Paraiso de la Bonita
Hotel Information: Frette, Riedel, Bulgari, and Dom Perignon—discriminating guests at Paraiso de la Bonita expect the best. Although there is a tennis court on site and exceptional scuba diving and snorkeling are just a 10-minute boat ride offshore, rest, rejuvenation, and spiritual refreshment are the themes here. Children under 16 are not allowed; there are no organized activities. Fountains and waterfalls run gently.
Amenity highlights: Every facility, every service, every space indoors and outdoors constitutes a highlight at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya. For maximum seclusion, the resort's property includes approximately one km (.5 mile) of deserted beach the consistency of sugar and nearly as white, and miles more of wild beach in either direction. Thatched-roof palapas provide shade. One contains a double hammock for snoozing. A large pool includes a spa and is surrounded by a sundeck furnished with wrought-iron lounge chairs wide as twin beds with plush cushions.
A 22,000-square-foot spa bases holistic treatments on Roman and Greek theories of saltwater therapy, and is the first and only certified Thalasso Center & Spa in North America. Among the spa's many body, facial, and massage treatments is hydrotherapy in a jetted outdoor saltwater pool. The spa contains a couples massage room and an ocean-view fitness center with a sauna, a steam room, a spa tub, and adjacent plunge pool, a self-service juice-and-fruit bar, and a beauty salon.
Insider tip: Useful during daylight for open-air massage and contemplative observance of the sea's colors and rhythms, a palapa at the end of the resort's dock can also be reserved for romantic private dinners.
Equipped with traditional wood-paddle ceiling fans as well air conditioning, exceptional guest suites measure a generous 1,200 square feet. Spacious furnished terraces or small juliet balconies off bedrooms provide sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea. Living rooms are divided by an arch to create a sitting area with a loveseat and a built-in couch, plus a large, marble-topped desk. Antiqued blue furniture predominates, including an entertainment center that contains a 27-inch television, DVD/CD player, and a minibar. The suites include Bvlgari bath amenities, aromatherapy pillows and linen scents, Frette linens and bathrobes, multi-functional rechargeable outlets, electronic security safes, welcome bottles of tequila, and handmade beach bags.
Behind archway drapes, bedrooms feature platform beds with Italian Frette-brand linens and include 25-inch televisions. Suites offer one of six decor motifs (Balinese, Oriental, Caribbean, Indian, Mediterranean, African).
Huge 20-by-10-foot marble-and-stone bathrooms feature bowl-sinks of either crystal or porcelain resting atop twin marble vanities. Sunken marble tubs accommodate at least two adults. The walls behind the tubs contain a window with a garden view and a venetian blind for privacy. Adjacent to the tubs are two-person stall showers with benches and little green gardens outside its glass back walls. Rooms are only available in the European Plan, which includes room accommodations only.
