Recommend February 2018 - 23

Globetrotting
onsitereview
The resort's accommodations feature
traditional Mexican decor.

Hotel Xcaret
Michelle Marie Arean

available; the chapel is set to open April 2018
along with the multipurpose rooms located in
the pyramid.

A Natural Vibe
The architects and developers spent about
nine years researching the area and designing
what this property would come to be. All of
that invested time is evident in every detail.
Paola Fuentes, the hotel's public relations
manager, says, "To represent Mexico's finest,
we contracted local artisans. For example, all
the bathroom tiles were hand-painted by a
local community; at turndown, guests receive
candy personally crafted by a Jalisco family;
and cushion covers throughout the property
were woven by women from the Chiapas area.
"The best aspect of Hotel Xcaret," she adds,
"is that the property not only captures the
true essence of Mexican culture, but it also
showcases our love and respect of our natural
surroundings. This is visible throughout every
corner of the property."
In fact, the decor adds a distinct Mexican
vibe to the property, complemented by natural
surroundings such as onsite rainforest trails,
playones and cenotes. The latter are there
for guests to bathe in, or if they prefer, they

"

The best aspect of Hotel
Xcaret is that the property
not only captures the true
essence of Mexican culture,
but it also showcases our
love and respect of our
natural surroundings.

"

"Bienvenida a casa [welcome home]" was the
first thing I heard when I walked up the steps
to the lobby of the 900-room Hotel Xcaret,
which opened last December in Riviera
Maya. This "welcome home" message is one
I heard repeatedly during my stay. While I
was checking in, I was greeted by one of the
hotel employees with an array of homemade
popsicles-some infused with alcohol-to
enjoy while I waited for my room. The next
day, our property guide, Fabiola Fernandez,
informed us that the hotel focuses on the
"mi casa, es tu casa [my home, is your home]"
philosophy. "Hmm...now that greeting
makes perfect sense," I thought.
In fact, each of the five buildings on
property are each a "casa": Casa Viento, for
families and adults; Casa Tierra, focused on
families and where the kiddie pool, and kids
and teen clubs are located; Casa Agua, an
adults-only building and the home of the
Muluk Spa and wellness center; and Casa
Espiral, which is recommended for groups
and wedding guests as the event rooms
are located there. Accommodations at
Casa Agua all have a tub on their balcony,
plus get complimentary access to the spa's
hydrotherapy ritual; this "casa" will open
March-April (the Mayan-inspired Muluk Spa
is now open).
Accommodations come with bright
Mexican pink hues, and a traditional
Mexican hammock draped on the balcony,
and range from Suites to the Master Suites
(either adults-only or family).
While exploring the property, guests will
come upon unique features, including a
floating infinity pool at the rooftop adultsonly pool area, and the onsite Catholic
church, All Saints Chapel, sitting atop a
pyramid. Though the chapel is Catholic,
ceremonies of any denomination will be

-- Paola Fuentes, Public Relations
Manager, Hotel Xcaret

can go paddleboarding or kayaking, as I did
one afternoon, gliding in complete serenity
under bridges and through caves. My kayak
exploration lasted about an hour-and-a-half,
but guests can go out for as long, or as little,
as they'd like as the kayaks and paddleboards
are complimentary.
And, after all that workout, there are
10 restaurants and eight bars on property,
ranging from HA' where guests can feast on a
meal prepped by Michelin-star chef and "Top
Chef" contestant, Carlos Gaytan, to Fuego
Restaurant, the adults-only eatery.

Get Out and Explore
Guests staying at Hotel Xcaret get access
to all of the Xcaret parks. Notes Fuentes,
"The 'all-fun inclusive' concept is core
to what we offer at Hotel Xcaret, and is
one of the strategic pillars of the Destino
Xcaret project. We invite travel agents to
highlight the 'all-fun inclusive' concept as
one of the property's unique selling points.
Guests who book a stay at Hotel Xcaret
are privy to unlimited access to Grupo
Experiencias Xcaret's eight nature parks and
tours in addition to the property's first-class
accommodations, high-quality amenities and
a carefully crafted culinary offering."
She adds that, "Additionally, we are
working on adding the hotel to an already
existing program we have for the parks, called
Xcaret Sales Expert, through our network
platform. The platform allows agents to be
certified online on our courses (for free) on
how to market our products and offerings, as
well as assisting with point of sale solutions.
Becoming an affiliate of this program will also
grant the agents perks such as special offers,
exclusive information, free park entry tickets,
or souvenirs, on top of the commission."
For guests who might not have the time to
explore all the parks, Fuentes suggests "visit
our signature and first park, Xcaret."
Room rates start at $380 per night dbl;
Family Suites (up to four) start at $900. ■
Contact Information
Hotel Xcaret: hotelxcaret.com

Visit RECOMMEND.COM for more
on my experience at HOTEL XCARET
february 2018 23
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