Maya Jardin and La Selva Mariposa review

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The Best of Both Worlds: Maya Jardin and La Selva Mariposa
Did you have trouble like we did trying to decide if your Riviera Maya vacation should begin each morning with a swim in a cenote-style pool surrounded by tropical plants, or watching the sun rise over the multi-hued Caribbean in a romantic Boutique Hotel? We finally decided to divide our vacation time in Mexico between these two magical environments. After driving only 1 ½ hours from the busy Cancun airport our dream began when we walked through the gates of Maya Jardin. Picture yourself kayaking toward the reef on tranquil Soliman Bay in transparent turquoise water, or perhaps perched on one of the comfy lounges beside the pool just steps from the sand and sea. Each of Maya Jardin’s four rooms, furnished in rustic Mayan style with luxurious details, feature a lush king-size bed, beautiful wood and stone-tile bathrooms, and a living-area with a futon in the two larger suites. All four of the rooms sit beside the pool and offer a view of the tranquil waters beyond. You’ll enjoy the daily Continental breakfast under a palapa that is surrounded by a lush garden frequented by birds that come to visit the softly trickling Mayan fountain in its midst. You will also welcome the convenience of a coffee bar, and mini-frig stocked with welcome beverages in your air-conditioned room. In fact, you will never want to leave this haven by the sea, but there is more of the Riviera Maya to see in a sun-dappled setting to the west. La Selva Mariposa, the jungle butterfly, is an intimate B&B situated on 2 ½ acres only 15 minutes from Tulum’s mystic shore just off the Coba Road. Your casita, set in a mature tropical garden surrounded by an ancient-looking stone wall ten foot high, offers privacy and a feeling of intimacy. Relax poolside and observe the winged creatures in flight and the vines that seem to curl around plants before your eyes, or discover NATURE first-hand while taking a stroll day or night on one of the illuminated paths that surround the jungle property. All the amenities you have become used to on the beach are offered with the exception that air-conditioning is replaced by both a ceiling fan above the bed and a tower fan in each of the four suites. The rooms, built with tropical hard wood beams and custom furniture, are tastefully decorated with native art and fabrics from Guatemala. Some suites even have jungle showers inside the bathrooms that are open to the stars. Let the sound of the cascading waterfalls lull you to sleep and awake to a concert preformed by the jungle birds outside your windows. The cenote-style pools beside your suite will invite you to slip in and linger awhile. Your hosts will prepare a full, gourmet breakfast served in the dining palapa beside the pool. They will help you plan your visit to neighboring Mayan ruins and cenotes less than an hour from your oasis in the jungle. When you return from your day’s adventure treat yourself to a Mayan Clay massage, and take time to slip into the pyramid that houses an intimate steam room with acrylic ceiling for stargazing and dreaming about returning to the Riviera Maya. The memory of our vacation adventure, steeped in both sea and jungle magic, lingered long after we boarded the plane for home. For more information contact: mayajardin.com 984 125 88 06 and laselvamariposa.com 984 876 99 80.

Other Articles of Interest
Beach Clubs of Tulum, February 2009
Giggling Between Topes
More Than Swimming with the Whale Sharks August 2009

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