For dinner, the resort’s fine dining La Joya restaurant has just introduced a one-of-a-kind experience. The Latin restaurant features high ceilings, a 10-piece mariachi band and glowing treelike structures that create a mystical setting. But more than the décor and even the food is La Joya’s newest high-tech experience that uses video mapping. The eight-course meal (or experience) takes diners through the history of the Yucatan region and the Mayan people with each course representing a different stage in the country’s history. But the real highlight is the custom-built, 16-person communal table that it’s served on, which depicts the history with narration and music. So while you’re sipping your Blue Crab Chilpachole with guajillo chile and burnt tortilla in a craterlike bowl (representing the volcanic period of the region), the table will light up with fire as lava rocks roll by under your soup. While you’re not actually dining amidst burning flames, the narration guides you through time so you can follow along from the dawn of Maya civilization to the birth of the Mexican Colonial Era after the Spanish conquistadors arrived. The whole experience costs $115 per person and is well worth it.
If kids are a part of your vacation equation, Coral Beach has a recently completed $2 million, 50,000-sq.-ft. space for youngsters to play all day. There are some pretty cool things tucked back in it like a private water park, Mayan-themed ruins, a giant dinosaur, gaming systems, cooking classes, a wall that lights up when you touch it and lots more.
And speaking of large spaces, the Gem Spa is 40,000 square feet (yes, the kid's club is bigger) of soothing relaxation. Find a 10-step hydrotherapy experience and signature treatments to chill you out quick.
Overall if you’re looking for a well-rounded Cancun resort that isn’t so, well, Cancun, then book a stay here. It’s varied enough for families, large enough for couples looking to be alone and calm enough for those wanting to skip the clubs—but they are only a step away should you choose to give in.
