mexican palace

When the beau and I landed in Mexico, I had no idea what to expect.  I hadn't been there since I was in middle school, and no one seemed to understand us very well when we were trying to figure out how to get from the airport to our resort.  Full disclaimer--while I love to travel, the actual process of traveling really stresses me out.  I get very anxious and worked up, and flying gives me motion sickness a great deal of the time.

Luckily, the second I saw our hotel, all of that anxiety melted away.

photos via

The Barcelo Maya Palace in Riviera Maya is a five-star, all-inclusive resort.  As you could see from my recap, the water is as blue as you could ever imagine, and all the views were stunning.  I also loved all the interesting architectural elements the resort had to offer.

If you ever find yourself here, I urge you to dine at La Brasserie one night.  This is the one place we ate that really blew me away.  Everything I tried was fresh and flavorful, and the service was the best we had on the trip (well, besides Senor Frogs, but that's obviously a totally different experience).  La Brasserie offers a four-course meal, consisting of an appetizer, soup, entree, and dessert. 

Not to be missed:

-Oysters in Mornay sauce, served on the half shell with spinach

-Lobster Cappuccino (soup)

-Surf 'N' Turf: roast tournedos served with Hollandaise sauce and grilled baby lobster tail with shrimp butter

-Creme Brulee

The resort was so beautiful (and very large), that while we planned to have an excursion and venture to the Tulum ruins or swim with dolphins, we got caught up in relaxation and never even left the resort!  Most of our time was spent lounging in the pool or on the beach, visiting the swim-up bar, browsing the shops, and playing volleyball (which I'm unshockingly horrible at).

If I'm ever lucky enough to find my way back to this Mexican oasis, I plan to hike among the Tulum ruins, snorkle, and indulge in a beachside massage.  If only I'd had one more day...or two...

Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone. Thanks for reading!

xx