Playa Viva is a Regenerative Boutique Hotel located in Juluchuca Mexico near Zihuatanejo dedicated to regenerating the ecosystem and bringing back the abundance of this place. Playa Viva meets its mission with a unique style and luxury experience. The Untours Foundation’s investment was part of a larger $2.5M investment to build seven new rooms and the infrastructure to support this expansion, doubling the hotel’s capacity.

The Playa Viva Origin Story

In 2005, after running the popular bed and breakfast Casa Viva in Troncones, the husband and wife team, Sandra Kahn and David Leventhal, were introduced to the land that would soon become Playa Viva. They were instantly intrigued by its subtle charm, the teeming life of its estuary, the hills overlooking the beach and small lagoon (which was later discovered to be an archeological site), the broad expanse of beach, and the Turtle Sanctuary.

Charmed by the tiny nearby town of Juluchuca, they invested in the property. They looked at several options for development. One option would have been to take the land and carve it into lots and sell it. This was the easy route, but it showed a lack of leadership and vision and a failure to align with their values.