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by Suzanne Wright
“Welcome home,” says the gorgeous olive-skinned Natalie, dressed in a lacy white dress, her lustrous black hair smoothed into a low ponytail. With a warm smile, a young man hands me a margarita as a peacock strolls by and a lizard scampers across the dirt. I am in secret garden paradise just 30 miles—and light years—away from the cacophony of Cancun.
Paradise, Mexican-style, is reached via an unmarked, guarded bamboo gate from state highway 307. A chalky, bumpy road buttressed with a tangle of mangrove and palm trees leads you to a clutch of white Moorish/hacienda styles buildings. This former coconut plantation fronts a magnificent stretch of white sand beach on the Caribbean Sea in an area dubbed the “Mayan Riviera.”
This rustically luxurious, 65-room hideaway was built by hand in the tradition of Mexican haciendas and offers warm hospitality and unsurpassed privacy to its international clientele. Maroma began life as a small home built by architect Jose Luis Moreno in 1980 for his Chicago-born wife Sally Shaw. The remote villa drew many houseguests; in 1995 they opened the resort to the public. In 2002, the upscale Orient-Express Hotels went into partnership with Moreno and began a sensitive, $6 million renovation and expansion
With its white-powder Caribbean beach and the lush jungle that forms its back yard, the 500-acre resort’s idyllic atmosphere has earned raves from The New York Times, Town & Country, and Vogue as well as “World’s Best Beach” by the Travel Channel.
This is a memory-making hideaway, its villas perfect for both couples and families. A wedding is taking place when I visit. I watch the staff set up white stain-draped chairs near the ocean and lay out hand-braided palm mats for the couple to walk on. Sitting at the seaside restaurant as the waves roll in, I sip my margarita and watch the waiter prepare guacamole for my lunch.
Palapas (thatched roof coverings) shade outdoor massage tables, but I opt for a temazcal,
the Mayan version of a Native American sweat lodge. Inside a pyramid-shaped clay building, heated lava rocks are doused with herb-infused water to create aromatic and healing steam, removing toxins from the body. Nancy Aguilar chants while I search for shapes in the rocks; I see an alligator and a cow’s skull. Clay jugs of water keep us hydrated during the hour and a half ceremony and we apply mineral-rich mud to our bodies and hair. When we emerge it is night and we take a refreshing dip in the ocean under an inky, star-studded sky.
Nestled on the far side of the enclave, my casually elegant beachfront junior suite features French doors that open onto two sitting areas (one air conditioned). There’s also a sparkling pool outside my door and several more scattered throughout. The generous rooms have tiled baths that open onto the patio; I can hear the ocean while I bathe. A white chiffon mosquito netting is positioned over the king-sized bed for effect; it is draped differently each time I retire. Turndown brings a small brightly colored basket containing two handmade chocolates and an aromatherapy candle burning inside a tiny replica of the temazcal pyramid.
At nightfall, Maroma is a twinkle with torches and candles to help you traverse a path to the restaurant. A young female chef from New Zealand offers earthy Maya-Yucatan cuisine such as la cochinita pibil, pork wrapped in a banana leaf and a seafood ceviche served in a coconut shell. Want a steak instead? Just ask and the gently gracious staff will gladly accommodate you. At breakfast, don’t miss the canasta Mexicana, a delicious mixture of eggs, cheese, sautéed onions and cactus and chorizo (sausage) baked in a flour tortilla basket. The smoke you smell is from the clay oven where a woman makes fresh tortillas daily.
The next day, I lounge on the beach while Freddy whips up a frothy pina colada. In the afternoon I snorkel in clear water that shades from aqua to lapis, coral, giant fans, colorful fish and a moray eel on the world’s second longest barrier reef. That night, I dine at a table placed almost at the waveline; four glorious courses followed by a marvelous aged tequila.
After my four-day respite, I think of Natalie. Who wouldn’t want to call this home?
For reservations, contact Orient-Express Hotels at 1-866-454-9351 or visit www.maromahotel.com for information.
Mayan Holiday Spirit
The warm intimacy that characterizes the holidays is especially inviting during the winter holidays, when the joyous traditions of the Mexican Riviera envelope guests in the region’s infectious love of life.
This year there’s a feeling of family with a series of special, hands-on experiences that will make the season memorable. Guests will be invited to learn how to create traditional Mexican piñatas, which are integral to the Mexican Posadas celebration. On Christmas Eve, chef Stephanie Rowe and her crew will bring the warmth of the holiday kitchen to all as they work with (willing) guests to prepare traditional Mexican dishes and cocktails, which will be enjoyed by all in a communal meal filled with surprises. Guests awake Christmas morning to find the piñatas they created filled with a gift from the staff at Maroma.
During this special week, guests will also experience special afternoon teas featuring seasonal treats and holiday choirs that will perform traditional Mexican holiday songs. Rates from December 20th to January 3rd start at $510 per night.
