Honeymoon Riviera: Tulum
by Lisa Anne Pontius
Editor’s Note: This piece was written by the Editor’s daughter-in-law in 2013. Read Part 2.
When discussing our honeymoon, my fiancé and I had a few different locations in mind. I originally wanted an exotic adventure vacation to Southeast Asia;my now-husband however was far wiser and suggested we go back to somewhere we had previously vacationed, so we could relax and truly enjoy our first weeks as newlyweds. We chose the Riviera Maya because it had everything we both wanted in a honeymoon: beautiful beaches, great food, tropical drinks and friendly locals. We spent two weeks in three different locations along the coast. Our adventure began with The Beach, the new addition between Cabañas Tulum and Ziggy Beach.
After a plane ride and the whirlwind of a wedding weekend, walking into the reception area was beyond exciting. It was an open atrium made of white stone and beach wood, with a giant palapa roof that covered the entire thing; it was instantly serene and inviting. Since we arrived a little early, our room was not ready yet, but we were more than happy to wait at Ziggy Beach, the hotel’s beachfront restaurant and bar. The combination of sand in our toes, cold beers and fresh ceviche melted our stress right away, as we enjoyed our first meal in Mexico. The azure water and pink sand made for a picture-perfect initiation into our relaxing honeymoon.
After lunch our room was ready and, when we entered our private beach bungalow, we saw why it had taken an extra bit of time. The staff had prepared the most romantic room for us, complete with rose petals adorning the white linen-covered bed and a chilled bottle of champagne on the table. The room was incredible, starting with the view. We were steps from the beach and the entire front of the room was glass with sliding doors, so you really got the most out of your location. With just the screen doors closed, you could bring your room almost onto the beach with the sounds and smells of the sea filling the space. The room itself was pure luxury—white and sea stone with a rooftop lounge and bath. We immediately wished we had planned to stay longer than one night.
For dinner that night we ordered room service. A pitcher of sangria and their famous tuna nachos were the highlights, but what really made it for us was the service. We were left to a romantic meal alone, but never felt abandoned; the staff kept coming back to remove dishes and bring our other courses.
The next day the ocean was rough so we just lounged on one of their beds on the beach and spent some time in the pool. It was truly a perfect relaxing day. Unfortunately we had to leave for our next location the next day, so we finished our time at The Beach with a beautiful lunch of grilled seafood and reluctantly said goodbye to our little oasis in Tulum.