Hotel Esencia review: a secret retreat and day trips to Chichén Itzá
This hotel on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula offers chic accommodation and a private beach
The Yucatán Peninsula, in the south-east of Mexico abutting Belize, is home to the ancient Mayan people. Covered in sprawling, dense jungles, the region is distinctly unusual in its geology due to the Chicxulub impact crater from the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs – shifting tectonic plates, forcing the seabed up to the surface and creating a thin layer of limestone which crumbles away all over this area creating sinkholes known locally as cenotes. There's more on these gateways to the underworld here, but for now we venture into the coastal province of Quintana Roo.
The bustling town of Puerto Aventuras sits on the Riviera Maya, a coast dotted with hotels big and small, on the road south of the hub of Cancun and about 30 minutes north of the confluence of hippy chill and party in Tulum.
Hotel Esencia is nestled off this artery – barely a sign marking its presence, it is intensely private – a secret retreat. Indeed, the tall, white haciendas that compromise the accommodation have no numbers, dense plants encroaching over their paths masking their presence until you are right upon them. How do you remember which is yours? A ribbon, the colour of your choosing, will be tied around a tree so you can find your way home.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Why come here?
The hotel's central path twists onwards like Kukulkan, the mythical Mayan serpent god, through these jungled, dense masses of green to a palm-dotted, open space. A sprawling lawn dotted with trees leads to a large white house in which, remarkably, all the surfaces are white, polished to reflect the light, including sofas built from the floor creating a seamless structure, the room existing even stripped of all its decor and furniture. Hotel Esencia is all smooth, soft-edged and rounded across interiors, gorgeous pebble-surrounded pools, and paths: organic and ergonomic. The colour scheme is royal blue and stark white from staff uniforms to cups and saucers, perhaps reflecting the Caribbean sea at its edge.
The accommodation
Rooms are exquisitely eccentric – timeless with an aesthetic that pulls from the space age style of the mid century to the Wall Street warehouse chic of the '90s. It's a cocoon, a futuristic feeling pod that somehow feels totally now at the same time. The white-on-white-on-white could be almost medical, sterile but for pops of colour – red lines on all the linens, a striking blue and black drape across the bed, the jade green jungle visible through every window, a chrome chair.
The feature you didn't know you needed but now must have – a plunge pool – which sits, recessed, between shower and bedroom. It should be said there is a sense of movement in the room, of no hard surface or stops due to the continuous white that covers floor, walls, ceiling and furniture – curved where floor meets wall, or where the wall segues to the walk-in shower. Rooms are separated with sliding doors and fans are made from vintage, well-polished propellers.
Things to do
The property has a long stretch of private beach. The relentless work of the waves turns coral and seaweed into silk over millennia which means the sands here have the unique property of being cool even in the tropical heat of the midday sun – meaning no awkward hop, skip, ooh and ahh as you make your way to the just-cool waters of the Caribbean from one of the thatched private beach cabanas (all served promptly via a handy button).
A little down the beach, past the turtle nesting site, a 10-minute walk from the property, sits a private cenote, much larger than most and connected to the sea via a tunnel. Manatees frequent it to feed and a guide will take two of you to snorkel with them; it's cool, quiet and very stilling.
It's worth dragging yourself away from your sun-lounger to make the two-and-a-half-hour drive inland to visit the incredible ancient Mayan site of Chichén Itzá. This 1,500-year-old pre-Columbian city is one of Mexico's most celebrated and special places and features at its heart the icon that is the temple of Kukulkan, the aforementioned flying serpent god. Through its various sections, you'll get a glimpse of the scale at which the Mayan people existed, worshipped their gods, sacrificed their champions, played sport and understood maths and astronomy. It gets busy (and hot) so it's worth getting there at opening time. A word to the wise… lots of people will try and flog you tickets and parking, but keep driving till you get to the official car park and ticket office.
As a post-cultural reward, stop in at La Tía De Kaua on the 180 road, 20 minutes or so from Chichén Itzá. A famous spot throughout the region, this is one of a handful of places offering traditional cooking with live fire. The "must-order" dish is "poc chuc", thinly sliced pork cooked on a hot metal dome over the fire served with tortillas, salsa made with vegetables roasted in the embers and a bowl of silky black bean soup.
William Leigh was a guest of Hotel Esencia. Carretera Cancún-Tulum km 265 Xpu-Ha, Quintana Roo 77750 Mexico; hotelesencia.com
Sign up to The Week's Travel newsletter for destination guides and the latest trends.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Gisèle Pelicot: the case that horrified France
The Explainer Survivor has been praised for demanding a public trial of the dozens of men accused of raping her
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
3 tips to lower your household bills
The Explainer Prices on everything from eggs to auto insurance to rent have increased — but there are ways to make your bills more manageable
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 11, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Biltmore Mayfair review: a quintessential slice of luxury London
The Week Recommends This swanky retreat in Grosvenor Square blends old-world glamour with modern comforts
By Caroline Dolby Published
-
Langdale Chase Hotel: a cosy nook in the Lake District
The Week Recommends This Victorian villa has breathtaking views and expansive gardens
By Natasha Langan Published
-
Ramdane Touhami's Hotel Drei Berge
The Blend A passion project in the Swiss mountains sees creative visionary Ramdane Touhami achieving new heights
By Delilah Khomo Published
-
Timeless hotels for old-school elegance
The Blend From Jamaica to Rome, we check into incredibly atmospheric landmarks
By Delilah Khomo Published
-
Hoteliers who host
The Blend Sublime design gets personal at these luxury properties with personality
By Delilah Khomo Published
-
Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, is dead at 88
Speed Read The musician wrote hit songs for Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash before starring in Hollywood movies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
10 concert tours to see this fall
The Week Recommends Rake in the changing of the leaves with a series of autumn shows
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Trigger warnings on screen spark dissent
Talking Point Are they a measure of sensitivity or just unnecessary posturing?
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published