Maroma, A Belmond Hotel is set to reopen its doors in Mexico’s Riviera Maya district in May 2023. Nestled between 200 acres of lush tropical jungle and the secluded white sands of the Caribbean coast, the property has been reimagined with Mayan culture at its core – it will also be the first extensive transformation within Belmond’s North America portfolio under LVMH ownership. This new chapter of Maroma will include 10 new waterfront suites, a nature-focussed wellness experience in partnership with Guerlain, ground-breaking sustainability initiatives and a new gastronomic era under Mexican-born Executive Chef Daniel Camacho.
Internationally renowned designer, Tara Bernerd, is at the helm of the comprehensive restoration, working hand-in-hand with local artisans to honour Mexican heritage. Blending contemporary craft with the careful sourcing of indigenous materials, the team will create spaces that are authentic to their roots and channel the healing energy of the locale. The original design and architecture of the property have been preserved, including the white stucco buildings, aligned to the Sacred Geometry of Mayan masonry. Curved lines and organic forms inspired by the wild surrounds inform the indoor-outdoor flow of rooms, suites and villas. Each of the 72 accommodations are spread across Maroma’s private stretch of sand – of which three quarters now have ocean views, including a new waterfront suite complete with private pool and garden. The property’s three pools have been completely redesigned too, featuring Sukabumi tiles hand-made from volcanic stone, in the same vibrant turquoise tones as the region’s many natural cenotes.
“Maroma offered a rare opportunity to reimagine this iconic hotel, with its rich and storied history,” says Bernerd. “We sought to retain and enhance the original character, working with local artisans, whilst simultaneously incorporating a contemporary elegance, a warmth that also has a sense of home, that speaks to the needs of the Belmond guest for generations to come.” As such, Maroma will showcase a collection of pan-Mexican art and design; 80% of furnishings and objects will be made by Mexican craftspeople, from a hand-blown glass chandelier, painted clay pots, to traditional Saltillo floor tiles in the guestrooms.
Founded on the principles of nature and vitality, wellness at Maroma see the launch of the first Guerlain Spa in Latin America. Treatment rooms will look out onto the jungle, whilst local design elements will be incorporated throughout geometric shapes and artisanal objects. Centred around balance and harmony, Guerlain is to develop a unique spa menu with its renowned face and body treatments, as well as exclusive experiences designed around the Mayan wellness philosophy, sound and healing rituals. The holistic retreat will also include a selection of daily workshops in meditation, movement and yoga.
On the F&B front, Mexican-born Executive Chef Daniel Camacho will continue his legacy of celebrating his country’s rich culinary diversity at Casa Mayor restaurant. Working on a sustainable provenance approach, 90% of ingredients will be sourced from Mexico and almost half from the Yucatán peninsula. A proud member of #PescaConFuturo, promoting sustainable fishery and aquaculture, freshly caught seafood will be sourced from Amigos de Sian Ka’an. Reinventing traditional Mexican cuisine, dishes will range from seafood towers and Michoacan corundas, to Jalisco-style Birria and chocolate cake with Oaxacan black mole, flamed with house mezcal.
Bambuco will offer a more casual affair, where seasonal herbal drinks made fresh from the garden sit alongside Mexican wines, tequila cocktails and a selection of Mezcal, while beach hangout Freddy’s Bar will continue to channel the spirit of the Riviera Maya, filled with live music and DJ sets, fresh seafood and cocktails.
Maroma has a long history of working with local organisations and will continue with Fundación Selva Maya and Mayahuum, to protect the endangered Melipona bee – fundamentally important to the ecology of the Yucatán peninsula. In an effort to go even further, a new partnership with Guerlain will amplify this commitment. Combining a legacy of caring, research and community programs, the collaboration will include expanding resident hives, unveiling a new Melipona sanctuary for educational guest experiences, and introducing Guerlain’s Bee School and Women for Bees initiatives into Yucatán communities. As well as forming part of the wellness experience, Melipona and other types of honey will feature on the culinary and mixology menus. Caring for the environment is a priority woven into every aspect of Maroma, with further initiatives including turtle conservation and preserving the local flora and fauna integrated into guest programming.
The Riviera Maya is also fertile ground for creative expression and artistic development, with its rich culture, storytelling traditions and natural landscapes. Maroma will therefore celebrate local artists through a multi-faceted creative concept, Fotografia Maroma, in partnership with curators Fariba Farshad (co-founder and director of Photo London) and Patricia Conde (the founder of Patricia Conde Galeria in Mexico City and the annual exhibition Proyectosjuancano68). Together with Belmond, the curators have hand-picked four Mexican photographers to participate in the inaugural photography series: renowned photographers Patricia Lagarde, Javier Hinojosa, and Ilán Rabchinskey, alongside up-and-coming talent Margot Kalach. The resulting images, which capture Riviera Maya through the photographers’ distinctive lenses and perspectives, will be exhibited during Art Basel in Miami, and during Zona Maco in Mexico City and Photo London.
