A Conde Nast Traveler readers’ poll ranked Palmaia: House of Aia the number one destination spa in the world. Discover why – and the reasons it is not simply another resort with a spa
The news reached me only after I had spent three glorious days at Palmaia: House of Aia in Mexico: this luxurious, all-inclusive wellness resort on the Riviera Maya had just been voted the #1 destination spa in the world by readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
At first, I was surprised: what were the chances that, quite by coincidence, the resort I had just experienced would be considered the best in the world?
On second thought, however, I reconsidered: Why not? Palmaia was certainly the best wellness resort I had had the pleasure of staying at in recent memory. And I am happy that hundreds of sophisticated world travelers agree with my assessment.
Palmaia is a sprawling property on a beautiful, semi-secluded section of white sand beach, with a string of swimming pools (one with a swim-up bar) running parallel to the Caribbean Sea and just underneath the balconies of the guest units. The resort is also situated in a magical place: on sacred Mayan land, where underwater rivers have created three accessible cenotes (bathing caverns) in the jungle.
Although Palmaia’s grounds extend for quite a distance, it is easy and pleasant to get from one place to another, whether walking amid the verdant trees lining the roadway, or on bicycles provided by the resort. If you don’t feel like any exertion, one may simply order a golf cart to whisk you to your destination.
In fact, just about anything you desire is just a phone call or WhatsApp message away, thanks to the “nomadic guides” that are assigned to each guest. These friendly and efficient 24/7 butlers-on-call are the ones who remind you of your daily schedule, arrange rides, help with spa and restaurant reservations, and in general, make your stay at Palmaia as hassle-free as possible.
Attentive service and smiling affability are the hallmarks of Palmaia, along with the pristine surroundings and elegantly designed and furnished interior spaces. It’s the kind of place where
the waiters in the restaurant at breakfast and lunch remember your names and preferences, giving guests the feeling that they are not only welcome, they are also cared for.
Deluxe accommodations with stunning views
The guest units at Palmaia comprise 234 suites in low-rise buildings, all of which face the sea, affording breathtaking views as far as the eye can see. The ground-floor suites whose views are obstructed have the compensation of swim-out terraces – stepping out from the patio straight into the swimming pool.
There is no less a spectacular vista from the open-air corridor leading from elevators to the rooms: hundreds of acres of virgin jungle, which are framed in the evenings by gorgeous sunsets.
The beautifully furnished suites break down into six categories, including spacious units to accommodate children. Palmaia is extremely family-friendly, with a dedicated kids’ pool and mini-water playground, plus a full calendar of children’s activities, so that kids are supervised and occupied while parents can be pampered in the spa or participate in the guided rituals that are at the heart of the resort’s wellness program.
It goes without saying that the suites come with every amenity that one expects in a five-star resort: comfortable king-sized beds, user-friendly climate control (A/C plus ceiling fan), large flat screen television with multi-channel and multi-lingual programming, laptop-sized electronic safe for valuables, and refreshment corner with complimentary mineral water, refrigerated minibar with unlimited free drinks and snacks, espresso machines, and electric kettle for making tea. Free fiber-optic WiFi extends to all guest rooms, as well as public spaces.
Bathrooms are fastidiously clean, with spacious shower stalls equipped with dual showerheads, pampering toiletries and hair dryers. Non-family suites contain giant oval soaking tubs. The toilet cabinet is separate from the sink and shower area thus enhancing the privacy factor for couples. Bathrobes and slippers complement the thirsty bath towels.
Healthful dining in style
There are no fewer than four full-service restaurants plus two casual dining options on the property, so eating – even with the emphasis on healthy, wholesome food – never gets boring.
The cuisine at Palmaia may perhaps best as defined as flexitarian, a recently-coined term that refers to a diet of foods that are primarily plant-based – i.e., vegetarian or vegan – with the option for occasional non-vegetarian/vegan substitutions. Thus, no-one is ever deprived of familiar favorites, even while eating guilt-free.
The main restaurant, Su Casa, serves three meals a day, and is always the venue for lunch and dinner. Meals are à la carte, so there is no temptation to stuff oneself at a buffet.
