Aroma Spa’s soothing whirlpool reflects the calming aura of the rejuvenating experience
Knowing hands healed my body and soul at the Aroma Spa, Esencia Estate’s divine retreat on the Riviera Maya, a week ago. First Ruben deeply soothed my aches from travel, then Therese took me on a voyage of inner discovery the likes of which I’ve never experienced.
With three decades of experience in travel PR, I have had the good fortune to visit well over 100 properties in my career and as often as possible, sampled the local massage techniques. Over the summer I was at the Shangri-la in Bangkok, and had a Thai massage that was deep and powerfully healing.
But now I was in the paradise of the Riviera Maya, with its pure white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, and sparkling clean pools.
Massages and Treatments Par Excellence
Ruben’s massage technique was way more than deep tissue or Mayan. He knew exactly where to treat my knots and sore spots and encased me with his caring touch and attitude. And the next day I felt so much better. I found swimming in the adults-only pool also very therapeutic, followed by lounging on the oh-so-comfortable chaise under a palapa with my husband. He was reading and sketching happily in a state of relaxation I haven’t seen for ages.
I opted for cranial-sacral therapy because I have had it before, but never by someone so intuitive and nurturing as Therese. She guided me through a journey that expanded my consciousness and connected me to my spirit body like never before.
Afterwards, she brought me a wonderful lime and honey concoction the spa is known for, and I shared with her my experiences. I felt I could confide in this trusted soul the nature of my experiences. Therese told me my eyes were shining: everything was connected from the billowing white curtains to the candles setting the room aglow. I wrote all about it in the little red book Esencia puts in each room, and pledged to write about these two magicians in my blog. So here you are!
Celebration for my Husband at a Small Luxury Hotel – a Superb Property
The trip was a surprise to celebrate my husband’s 60th birthday, and I told him, “David, this property is just like a grand home, and has a feeling I like even more than the other super luxury property we stayed at some years back, Necker Island.” I also said, not to worry, the price is much more affordable than Necker. But the sense that you are in a grand estate – albeit a stately one in the case of Esencia – is there. As an architect, he appreciated the proportions and detailing of the hotels guest rooms and public spaces.
When we relaxed in the living room – more like a salon – he said, “This is a perfect room. They’ve taken a bold concept of white-washed walls and floors, with perfectly proportioned spaces, and nine-foot mahogany doors.” Leave it to David to walk up to the door, reach up with his hand, and calculate that with his six foot stance, and an arm reach of a few more, with a couple feet beyond that, he could estimate nine feet. Surely, the scale of the simple but functional front wall, with views of the sea beyond, with its set of four doors and louvers, was a centerpiece of the room’s architecture.
Carefully selected objects adorned the room’s stately cupboards and coffee table. And of course the day we departed, I noticed a must-have woven bag in a glass case I purchased as a keepsake from this wonderful getaway. The room was a peaceful one to relax in, catching up on email before leaving for the trip home. One thing that is great about Esencia, is that it’s only an hour from the efficient Cancun airport, and a few hours flight to JFK. We were home in bed at our regular time, back to snow and cold, but rejuvenated.
As is my standard operating procedure, having served in the field of hotel public relations for over thirty years, I have the benefit sometimes of taking loved ones to the properties we promote. Last time it was Sublime Samana, which I took my daughter and her friend to during a break from college, and now it was this long-awaited celebration in Esencia.
Recommendations to New Friends at Esencia
After a few days – and a few more relaxing and restorative treatments at Aroma Spa– I ran into a British couple by the pool that had just arrived. I told them they must have a massage to settle into the vacation. Well, they took my advice, and the next day the husband said, “We had a couples massage, and it was splendid! Thanks for the suggestion.” We became fast friends over the next few days, comparing notes on future treatments we had and recommending spa staff that we favored.
The guests were as friendly as the staff – and I will write another blog just on the staff because they exemplified a welcoming and warm manner. Always there when you needed them, but never hovering about.
When we were gathering our bags to leave, Philip Vidal, the Estate Manager, appeared and we shook hands to thank him and complement him on the wonderful stay. I said, “You run a superb hotel here at Esencia,” and we chatted about the super-flattering comments in the guest book. He graciously invited us to stay longer, and how we wished we could, but both of us had commitments to return to.
We will return one day to Esencia, and to the calm of Aroma Spa.
What are some of your most memorable spa experiences?