Riviera Maya Hotels|Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Banyan Tree Mayakoba

Name: Banyan Tree Mayakoba
Telephone: 52-984-877-3688

Riviera Maya’s exotic hideaway

VERIFIED LUXURY

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Located 25 minutes from trendy Playa del Carmen, Banyan Tree Mayakoba gives you a sense of place amid posh luxury. Tucked away in Mayakoba, a gorgeous resort community on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the hideaway echoes the natural beauty and jungle mystique of its surroundings, from thick mangroves and underground waterways to ancient, indigenous traditions. Abundant wildlife roams the waterways and low-hanging trees, as Mayakoba is home to more than 100 species of birds, plus turtles and even crocodiles.

Blending Asian hospitality with the idyllic passion of Mexico (it's the first Banyan Tree outpost in the country), Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers a serene, sumptuous and secluded respite from the outside world. Private villas built into the landscape dot the resort (each featuring its own pool), an award-winning golf course and striking spa provide a wonderful opportunity to unwind. Another place to kick back is Sands Beach Club, where you can take a dip in the waterfront pool, have fresh seafood for lunch, sip a cocktail from the pool's swim-up bar, soak up the sun from the beach loungers or jump into the sea for a swim (complimentary snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking equipment are available, too).

A plethora of eateries offers an assortment of cuisines to suit all tastes — from authentic Thai dishes to contemporary Mexican fare. And unique experiences range from a private meal aboard a boat gliding through the lagoons to a one-of-a-kind Mayan dinner in the jungle. Abundant culinary delights are always on the menu.

Our Inspector's Highlights

The arrival experience sets a dramatic stage: A long driveway curves through thick foliage and leads up to a stunning open-air lobby overlooking Mayakoba’s famous canals. This serpentine network of canals winds its way throughout the entire property.
Mayan-influenced architecture melds indoor and outdoor spaces beautifully. You can see the aesthetic in open-air spaces or areas that are wrapped with floor-to-ceiling windows, rustic woods and muted earth tones that blend with the sea foam green of the waterways and indigenous flora.
Offering one of the most unique relaxation experiences in Mayakoba, Banyan Tree Spa incorporates the resort’s exotic jungle vibe with Asian-inspired treatments taking place in private, over-the-water therapy villas. All of the spa's authentic treatments are expertly administered by highly trained therapists from the Banyan Tree Academies in Thailand and Indonesia.
Every spacious accommodation comes with its own private pool and many have an outdoor bath. You'll never want to leave your room.
Dining is a highlight — you'll enjoy fantastic meals in singular settings. Have Mayan food in the jungle or Saffron's flavorful Thai cuisine on a picturesque deck.

Things to Know

Banyan Tree Mayakoba is one of four resorts in the 640-acre Mayakoba complex along the Caribbean coast. A complimentary shuttle will bring you to the other properties. A ferry service also will bring you to other Mayakoba destinations.
If you opt to dine at other hotels in Mayakoba, you'll be able to charge it to your room, so you can leave your wallet at Bayan Tree.
Golfers will hail Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s pièce de résistance, El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Club (home to the only PGA Tour event in Mexico, The Mayakoba Golf Classic). Designed by Greg Norman, it has three different landscapes (jungle, mangrove and sea) that offer diverse terrain attractive to international players.
The Riviera Maya hotel hosts the Thai Food Festival every August. The popular festival plies you with Thai meals, spa experiences and cooking classes.
Take the daily eco boat tour to explore the canals with the resident biologist.

The Rooms

The immense pool villas (each is over 2,750 square feet) are built discreetly into the landscape along garden paths accessed via golf cart.
Each villa has its own private full-sized pool, indoor and outdoor living areas, a garden and a bathroom with a deep soaking tub and rain shower.
The more opulent quarters, like the 5,511-square-foot Beachfront Three Bedroom Pool Villa, overlook the Caribbean Sea and have earthenware sinks, a courtyard, a heated swimming pool and a jet pool.
If you don't feel like venturing out for dinner, order an in-villa barbecue. A chef will bring a grill and all of the prime cuts and seafood and make a meal in your villa.
All accommodations come with an alfresco bath, where you can soak under the stars. To make it romantic, the hotel offers an "Intimate Moments" menu where you can have a candlelit bath drawn and amenities like wine and rose-petal-strewn floors waiting for you.

The Restaurants

Oriente serves Mexican fare. It puts out a great international spread for breakfast with an omelet station, a made-to-order waffles station and more, but don’t miss the quesadilla bar. In the evening, Oriente transforms into The Tomahawk Den. The wafting aroma of the sizzling steaks from the open-air restaurant will draw you there for dinner.

Cello brings a piece of northern Italian to the Riviera Maya. Watch chefs make pasta from scratch before your eyes at the live station. An electronic cellist and waterside vistas help set the scene.
A staple of most Banyan Tree properties, Saffron is one of the luxury hotel’s most in-demand dining spots. You’ll see why when you taste authentic Thai cuisine while sitting on a wooden deck surrounded by mangroves.
For a meal that you can only experience in the Riviera Maya, sign up for Haab. The exclusive dinner starts with a welcome drink and copal (a local tree resin) ritual for a spiritual cleansing. Five courses of traditional Mayan dishes follow (they are cooked onsite using traditional methods), along with Mayan warriors relaying stories and performing dances among the trees.
Perhaps one of the most romantic dining options in the country is the Ixchel experience (named after the Mayan moon goddess), an evening outing aboard a private dining boat that cruises in and out of canals and mangroves.

Amenities