A typical breakfast that gets your day off to a great start might well begin with a bowl of fresh tropical fruit – juicy and delicious morsels that also happen to be packed with enzymes that jumpstart your digestive system. The main hot dish could then be a choice of American or Mexican staples.
Even if you have a late breakfast, you will probably not want to skip lunch, since all meals are included in your room rate. The same goes for the on-site café-cum-juice bar and taco truck, both of which are ideal for between meal snacks, or when you want to have less than a full meal for lunch.
Dining gets really elegant at dinnertime, with a choice of three gourmet establishments: Ume for Asian cuisine, Mar de Olivo – Mediterranean cuisine, with an emphasis on Italian – and Lek, serving up Mexican specialities. It was at the latter restaurant that I enjoyed one of the best meals of my entire month in Mexico: savory giant shrimp from the Pacific coast. Each restaurant also offers a complete menu of cocktails – or equally inviting mocktails, for those wishing to eschew alcohol.
Indulgence does not have to stop after hours, either, with Eolo Beach Club and Premium Bar mixing drinks into the wee hours, And if you don’t feel like venturing out of your comfortable digs, 24-hour room service will deliver from a very ample menu. Even while lounging at the pool or lying on the beach, food and beverage service is always available.
Wellness-oriented holistic activities
Of course, Palmaia is much more than a mere resort, even if that is all you are seeking. It offers a complete, immersive wellness experience, with more than two dozen activities and workshops designed to improve wellbeing at every level: body, mind and spirit.
One may alternate among relaxing and meditative sound rituals, gentle or vigorous physical movement, and/or creative art classes (which may even surprise by awakening hidden talent). Many of these activities, all led and moderated by experts in their fields, venture into unexplored territory, going so far as to stretch the bounds of the imagination.
Achieving a balance of physical, emotional, and spiritual health – which is the aspiration at the essence of every stay at Palmaia – is not necessarily the result of participating in a scheduled or organized activity. Swimming in one of the pools or floating in the ocean, walking or biking along the tree-lined trails, taking dips in the pristine waters of the cenotes or rainforest bathing in the bosom of nature – all harness the power of the spellbinding Mayan environment and contribute in their own special way to the goal of maximizing health, wellbeing and even longevity.
An incomparable spa in a captivating setting
Perhaps no aspect of Palmaia symbolizes the enchantment of the place more than the Atlantis Spa, a venue that exudes mysticism from the moment one enters and spies the melting candles and open pages of an ancient parchment tome.
Welcoming staff lead clients to treatment rooms – called Temples – ensconced in jungle niches. Skilled therapists transport you into a euphoric realm that is hard to describe: one must try one of the exotic treatments – a signature massage, or perhaps an energy reset – to believe it.
After either a therapeutic or beauty alchemy session, one decompresses gently back into the real world, clad in flowing pajamas of the most incredibly soothing fabric, while draped in a warm shoulder compress and sipping ambrosia-like tea. (Access to the spa is reserved for resort guests only and entails an extra, not insignificant charge.)
The spa grounds also incorporate a temazcal, an indigenous sweat lodge, the domain of a presiding shaman, for those wishing to delve into the mysteries of ancient healing practices. Even the fitness room – a gym equipped with the latest state-of-the-art equipment – is encapsulated in a jungle setting.
With so many outstanding complementary components of a stay at the resort, It is impossible to say which facet best characterizes the Palmaia experience, What can be said is that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” adding up to a truly enjoyable and memorable escape from the everyday.
This article first appeared in Everett Potter’s Travel Report and is reprinted here with permission of the author. The author also received a complimentary stay at the Palmaia House of Aia, but as always, our articles are dedicated to the truth of our experiences.
Over the course of a 50-year career that has spanned more than 80 countries, award-winning journalist Buzzy Gordon has been a reporter, editor, and travel writer on five continents. His work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic Traveler, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post, among other leading publications. Buzzy is the author of Frommer’s Jerusalem Day by Day Guide and a contributor to publications in Europe, Israel, and the United States.
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