Romance in Banyan Tree Mayakoba
At Harvard Business School, we learned to ask ourselves this question: What is the value of your minute? Earnings per minute of global celebrities — from Oprah Winfrey to Bill Gates, to the world’s newest billionaire, Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helu — were calculated as benchmarks. Then the exercise incites you to introspect and understand how our own personal calculations fare. Wealth may not necessarily equate to happiness but at the end of the day, we realize that our time is the most valuable currency because it can be exchanged for anything. I advocate that we spend it wisely, in places that will make it all worthwhile.
The 90-minute Jetblue Airways flight from Orlando, Florida to Cancun, Mexico, was short but sweet. From the air, picturesque views of stunning white beaches, tropical island shores conjured images of great anticipation. From Cancun International Airport to the posh Riviera Maya where several resorts abound, a brief 30-minute drive on well-paved highways showcased great progress and superb planning.
Upon reaching our resort, the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, we realized it was definitely the most fabulous of them all. We drove up the driveway to an imposing edifice that reeked of great imagination, like Inca stones from a different civilization, resembling an enigmatic structure towering high above, commanding salutations for prayers from the divine heavens.
My traveling companions — Uncle Norm Turley, our “foster” father from Vallejo, California, and our dear family friend Edwin Santos, a physical therapist from Tyler, Texas — and I met up at the Cancun Airport. Together, we revered at the spectacle of the practically brand-new Banyan Tree Mayakoba Resort, barely a year old. As we took each step in the stunning resort, my 80-year-old Papa Norm, as my family fondly calls him, phoned his lovely wife Nilda in California and exclaimed, “Hi honey, I know we have been to luxurious resorts all over the world but nothing can be more beautiful than this place. Have you met anyone who has gone to heaven and returned? You are talking to him right now.”
Papa Norm certainly agreed with the resort’s philosophy that “It’s not that romance has been forgotten, it’s just that you haven’t been in the right place.” He vowed to bring Nilda here soonest.
From the lobby, well-designed, open spaces ingenuously feature a giant banyan tree dramatically spreading its boughs in all glory and reverence. We hopped onto a luxurious 20-foot fiberglass boat with wooden accessories, canvas roof and romantic piped-in music as the gracious staff served us cold water and fragrant towels with the signature verbena scent. We could hardly believe this wonderful welcome as we were ferried through the lush mangroves to our own private, two-bedroom villa fronting the azure ocean.
Everyone in the resort exuded graciousness and loving kindness. Resident manager Peter Hechler shared that the staff is like one big happy family and an amiable countenance is a prerequisite for hiring. This inner joy is passed on to their valued guests. Exotic egrets, cormorants and crabs seemed to be part of the welcome committee. The concern for environmental protection and corporate social responsibility in each Banyan Tree Resort, as told by gracious PR manager Adriana Chardi, is taken seriously. This heartwarming philosophy makes Banyan Tree among my favorite resort brands in the world.
When we reached our villa, we couldn’t believe the size of it — it didn’t feel like a villa, it was more like a house! The features of each of the 132 villas — whether the private garden pool villas, spa pool villas, terrace residences and beachfront pool villas — resonate the discriminating desires of travelers to the Riviera Maya. Honeymooners and couples, larger families, intimate groups of friends can chose from one-, two- or three-bedroom villas that reek of perfect proportions of space, garden and views. Each villa has outdoor heated jet-pools or sunken baths, massage beds, and steam rooms.
Romance, rejuvenation and intimacy is the rule that reigns here. Banyan Tree chairman Ho Kwon Ping advocates, “What we want for a couple is a setting that allows them to respond to some special moment of intimacy — a magical moment that will leave an imprint on their lives that will last forever.”
Even the resort’s architecture evokes romantic surroundings of Asian and Mexican flare. One outstanding feature is the beautifully detailed talavera earthenware in dramatic black and white, specially commissioned for use as bathroom sinks throughout the exquisite resort. What could be more sensational than listening to the romantic roar of the oceanfront while cocooned in the sheer diaphanous netting of the canopy billowing in the crisp cool breeze? 
For holistic rejuvenation, the Banyan Tree introduces the Rainforest in Mayakoba — a colorful hydrothermal circuit of alternating hot and cold thermal cabins for couples to embark on wellness retreats. A walk through the Rainforest trail offers eight different hydrothermal experiences like rain walk, aroma steam chamber, Finnish sauna, brine cavern, ice fountain, showers and vitality pool. In each of these special spaces, I closed my eyes, allowing the rainbow of lights and music to travel within me, releasing the cluttered noise in my mind. As the jets and steam massaged different points in my body, I was able to magnify the intentions and affirmations in my mind. Truly, this is a place of gentle nurturing, self-discovery and awakening. Suddenly, life becomes so simple and challenges seem so easy to conquer.
The resort even has a romance department to ensure countless opportunities for couples to enjoy. Whether a magical moonlit dance to your special tune, private moments like in-villa dining or a sensuous spa treatment, Banyan Tree Mayakoba is an invitation to love that is difficult to resist. Guests can also experience a traditional Mayan ceremony where you request the Mayan gods to grant one special wish for your partner.
In return, you can offer them new life by planting a tree in the Garden of Love and they will name it after you. How about trying the Ixchel dining boat named after the goddess of the moon where couples can enjoy epicurean delights while cruising the romantic waterways?
There are also activities inspired by the four elements of the Riviera Maya to satisfy your spirits. The turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea provide the perfect backdrop for a romantic day at Isla Mujeres. For the earth element, explore the beauty of Sian Ka’an (a Mayan phrase meaning “Where the sky is born.”) This vast stretch of exotic land is currently a UNESCO World Heritage biosphere reserve. Check out the ruins in Xiapak, a small mysterious site which extends 12 kilometers and dive in the crystal clear sea right after.
Take a fiery spiritual journey in the ancient ritual steam bath called Temazcal for blessings, purification and uplift of the spirits. Proceed to the archeological site of Tulum, just 30 minutes away from the Temazcal. Dare to have a totally different experience in the air by skydiving out of a plane flying at 10,000 high. Back on earth, explore refreshing sinkholes, cenote or natural grotto formation. Relax and unwind as you savor a well-deserved lunch with a bottle of champagne.
At Banyan Tree Mayakoba, they advocate that romance is a state of mind that can last forever. A relationship must be nourished spiritually, emotionally and physically.
In order for this to happen, one must carefully create the setting for such priceless emotions to unfold and flourish.
On our last day, I rode my bike around the resort before sunrise. The crisp cool breeze kissed my face as I thanked the good Lord for such traveling mercies and precious time well spent in this paradise. At Banyan Tree Mayakoba, romance punctuates every timeless moment. Here, love is the answer no matter what the question is.
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For more information on Banyan Tree Mayakoba, call (52) 984- 8773688, e-mail mayakoba@banyantree.com, or log on to www.banyantree.com. Thai Airways flies to LA every day; for more info on flight schedules, dial 812-4744. From LA, check expedia.com for best fares to Cancun, Mexico.
E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.
