Rosewood Mayakoba Is the Most Special Resort in Mexico—Here's What It's Like to Stay There

So, would I stay at Rosewood Mayakoba again? Given that this was my second special-occasion visit, the answer is 100% yes. Between the impeccable service, jaw-dropping views, the uniqueness of the property, the plethora of things to do, and the close proximity to the U.S., I can say with confidence that you'll have zero regrets about splurging on a stay here.

Whether you prefer a packed itinerary or a more leisurely one, the resort offers plenty of options as to how to spend your days there. My husband and I chose the former, so here's a recommended itinerary, which was similar to ours. Between our planned activities we enjoyed relaxing on the beach or by one of the many pools, of course.

There are 129 suites on the property, each featuring a spacious floor plan with a well-appointed bathroom (massive soaking tub and outdoor shower included). Outdoors, a large terrace and private plunge pool await you. There are several types of villas to choose from, including beachside lagoon view suites, deluxe overwater lagoon suites, and lagoon studio suites, which is what we stayed in. We found it to be the perfect size for a couple.

Since the property is quite sprawling, and it can be a bit of a hike to the beach and various restaurants and spa, the resort offers continuous shuttle service via golf cart throughout the day and night, and each villa comes with bikes for each guest. My bike-riding skills have faded, so I relied on walking and the golf cart pick-ups, which were always speedy.

On a separate part of the property, Rosewood Mayakoba also offers private residences. I got a chance to tour one of the lagoon residences (where the overhead photo of the pool pictured above was taken), and it was breathtaking, to say the least. Living in one of these homes and getting to take advantage of all of the amenities the resort provides? Real estate goals.

As I mentioned, Sense, A Rosewood Spa, is situated on its own private island (no boat needed, though—there's a bridge). There, you'll find various indoor and outdoor relaxation lounges, a steam room, sauna, cold plunge pool, and twelve standalone treatment rooms that you walk through the jungled paths to get to. There's also an incredibly relaxing (and spacious) hydrotherapy pool, an outdoor yoga pavilion, and a fully equipped fitness center.

Many of the treatments offered are rooted in the Mayan culture that's so prevalent in the region. So you can opt for its signature shaman-led Temazcal experience or the "Kuxtal" Sensory Garden Ritual, to name a couple of the spa's signature experiences.

I wanted to choose something from the newest offerings at the spa, so I opted for the Seed the Groundling Ritual, one of five new exclusive to Rosewood Mayakoba treatments created in partnership with GROUND Wellbeing. After leading me to my treatment room, my technician shared that I coincidentally chose the most popular of the five rituals. It consisted of a botanical scrub with sea salt, which you rinse off in the in-room shower, followed by a massage (using an incredibly hydrating-but-not-greasy balm as opposed to an oil) and a peat mask for your feet. It was one of the best spa experiences I've ever had, hands down. (Tip: Another special one to try if you prefer a more traditional massage is the Curative Fire and Ice Therapy, which is the one my husband chose. Inspired by ancient Mayan medicine, it's a contrast therapy consisting of warm and cool stones.

Whether you're a serious foodie who wants lots of dining options, or just want to enjoy the regional cuisine, you're going to be pleased with the options here. Each day begins with breakfast at Casa del Lago, which looks over the resort's main pool and features an expansive spread with different offerings each day. The selection of fresh-cut fruit alone was something to behold. At night, it transforms into a romantic, candlelit space with Italian cuisine on the menu. The other breakfast option (aside from room service) is Aquí Me Quedo, the property's adults-only beach club, where you can enjoy healthy fare inspired by the cuisine of the region with your toes in the sand. At Aquí Me Quedo, you'll also find the lunch spot La Cantina, a casual food truck, and the can't-miss Mexican grill on the beach (if you're lucky enough to be there on a Thursday evening). The other beach-front restaurant is Punta Bonita, where the ceviche menu is not to be missed, although it's worth noting that it will be closing later this year to make way for a brand new restaurant.

The two other can't-miss restaurants on the property that we loved were Zapote Bar, the newest of the bunch, and Agave Azul. Zapote Bar is an award-winning cocktail haven (more on that in a bit) which features the cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula infused with Middle Eastern flavors, all cooked over a live fire in the open kitchen. Be sure to start with the Zapote Sampler so that you can try an assortment of the delicious dips to enjoy alongside your cocktails.

