DESTINATIONS MEXICO | CARIBBEAN
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya; Awaken Your Senses dining experience; Rhythm & Motion spa treatment; Deluxe Swim-up King room at the property’s adult-only Heaven PICTURES: Hard Rock International; Cana Y Punto
Hotel Riviera Maya, where new rooms, activities and restaurants are offering music-loving guests even more fun than before. If you want to feel like a rock star, this is the place to come. The star fantasy – and treatment – begins the moment I set foot in the Hard Rock’s lofty lobby, which is filled with a good-sized stage and musical motifs. It’s easy to imagine I’m a rising star, especially in one of the brand-new swim-up collection rooms, featuring hammocks and private sun terraces. It’s bright and modern, with the large whilrpool bath (which in standard rooms is on the balcony) taking pride of place in the room.
A-LISTER APPEAL A minibar, 24/7 room service and Bluetooth speakers on the giant TV make it hard to leave, but the live music and DJ sets from the new Oasis pool eventually tempt me to one of the new luxury poolside cabanas to enjoy the
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vibes. A quieter pool, a freshwater pool modelled on Tulum’s famous cenotes, and sheltered little beaches offer appealing alternatives if the party atmosphere gets too much.
THE ULTIMATE DINING Heaven’s French, Mexican, Asian and Italian eateries will soon be joined by a Thai restaurant to broaden the poolside array of fast food. But the acme of eating here is the new Awaken Your Senses multisensory dining experience, where a combination of music, storytelling, playful interactive elements and seven imaginative courses is unforgettable.
MORE, MORE, MORE Music fans will love the live acts, chillout tunes at the bar and dance beats of the nightclub. But the poolside prog rock one morning sends me off in search of some peace at the tranquil Rock Spa and Wellness, where the Body Rock
gym, 75 treatment rooms and a full hydrotherapy programme leave me feeling wonderfully revitalised.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN On my last day, I borrow a bike to explore the resort. I’m struck by how big it is, but also by its tranquillity; away from the pool, the site teems with colourful and exotic wildlife. So while the Hard Rock feels high-energy, it is so much more – essentially a top-end adult-only resort with genuine mass appeal. Just watch out for that prog-rock-loving DJ.
BOOK IT
Seven nights at Heaven at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya costs from £1,795 per person sharing a Deluxe Gold Room on an all-inclusive basis, including British Airways flights from Gatwick, departing June 4, 2023.
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THINGS TO DO IN YUCATAN
Snorkelling: Snorkel the stunning coastline of the Riviera Maya by boat or catamaran, breaking for a zingingly fresh fish ceviche lunch on board.
Mayan ruins: Climb the pyramid-temples of the Cobá archaeological site in the heart of Tulum’s exotic Mayan jungle before cooling off with a dip in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Jungle gym: Zip through the heart of that jungle with Cancun Adventures. Fly five different ziplines above the jungle canopy before swimming and snorkelling in a Mayan underground river and cave system.
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