For clients who don’t just want a vacation, but who value leaving the resort with their lives changed, there is a new luxury beachfront haven in Mexico that goes the extra mile for the health-centered traveller — Palmaïa, The House of AïA, the uber-cool resort is making headlines as the newest vegan-friendly wellness resort in the Riviera Maya.
At Palmaïa, wellness is more than just a buzzword. Grounded in principles of holistic personal development, nature and sustainability, it is the ultimate getaway for environmentally-conscious spiritual seekers who want all that in a luxury setting.
Cocooned between wild jungle and Caribbean sea, Palmaïa is a tropical sanctuary on a private stretch of white-sand beach, surrounded by lush mangroves and first-rate golf courses. Set in the exclusive gated community of Playacar, the eco-resort boasts one of the few quiet beaches in Playa del Carmen.
“Palmaïa is the future of travel,” says Karen Collado, Sales Director at Palmaïa, The House of AïA.
“After everything we’ve been going through, people are going to think deeply about the type of travel experience they want and about their health and wellbeing. We are a property where you can have it all — the beach, the pools, that nice vacation feeling — but also take care of yourself while travelling.”
Wellness Programs As A Way Of Life
Architects of Life is Palmaïa’s flagship activity program: a carefully curated selection of over 20 rotating classes, ceremonies and rituals. With programming that goes much deeper than beach Zumba and facials, the brand takes great pride in what it calls “the most comprehensive personal growth program ever offered at any resort.”
From Ashtanga to Vinyasa, there are six different yoga classes to choose from, and a variety of workshops to elevate, challenge or reinvigorate the body and mind. The Gravity Control class, for instance, leads participants in a meditative mind play that manipulates the force of gravity and enhances guests’ tactile sensitivity. In Sound Healing, guests achieve a sensation of deep rest and feel revitalized and purified after listening to powerful and harmonic sound vibrations and of varying tones.
Palmaïa’s Rituals of Sound is another standout program unique to the resort. In the evenings, tropical vibes mingle with primal energies at the Mykonos-style Eolo Beach Club, as DJs spin deep fusion beats in tandem with live instrumentals. Performances are intimate and low key, designed to “reawaken the sacred DNA of our ancestors.”
In-house Personal-Growth Guide, Balder, is readily available to guide guests in their spiritual journey and recommend classes best suited to their needs. Each guest is also appointed a butler – or “Nomadic Guide” – to cater to their every need, from booking an activity, delivering late-afternoon snacks, or communicating information.
“We call them Nomadic Guides because they guide you in your path at Palmaïa. They are there for you any time, for whatever you need,” Collado says.
More Than A Spa
Palmaïa wouldn’t be considered a premium health and wellness enclave without Atlantis, its spa in the middle of the jungle. Treatments go beyond massages, with traditional temazcal rituals and therapies designed to heal the body and mind. Even the location itself is therapeutic, surrounded by Mother Nature’s embrace with the lulling sounds of the tropical forest and natural fresh water cenotes.
Children At One With Nature
For parents craving a break from the stresses of home-schooling kids, Zoom meetings or the anxieties of everyday life, Palmaïa’s interactive, Waldorf-certified children’s program not only keeps youngsters entertained and occupied, but inspired, too. Accredited educators lead kids in experiential and nature-based activities – no plastic toys, cartoons or screens! — that help them reconnect with the world around them and cultivate imagination. Unique activities include baking bread, artwork, exploring the jungle and playing with seeds. It’s outdoor education at its finest!
The resort claims to be one of the only wellness resorts offering a parallel wellness programming for kids as well as their parents.
The Waldorf kid’s program, as well as the Architects of Life and Rituals of Sound activities, à la carte restaurant meals, room service, premium drinks, and Nomadic Guides are all included in a guest’s stay as part of the brand’s “Gifting Lifestyle” philosophy, a twist on the all-inclusive resort concept. Clients can unwind to the fullest without the hassle of exchanging funds or paying for activities or meals.
“The philosophy of the property is about giving. It’s a community where we all participate and give together. That’s why we see it more as a gift. It’s a kind of all-inclusive plan,” explains Collado.
After a week (or more) enjoying the extensive wellness opportunities at Palmaïa, clients will leave not only well-rested, but wholly invigorated, spiritually-healed individuals.
