Hotel Spotlight: Etéreo, Riviera Maya
The intersection where…
great design meets an authentic sense of place tends to be the sweet spot for me when it comes to travel. So when the opportunity presented itself for my husband and I to enjoy a kid-free escape for a few days, my criteria for choosing where to go was quite simple: an aforementioned beautifully rooted property that's quick and easy to get to from Nashville, where we live. Etéreo, located along the Riviera Maya, was an easy decision as this Auberge Resorts Collection hotel has been on my radar since its doors opened in 2022 to rave reviews, including “One Of The World’s Best New Hotels” by Travel + Leisure and “Great Design Award Winner” by Architectural Digest. Only a two-hour nonstop flight to Cancun and a 40 minute drive from the airport separated us from a blissful seaside stay.
Though the journey was short, we discovered upon arrival that we were being transported much further. Staff dressed in breezy white linen greeted us with fresh- squeezed juice and asked if we wanted to receive an ancient blessing. As smoking copal incense swirled around us we were told the ritual is to help guests leave one world behind and enter the ‘ethereal’, or etéreo in Spanish. While the ceremony is meant to set the tone of your stay and immerse you in Mayan culture, our stunning suite was the true definition of ‘ethereal’ (heavenly), transporting me away from my cares and responsibilities back home more than any tradition possibly could.
Set above a lush mangrove forest, the resort is designed to pay respect to its environment and celebrate Yucatán influences - from elevated platforms protecting the mangrove to the use of locally sourced tzalam wood and lava stone. Studios and suites provide indoor/outdoor living complete with large private terraces overlooking the ocean and plunge pools in many. Inside, warm tones and modern design create serene spaces that invite you to relax. Every detail has been thoughtfully curated, a highlight being the wooden screens featured throughout the property which were created by Mexican artist Manuel Felguérez to represent the Mayan belief in life cycles depicted through the intricate lattice carvings in the wood.
“Would you like that ‘double trouble’?”
Still tired from our early morning flight, the question threw me off-guard. I was placing an order poolside of vegetarian dumplings and a hibiscus mojito when our attentive waiter asked with an infectious smile if I wanted an extra shot of rum. I passed. When he returned with my tropical drink in hand he said, “No double trouble but if you start feeling a little more happy it’s because you’re on vacation, not because there is more alcohol”. And he was right. I did start to feel more happy. But then again, it is hard not to at a resort like Etéreo.
Delicious meals are a cornerstone of any great trip, and just like my al fresco midday snack, almost every dish we had during our stay was noteworthy. The resort offers multiple dining options from a causal beachside taqueria to Che Che (translation: ‘cool’) which serves Jap-Mex fusion in a funky open-air space near the pool. My mornings started with an iced latte that barista Armando whipped up at the resort’s Insta-worthy tuk-tuk turned food truck, and as the day went, my drink of choice shifted from caffeine-based to rum-based, specifically a Coco Salado, one of the resort’s signature cocktails created with grilled pineapple juice and a salty coconut foam. Once again, ‘ethereal’. To balance it out, I requested extra bread with sea salt flecked green butter while dining at Itzam, Etéreo’s principal restaurant that features authentic Mexican recipes in a dreamy dining room of oversized earthen pottery and swaying pendants.
If I were to do the trip over, I would prioritize time at SANA, the resort’s wellness spa. An acclaimed destination in its own right, the spa fosters a healing space through traditional treatments and ancient Mayan techniques. Amenities such as a sauna, clay room, sound room and cold plunge surround the spa’s cenote-inspired pool. While I regret not participating in SANA’s signature cleanse available to guests each morning, the petite pot of facial clay and bath salts left next to my bathtub allowed me to create my own pre-bedtime cleanse - a perfect end to a heavenly day.
Things Worth Noting Before You Go
- With only 75 studios and suites, Etéreo is an intimate luxury resort, uncommon in the overcrowded tourist area stretching from Cancun to Tulum it calls home. Every room boasts an oceanfront view, so you really can’t go wrong. Many offer plunge pools on their private terraces, but it is worth pointing out they are not heated. The plunge pool was something I was most looking forward to during my stay, purposefully booking a room with one, and we ended up not using it even once.
- As I mentioned, wellness is a big component of the resort and it offers a variety of unique services and classes in the spa and fitness center if that’s what you’re after. In fact, it’s the only hotel I’ve stayed in that has multiple sets of weights in each guest room. From a Mayan cacao ceremony to family meditation, there’s something for everyone.
- The hotel is family-friendly providing guests with small children options for a daily kids’ club or babysitting services, as well as seasonal offers such as complimentary kids’ meals during the summer months. I would bring my girls here but only for a short stay around three or four days. Much past that I think kids, especially older ones, could find themselves bored as it is a small resort and only has one family pool which is relatively small and unexciting.
- Speaking of length of your stay, if you book a trip longer than three nights, I recommend venturing out to the property’s neighboring resorts for a meal or two. Etéreo is located in the new gated-community of Kanai along with The St. Regis and The Riviera Maya EDITION, both of which are just minutes away by golf cart and boast endless dining options. Or, if you feel like venturing farther, Playa del Carmen is twenty minutes south.