Agave Azul is where to go for Japanese and Chinese cuisine melded with the cuisine of the region. The seafood was unbelievably fresh at the lagoon-side space (sitting on the outdoor patio is a must), and the Usuzukuri is a must-order.

On our final night, we attended the Chef's Garden dinner at the La Cieba Garden & Kitchen, which is held two nights each week. The chef was on hand to serve up a delicious multi-course meal inspired by the region. It was such a highlight of the trip for us, and it's a great opportunity to socialize with other guests and members of the staff, as you're sitting alongside them at a lovely communal table.

One last dining-related tip: If you want to venture into Mayakoba's village square (and you should), be sure to make a stop at La Fondita, Rosewood's Mexico City-inspired taqueria, for lunch.

If enjoying craft cocktails is on your vacation agenda, like it was mine, you won't be lacking in options here. Lucky for you, Zapote Bar happens to be one of the top cocktail bars in the world, with multiple honors bestowed upon it since opening, including making it on the lists of The World's 50 Best Bars and North America's 50 Best Bars. Choosing which drinks to order is an almost impossible task, but Mono, which the bartender muddled in front of me, and Mezcal Stalk are my recommendations. A DJ with a flute and mini bongo drums arrived as soon as our first drinks were delivered to us.

The other noteworthy cocktail destination is La Isla Secreta, a Tulum-inspired speakeasy hidden among the mangroves, that you hop on a boat from Zapote bar to get to. Making a post-dinner visit during your stay is a must—just be sure to wear bug spray.

While we can certainly appreciate a leisurely afternoon on the beach, Mark and I like to experience all that the places we visit have to offer, so we kept quite busy with activities throughout our stay. One of our favorite on-site experiences was a midday cooking class at the La Cieba Garden & Kitchen with the executive chef and sous chef of the resort. It was a treat, to say the least.

A benefit of the resort-within-a-resort location was that you can also take advantage of Mayakoba activities, including on-property golf and various private lessons led by local experts. We opted for a pickleball lesson at the sports center and kayaking on the lagoon. I learned that I was slightly better at pickleball than kayaking.

You can expect a five-star luxury experience whenever you stay at a Rosewood property, and they really go above and beyond here. Our butlers were always there to meet our every need (although I like to think that we didn't have too many!)

It's all about the details at Rosewood Mayakoba. The bathroom stocked D.S. & Durga Jazmin Yucatan products (heavenly), there were fresh mangos in our room each day, and each night we'd come back to special surprises that were left during turndown service, such as little wooden Alebrijes creatures on our pillow.

We were lucky enough to have perfect weather during our stay, but I was impressed to see that the resort plans an entire rainy day schedule of activities in the event that inclement weather is in the forecast. On the aforementioned perfect weather days, the staff often greets you with fun surprises on the beach, such as a mid-day cocktail made of mezcal, pineapple juice, and lime, or champagne o'clock, which is exactly as great as it sounds.

The guests during our stay included a good mix of couples, groups of couples traveling together, and families. There are plenty of activities to keep kids occupied for the entirety of a stay.

Given my profession, I was sure to take note of what people were wearing at the resort, and I was glad to see that I had packed appropriately. The vibe during the day was casual yet chic. I spotted lots of bright bikinis, linen button-downs as cover-ups, and trendy accessories like Miu Miu cowboy hats, colorful Polo Ralph Lauren baseball caps, and elevated flip-flops. (Fun fact: If you don't want to pack a beach tote, there's one waiting for you in the closet of each room.) My suitcase contained a mix of shorts, crochet cover-ups and accessories, and flat sandals and mesh sneakers for daytime.

Evening attire was much dressier but still relaxed. I saw lots of colorful printed dresses of every length with heels or polished flat sandals. For men, lightweight button-downs and linen pants or shorts with loafers were popular options. I packed a mix of fun dresses and skirts and versatile accessories that would go with each of my outfits (I was committed to only bringing a carry-on for our four-night stay). My sole pair of heels was my tan Toteme kitten-heel flip-flops. People really dressed to impress here, but didn't seem like they were trying too hard.