Evaluate: The St Regis Kanai Resort (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

May 15, 2024

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Wednesday newsletters at all times function a resort or flight evaluation.

Just a few weeks in the past, I loved a calming vacation within the Riviera Maya, Mexico, the place I stayed on the space’s prime three luxurious resorts. You possibly can learn my journey experiences right here:

At this time: Evaluate of The St Regis Kanai Resort (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

Securing its spot on numerous “greatest” lists, the all-new St. Regis Kanai Resort boasts an an distinctive round exterior, signature butler service, and prime beachfront location inside a 680-acre gated group. However these aren’t the one causes you’ll adore it. All 124 visitor rooms and suites provide ocean views (some even have non-public plunge swimming pools). And with eight distinct bars and eating places, you’ll be able to fulfill your yearning for elevated Mexican delicacies one evening and Mediterranean, Center Japanese, or Asian Fusion the subsequent.

The St Regis Kanai options in my prime 10 lists of the greatest luxurious resorts on the Riviera Maya and my favourite St Regis Accommodations & Resorts on the planet.

Have you ever ever stayed at The St Regis Kanai, Riviera Maya? If that’s the case, what was your expertise? Go away a remark.

I made a YouTube video with full tour of The St Regis Kanai, which you’ll be able to watch right here:

On this evaluation (extra information and photographs under my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

The St Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya is ready inside the tranquil, non-public resort space of Kanai. Kanai is called the celestial mythological birthplace of the Mayans, who first named the land Kanai, that means “the place the sky is born.” Positioned within the coronary heart of the Riviera Maya, inside a half-hour drive from Cancun Airport and 10 minutes from Playa del Carmen’s Downtown, Kanai is a 680 acre secured gated group which is house to three luxurious resorts: The St Regis, The Version, and Etereo (700 rooms and residences in whole). The resort sits amongst a jungle and mangrove reserve and options 2 miles (3 km) of pristine white sand seashores. Kanai can be lower than half a mile away from an undisturbed coral reef, providing a blinding arrays of various kinds of coral and offering meals to lots of of fish species, marine turtles, and different marine creatures.

Designed by Mexican agency Edmonds Worldwide, The St Regis Kanai Resort options an distinctive round structure, resulting in open views from almost each vantage level. The spectacular design comes forth as two small intersected circles that include the general public areas and three giant semicircles which home the rooms & suites. The round buildings float above a seemingly limitless sea of lush inexperienced mangroves, which – when considered from above – nearly seem like an ultra-modern white spaceship that landed in bright-green vegetation. The truth is, the resort’s format reflects the constellation Pleiades, which the Mayans thought of to be the birthplace of their historical ancestors. The circular design motif additionally alludes to the sun-shaped Mayan calendar comprising 13 moons lasting 28 days.

Upon arrival, visitors of The St Regis Kanai are instantly immersed within the resort’s beautiful structure with a multi-story open air water set up and plush greenery main into the resort’s majestic, double-story foyer. Inside the monumental, semi-open air foyer house, biophilic options like skylights and residing partitions merge indoor and out of doors environments, permitting visitors to bodily expertise Riviera Maya from inside. The reception and concierge space is tucked away in an intimate nook of the foyer, whereas a number of tranquil nooks and lounge areas are excellent for leisure, meditation and commentary of sunsets and starry nights. The foyer’s far finish provides floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the mangroves and the Caribbean Sea past.

Drawing inspiration from historical Mayan tradition, The St Regis Kanai’s subtle aesthetics and up to date interiors had been created by Chapi Chapo Design. The elegant decor is accented with bespoke components together with customized furnishings and paintings from native artisans. The Mayan Calendar is recreated by way of textiles inside the public areas and guestrooms, with components impressed by ceremonial Mayan clothes. The resort’s inside design additionally evokes the encompassing components from the mangrove bushes to the close by cenotes – pure sinkholes generally used for water provides by the Maya. Wealthy supplies imitating this pure ecosystem embody marbles with hues of blue, gray and inexperienced that mimic the encompassing components and travertine to resemble native limestone, whereas walnut wooden brings wealthy heat and grounding to every space of the resort the place design imitates life.

