Hyatt’s Growing Yucatán Portfolio Offers Guests Authentic Cultural Experiences

The view from the Secrets Moxché infinity pool for Preferred Club guests, with Secrets guest rooms on the right and Impression guest rooms on the left – Photo credit: Sara Perez Webber

Luxury all-inclusives for adults?

A serene boutique property emphasizing nature?

A beachfront resort with a pampering spa in the heart of the action?

Check, check and check.

With the fastest-growing luxury portfolio in resort locations worldwide, Hyatt offers all those options and more in the Riviera Maya, on the eastern shore of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Whichever type of property they choose, at each resort your clients will discover ways to experience Yucatán culture and traditions through cuisine, activities and entertainment.

We’ve rounded up examples at four properties in Hyatt’s growing collection on the Mexican Caribbean.

Secrets Moxché Resort & Spa, Playa del Carmen and Impression Moxché by Secrets, Playa del Carmen

The lofty open-air entrance leading to a stunning vista of the azure Caribbean gives guests the first glimpse of the earthy décor at these adults-only, all-inclusive resorts. Reflecting the Mayan word in their names—“moxché,” meaning “tree root”—the all-suite, AAA Five Diamond properties feature muted woods, marble, stone and granite, weaving a calming sense of the outdoors into all indoor spaces.

“At Impression Moxché by Secrets and Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen, we place an emphasis on crafting authentic experiences that connect guests to the vibrant Mayan culture and cuisine of the Yucatán,” says Eric Freudenthaler, resort managing director. “By embracing local traditions and local ingredients and styles of cooking, we celebrate the region’s rich heritage, offering tailored experiences that leave a lasting impression.”

The Seaside Beach Club at Impression Moxché by Secrets – Photo credit: Sara Perez Webber

The 485 suites at Secrets Moxché Resort & Spa—opened in April 2022—maximize ocean views, with many angled toward the sea and all offering at least a partial glimpse of the Caribbean. They’re also spacious, with an average size of 775 square feet. All have large balconies or terraces, and 42 boast private plunge pools.

More than half of Secrets’ accommodations are Preferred Club, which are closer to the ocean and come with additional amenities, such as access to a private lounge, outdoor soaking tubs, a dedicated floor concierge and—most enticingly—a stunning rooftop restaurant, lounge and infinity pool.

For clients looking for the highest level of luxury and service, Impression Moxché by Secrets—a separate building in the same complex that debuted in December 2022—offers 198 butler-served suites starting at nearly 1,000 square feet, slanted at a 45-degree angle to capture ocean views; 26 have private pools, and the two double-story penthouse suites boast an impressive 3,000 square feet each. Impression’s four pools and three restaurants are exclusive to its guests—including a rooftop infinity pool and beach club—although Secrets guests can pay an additional fee to dine at Teodoro, serving a gourmet seven-course pairing menu.

Preferred Club Junior Suite at Secrets Moxché – Photo Credit: Sara Perez Webber

In addition, Impression guests have access to Secrets’ vast array of amenities and restaurants, such as seven pools, including a manmade beach; a private beachfront; seven á la carte restaurants, with cuisine ranging from Italian to French to plant-based Southeast Asian; the Market Café buffet-style restaurant, offering an impressive array of international cuisine; a 24-hour coffee shop; activities including pickleball, tennis, a golf simulator and water sports; and the Secrets Moxché Spa, with its relaxing hydrotherapy circuit.

Moxché management continues to introduce additional high-end experiences, such as the Impression Makers Supper Club Series, in which Michelin-starred chefs such as Stefano Secchi from New York’s Rezdôra collaborate with Moxché’s chefs for one-night-only events.

Through its design, cuisine and activities, Moxché ensures guests experience the spirit of the Yucatán. For example: 

• Three pools are modeled after cenotes, the natural sinkholes found throughout the Yucatán Peninsula that were a vital source of fresh water for the ancient Maya.
• At Dos Almas, the authentic Mexican restaurant, Master Chef Daniel Manzano serves a seven-course taco-and-cocktail pairing menu, available for an additional cost. The chef describes tacos and mole as the “dos almas” (or “two souls”) of Mexican cuisine.
• Special cultural events are regularly offered, such as a weekly Cacao Ceremony, in which a group of singers and musicians lead guests through a ritual based on the cacao plant, considered sacred to the ancient Maya.

