SPA-SATIONAL
There’s nothing like a relaxing massage or rejuvenating body treatment to keep couples in the mood for romance. Even the smallest
of Mexican hotels tend to have a spa or outdoor treatment area,
while larger resorts offer a full range of options.
Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita, on the Riviera Maya, brought
a new style of spa to Mexico with its 2008 introduction of North
America’s first thalassotherapy spa, a European-style spa that
combines the benefits of the sea with advanced spa techniques;
as part of the resort’s all-inclusive Endless Privileges, clients receive a complimentary Thalasso Seawater Treatment. And for the
ultimate in pampering, clients can opt for a couple’s massage on
a private dock overlooking the Caribbean or special luxury lovers’
suites.
In Riviera Nayarit, the Four Seasons Punta Mita Apuane Spa
offers its own signature water treatment, the Ha Waye healing
waters treatment with two therapists working in unison. “Spa After
Dark” services combine romantic gourmet dining with an exotic
spa experience; possibilities include oceanfront massage in the
outdoor massage hut with a beachfront picnic, a private pool
cabana massage and dinner, or sweet-themed body treatments in
the guests’ room followed by chocolate fondue and champagne.
LEARNINGTOGETHER
It’s one thing to bring home a souvenir, but even better to
come home with knowledge of how to do something new,
especially when it’s a romance-flavored skill couples can tap
into for years to come. At the Royal Playa del Carmen,
couples can learn all about tequila and wine at tastings led by
the resort’s sommelier, or they can hone their cooking skills
with lessons by the executive chef at Zoëtry Paraiso de la
Bonita. At the Maya Spa Wellness Center in Tulum, the
couples massage is educational as well as relaxing—each
person receives a full massage while the other watches to
learn techniques personally suited to their partner.
For something to get the heart pumping, Dreams Huatulco
offers an outdoor Zumba class, a series of easy-to-follow
moves set to hypnotic Latin rhythms. Almost all beach resorts
offer scuba lessons, while golfers can perfect their swing at
Mexico’s only Jim McClean Golf School at Rosewood
Mayakoba on the Riviera Maya.
AWAY
FROM
IT ALL
On the tiny island of
HOLBOX off the coast of
Cancun, the streets are
still made of white sand
and it’s more common
to see local fishermen
than a car. In the early
morning, some of their
catches land at the
Restaurant Maja´che,
part of the elegantly
simple XALOC RESORT,
an ecotourism resort
with 18 circular bungalows topped with traditional palm-leaf palapas,
and nine additional guest
rooms. Activities include
relaxation for the mind
and body with open-air
yoga sessions and
beachside massages, as
well as horseback riding,
kayaking through the
mangroves, whale shark
boating tours and more.
Back on the mainland,
at the tip of the Riviera
Maya, the adults-only
AZULIK is home to 15
secluded villas a couple
of miles away from the
ruins of Tulum. Tucked
between tropical palm
trees at the edge of
the Caribbean, each
rustic thatched-roof villa
features a king size bed
and a hanging queen
lounge bed, carved
tree-trunk bathtubs
and exterior seaside
tubs—but no electricity
or telephone so privacy
is guaranteed.
AND NOW
FOR SOMETHING
DIFFERENT
The well-developed infrastructure and luxury
amenities of established beach resort areas
hold obvious appeal for honeymooners and
other couples. But it’s not for everyone. In a
recent romance-focused webinar produced
by Travel Weekly and sponsored by the
Mexico Tourism Board, Laura Frazier, of Bliss
Honeymoons & Destination Weddings, noted
that honeymoon clients frequently ask about
going “someplace different,” a place none of
their friends have yet been to. They want to
be the first and they want the bragging rights,
she said.
For such couples, she recommends the
picturesque town of Zihuatanejo, on the
west coast north of Acapulco, formerly a fishing village and still replete with rural charm.
Just a few miles away is the modern tourist
resort of Ixtapa; together the two are great
for watersports like windsurfing, scuba diving
and sailfishing, artisan markets and make a
convenient base for ecotourism and wildlife
conservation programs. Full-service area
resorts include the casually elegant Tides
Zihuatanejo, Capella Ixtapa, reminiscent of
a Mediterranean hillside village, and Barcelo
Ixtapa Beach, adjacent to two championship golf courses, among others. With 24
suites, the secluded La Casa Que Canta is
one of several area intimate hotels and B&Bs.
AZULIK
the world’s
aquarium
In Baja California, the city of LA PAZ
has become a draw for those interested in ecotourism. Less developed
as a tourism spot than Los Cabos,
it’s a great jumping off point for ecotourism and exploring the area named
by Jacques Cousteau as “the world’s
aquarium,” which includes scuba
diving, watching the annual gray
whale migrations and encounters
with sea lions at the nearby Espiritu
Santo Island.
