Rosewood Mayakoba review: a stunning setting to rave about

It feels too nonchalant to describe Rosewood Mayakoba as a hotel. Yes, all the components of a hotel exist – rooms, restaurants, staff and so on – but when did you last get a keycard for a floating villa in the south Mexican jungle?

What made the biggest impression when I stayed wasn’t just supreme luxury and a magnificently integrated setting, but its attention to detail. A vacation here is an uncommonly personalised one. The experience is so frictionless, so considered, that you can only absorb what an extraordinary part of the world you’re in.

Why stay here?

In the narrowest sense, Rosewood Mayakoba is a resort within a resort. But hear me out. The Mayakoba complex – on Riviera Maya in the southern Mexico state of Quintana Roo – is home to a community of hotels scattered across a meandering, mangrove-fringed lagoon connected to the Caribbean Sea.

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The lagoon existed long before hotels, such as The Rosewood, thought to develop on it. It’s normal for that to arouse some concern. But with a responsible, long-term vision, biodiversity in Mayakoba is thriving now more than ever. When curious turtles swim up to your suite or a resident spider monkey makes an appearance, hopefully you’ll feel as reassured as I did.

And that takes me back to my original point. A stay at Rosewood Mayakoba may be conceptually self-contained, but the reality is the opposite of limiting. You will live and breathe the exhilarating ecological, cultural and ancestral spirit of this fascinating part of Mexico in every moment you’re here.

The accommodation

Be prepared for an epic check-in process, which is something I’ve never written before. Just entering the complex is dramatic enough, especially at night when the colossal gates part and torches illuminate the way. It’s less hotel, more Jurassic Park.

Spiralling down to the lagoon from the lobby, a boat – yes, a boat – will personally transfer you to your suite, and that’s when Mayakoba sinks in. The sticky tropical climate. The cacophony of exotic sounds. Even the layout, as you glide past the many detached candlelit rooms, is something to marvel at in itself.

My spacious deluxe overwater lagoon suite occupied three elegant rooms. Rustic Mexican wood, giant ceramics and hardback books from regional artists infuse a clean, modern finish with Mayan warmth. But the suite’s X-factor lies outside, where you can unwind with nature in your very own plunge pool overlooking the lagoon. There’s also a stimulating waterfall shower buried in a private, pebble-lined patio wrapped in agave, palms and other plants native to southern Mexico. If that’s a novelty, it didn’t show any signs of wearing off on me.

The service

Every guest has their own butler, contactable around the clock with an app. Ironically, the service culture is so intuitive that you may struggle to find a need to contact yours.

My stay was overflowing with moments that would impress even the most demanding guest. One evening, I found a fresh new bookmark peacefully replacing the dog-eared receipt I had wedged in the novel left at my bedside. A trivial gesture for some, but I read this as a sign of a highly trained team who are constantly thinking two steps ahead.

But you’ll never feel overindulged. Much like what I observed in Madrid’s Rosewood Villa Magna, the charming staff discretely blend into the experience at Mayakoba, respectfully distant but relentlessly attentive. They are what make Mayakoba the frictionless paradise it is.

Facilities and experiences

There are two beach clubs in Mayakoba fading into the brilliant white sand and blissfully warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Wherever you are, both are minutes away on a bike or one of the hotel’s fleet of golf carts. Cushioned beds await and you’ll be quickly welcomed with ice cold mineral water and cooling spray. Sunscreen and insect repellent are offered, as are complimentary cocktails and snacks. Other than a decent book and sunglasses, I’m not sure what else you’d need to bring with you. Like everything else, it’s frictionless.

For the more adventurous, Mayakoba’s unique geography is poised for exploration. An eco tour of the lagoon will tell you everything about its teeming plant and animal population, and you can get even closer to it on a hydrobike, which is sort of like a spin class on water. And then there are the spectacular cenotes: ancient, water-filled sinkholes abundant in the Yucatan Peninsula, which are reachable with a guide.

Wellness is ubiquitous here, but the Rosewood’s spa, Sense, enables another level of escapism. Hidden away in the overgrowth, it has an isolated, retreat-like presence. The apothecary massage, held in the Kuxtal Sensory Garden, is steeped in Mayan tradition and spiritually adapted to each guest. Sense also offers a Temazcal, an ancient Mesoamerican ritual performed in a sweat lodge by an indigenous shaman. It’s intense and certainly not for the claustrophobic, but it’s a transcendental experience if you allow it to be.

Eating and drinking

Mexico’s beloved cuisine is stylishly represented in all of the Rosewood Mayakboba’s eight restaurants, but the jewel in its crown is La Ceiba. Twice weekly, this kitchen-garden becomes a festive gathering of guests and staff around communal tables, where high-grade tequila and Mexican wine flows through an exquisite menu designed around whatever grows on the premises.

If you’ve made friends at La Ceiba, you’ll probably bump into them at breakfast in Casa del Lago, perched over the resort’s cascading flagship pool area. The usual favourites can be found with Latin twists, but don’t leave without trying one of its Mexican specialities, like the chilaquiles – a fiery and flavourful mess of corn tortilla shards, seafood broth and salsa, guaranteed to set you up for the day. Or at least until Aquí Me Quedo’s beachfront food truck calls. The rampantly tasty shrimp tacos and ceviche are the closest you’ll get to the country’s famous street food culture here, transported to the clean air and soothing views of the coast. It’s a satisfactory trade-off.

Zapote Bar fizzes with the wild energy of a carnival, especially on Wednesdays when locals often visit. Its cocktails are internationally acclaimed and, if you’re lucky, you may be there when a guest mixologist curates a one-off menu. Massimo Zitti’s “Visions of Oaxaca” – laced with mezcal, sherry, chocolate and black garlic – was a heady highlight when I visited. A seat at the big central table is a great way to soak up the atmosphere and mingle with other guests, but that won’t make you exempt from being serenaded by the exuberant live band if you’re celebrating a special occasion.

The verdict

Rosewood Mayakoba is a hotel of spectacular scale and ambition. Just its setting is enough to rave about for a lifetime. But to make an artform out of even the smallest details is emblematic of what it truly stands for. This doesn’t come cheap, but it takes huge investment to create an experience like this, one that weaves unparalleled luxury into a naturally stunning environment, all while making you feel like you’re the only guest that matters.

Dominic Kocur was a guest of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. Rosewood Mayakoba, Ctra. Federal Cancún-Playa del Carmen, Mexico; rosewoodhotels.com