Days of the Dead and Joy of Life in Riviera Maya. Part 4

Not all of our travel time was about ghosts and spirits, though. We stayed in one of the newest hotels in Riviera Maya, Mandarin Oriental. Built in a sustainable and eco-friendly way, the hotel incorporated the coastal wilderness into its territory. Spacious squeaky-clean villas with floor to ceiling windows included outdoor patio with jacuzzi, all modern conveniences, and décor, derived from surrounding nature. Breakfasts at café Aguamarina, located right on the beach, resembled still lives by Frida Kahlo with their abundance of fresh local fruit bursting with color.
The Spa at the hotel offers individualized services. Lisa Selvin, who works for Mandarin Oriental, took us to the Mandala Garden and explained that visitors can choose their favorites from 12 medicinal herbs grown here and incorporate them in their spa treatments. Yet another luxurious and eco-friendly hotel, Hacienda Tres Rios, opens in Riviera Maya on November 15. The hotel is located on a three-river confluence, within 150 acres of a natural reserve with mangrove forests, undisturbed cenotes and white-sand beaches. This mini-town of a hotel will feature an all-inclusive plan, a dozen of restaurants and bars, a sommelier and tequila expert, and a chef extraordinaire Oscar Orbe. For those who like to be the first, 273 exquisitely decorated suites, spas, Temazcal bath, marina, yacht club, convention center, equestrian center and nature park featuring a Mayan cultural center and nature preserve are waiting… To learn more, visit: http://www.rivieramaya.com/, http://www.xcaret.com/, http://www.alltournative.com.mx/, http://www.mandarinoriental.com/, http://www.haciendatresrios.com/. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. New luxurious rooms await at Hacienda Tres Rios which opens tomorrow. 2. This traveler agrees with Angie Martinez and Alma Lopez of Hacienda Tres Rios that the terracotta color scheme is very fitting for the environment. 3. A beach view at Mandarin Oriental. 4. A view from Aguamarina restaurant. 5. Avocado soup offers cold comfort at Aguamarina.