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PARAISO DE LA BONITA RESORT AND THALASSO |
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BAHIA PETENPICH, YUCATAN, MEXICO
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On arrival, you are met by a chauffeur-driven Lincoln Navigator stocked with cold drinks and chilled towels, a suggestive hint of the stylishness of Paraíso de la Bonita, An intimate, beachfront boutique resort featuring ocean view suites nestled amidst 14 acres leading into the Caribbean Sea. After a 15 minute drive to Bahia Petenpich, past an imposing gatehouse and into the hotel's landscaped grounds filled with parading peacocks, you are deposited at the grand lobby with its colossal, hand-hewn timber pillars and beams, colonial archways, muted-red walls and beautifully crafted palm-thatched roofs. There is an abundance of interesting detail: pre-Columbian statues, Moroccan lamps, monkey cages from Nepal and carved wooden tables from India, all collected by the hotel's Mexican architect and owner Carlos Gosselin.
The 90 suites are decorated in nine distinctive styles. The closest to a Mexican style is the blue-and-yellow flower-print Caribbean suite, which is vast, with stuccoed arches leading from living room to bedroom to an extravagant bathroom with a deep marble tub, handcrafted glass sinks, Frette robes and Bvlgari toiletries. From the terraces there are spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea spilling over the Mesoamerican Reef. All rooms feature large, private outdoor terraces with dining tables; living rooms; marble bathrooms; separate showers with extra soothing jets; handcrafted double sinks; Internet access; televisions plus a DVD player for film and music.
It isn't difficult to understand why John Galliano stayed for a month. As you approach the pool, three waiters hurried over to lay out towels, proffer Evian face mists and take our drinks order. For many guests the big draw is the thalassotherapy spa. The first of its kind in Mexico, it has sophisticated treatments based on sea water, sand and algae. Offering much more than beautifying massages and facials, these French therapies are famous for their curative and preventive health benefits. To complement the spa's accent on health, French chef Fabrice Guisset creates low-calorie dishes at La Canoa restaurant; those after more can opt for the veal medallions in morel sauce and the sinful dark-chocolate dome stuffed with iced guanábana. Kaax' restaurant, where breakfast is served daily, offers traditional Mexican fare. Adjacent to it is Sikil, the terrace bar.
The hotel also has a 50-foot luxury catamaran, 'La Bonita', available for guest hire and decorated with antiques, art and sculpture. Two new yachts will join the La Bonita fleet from December 2006.
CONTACT
Paraíso de la Bonita Resort and Thalasso, Carretera Cancún-Chetumal Km 328,
Bahia Petenpich (00 52 998 872 8300; fax: 872 8301; www.paraisodelabonita.com). Doubles from US$617
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