Jeri Clausing
At the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) North America last week, I was chatting with Marriott International about the increasingly diverse demands of luxury travelers -- and Marriott's good fortune in securing such a variety of top brands with its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Indeed, Steve Heitzner Marriott's chief sales and marketing for the Americas said, today's travelers want it all. The vast, growing variances of luxury audiences aside, even the same person can switch often, he said: They might use one brand for business, another for a romantic getaway, another for a guys or girls weekend and yet something completely different for family travel.
His point was underscored as I made my way across the Yucatan Peninsula that week, from a weekend fam trip to back-to-back conferences.
My first stop was for a hosted stay at the small, luxurious and very romantic Viceroy Riviera Maya, where each of the resort's 41 villas has its own private outdoor garden complete with plunge pool, outdoor bed and hammock; and, of course, the room had a large bathroom with a soaking tub and indoor and outdoor showers.
Unfortunately, I was traveling with a girlfriend. But it definitely moved to the top of the list of future getaways-with-husband.
At the Hyatt Andaz Mayakoba, patterned Mexican tiles are laid into the cement floors and walls in place of rugs and murals. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
Next stop was for ILTM, held at the Fairmont Mayakoba but with events and accommodations spread across Mayakoba's different resorts. For the second year, I stayed at the Hyatt Andaz Mayakoba. Although it is one of the less intimate and more casual of the Mayakoba properties (which include Rosewood and Banyan Tree), it's become my favorite. I like its chic modern decor and vibe based around the local culture and arts, including patterned Mexican tiles laid into the cement floors and walls in place of rugs and murals. Other favorite touches include the bright, multicolored woven chairs on every patio. And the floating pool toys: Last year it was a unicorn big enough for adults to ride; this year an oversized rubber ducky.
My final stop, for the Mark Travel Corporation Summit, was the Grand Moon Palace, the luxury section of the Vegas-meets-Cancun style of the all-inclusive, 2,300-room Moon Palace resort.
After checking into my large, marble-tiled room, I texted my colleague a photo of the in-room bar, with full-size bottles of tequila, scotch, rum and vodka hanging upside down with easy-touch dispensers.
"Now this is my kind of minibar," I said, sending a follow up picture of the huge, two-person whirlpool tub, next to the steps from the bedroom-living area that lead to the sliding glass door and the large balcony.
A room at the Grand Moon Palace, the luxury section of the all-inclusive, 2,300-room Moon Palace resort. Photo Credit: Jeri Clausing
"We are on total opposite ends of the accommodations spectrum," she responded, forwarding a picture from the hotel where she was staying in Washington, D.C. No free cocktails there; her minibar was stocked with kombucha, a green tea energy drink and pinot grigio in a carton rather than a bottle. (I'm good with that, by the way.)
I'm generally a socially conscious, healthy eater. And while I was surprised and a bit disappointed to see that my hotel still was loaded down with water bottles, plastic straws and a minibar of junk food, I had to admit that after two weeks on the road, and several very long days of back-to-to-back meetings and events, I was pretty happy to be where I was.
I sent my D.C.-based colleague a photo of my now bubble-filled whirlpool tub with a vodka and soda and bag of potato chips strategically within reach.
"Drink up girl," she said. "I'm about to take down a yerba mate shot with a kombucha chaser."