A warm welcome
The Viceroy embraces Mayan mythology and
culture wholeheartedly. On arrival, resident shaman, Jose Coali blesses you
with Copal, a type of incense made from the resin extracted from the Bursera
Bipinnata tree, which he burns and what’s around you. Viceroy’s menu takes
inspiration from Mayan cuisine with dishes such as Yellowfin Tuna Tostadita,
Sea Scallops Tiradito and Antojeria street food. Its buildings are thatched and
even have a Temazcal – a traditional sweat lodge.
Yellowfin
Tuna Tostadita
After being blessed, I was eager to get
down to the pool and the spa. I checked into my thatched palapa roof villa with
its own plunge pool, relaxation area and outside shower. Set among ferns, palms
and guava tress, I loved the feeling of seclusion it offered. And I wasn’t
surprised to learn that there’s a family of spider monkeys living there among
the trees.
Massages and spider monkeys
There
was a large spider monkey swinging through the trees right in front of me.
The spa offers a wide menu of treatments –
some for fertility, others simply for wellbeing and relaxation. I opted for the
latter and while drifting off during my Xocolate massage, I heard a rustle of
leaves and, lo and behold, there was a large spider monkey swinging through the
trees right in front of me.
Many of the couples who come on a
‘babymoon’ choose the Asparamor treatment, a ‘poetic massage specifically
created for couples’. Using specially chosen scented oils and seaweed extracts,
the treatment is said to increase the production of endorphins ‘that naturally
encourage and invite you and your partner to indulge yourselves in an ecstasy
of the senses’.
Spa manager Cynthia enlightened me a little
more about the Mayan way. ‘The Mayans believe a lot in the fertility of the
earth,’ she says. ‘They have special times during the year, and even during the
day, to sow seeds and harvest vegetables. They also have a special fertility
calendar. It’s not just about getting pregnant; it’s about fertility in all
aspects of your life, including friendship, love and your career.’
Maybe baby
Ancient
Mayan stone ruins stand tall in the ancient city of Tulum, or "Walled
City," in Quintana Roo, Mexico
‘For reproductive fertility, a therapist
massages “love oil” along the spine to align all the chakras,’ Cynthia tells
me. ‘As the oil heats up, it creates endorphins. At the same time, we ask
Lxchel, the god of fertility, to grant this couples who have written to me
thanking me because they believe we’ve helped them start a family.’
If spa treatments don’t turn you on,
there’s running on the beach or yoga on the jetty. And for culture vultures,
the ancient Mayan city of Tulum with magical beaches is just 45 minutes away
and the ruins of Coba a mere half an hour more inland, where you can test your
stamina by climbing up the 120 steps to the top of the Ancient Pyramid.
The viceroy Viriera Maya is barefoot luxury
at its best, combining beach and jungle. And whether you’re babymooning or not,
it’s the perfect place to go to enrich your mind, body and soul.
