Some people can relax quickly by hopping a flight to a random all-inclusive beach vacation. Others, I found out on a recent girls’ getaway trip to Cancun and the Riviera Maya, need a few extras to kickstart the decompression.
Making Yourself a Priority
If, like me, you tense up at the thought of check-in crowds and crammed-together charter seating, consider an upgrade that streamlines the travel process. Transat Holiday’s Options Plus ensured our group priority boarding, roomy up-front seats in which work-stiff shoulders could relax immediately, priority unloading of our luggage when we landed, and pronto transportation to our hotel via private vehicle.
The Luxe Life
Nothing sets a relaxation mood faster than complimentary chilled champagne and fresh fruit in an airy room with overstuffed cushions and a plushly appointed bed.
Welcome to the Excellence Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico. This is a five-star hotel akin to New York five-star, only on a much better beach.
Services at Aiile, the adult-only hotel’s impressive spa, banish the remnants of work-related fatigue and nine restaurants offer fare worthy of the term gourmet.
Keep it coming
At the Royal Hideaway in Riviera Maya, meandering paths branch off to a number of cheerful two-storey Colonial-style villas with open centre courtyards.
Skilled spa therapists again reduce us to mellow Jell-O. Outside, the atmosphere has a bit more of a party vibe than the Excellence Playa Mujeres. A buff instructor encourages water-aerobics participation to catchy dance tunes; we join in and enjoy snacks and drinks. This is the life.
