At first look, Paraiso de la Bonita resembles numerous luxurious beachfront resorts. However this newly renovated Riviera Maya adults-only resort simply north of Puerto Morelos (a part of the Royalton Reserve and Marriott Luxurious Assortment) looks like a real beachfront hacienda.
That’s as a result of it was initially conceived and constructed within the early 2000’s by Mexican architect and bon vivant Carlos Gosselin for his “bonita” spouse Elisa, as an homage to their international travels and an oceanfront house to their mates and associates who visited from far and extensive.
Events, Work, and Peacocks
Years in the past, the pair hosted creatives of all types as their visitors in a collection of suites that snake alongside the seashore, every named for one of many couple’s favourite journey locations. Sculptures and work from the Gosseln’s assortment fetched from India, Africa, and Latin America nonetheless adorn the partitions of the frequent areas of the resort, and domesticated birds like Cosmo the Peacock nonetheless roam the property among the many native coatis and iguanas, whereas Sofia the crimson macaw is a fixture in the principle foyer.
Renovations and Reserve Suites
The resort reopened in January 2026 and now boasts 100 suites, every with an up-close ocean view. The unique chain of 2-story buildings at the moment are complemented by “The Reserve,” a 7-story constructing on the south finish of the “snake,” anchored by the glowing new saltwater pool (there at the moment are two on the property). I used to be hosted in a Grasp Luxurious Suite on the sixth ground of that constructing, and my huge 1,238 square-foot room had a plunge pool up entrance with some very cool modular seating, an out of doors bathe in again with one other view of the ocean, Frette linens, and a beautiful, understated earth-toned decor. The suites within the authentic buildings begin at 1130 sq. toes, and have soaking tubs and personal terraces or balconies for gazing on the Caribbean.
My suite was one in every of thirty-three within the Diamond Membership, aka the Chairman Constructing, which will get you a pleasant butler only a WhatsApp message away. My butler, Catherine, ironed my wrinkly summer season clothes and wrote a pretend observe to my employer once I declared that I didn’t need to go away. “Expensive Boss,” she wrote, “Ms. Lisa urgently wants extra seashore days to spice up her efficiency.”
This kind of heat and exceptionally private service was repeated time and again throughout my keep. Each workforce member I encountered provided such real care, from the servers at breakfast to the bartenders on the lounges. I requested Cesar Eslava, the Common Supervisor, if any workers remained from the Gosselin days, and he confirmed that a number of workforce members have been there for over 25 years, together with Sofia and Cosmo.
Simple Dwelling on the Ocean
The resort is all-inclusive, adults-only, and feels extremely personal and protected due partly to the kilometer of beachfront area it stretches throughout. The eating places by no means require reservations, and particular bites and buffets are provided each day at the poolside. When it’s time to eat, there’s an interesting assortment of choices. Breakfast occurs at Ok’uhul, with reside comal cooking and a mixture of buffet and a la carte dishes.
Chef-driven Côté à Costa presents Mediterranean fashion coastal cooking, together with loads of contemporary seafood and luxe substances, plus a wine cellar manned by onsite specialists. Joya, the beachside bar and grill, has a woodfired pizza oven, contemporary ceviches, and Latin flavors to take pleasure in all day lengthy. We additionally ate at Qin Qin, an Asian Fusion spot within the Chairman Constructing with yummy dumplings, contemporary sushi, and flaming tableside desserts.
A great deal of enjoyable actions are additionally accessible, working the gamut from wine or mezcal tastings, tennis, yoga, snorkeling, cocktail making, and latte artwork. Customized cooking lessons are held within the model new Gosselin Cooking Studio, a well-equipped area to make ceviches with the lodge’s form and educated cooks. My favourite was the workforce’s beachside model of a paint and sip, referred to as Aperol and Canvas, the place you may unleash your internal Picasso or Matisse and sketch the palm tree-studded panorama or a portrait of your favourite resident animal. I opted to color the colourful Sofia and introduced house a home made memento.
Most individuals on the resort check with Buena Onda, the ornate bar off the foyer, because the “Piano Bar,” since of us collect there after dinner to take pleasure in reside music together with in style piano sing-a-longs, however there’s additionally craft cocktails from the martini cart to pattern, espresso drinks to sip all day, and a few unimaginable artwork items from the unique assortment, just like the Religion and Hope dragon sculptures which you can fist-bump for luck.
Mayan Traditions
Paraiso de la Bonita upholds the Mayan custom of aluxes, the tiny legendary goblins mentioned to guard the crops and jungles of the Yucatecan peninsula. Ask to go to their little homes on web site, which the lodge workforce retains stocked with open cans of Dos Equis beer and Pepsi to honor and preserve them comfortable.
The beachfront temazcal ceremony, a pre-hispanic fashion sweat lodge, was a spotlight of my keep. We sat in a dome constructed from volcanic rock whereas a shaman helped us purify our souls and reconnect with ourselves. The shaman’s assistants create steam by pouring water over sizzling stones that they heated beforehand in an adjoining wood-fired oven. They play devices whereas the chief chants, and everybody sweats. I discovered this expertise a bit of scary at first, however because the shaman continued to talk and chant, I turned very snug, even within the intense warmth, and left with an internal and outer glow.
Thalasso Spa, the resort’s newly renovated, 22,000 sq. foot sanctuary, presents extra modern wellness experiences in a contemporary, light-filled area. There’s model new hydrotherapy circuit in a sunshine flooded space, plus saunas, steam rooms, an out of doors saltwater pool, a salt room and therapeutic massage cabins with views of the ocean.
Treatment for the Crowds
All this luxurious provides as much as a remedy for the crowded resorts that line the highway from Cancun to Tulum. Give me fewer rooms inside a much bigger, oceanfront footprint, and loads of interesting eating, consuming, and exercise choices geared toward entertaining a smaller variety of visitors and I’ll take this art-filled paradise based with coronary heart.
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