Landing at Cancun Airport in 2022 is a bit like waiting in line for a nightclub. The rhythm of the dance music that hits you as you pass through arrivals, not to mention the throngs of scantily clad people milling about outside with taxi drivers, is likely an amuse-bouche that, for many visitors, will set the tone for the rest of their vacation. The tourists—the women invariably clad in leggings and crop tops and the men in muscle-bound T-shirts—are funneled straight from the luggage room to Coco Bongo like a line of wobbly ants that have been doused in mezcal.
A victim of mass tourism, this once-beautiful region of Mexico has transformed into a perpetual hangover, with rising crime rates, oversubscribed beach resorts, and an Instagram snap for aspiring influencers. As a friend recently told me, "Everything's gotten a little Marbs vibes." In other words, it's not the first place you'd search the map for a destination for spiritual awakening, sustainable travel, or connecting with nature. But in one part of the Yucatán, that's changing.
Just a short distance from the Riviera Maya, you'll find yourself in a part of the Mexican Caribbean that lends itself to a new kind of travel. Where you and I might see an endless sea of untouched mangrove jungle, luxury developers have spotted an opportunity. The towering skeleton of the soon-to-be-completed St. Regis looms over the landscape like a Wellsian behemoth, and the EDITION range of hotels—famous for their fashionable outposts in London and New York—also plans to open this year.
The atmosphere in this part of the world is completely different from that of Tulum, and is definitely aimed at those who have the desire - and the means - to escape and enjoy the wild beauty of this part of the Yucatán.
I'm here to stay at Etéreo , one of the area's first five-star resorts, which opened late last year. Part of the Auberge Resorts collection, it has 75 rooms spread across eight condo-like buildings, as well as its own private beach. It's nestled in a 500-acre mangrove preserve that truly feels like the end of the world. It's no wonder then that Etéreo , which means "ethereal," is a little corny, but ultimately very wholesome.
Spirituality is important at Etéreo . When my wife and I arrive in the car they've sent to the airport, exhausted from the ten-hour flight, a welcoming committee of white-clad staff greets us by blowing a conch shell to announce our arrival. Each group of guests is assigned a personal guide, who helps them with anything they need during their stay. There's also no laborious check-in process; the guide escorts you to your room with an iPad and leaves within minutes.
Families are welcome at Etéreo , but during our five nights here, we didn't see a single child—it was mostly honeymooners or groups of serene-looking friends. Perhaps it's the feeling of intimacy, of being isolated in the middle of a lagoon, but the vibe at Etéreo is decidedly romantic. From the huge wooden boardwalk on the shore to the private pool on our room's balcony overlooking the sea of mangroves, everything feels like the "perfect getaway" you always hear about but rarely get to actually experience.
The hotel blends seamlessly into the natural environment, and much effort has been made to preserve the surrounding flora and fauna. A team of in-house botanists maintains the foliage around the hotel and provides advice on how to preserve local biodiversity. The hotel's staggered room blocks are limited to four stories, and mangroves, which provide a natural barrier against hurricanes and protect against flooding, still occupy most of the space. A network of picturesque wooden bridges has been built, giving the impression of "floating" above the swamp.
Lizards, exotic birds, and even coatis—a species of raccoon—roam the area, and rays and sea turtles can be spotted while paddleboarding or canoeing.
The modernist architecture firm Migdal Arquitectos has done an objectively impressive job of blending the building into the surrounding jungle. Although the hotel is new, it feels as if it has sprung from the ground. To create this overall effect, the architects used local materials such as tzalam wood and chukum plaster, a type of stucco developed by the Maya that is smooth to the touch. Thanks to its porous nature, it might be the ideal material for a pool deck.
New York-based design studio Meyer Davis is responsible for the interiors and was inspired by "Mexico's artisanal heritage." That means lots of wood and stone in spacious, tasteful suites with private pools or balconies overlooking the mangroves. You feel like you're truly in the jungle, but in an oasis where a friendly staff is on hand to bring you mojitos.
The hotel's three restaurants are described as distinct experiences, but they're all within a few meters of each other, and with the exception of the Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian ingredients prepared with Japanese culinary techniques), they're essentially variations on the same theme. Fortunately, this theme leaves nothing to be desired and is a truly epicurean dive into impressive food and drink. The Piña Negra —a creation by an in-house mixologist made with roasted pineapple, mezcal, rosemary, and charcoal—is excellent, while the cacao and mezcal pairing is an intoxicating way to discover the region's impressive alcohol industry.
The spa, called Sana , is housed in a modernist white space flanked by shimmering pools of water. Upon entry, each guest is "blessed" with a ceremony of burning herbs and prayers. There are no ascetic or medical overtones here; rather, it's a place where one can connect with oneself and experience a bit of Mayan culture. The massages incorporate Mayan spirituality using crystals and healing stones, which, far from being a wellness invention, feels like an authentic glimpse into the region's history.
Pressing a piece of onyx into my hand, the massage therapist asks me to "set an intention" for the day. My mind is crystal clear and my belly is full, so I decide to make the choice to appreciate the present moment. And to have chilaquiles for breakfast again tomorrow.
The best parts of Etéreo , however, are the ones you can't order from a menu. On one of our last nights, we head out onto the vast, deserted promenade to watch the eclipse. The night sky in this part of the world is truly breathtaking; a wild heron wades in the shallows nearby, while wisps of cloud sail beneath the Strawberry Supermoon, which is bright thanks to the relative lack of light pollution. It remains to be seen how long the magic of this region will be preserved, but for now, it's all to be seen.
Photo of the guest rooms in Etéreo, Riviera Maya, Mexico - Auberge Resorts Collection
Text by Mr Ashley Ogawa Clarke
