Recommend March 2013 - (Page 37)
included built-in creature comforts like air conditioning, flat-screen
TVs, WiFi, iHome iPod docking stations and more. Fresh flowers,
murmuring fountains and unobtrusive yet impeccable service create
an ambiance of Old World romance, making it the perfect setting
for an intimate wedding. Casa Lecanda can book a wedding party
and work closely with brides to custom-tailor the package of their
dreams, or host a couple looking for a unique anniversary celebration
or honeymoon experience in Yucatan. Room rates start at $170 for an
exquisite patio room.
Some of the city’s outlying haciendas, built during the state’s oncethriving sisal trade, have also received their share of loving care and
attention, becoming a unique class of accommodations unto themselves. A member of Mexico Boutique Hotels, Hacienda Xcanatun (xcanatun.com) has received numerous awards and accolades for
its service and attention to detail, the same attention owner Christina
Baker lavishes on brides. Valid through Dec. 20, 2013, its new 2-night
Hacienda of Your Own wedding package allows couples to make the
restored 18th century hacienda their own to share privately with 34
of their guests. The package includes exclusive use of the hacienda’s
accommodations, facilities and grounds along with a staff focused
on making wedding fantasies come true, starting at $16,995. The
wedding ceremony can take place in the restored family chapel, for
example, the 3-course gourmet meal can combine continental, fusion
Yucatecan or European treats, there’s a multi-tiered wedding cake
and more. The icing on the cake, so to speak, is a stay in the bi-level
honeymoon suite with a wrap-around terrace, all artfully prepared for
a romantic wedding night.
The Haciendas (thehaciendas.com), part of Starwood Hotels &
Resorts’ The Luxury Collection, also tops the list of Yucatan—and
nearby Campeche’s—unique historic wedding venues. The three
properties in Yucatan (Hacienda Temozon, Hacienda San Jose and
Hacienda Santa Rosa) and the two in Campeche (Hacienda Uayamon and Hacienda Puerta Campeche) combine the European
elegance of days gone by with traditions of the Maya, historical and
contemporary, which are present in everything from the indigenous
products used in the spas to the Mayan Wedding package ($370).
This inspiring symbolic wedding is officiated by a Mayan priest, with
the couple dressed in Mayan clothing (a beautifully embroidered huipil
dress for her, a linen guayabera shirt for him). It includes an invitation
to enter the Mandala flower, a reading, a ritual cleansing, the invocation of a Mayan blessing and the consecration, blessing and exchanging of the vows and rings. Traditional Catholic weddings can also be
held onsite at the chapel at Hacienda Temozon or in any of the tiny
local churches in the towns adjacent to the properties. You can use
the services of outside coordinators or The Haciendas’ dedicated
wedding coordinators, who can take care of the entire event from
beginning to end for $3,000 (plus taxes) or simply be on-hand on the
actual day of the wedding to ensure every detail is managed correctly for
$1,500.
A mixture of colonial and pre-Hispanic cultures with the distinction
of hosting seven out of the nine most representative ecosystems in the
country and 46 protected natural areas, Chiapas is an excellent choice
for brides looking for a true alternative wedding. Though you will find
sleek modernity (and complete wedding coordinator services) in the
capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez at the five-star Camino Real (caminoreal.
com), a look at the Parador San Juan de Dios (sanjuandios.com) in
San Cristobal de las Casas is certainly worth it. With only 12 suites and
rooms, the architecture of this tiny inn dates back to the 17th and 19th
centuries. It’s made from adobe bricks and stone, with enormous tiled
roofs and marvelous gardens. Hand-carved furniture, fine linens and
restored antiques mix it up in the rustic-chic decor. Onsite personnel can
take care of every detail for an intimate wedding, including a beautiful
white tent setup in the gardens with dance floor and all.
Sightseeing: Once called the “Paris of the West,” the “White City”
of Merida is an elegant alternative for weddings. In this charming city,
horse-drawn carriages carry couples down tree-lined boulevards past an
eclectic mixture of beautifully restored Spanish and French colonial architecture. Elaborate mansions stand in mute testimony to the wealth of
the 16th century, when henequen (sisal) plantations dominated the land.
The principal plaza is decorated with Indian laurel trees, wrought iron
benches and fanciful shops. You’ll find Merida’s fine restaurants, lively
nightlife and excellent accommodations make it a good base from which
to explore the outlying Mayan archaeological sites and nature preserves.
According to Linda Schramm from DMC Amigo Yucatan
(amigoyucatan.com.mx), the most popular tour for wedding groups is
Chichen Itza with a visit to a cenote (freshwater sinkhole) for a swim and
lunch. Other popular tours include the Nature Reserve at Celestun and
the working Hacienda Sotuta de Peon (also a hotel available for weddings; haciendaviva.com). AmigoYucatan handles tours to the ancient
towns of Becal, Hecelchakan and the walled city of Campeche, as well.
Charming, pastel-colored downtown Campeche is a World Heritage
site, so cameras are a must. The city has some of the best food in the
state, with dishes such as fried oysters, wrapped pompano fish with
achiote and a pinch of cumin, squid stuffed with shrimp, tamales stuffed
with chaya leaf and boiled egg wrapped in banana leaves. It’s also the
gateway to the Mayan ruins of Edzna, Calakmul, Balamku and more.
Forty percent of Campeche’s territory has been declared a protected
natural area and it has two biosphere reserves. Outfitters like Ecoturismo Carey (ecoturismocarey.com) and Edzna Operadora Turistica &
DMC (edzna.com.mx) offer couples and their party tours to spots like the
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and the Petenes Biosphere Reserve, which
alone cover over 3,800 sq. miles filled with spectacular landscapes and
an amazing array of flora and fauna.
march 2013 / 11
10-13 SouthColonial.indd 11
2/21/13 9:18 AM
http://www.sanjuandios.com
http://www.xcanatun.com
http://www.thehaciendas.com
http://amigoyucatan.com.mx
http://www.haciendaviva.com
http://www.ecoturismocarey.com
http://edzna.com.mx
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2013
Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Travel Indochina
Safaris in Southern Africa
Un-Cruise Adventures in Alaska
Alaska is Celebrating in 2013
"Hard Rock" Chicago-Style: Rock out in the Windy City
Mexico Destination Weddings & Honeymoon Planner
Girldfriends' Getaway at Eden Roc, Miami Beach
Kyushu: The Rising Sun of Japanese Destinations
The New All-Inclusives in Jamaica Claim Their Turf
RIU Punta Cana
Costa Rica: A Trio of Detours
Touring Central & Eastern Europe
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