Wakax Hacienda, Tulum

A one-of-a-kind peaceful retreat opened in 2021, Wakax Hacienda immerses guests in the natural beauty of the Yucatán. The sprawling resort in the jungle of Tulum features just 48 rooms designed in a traditional, rustic style, with handcrafted decor and walls made of chukum, an ancient Mayan stucco technique. It’s part of the Mr and Mrs Smith boutique hotel collection, available through World of Hyatt for members to earn and redeem.

Guests exploring the grounds of Wakax will find buildings modeled after those on an 18^th-century hacienda, such as La Casa del Patrón (owner’s house), site of one of three pools; and a charming chapel that hosts on-site weddings.

For clients who’ve always wanted to explore a cenote, this is the place to book. Wakax is home to three natural cenotes that are only accessible by guests, all connected to the world’s largest underground river system. In the resort’s 45-minute Underground River Experience, participants are led by a guide through a semi-flooded cavern, where they swim through cool, crystal-clear waters amidst stalactites and stalagmites.

The 48 guest rooms at Wakax Hacienda feature handcrafted decor and walls made of chukum, an ancient Mayan stucco technique – Photo credit: Sara Perez Webber

Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen

Once ensconced in the distinctive, calming atmosphere of the 314-room Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen, guests may forget they’re just a couple blocks from the bustling shops, bars and restaurants of La Quinta Avenida, or 5^th Avenue.

“Conveniently located in downtown Playa del Carmen, we aim to be an extension of our guests’ rich Yucatán experience,” says Paul Wood, general manager. “Travelers come to Playa del Carmen to immerse themselves in the local culture, and we provide a true taste right on the Caribbean Sea.”

Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen – Photo credit: Sara Perez Webber

The Grand Hyatt’s locally inspired design is on display from the moment of arrival, with an arresting fountain at the entrance that resembles the pyramid of Chichén Itzá. Works by Mexican artist César López Negrete—who was inspired by a six-month stay at the resort—are scattered throughout the property, including a eucalyptus wooden bench in the open-air lobby in the shape of Kukulkan, the Mayan serpent god, and a mural of two life-size whale sharks that’s a popular selfie spot.

The Paseo, an open-air pathway, descends from the lobby to the three infinity pools and beach, leading guests past the resort’s own version of 5^th Avenue—including a coffee and pastry shop, gift shop and the Sushi N Raw Bar, the only sushi spot in Playa del Carmen with an ocean view. The vine-covered cone rising up in the middle of the Paseo alerts guests to one of the resort’s biggest selling points—the Cenote Spa.

Inspired by the Yucatán’s natural healing pools, the spa’s mystical design adds to its allure. The eight treatment suites feature views of the mangrove gardens preserved on property. Advise clients to inquire about the Sound Healing ceremony, offered upon request around the whirlpool at the base of the cenote cone. The dome’s acoustics lend an otherworldly echo to the native instruments played during the ceremony, including the didgeridoo-like Mayan trumpet.

Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen – Photo credit: Sara Perez Webber

All the spacious rooms and suites have private balconies overlooking either the Caribbean or the mangrove gardens, with 42 including plunge pools and 27 swim-up rooms opening up directly to a pool.

The resort continues to add innovative ways for guests to experience local flavors, such as a weekly mezcal tasting, pairing different varieties of the agave spirit with cacao. At the cooking classes offered by La Cocina Restaurant, participants can learn how to roll and press tortillas.

For groups and special events, the Grand Hyatt offers unforgettable options. At the new Splash Dinner, which can be arranged for groups of six to 20 guests, diners sit at a table arranged in a wading pool on a terrace overlooking the Caribbean. As they dangle bare feet in the water, guests are served by a wading wait staff. And the resort’s iconic entrance serves as a dramatic backdrop for dinners emphasizing Mexico’s heritage, with traditional Mayan dancers descending the pyramid before a meal that celebrates local ingredients and flavors.  

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.