Magic between the jungle and the sea

Mexican Caribbean: Dream hotels, service decadence, star-studded top cuisine: the booming region of Cancún is raising the bar ever higher.

The Belmond hotel group, part of the world's largest luxury group LVMH , has invested 70 million dollars in the renovation and beautification of its resort on Playa Maroma, one of the most beautiful beaches on the Riviera Maya. To this end, it has closed the hotel for more than two years, until the summer of 2023. And then, after the reopening, it is once again the little things that make the biggest difference, and not just the voluminous financial injections.

A sand whisperer for the loungers: It happened early in the morning. Still sleepy, I blink across the beach from my breakfast box seat almost directly on the water. A mirage? The consequences of a disastrous order from the previous evening - "mas tequila, por favor!"? Or is a servant ghost in a straw hat seriously blowing sand off the ultra-comfortable beach loungers with a kind of low-noise leaf blower? Yes, indeed. Even the smallest accumulation of grains has to be removed - one of several tasks of "Beach Server" Sergio, who has been one of the most loyal souls among the employees since 2006. Discreet helpers are also on the move in the 70 rooms and suites as well as in the two villas: if you leave a sheet of paper as a bookmark in a book, you may find a real, hotel-owned "bookmark" between the pages after the turndown service. It is almost to be expected that the Belmond Maroma does not let itself down in terms of spa, garden design, accommodation and restaurants. The first, highly successful Guerlain spa in Latin America entices guests with treatments inspired by Mayan culture and special massage beds that convey the cloudy feeling of weightlessness. Outside, in front of the spa fountain of the fertility goddess Ixchel, another unique plant sprouts: "El Abuelo", a 90-year-old tree, affectionately christened "Grandfather". In general, the harmony between the lush jungle and "tutoring" by landscape gardeners and architects is striking in the hotel complex. Coatis also enjoy the proximity of man and nature and roam the meadows and paths as a matter of course.

In the "Casa Mayor", local cuisine is upheld with an epicurean "journey through Mexico" (Monterrey, Guadalajara and "a pinch of Yucatán"), while the second restaurant, the "Woodend" by Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone, pays homage to seafood and meat specialties grilled over an open flame. A real firework: rock cod with fennel, king crab and salad with deep-fried quinoa. Followed by panna cotta. Divine. Only the talking scales in the suite were less enthusiastic afterwards: "Your weight is 86.3 kg. Good-bye".





Cactus salad and melon gazpacho: And there was no rescue in sight. Because the Waldorf Astoria Cancún, which is only two years old and just a short drive from the Belmond Maroma, has developed into a real hospitality heavyweight at lightning speed thanks to its culinary delights. The romantic oceanfront dinner in the signature restaurant "Malpeque" is a great tasting starter: sopa de elote, corn soup with lime, chili and basil, or as a cool alternative, melon gazpacho with shrimp, mint and almonds. Main course: Grouper with cauliflower the size of a soccer from the oven. A fabulous raspberry tiramisu is served for dessert.
The "problem": breakfast (in the "Chaya" gazebo) and lunch (in the "JA'O") are of similarly outstanding quality. Cactus salad, fish tacos, blue corn pudding at lunchtime - seventh heaven for foodies. Just a few steps away from the tables is a dignified pool area where guests can still browse through real books, one woman even does so standing up. True to the motto of the 5* retreat, which modestly calls itself the "Jewel of Cancún": come down, disconnect from the staccato of crises in the real world, allow more analog things to happen again. This exercise is easily accomplished over a long weekend. The friendliness of the staff and the elegant interior of marble and wood do the rest: in the room on the sixth floor, the sunrise can be admired from the floor-to-ceiling window of the spacious shower. The beach and the sea, on the other hand, are not "top-notch", and the impassable thicket around the kilometer-long access road can be safely left to the monkeys, crocodiles and snakes.





Classic luxury in the former Ritz: In the middle of Cancún's hotel zone, surrounded by all-inclusive castles and lapped by the fabulous turquoise sea, the Kempinski Cancún continues what Ritz-Carlton celebrated in the same hotel palazzo for almost 30 years: reliable old-school luxury. The food in the Club Lounge has become even better. In the morning, mini bagels, nuevos revueltos, Mexican-style scrambled eggs with tomatoes, herbs and onions, served with jugo de sandia, freshly
freshly squeezed watermelon juice. Delicious pistachio macarons for afternoon tea. And in the evening, steamed seafood paella, ribs with wedges and chicken with pea rice. The waiters can also whip up mojitos and margaritas on request. If you're thirsty for action that smells of suntan oil, sweat and cerveza instead, break out and head right down the beach. At the weekend, a band plays Rolling Stones classics on the stage of the Oasis Beach Club. The Kempinski is again the place to chill out: when the leaves of the coconut palms rustle in the balmy evening breeze and the stars twinkle in the jacuzzi, that's also "satisfaction", but in a sensual way.




An Insta-paradise for lovers: Just under half an hour north of the Zona Hotelera, the latest tourism project has been built on the coast: Costa Mujeres. This means: even more huge hotels, for families or adults-only, miles of fun on the beach, diving spots, an 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman, mangroves and jungle. In January of this year, the new in-destination was upgraded even further: the SHA Wellness Clinic Mexico opened its doors in a prime location, with health programs inspired by its Spanish sister retreat. Practical for VIP guests: they can float in on a heliport or dock by boat. The offshore Isla Mujeres, known as a popular day trip destination thanks to its ferry connections, now also seems to want to encourage a financially strong clientele to stay longer: In addition to the brand new Almare Isla Mujeres, the first Luxury Collection all-inclusive adult hotel on Mexican soil, the Hyatt Group is also looking to lure couples and honeymooners with its Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets: 125 upscale suites, four pools, seven restaurants, butler service, catamaran transfer to and from Cancún and much more included. The first success for the resort in the south of the island: the Luxury Travel Advisor website raved about the "most instagrammable hotel in the world".

More information

www.belmond.com

www.waldorfastoria.com

www.kempinski.com

www.mexicancaribbean.travel

www.shawellness.com

www.the-luxury-collection.marriott.com

www.hyattinclusivecollection.com