August begins with the reopening of Belmond’s luxury Maroma hotel. An exquisite resort with 80 hectares, surrounded by nature that’s part of LVMH and has created exclusive experiences in different destinations around the world.
It has 72 rooms, suites and villas spread across the private beach, all of which have been decorated by the international design studio Tara Bernerd & Partners, integrating furniture and objects created with local materials, typical prints, and traditional craftsmanship.
The pools feature Sukabumi tiles hand-made from volcanic stone in the same turquoise tones as the region’s natural cenotes. The new Maroma offers a très chic hacienda-style living.
Guests who search more privacy and comfort can enjoy the Villa Maroma which has four bedrooms, a private pool, a full kitchen, bar, and a spacious outdoor terrace. Or the Oceanfront Villas with two-bedroom beachfront suites and rooftop terrace a few steps from the Caribbean coast and sea.
The chain highlights the timeless tradition and is dedicated to preserving its assets through continuous restoration.
Michelin-Star Mayan Gastronomy
The hotel has four restaurants, including Woodend by Curtis Stone from Michelin-Star chef Curtis Stone. Is the hotel’s signature restaurant that pay respect to the connection between sea and jungle, offering seasonal dishes prepared with local produce using Curtis’ iconic wood-fired grill cuisine.
The menu highlights the history and traditions of Yucatán peninsula, including Grilled Blue Shrimp with green mango, apple, daikon, and charred almonds; Oyster Crudo with a pineapple mignonette and lemongrass; and Baja Striped Bass with tomato fondue, habanero vinegar and pink peppercorns. Vegetarian options include Cabbage Heart with seeded macha and camembert; or Mayan rice with maitake mushrooms, Chaya spinach and wheat berries.
Bambuco bar offers cocktails that tell stories of different Mexican states such as Solteco, made with watermelon, citrus, pepper and mezcal tobala from Oaxaca, or the Gallina Borracha, with agave salmiana from Guanajuato and Zacatecas.
Freddy’s Bar on the beach captivates guests with the Riviera Maya spirit, lively music, fresh seafood, cocktails, and locally sourced raw bar. All seats overlook the sea, and the design evokes the beauty of the surroundings, with inlaid pebble motifs, locally sourced woven fabrics, and tropical tones.
At Casa Mayor, Executive chef Daniel Camacho venerates the culinary diversity of his country. Sustainability is a central focus of this project, with 90% of the ingredients sourced from Mexico and over half from the Yucatán peninsula. The chef is member of #PescaConFuturo and reinvents traditional Mexican cuisine using freshly caught seafood from Amigos de Sian Ka’an.
Guests can enjoy creative and colorful dishes such as seafood towers, corundas from Michoacán, Jalisco-style birria, and chocolate cake with Oaxacan mole flamed with house mezcal. Signature cocktails are based on local ingredients such as chile xkatik, habanero, and sour orange.
Guerlain partners with Belmond to protect nature
Some initiatives include the protection of the endangered melipona bee, which is fundamental to the ecology of the Yucatán Peninsula. An expansion of the resident hives is planned, the aim to reach at least 100 new hives by 2025, this program will be called “Guerlain’s Bee School” and “Women for Bees” where women will raise bees in their respective communities to preserve traditional know-how and raise awareness of this ancient tradition.
A beekeeper will undergo in-depth training to care for Maroma’s hives, while guests can sign up for workshops on the importance of the species’ survival and discover the medicinal and gastronomic benefits through the spa and culinary experiences.
Maroma Spa by Guerlain will open in November and will be the first Spa by Guerlain in Latin America. It will feature natural treatments and immersive experiences for guests, nine treatment rooms overlooking the jungle and incorporate local design elements with geometric shapes and artisanal objects.
The spa will reconnect with spirituality, and you will be able to experience some rituals that have been inspired by ancient practices based on the four elements of nature — fire, water, earth, and air — and the Sacred Melipona Bee, revered by the Mayans for over 3,000 years as a symbol of spiritual resonance.
A signature treatment will be the Bee Healing Ritual, a honey-based treatment renowned for its effective healing powers that calls on Guerlain’s Abeille Royale collection.
Sports and sustainable experiences
At Maroma, golf and sustainability go together. Under the canopy of a beautiful sunset by the Caribbean sea, practice your best shots from the golden shoreline. Each golf ball is made from biodegradable material which, upon landing in the ocean, becomes fish food.
To visit the treasures of Yucatán, the hotel offers easy access to the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere where guests can dive into the underwater world on PADI-certified dives and private snorkeling tours. You can also head to an exclusive cenote nearby, choosing between an open sky dip or an excursion through an underground cavern.
Maroma is member of the EarthCheck program, the world’s first global certification and advisory group to recognize the sustainable practices of organizations in the tourism sector.
The resort has an important nesting and breeding area for endangered species such as Olive Throated Parakeets and White-Fronted Parrots. To help preserve these bird species, Maroma has created a comprehensive conservation program, identifying and protecting nests and hatchlings found on site and providing better environments for their reproduction. The Maroma Turtle Sanctuary also protects White, Loggerhead, Hawkbill, and Leatherback sea turtles and assists in releasing the baby turtles into the ocean.
Maroma is the only luxury hotel in Riviera Maya with a Starlight Tourism Certification by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. An astronomer will map out the Mayan constellations and discover the message of the stars, while you enjoy a pairing of biodynamic wines.
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