True luxury when taking a holiday means a worry-free mind, watching the real-world thoughts and stresses that accompanied you in the cab ride to a resort melt away like that piece of ice that spilled out from your rum and coke onto the pool deck. Your only worry should be finding creative ways to relax. Enter the Riviera Maya.
Related: Here are seven luxury resorts where health and wellness for guests are top priority
Typically, an all-inclusive holiday at resort in Mexico harkens back to high school spring break in Cancun, cheap drinks at Senor Frog’s, some loud, bad poolside version of some loud, bad mainstream musical act, and wet t-shirt contests.
Not so at Unico 20° 87°, which has mastered the art of the all-inclusive at a five-star resort – put your wallet in the room safe and leave it there.
The service, the pool area, the room accommodation, the spa – these are all first rate. But what really marks the place are the dining options. Everyone was raving about Mura House before our arrival, so we made that our first dining stop. Japanese food in the heart of the Riviera Maya – one wonders what you’ll get. Our waiter Eliseo kept the wine topped up as my wife set into Miso soup (very flavourful).
I am a picky eater – but the flavour off the rice and lobster dish practically punched me in the nose. Now it was official. We had arrived – that moment when everything else melted away. It started raining hard outside but that didn’t matter. Don’t think about the prices, just choose your meal and enjoy. You can also enjoy Italian fare at Mi Carisa, Mexican at Cueva Siete, steak at 20.87 (which is where you also go for a bountiful breakfast buffet), or world-class coffee and sandwiches at Cafe Inez.
The resort is also making a statement in terms of sustainable travel. They use solar power to help heat the three pools on the property as well as the lighting. The entire grounds as you walk around the property feature trees and plants that celebrate the natural environment of the region. The hotel also supports local wildlife preservation initiatives that guests can contribute to.
Unico 20° 87°: Just the facts
THE ROOMS: Incorporates many natural and handmade materials sourced from the area. The rooms and suites feature a balance of modern luxury with local rustic moments. Guests are assigned a personalized local host who takes care of all your needs. Rooms are very spacious, with outdoor spa tubs and exterior lounging areas. Head here for virtual tours of the rooms and suites.
WELLNESS: For many, a trip to this region of the world is for the purpose of physical and spiritual regeneration, and Unico delivers on so many levels. Try the hydrotherapy treatment in the Esencia Spa, followed by a couples Swedish massage, followed by a day at the pool, steak dinner at 20.87, then a nine-hour sleep in your King bed, in your PURE Hypo-Allergenic room (seven-step process that reduces airborne particles, with a state-of-the-art air purification system), with the sounds of the Caribbean in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
