National Geographic Traveler Stay List 2008

Maroma Resort and Spa
Carret. Fed. 307 Solidaridad, Mexico

From $765 per night

A seven-year old gem nestled at the edge of the most spectacular beach of the Mexican Caribbean on the historical Yucatan peninsula. Maroma guests feel like visitors in a private home where they are treated like family and pampered with warm personal service. Our individually decorated rooms and suites glow with mahogany, bamboo-filtered light, white linen and the shine of candlelight as strains of lice piano music waft from the dining room. At Maroma we encourage mixing business with pleasure and adventure. Activity and adventure are as close as the beach right outside. Our mild ocean is ideal for swimming, kayaking and sailing. And the world's second largest barrier reef just offshore provides world-class snorkeling and diving with our own guides. Mayan sites abound in the Yucatan and we can send your group there with a gourmet picnic lunch and driver/tour guide. Or if total relaxation is in order, a variety of spa services are available including facials, massage, reiki, mud baths and our famous Temazcal, the Mayan-inspired steam bath that brings many of out guests back again and again.

What's Great
National Geographic Says...
"Maya craftsmanship (three generations of local stone masons helped build the place in 1995 and still do some work on the property) merges with unabashed Caribbean-front luxury. Come sunset, 1,000 candles light the way. Local fare includes Mexican wine. Biologist, dive master, naturalist Ramon Aguayo lures guests from beach chairs to nature paths as well as sea reefs. 65 rooms."

Amenities

Hacienda Santa Rosa
Km 129 Carretera Merida Campeche Santa Rosa, Mexico

From $325 per night

A small hacienda located near the western coast of the Yucatan peninsula, Hacienda Santa Rosa is a former noblemans private estate. Hacienda Santa Rosa features uniquely carved columns, ornately furnished gardens, and mysterious evening campfires. Come discover the beauty of 17th century Mayan sites with the service of a world-class luxury resort. Spend an afternoon discovering the life of the Mayans historical and contemporary. Stroll through local villages and hear stories of yesteryear and explore unique boutiques of talented craftsmen. Indulge in a massage amongst garden greenery, performed by our talented masseuses with indigenous products. Wake up to the chirping of birds and enjoy a deluxe breakfast by the pool with botanical garden views or in the privacy of your own suites garden. Immerse yourself in the luxury of one of our 11 unique guest rooms or suites. Place your belongings in hand-carved wood furniture, flawlessly accenting our attention to Mexican culture. Enjoy the opulence of a world-class hotel from signature bath amenities to rooms with private pools and relax Mayan-style with shoes off in our traditional woven cotton hammocks. Discover true luxury and pampering at Hacienda Santa Rosa. New passport restrictions for the US, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, & Caribbean; a passport or other secure, accepted document is needed to enter or re-enter the US with all air travel. For non-US hotels, rates confirmed in USD may be converted to local currency by the hotel at your time of stay, based on the exchange rate used by the hotel.

What's Great
National Geographic Says...
"The cornflower-blue former plantation evokes the belle epoque of southeastern Mexico. Proximity to archaeological sites at Uxmal and Oxkintok take you back further still; relax, there is also high-speed Internet. Wander into nearby caverns that were once sacrificial sites. Try an ancient Maya spa treatment in the spa."

Amenities

Tides Riviera Maya
Xcalacoco Road Quintana Roo, Mexico

From $560 per night

The Tides Riviera Maya is a luxurious hideaway retreat situated on approximately six acres of Caribbean waterfront property on the Yucatan Peninsula. Intimate and serene- the resorts design respects and accentuates the pristine qualities of its dramatic jungle setting. Thirty stand-alone palapas- built of mahogany and stone and embraced by lush foliage- allow guests a rare level of privacy. Villas are luxurious and spacious and equipped with individual plunge pools and secluded private terraces. A comprehensive jungle spa lies shrouded in vegetation in the resorts innermost reaches and also features a beachfront yoga studio and Maya Temazcal sweat lodge.

What's Great
National Geographic Says... "Spacious thatched-roof villas offer junglesque seclusion on seven-mile (11.3-kilometer) stretch of pristine beach. No cell phones, cars, or artificial lighting to mar the landscape. Polo lessons, parasailing, poolside butler. Temazcal baths—a Maya-style sauna—calm with massage and chants. Open dining policy serves up meals when and wherever you want. Yum. 30 villas."
-2009 Stay List, www.traveler.nationalgeographic.com

Amenities

Hacienda Temozon
KM 182 Carretera Temozon Sur, Mexico

From $325 per night

A hacienda of coral walls and white moldings awaits you in the tropical rainforest ambience of the Yucatan peninsula. Surrounded by the tranquil blue waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, Hacienda Temozon recreates the belle époque of the Mexican southeast. Special details, like weathered wooden doors and rose petals, reflect the natural display of our Mayan cultural surroundings. Delight in the fine service this superb residence offers and discover the beauty of ancient Mayan architectural sites. Renowned for its premier services, Hacienda Temozon invites you to experience the most invigorating massage therapy the Gulf of Mexico has to offer. Inviting, creamy pastels and a lush sub-tropical jungle welcome you to Hol Be Spa. Relax among natural rocks in a soothing candlelit cenote, featuring pristine massage beds, flower petals, and indigenous spa products, as a professional therapist relieves your stress. In the evening, indulge in a romantic dinner in the perfect hideaway complete with twinkling candles and the singing of birds. Once a private family-run estancia, our hacienda features 28 exquisitely furnished guest rooms and suites, offering a real experience of the grandeur and affluence of the past. Double doors, 18-foot ceilings with exposed beams and rafters, stone walls, massive iron beds and private plunge pools highlight all of our suites. Take a nap in a woven cotton hammock as daylight fades to dusk and revel in the soothing atmosphere of Hacienda Temozon. New passport restrictions for the US, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, & Caribbean; a passport or other secure, accepted document is needed to enter or re-enter the US with all air travel. Due to the hotels architectural structure, it is not recommended for people with wheelchairs and physical disabilities. Please contact the hotel for further information. From April 17, 2010 through April 18, 2010, the National Festival in the village of Temozon will take place. Please expect noise from the festival during these nights. For non-US hotels, rates confirmed in USD may be converted to local currency by the hotel at your time of stay, based on the exchange rate used by the hotel. From December 11 to December 12, 2010, the National Festival will be held in the village of Temozon. Celebrations will include music and fireworks during the day and night.

What's Great
National Geographic Traveler Says...
"Hibiscus red 16th-century residence not far from major archaeological sites. Grand guest rooms with 18-foot (5.5-meter) ceilings, tropical-wood cabinetry, and hammocks slung from stone walls. Local-fare dining in sun yellow restaurant, with organic produce hailing from hacienda's extensive gardens (100 percent native plantings) and fish from coastal villages. Guided archaeological walks, spa, gift shop filled with locally crafted goods. 28 rooms."

Amenities

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