The St Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya boasts 124 lavishly appointed guestrooms and 19 suites. Guestrooms function customized hanging mirrors, bedside tables, ceramic mild pendants, and complex walnut wood-carved headboards, whereas ensuites loos are geared up with double vanities, bathtubs and walk-in showers. The guestrooms on the primary and second flooring all have balconies with uninterrupted sea views, whereas the ground-level rooms take pleasure in views over the mangrove and still have a non-public plunge pool. The perfect suites are positioned on the finish of every semi-circle since they arrive with a big out of doors house, with an out of doors bathe, hammock and/or pool. Visitors of all room classes have entry to the St Regis Signature Butler Service.

The St Regis Kanai Resort options two huge beach-front pool areas, one devoted to households and the opposite one solely obtainable to adults. The household pool space is comprised of two giant swimming swimming pools, that are lined by dozens of sunbeds (a few of them set contained in the pool). Certainly one of these swimming pools additionally options a number of luxurious cabanas – with lounge areas and a big TV display screen – which might be rented for the day for a payment. The household pool space additionally has an indoor video games rooms, which comes with its personal TV lounge, bar and small out of doors pool. Positioned subsequent to the household pool is the adults solely seaside membership, which options a big swimming pool, a separate Jacuzzi, and a bar serving cocktails and lightweight fare. Each the household pool and adults solely seaside membership open to a good looking white sand seaside, lapped by the turquoise Caribbean Sea.

The St Regis Kanai Resort’s wellness heart is a tranquil enclave positioned on the finish of the big foyer. That includes eight therapy suites and a standalone leisure salon, the spa provides remedies impressed by historical practices and that includes native substances. Signature remedies embody the Secret Backyard ritual, permitting visitors handy choose substances from the resort’s backyard to personalize a physique scrub and masks. One other nice therapy is the Celestial Power therapy, which is impressed by Mayan cosmology and makes use of sizzling stones energized below the moon & stars and aromatherapy based mostly on the part of the moon. Subsequent to the spa is the unique Athletic Membership, that includes a variety of cardio and power gear in addition to an out of doors yoga platform.

The St Regis Kanai, Riviera Maya provides gastronomic journeys in eight culinary venues.
- The resort’s signature restaurant TORO by Chef Richard Sandoval is a bar and restaurant with a Latin-inspired menu led by the esteemed chef.
- Positioned subsequent to the foyer, Chaya Restaurant includes a menu that mixes native substances and regional touches of Riviera Maya with culinary components rooted in Japanese Mediterranean historical past. Every morning, a breakfast buffet with some native Mexican touches can be supplied at Chaya.
- Positioned alongside the household pool, Riviera is a brilliant informal restaurant, open for lunch solely, which seamlessly blends the South of France with the Mayan Riviera. The venue serves contemporary seafood and different dishes ready from native substances.
- A tea and chocolate salon positioned subsequent to the foyer, The Library serves St Regis’s signature ritual of afternoon tea and it’s an important backdrop to take pleasure in a tasting of Mexican chocolate.
- Positioned on the second flooring, the intimate St Regis Bar provides the Kanai Mary, a neighborhood tackle the model’s signature Bloody Mary cocktail, which includes substances from the traditional Maya food plan together with corn, peppers and cucumber. Designed to function views of the sundown, the bar marks the transition from day to nighttime with a celebratory champagne sabering every night.
- Further eating venues embody Jack’s Membership (a hidden speakeasy), Pik Nik (a grab-and-go deli), and The Seashore Membership for mild bites whereas enjoyable seaside.

Designed with a minimal building footprint geared toward defending the Sian Ka’an Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage Website adjoining to the resort) , The St Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya is ingeniously suspended above a mangrove forest on stilts, minimizing the results on the delicate habitats beneath. To additional decrease ecological influence, the totally different components of the resort linked by elevated walkways. To protect as a lot of the reserve and native flora as potential, the builders of the Kanai group constructed on solely 9% of their whole property. They left the rest – largely dense jungle and mangrove forest – untouched, constructing alongside a single street by way of the reserve and placing all buildings and pavilions on stilts the place vital.

