Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts made its debut in Mexico last month with a new resort in the thriving Riviera Maya area.
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A lagoon-front villa with private pool at Banyan Tree Mayakoba |
Just 40 minutes south of Cancun International Airport in the Mayakoba resort development, Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers a nice blend of modern Asian and Mexican tropical design. Banyan Tree Mayakoba has a villa type to please every guest—from the private Garden Pool Villas to the Spa Pool Villas to the Terrace Residences and Beachfront Pool Villas. Each offers a pool measuring at least 323 square feet, as well as outdoor heated jet-pools or sunken baths, massage beds and steam rooms.
All 132 villas are freestanding units on land, over water or by the beachfront. We were told that the best is the Three-Bedroom Beach Front Pool Villa, which features Mexican-inspired furnishings, a private swimming pool and jet-pool set in a secluded garden. There is also an outdoor terrace with a table and chairs, a study pavilion with a daybed and a dining area with a kitchenette. Each of the villa’s three bedrooms has its own bathroom.
Agents should contact Reservation Manager Claudia Fernandez at [email protected], or call 011-52-984-877-3688.
The Spa
The Banyan Tree Spa Mayakoba has 16 spa pavilions located over the lagoon. Signature treatments include the Thai Herbal Detox treatment package, which includes the Salt Pot Body Massage. For this treatment, a traditional Thai handcrafted clay salt pot is filled with Thai herbs and salt, heated, then wrapped in a pouch for the massage. This traditional therapy, long practiced for its detoxifying effects, also helps to boost blood circulation, promote healthy skin and relieve muscle tension.
Dining Options
Saffron is Banyan Tree’s contemporary signature Thai restaurant, located on two lagoon decks overlooking the estuary and the main lobby. Saffron’s menu will be helmed by two Thai chefs brought to Mexico from Banyan Tree Phuket for their experience and finesse with Southeast Asian cuisine.
The other signature standout is Tamarind, the spa cuisine purveyor, which serves an organic menu of special spa juices and fine-dining choices. Tamarind was first introduced in Banyan Tree Phuket and is well known for its substantial cuisine with a healthy focus.
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A combination living and dining area makes villas at Banyan Tree Mayakoba group- and family-friendly. |
Located by the main swimming pool, Oriente offers a daily breakfast buffet in the mornings and a modern Mexican dinner menu in the evenings. A chic destination is the Sands beach club, which offers à la carte breakfast, a light lunch menu and a classic grilled seafood selection for dinner. La Copa bar offers tapas and innovative cocktails that range from a cucumber refresher to a rose-petal margarita.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba will soon offer its Ixchel Destination Dining Experience, an intimate dinner onboard a trajiñera, a traditional Mexican flat-bottom boat decorated with indigenous motifs and cloths.
Off the Resort
Banyan Tree Mayakoba is located near the Chichen Itza complex, the Tulum seaside ruins and the Coba jungle temples. Your clients can embark on day trips to Sian Ka’an, a UNESCO World Heritage Site Biosphere reserve, which is virtually undeveloped. This is one of the last remaining refuges in Mexico for jaguars and other native wildlife. At Banyan Tree Mayakoba, guests have the convenience of using exclusive, in-house tour operator Maritur, located in the resort lobby and ready to arrange guest excursions and tours.
The energetic town of Playa Del Carmen is just minutes away, offering diverse dining, shopping and cultural experiences.
Banyan Tree is already planning its second Mexico property: Banyan Tree Cabo Marques is slated to open in Acapulco this fall.