The Riviera Maya, a coastal paradise on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, is home to peaceful mangroves, stunning beaches, and breathtaking freshwater pools known as cenotes. And nestled amongst the mangrove trees is the St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya — a 620-acre reserve that immerses travelers in a heavenly natural setting and pays homage to over 4,000 years of Maya heritage within greater Mexico.

In this episode of Travel by Design, host Hamish Kilburn chats with designer Tatiana Sheveleva, who spent seven years painstakingly sculpting a seamless indoor-outdoor experience at the St. Regis Kanai. Fascinated by Maya culture and especially the Mayas’ mastery of astronomy and architecture, Tatiana worked with architect Michael Edmonds to build out a cluster of white circular buildings. These elegant structures not only offer magnificent views of the beach, they also reflect the stars of the “Seven Sisters,” honor the Mayan lunar calendar, and recognize that in the Yucatan this place is called Kanai — which translates to “Where the sky is born.”

In their conversation, Tatiana shares how she and Edmonds incorporated starlight (including sunlight) into the hotel interior design and architecture. Then she recounts what it was like to descend into the crystal-clear waters of an underground cenote for the first time, and explains how this spiritual experience inspired her guest room designs. Finally, Tatiana and Hamish connect over the importance of designing to create once-in-a-lifetime memories for travelers, and Tatiana shares an unforgettable moment from her first trip to the newly opened hotel.

• 00:50 - What is the Riviera Maya, and what do travelers love about it?
• 02:17 - When building a coastal resort in a mangrove reserve, why center the design of this resort on a starry night sky?
• 08:24 - What is it like to descend into the serene waters of an underground cenote?
• 14:19 - How does the importance of comfort shine through in this design process?

Featured Hotel: The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya

Featured Designer: Tatiana Sheveleva, Chapi Chapo Design

Explore more stories about hotel design at Travel by Design

Follow host Hamish Kilburn's hotel design reviews @HotelDesigns and global travels @hotel_travel_editor