Recommend November 2017 - 24

La Coleccion Resorts

onsitereview

by Fiesta Americana in Cancun
Paloma Villaverde de Rico

I recently ran into three beauties while
visiting Cancun. One was a young, carefree
thing sporting a hip vibe; another had
a more timeless air, embracing classic
Mexican traditions; and the third, well she
was certainly the grande dame of the trio, a
fabulous fixture of Cancun's society. Let me
introduce you to them: Live Aqua Beach
Resort Cancun, Fiesta Americana Condesa
Cancun, and Grand Fiesta Americana Coral
Beach Cancun, respectively.
These three properties are part of La
Coleccion Resorts by Fiesta Americana,
and, as Rafael Lizarraga, Posadas' Chief
Commercial Officer, mentioned to me
in an interview for Recommend's 50th
Anniversary issue (May 2017), this
collection was born "to show the warmth
of the Mexican service; our nature; the
culture we have here in Mexico." That's
the common thread running through La
Coleccion properties, but the similarities end
there. Each of the aforementioned properties
is completely unique from the other, and
not just because Live Aqua is adults-only,
or Fiesta Americana Condesa is family-

Want to see grains of rice designed to
create the Recommend logo?
Visit our Facebook and Twitter
pages @recommendmag.
24 november 2017

friendly, or because Coral Beach has one of
the best beach spots in Cancun. Each offers
a world unto itself, tucked away into its
own ambiance and as such each caters to a
different clientele.

Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun
I walked into my oceanfront suite at this allinclusive, 371-room and gasped when I saw
the beautiful recreation of the Recommend
logo that decorated my bed. I looked closely
and noticed that the design was made out of
dyed rice-perfectly crafted, not a grain out
of place. Later that evening, while dining at
one of the property's many restaurants, MB,
with the resort's general manager Alfredo
Santamaria, I got the scoop on how these
designs came about and are created-no,
stencils aren't used; it's all done meticulously
by hand. I asked Santamaria what, besides
these fabulous rice creations, makes this
property stand out in the long list of hotels
that line Cancun's beachfront. He said,
"This property awakens the senses-you
walk in and your sense of smell captures
the aromatherapy scent; then you hear
the sound, with different music playing in
different parts of the resort; then the visual,
with views of the garden and the ocean.
The taste buds are awakened by the resort's
gastronomy, with dishes that are unique to
the hotel, including the crema de habanero

soup," which we were sipping while having
this conversation. "Touch," he said, "comes
when you experience the spa."
The accommodations capture all five
senses-spacious, with a minimalist-style and
an in-room menu for when guests want an
aromatherapy scent to waft through the air.
My Aqua Suite-there are 36 suites of different
configurations-was so utterly inviting, it was
hard for me to tear myself away, but I did so to
experience the oceanfront cabana that comes
complimentary with suite accommodations.
It was then hard to tear myself away from
my cabana-make sure to sample the
complimentary foot massage-but the laidback Sea Corner restaurant, with ocean views
and perfect-for-lunch shrimp tacos was calling
my name (the following day, I had to try the
pear & gorgonzola cheese pizza at poolside
Varenna). My fave restaurant, though? Hands
down, Hidden Garden, offering an Asian
menu. Tucked away into a fairy tale setting,
with mood lighting and shrouded in greenery,
it's the ideal place for a twosome dinner.
Because of its decor, the Hidden Garden
space is also used for morning yoga and stretch
classes. Speaking of wellness, do recommend
clients slip away to the resort's Feel
Harmony Spa, with its spa attendant-guided
hydrotherapy ritual. Our 80-minute
Caviar Deluxe Facial was nothing short
of exquisite.
recommend.com
http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend November 2017
