Go Now: Stylish Luxury Hotels on the Riviera Maya by Maria Shollenbarger
Featured Hotel in Cancun
The Tides Riviera Maya
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FOR THE HIPSTER:
Book a room at the ultra-contemporary Deseo - you’re guaranteed a seat at one of the Yucatan’s best people-watching shows. No thatched palapas here: Deseo is all walls of glass, slatted-wood terraces, and sleek white-on-white rooms. You’re just steps from the beach and surrounded by the shops and cafes of Playa del Carmen, the Riviera’s biggest and coolest town. Dinner among the white columns and minimalist chandeliers at Negrosal is a must; a pitch-perfect hybrid of global glamour and uniquely Mexican charm, plus exceptional wines. The beach to stake out as your own? Coco Beach - just far north enough of town to avoid major crowds, with access to good snorkeling and chairs and umbrellas for rent.
FOR THE HEDONIST:
Sybarites in the know check into Esencia, which touts the ‘simplicity’ of its experience. But don’t be fooled by the anonymous sand-road approach: this former private estate is all about luxury. The 29 rooms are vast, with white-tiled floors and brick-vault or beamed ceilings; all have wide terraces open to the outdoors; with views onto whispering palm forests or the aquamarine Caribbean. The real draw for many is the award-winning Esencia Aroma Spa, where you’ll be swaddled in a cacao-and-seaweed wrap or massaged with oil scented with herbs from the hotel’s own garden. Luckily, the hotel’s excellent restaurant, Sal y Fuego, is so rated that locals and tourists alike flock to it from all the neighboring resorts - guaranteeing you a seat at the center of the action.
FOR THE JETSETTER:
The Tides Riviera Maya might just be the jewel in the Tides crown: it has the überstylish KOR-signed design, the totally private, 1,000-square-foot villas (with huge terraces and private plunge pools), the absurdly chic gift shop, and the lounge that looks like a Hollywood film set. Space, taste, and privacy abound here on Xcalacoco Beach, which is ideally positioned between the sweet, tiny town of the same name and empty stretches of seaside jungle. (But if you need a bit more energy in the evenings, Playa del Carmen is just a quick car ride away.)
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FOR THE ESCAPIST:
There are no TVs or sound systems in the rooms, no radios blaring in any of the public spaces, and little in the way of entertainment at dinnertime. At Maroma, the top billing goes to peace and quiet - your soundtrack consists of the breeze in the coconut palms and the water lapping the shore. Staff will all know your name by Day Two, but won’t bother you unless you need them. It’s the place on the Riviera Maya to unplug, stretch out, and soak of the essence of Mexico: sun, sand, and escape.
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