I used to wonder why seemingly everyone vacations to Mexico when they have their pick of the globe, but then Chris and I went to Rosewood Mayakoba. Let's just say I wonder no more. Rosewood Mayakoba is a five-star jungle oasis situated north of Playa del Carmen overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. As we made our way through the property, it was as if the buildings had been there for centuries and the jungle then grew up and around them. Picture your childhood dreams of living in a treehouse, then add a championship golf course, island spa, and a personal butler.
Our suite overlooked the lagoon and offered views of lush greenery at every turn. We couldn't have dreamt of a more tranquil place to rest our heads. The beautiful white sand and comfortable cabanas were calling our names, so after getting settled we quickly headed to the beach. In fact, I think it goes without saying we spent every single afternoon lounging by the ocean. Taking in the Mexican sun while being served on the sand was wonderful, but getting behind the bar sounded a little more fun to Chris (are you surprised?)! Chris played bartender and learned how to mix a true Mexican margarita using the only tequila worth mentioning, Don Julio 1942. A splash of lime juice, a shot of agave, a little bit of cointreau, and a lot of Don Julio later, we had ourselves the perfect cocktail to sip oceanside--thanks, babe!
When it was time to book our dinner reservations (which guests do through their butler, by the way), we had our pick from an array of mouth-watering cuisine, from Southern Pacific Coastal Mexican to Asian-influenced baja seafood and everything in between. Chris and I kept it casual on our first night at Rosewood Mayakoba and dined at Aqui Me Quedo, situated right on the beach under a sea of seemingly endless palm trees. While dipping our toes in the sand, we sipped margaritas served straight from their vintage food truck and ordered some fresh guacamole and pico de gallo. It's a sin if you go to Mexico and don't order guacamole! I then enjoyed the local caught sea bass with fresh seasonal vegetables while Chris had the grilled trout with fresh seasonal vegetables plucked right from the property garden.
If you're looking for something slightly more intimate for a romantic night out, we recommend booking a reservation at Agave Azul, where you'll find a delectable fusion of Asian and Mexican fare. We began our meal with the "loco" edamame and rock shrimp, then moved onto a beautiful sushi spread consisting of their campechano roll, crispy soft shell crab roll, taco chino roll, and spicy tuna roll. The backlit walls lined with various bottles of rare tequilas and sweeping views of the lagoon made for a perfect date night ambiance. The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast overlooking vibrant fuschia blooms backed by bright aqua waters as we ate breakfast on the outdoor lounge of Casa Del Lago.
Once Chris and I were fueled up for the day, we headed to the fitness center to break a sweat. I enjoyed several of their workout class offerings, including pilates floating and yoga floating, where you perform the movements standing on a floating board above the water, and traditional HIIT classes. Their wellness suite also offers the Technogym, TRX, BOSU, and my favorite Peloton bike. While Rosewood Mayakoba's overall theme is relaxation, it was a nice surprise to have such a vast selection of exercise equipment and fitness classes to choose from in order to stay on top of your fitness goals while away from home.
Speaking of relaxation, one of the things we looked forward to the most was indulging at Sense, Rosewood's secluded spa which sits on it's very own island! A treatment unique to Rosewood Mayakoba that I recommend everyone experience is the Kuxtal Sensory Garden Ritual--a three-hour journey which begins with an awakening ritual using scents, sounds, and taste amid nature to awaken your senses before finding your own connection to one of the garden's plants. Dependent upon which plant you gravitate toward, your experience will be focused on either physical healing, meditation, or balancing of energy. After spending our afternoons oceanside, I wanted to treat my sun- kissed skin and chose the Mayakoba Organic Facial, which uses natural extracts and essential oils to brighten and soothe the skin leaving me with a radiant glow. I followed that up with the A Time To Dream body treatment, a warm sugar scrub exfoliation and dry skin oil energetic massage providing a sun-like sensation to the skin while enhancing your mood.
Naturally, Chris and I wanted to partake in something together, so we booked the Curative Fire and Ice Therapy. Using both warm and cold stones, this treatment is used to relax muscles, reduce muscular tension, and improve circulation through an invigorating massage--a wonderful option for athletes and their better haves! Quite possibly my favorite part of our trip was the Cenote Temazcal Purification. This traditional Mayan practice takes place inside a stone structure (imagine an igloo of sorts), where a steam bath using herbal water and volcanic rock, as well as a scrub application, detoxified my skin. During this process, the Shaman lead a ceremony where I was guided and encouraged to control my thoughts with my mind, a practice that would greatly benefit those individuals with anxious tendencies. My journey concluded with a body temperature balancing water rinse, followed by a massage with warm herbal poultices. I truly felt rejuvenated and reconnected with the earth after this ritual.
As if Rosewood Mayakoba could get any better, they offer a 7,000-yard, 18-hole, championship golf course, El Camaleon. If you know Chris, you know that this course was the driver behind Chris' excitement for Rosewood Mayakoba (pun intended)! While the course is quite narrow and demanding off the tee, the many holes that open up to expansive views of the water make the difficulty worth the while. In addition to being an official host of the PGA tour, El Camaleon also provides the top teaching facility for golf in all of Mexico. There truly isn't anything Rosewood Mayakoba doesn't offer their guests!
During our stay here and as we travel to various destinations, we've noticed the shift toward true sustainability efforts by hotels and resorts looking to decrease waste, and Rosewood Mayakoba is among the leaders in this movement. One simple yet impactful way they incorporate this is in their fitness center, where we found reusable recycled aluminum bottles and a water filter, instead of plastic water bottles. On a grander scale, they've built a sophisticated in-house treatment plant, which takes used water from guest rooms and laundry and repurposes it for landscape irrigation--brilliant! They even gave thoughtful consideration to how guests get from point A to point B on the property, using only electric boats, electric golf carts, and bicycles.
Lastly, Rosewood Mayakoba not only gives back to the environment, but they give back to their community as well. The K'iin Beh Foundation was created to fund the Centro Educativo K'iin Beh, a school built by Rosewood Mayakoba for the children of their employees and local youth. The school, which serves more than 200 students and offers bilingual, full-time education, has been funded entirely by friends and family of Rosewood Mayakoba, and if you feel so inclined, guests who have a desire to donate have various options to do so, as well.
The stunning Rosewood Mayakoba is the ideal luxury resort for anyone looking to relax and indulge, while connecting with the local Mayan heritage. We're already looking forward to coming back to this beautiful corner of Mexico!
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BENEFITS OF BOOKING WITH WELL INSPIRED TRAVELS:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Breakfast credit for two per bedroom daily ($50 maximum per person, per day, excludes alcohol)
$100 USD Resort/Hotel credit to be utilized during stay
Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary Wi-Fi
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