconies in the Cara Principal, and five villas on the beach. Each room is a lesson in local art, where white-washed walls set the scene for ceramics and textiles. Guests are treated to a full-on immersion with nature, there aren’t any beach clubs or bar scenes to distract from the sunrises, ocean dips, and wildlife. From $997 per night.BOOK NOWOlas TulumPerks: Breakfast included, private beach access, yoga classes, bicycle rentalsThere’s a three-night minimum for a stay at this chic beachside resort—but, honestly, that’s the minimum amount of time you’ll want to spend here. Steps from South Tulum Beach, this small boutique hotel encompasses eight, breezy suites decked out in luxury linens. The property was originally built by Austrian engineer, Carlos Schober, who finished construction when the only places to stay in Tulum were simple jungle cabanas. Olas honors that peace and quiet by presenting a space that feels more like walking into a friend’s home than a boutique hotel. Guests convene at the communal table at the center of the property for dinner and have the option of booking excursions of all kinds, such as boat tours through the nearby Sian Ka’an reserve. From $1,300 per night.BOOK NOWBOOK NOWThe clear blue water of Cenote Dos Ojos isi ideal for swimming and snorkeling.Simon Dannhauer/Getty ImagesMuaréPerks: Sauna, yoga classes, scuba diving access, pet- friendlyIf you dream of your own White Lotus experience, book into the Muaré, where a temperature-controlled plunge pool accompanies every suite at this boho-leaning property. A neutral palette ties together all 26 rooms and common spaces are centered around a beautiful, jungle-lined communal pool. Muaré is located in La Veleta, which is mainly residential and feels miles away from the all-night parties of the coastal hotel zone.There are still plenty of beaches nearby though for sunbathing and cenotes for swimming (Gran Cenote, Dos Ojos, and Cenote Corazón should all be on your list). Be sure to pencil in some time for the healing centerm as it offers massages that incorporate traditional Mexican methods and ingredients. But you don’t have to be in the spa to feel like you’re taking in a big breath of fresh air. Against the jungle greenery, the hotel’s affinity for natural textures (linen, jute, stone, wood) reminds us that nature has a limitless range. From $420 per night.BOOK NOW