Hotel Esencia

This private 50-acre estate, once home to an Italian duchess some 60 miles south of Cancun, features 29 ocean and garden view guest rooms, suites and cottages. Luxury amenities include 600-thread Egyptian cotton sheets, duvet covers, down pillows and Molton Brown toiletries. The Casa Principal (Main House) - the centrepiece of the resort - features a three-story, nine-suite seafront house with a private dining room, state-of-the-art kitchen and chef’s tables. Signature restaurant, Sal y Fuego (Salt and Fire) specializes in “international modern sophisticated cuisine with a Mexican flair.” Overlooking a scenic cenote (underground fresh water pool) and illuminated at night, it offers the perfect perch for a romantic dinner. A wide array of international wines complement the tasty cuisine crafted by Chef Noe Bernardo and his team. Aroma Spa highlights an array of organic face and body treatments and therapeutic baths incorporating indigenous fruit, plants and herbs. The beachside Temazcal offers traditional Maya “cleanses” while complimentary group yoga and meditation classes further soothe the spirit. In addition, there are two main pools - one for families and one for adults only - along with two private pools for the cottages and 12 plunge pools. Horseback riding, fishing, boating, snorkeling, wind surfing, cenote diving are just a few of the available activities.

My favorite beach in the world.

Luxury resort on Xpuha Beach on the Mayan Riviera