Stunning jungle resort in Mexico offers 5-star luxury and in-house SHAMAN to bless your break

‘Mezcal for when times are bad, Mezcal for when they’re good,’ our host Edgar proclaims with a grin, before pouring two (very) generous measures and handing us a slice of orange.

We throw back the potent Mexican liquor and dazedly survey our surroundings: times are definitely good.

My husband Chris and I have just arrived at the luxury Viceroy Riviera Maya resort on the Yucatán Peninsula in southeast Mexico, near Playa Del Carmen.

It’s about 40 miles south of party-city Cancun, but tucked away at the end of a long dirt road amid tropical rainforest, it feels more like a million.

‘Watch for the spider monkeys swinging in the trees,’ our driver Pablo tells us excitedly, as we sip bottles of the Mexican beer ‘Victoria’ from a cooler in the back.

The resort’s 41 villas are hidden among tropical palms and are so secluded you can’t hear a peep from your neighbors

The winding jungle paths end at the resort’s pristine pool and restaurant area, overlooking the Caribbean Sea

Waiting to welcome us at the hotel is Edgar, who ushers us down a maze of jungle paths straight to the in-house Shaman for a traditional Mayan blessing.

A little delirious, we breathe in the incense and enthusiastically invite in relaxation as instructed, while listening to the chanting energy-cleansing prayers.

The resort’s 41 villas are hidden among tropical palms and are so secluded you can’t hear a peep from your neighbors – only the playful coati and agouti who scamper over the thatched roofs at all times of the day and night.

The décor inside is rustic but luxurious, each villa complete with its own large terrace, heated plunge pool, hammock and outdoor ‘moon shower’.

The winding jungle paths end at the resort’s pristine pool and restaurant area, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Here you never have to worry about fighting for a sun lounger and ever-attentive butlers standby ready to spoil you rotten. From fetching ice buckets of our new favorite Victoria beers to polishing our steamed up sunglasses, nothing is too much trouble – and is usually done before you can even think about getting up.

There are canopied daybeds reserved on the beach for those who prefer to laze on the sand. The shoreline itself is a little rocky, but the hotel provides diving shoes for getting into the ocean. It’s also the perfect spot to watch the sunrise each morning, before breakfasting alfresco at the hotel’s main restaurant Coral Bar.

The décor inside each of the 41 villas is rustic but luxurious

Each villa is complete with its own large terrace, heated plunge pool, hammock

Bathrooms boast deep tubs and there is an outdoor ‘moon shower’ 

The resort prides itself on keeping the ancient Mayan culture and tradition alive. Perhaps the most magical moment of our stay was a private tour of a cenote located about a 35-minute drive from the hotel.

There are thousands of these mystical underground pools in Mexico – and around 300 in Riviera Maya alone. But with most crowded with tourists, a private tour is a very special excursion.

Cenotes were considered sacred by the Mayan people, who believed they were a window to the underworld. As we tiptoe down wooden steps into the silent cave hidden in the middle of the jungle, it’s easy to see why.

Eerie rock formations that look like stalactites hang above our heads, while tree roots descend to the very bottom of the pool. And where the sunlight beams through holes in the ceiling, reflecting off the water, it feels as though you could swim down into sky.

As we don our snorkels and clamber carefully into the water, I shiver slightly as our guide Julio points out bats fluttering about in dark corners.

‘Be careful with your flashlights or you’ll disturb them,’ he warns us. I don’t need to be told twice – I’m still looking out for the ‘friendly’ jaguar we’re told stops by on occasion.

The most magical moment of our stay was a private tour of a cenote located about a 35-minute drive from the hotel

Cenotes were considered sacred by the Mayan people, who believed they were a window to the underworld

The resort has a traditional purifying sweat lodge called the Temazcal, which is said to represent the womb of mother earth from where guests can be reborn

The hotel’s spa, Wayak, offers an extensive range of treatments that incorporate ancient Mayan healing techniques, herbs and energy therapies.

But you needn’t leave the resort to bask in Mayan culture.

Its jungle spa, WAYAK (which means dreams), offers an extensive range of treatments that incorporate ancient Mayan healing techniques, herbs and energy therapies.

There is even a traditional purifying sweat lodge called the Temazcal, which we’re told represents the womb of mother earth from where guests can be reborn.

We were content with a relaxing ‘honey ritual’ massage, or ‘Hunan-Kab, that takes place outdoors where you can listen to the nearby waterfalls – and threw in a morning yoga class overlooking the ocean for good measure.

Back at our villa the Mayan traditions continue. A ‘soap concierge’ carves us huge slabs of locally handmade red-wine infused soap, and we are gifted a tiny ‘worry doll’. 

According to legend, you simply tell the doll your worries at night and place it under your pillow so it can take over worrying while you sleep peacefully. Whatever you might believe, we slept like the dead for the duration of our stay.

But that could be also be sheer quantity of food and drink we inhaled.

The relaxed outdoor Coral bar offers everything from freshly caught fish to burgers and steaks and hosts themed evenings like Mexico night 

There are two restaurants at the resort.

The more formal fine dining restaurant La Marea hosts candle-lit dinners, where head chef Julio Chavez works magic on traditional Mexican street food and home cooking.

But our favorite was the relaxed outdoor Coral bar, which offers everything from freshly caught fish (mahi-mahi if you’re lucky) to burgers and steaks, as well as themed evenings. A highlight (of course) is Mexican night.

Staff pull out all the stops, decorating the bar area with sombreros and colorful piñatas, before we gorge on a feast of pulled pork ‘cochinita’ tacos, short rib and black mole tamales, cactus salad and churros – all washed down with copious margaritas.

Muchas gracias Mexico indeed.