Combining traditional sophistication with a contemporary sensibility, St Regis Accommodations & Resorts – which at present manages Kanai property – is one in every of my favourite luxurious resort manufacturers on the planet. Combining timeless glamour with a vanguard spirit, St. Regis Accommodations & Resorts is dedicated to delivering beautiful experiences at almost 50 luxurious motels and resorts in among the greatest addresses world wide. Starting with the debut of The St. Regis resort in New York by John Jacob Astor IV on the daybreak of the 20 th century, the model has remained dedicated to an uncompromising degree of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its visitors, delivered flawlessly by the signature St Regis Butler Service. A part of the Marriott Lodge Group, St Regis participates in Marriott Bonvoy, the worldwide loyalty program from Marriott (permitting to gather factors and spend them totally free nights).

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

The St Regis Kanai includes a beautiful structure, however the complete construction – comprised of a number of intersecting circles – is huge and doesn’t really feel very intimate. Additionally, the buildings are so massive you can stroll by way of them with out working into lots of people (besides on the swimming pools). Some visitors will adore this mind-blowing fashionable structure whereas others might discover it soulless and paying homage to an airport or museum. Nevertheless, irrespective of how you’re feeling concerning the structure, the general design of the resort – particularly the foyer – will depart you speechless.

The St Regis Kanai includes a whole of 143 rooms, however solely 19 of those are suites whereas the remainder are simply common rooms. Whereas the rooms are spacious and opulent, and geared up with non-public balconies and terraces, they don’t have the identical wow-factor because the villa-style lodging supplied at a few of The St Regis’ direct opponents within the space, resembling Rosewood Mayakoba (though the St Regis’ rooms are bought on the identical fee because the villas at different properties).

The seashores of the Riviera Maya are affected by the presence of sargassum seaweed, which is a priority to many vacationers. Traditionally, the seaweed season sometimes began in the beginning of spring (April) because of an increase in sea temperature, and peaked throughout the summer season months. Nevertheless, within the final decade and possibly because of international warming, seaweed has appeared at any time all year long, making it difficult to foretell its seasonal patterns. For instance, after I visited in late January, a large quantity of seaweed washed onshore throughout a number of storms that handed over the realm. That mentioned, the seaside in entrance of The St Regis Kanai appeared to be much less affected by the seaweed downside when in comparison with different seashores within the space (resembling Mayakoba). Additionally, every morning and afternoon, the seaside is meticulously cleared of seawed by the resort employees.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 9/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 8/10
Meals: 8/10
Breakfast: 8/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Wow issue: 9/10
Worth for cash: 8/10
General expertise: superb 8.5/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when reserving by way of Virtuoso (e.g. room improve, day by day breakfast, early check-in, late check-out and $100 USD resort credit score).

Get monetary savings: learn right here my suggestions for getting the perfect deal at a luxurious resort like Rosewood Mayakoba (and/or obtain many free perks).

Learn my suggestions for getting ready your journey in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The Riviera Maya in Mexico has a subtropical local weather with two seasons – a wet season (Could to October) and a dry season (November to April). The perfect time to go to is December to March when the temperatures are a bit extra comfy and there are fewer rain showers. In the course of the wet season, interval temperatures stay excessive and though it rains day-after-day, downpours don’t are typically extended. There’s a likelihood for hurricanes, particularly from July to October.

HOW TO GET THERE

The St Regis Kanai, Riviera Maya, Mexico is positioned 40 minutes by automobile from Cancun Worldwide Airport, which is served by most North- and South American in addition to some European airways. Examine the Wikipedia web page of Cancun Worldwide Airport for a repeatedly up to date checklist of airways that provide direct flights to Cancun.

PHOTOS

Right here’s a collection of my photographs of The St Regis Kanai, Riviera Maya in Mexico. To view extra resort photographs (together with breakfast and dinner), click on right here.