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Massage in a Beach Hut at
the Ritz-Carlton Cancun
Julie Register visited this hotel spa in Cancun's Hotel Zone in
September 2002
After a $15-million renovation following the devastation
of Hurricane Wilma, hotel reopens October 2006 with an upgraded spa and
new facilities, among them a year-round tennis center and culinary center.
 Socorro’s
deep massage strokes strummed the painfully tight muscles surrounding
my shoulder blades. It had only been two weeks since my last massage,
but you’d never know it. I blamed the tenseness on lack of sleep
and lots of recent travel. Perhaps on a subconscious level, my body knew
that Hurricane Isadore was about to visit the Yucatan Peninsula.
I saw the massage hut on the beach shortly after I checked into the Ritz-Carlton
and knew what I was going to do before anything else in Cancun. Less than
an hour later, there I was… enjoying the scent of Melisa (good for
relaxing, headaches and, coincidentally [?], insomnia) and Oil 13 (a general,
beneficial tonic). Sounds of a babbling brook flowed from the “The
Mountain Stream” on the CD player. Waves crashed rhythmically
on the beach only yards from the hut. Socorro was a very skilled massage
therapist and worked out every last knot from my back. The massage ended
with a soothing cup of hot tea. It was a wonderful massage for all the
senses.
I had my massage on a bright, sunny afternoon. However, the open-sided,
thatched-roof beach hut is more commonly used for The Caribbean Massage,
a couple’s massage performed in the evening when the beach is essentially
empty. Encircled by the warm flickering light of tiki torches and cocooned
by walls of mosquito netting, the beach hut becomes a private island,
perfect for a romantic spa treatment.
 Other
romantic amenities offered include private sunset dinner on the beach,
rose-petal turn down, crystal champagne flute keepsake, monogrammed his
and hers bathrobes, silver picture frames with names and date engraved,
champagne and caviar, chocolates and cordials, and a serenade by a Mexican
trio.
 The
Spa and Fitness Center
In addition to the beach hut, the spa offers separate men’s and
women’s locker rooms with showers, steam rooms and saunas (whirlpools
are found in the resort's two public outdoor pool areas). There are three
treatment rooms where the spa offers services such as exfoliation, body
wraps, seaweed body mask, leg treatment, anti-cellulite treatment, and
massage (Swedish, shiatsu, deep tissue, aromatherapy, reflexology, neck
and back, and couples). The Fitness Center is equipped with a good selection
of strength and cardio equipment. Aerobics, tai chi and yoga classes are
offered as well as the services of a personal trainer.
 The
Salon
The Salon provides facials, paraffin treatments, waxing, manicures, pedicures,
and hair services. On the third day of my visit, Hurricane Isadore arrived
in the Yucatan Peninsula. We got lots of rain and high winds, but the
worst damage from the storm was west of Cancun in Merida. I spent a few
hours in the salon on one of the days I was hotel-bound. Candy gave me
a relaxing pedicure and a haircut. There was an element of the surreal
having my foot massaged while watching a hurricane from the quiet salon.
I was concerned about Candy's trip home. She did not seem to be worried
about it. I have gotten quite a few compliments on the haircut. Candy
washed my hair before cutting it and again before blow-drying it. That
eliminated the necessity of showering right after the cut. I am going
to suggest it to my stylist at home (who, with two exceptions, has done
every haircut for me for the last 19 years).
 The
Hotel
The award-winning Ritz-Carlton Cancun is in Cancun’s hotel zone,
only 15 minutes from the airport. There are 365 guest rooms and suites,
all with ocean views and private balconies or terraces. I stayed in one
of the 46 Club Level guest rooms on the eighth floor that can only be
accessed by a private elevator key. The Ritz-Carlton Club amenities include
private butlers to unpack and pack guests’ belongings and reserved
cabanas with fully stocked personal coolers at request. The amenity I
appreciated most was the constant serving of food in the lounge area…
breakfast, light lunch, afternoon tea, light dinner cocktails and hors
d’ouvres, and chocolates and cordials. When Hurricane Isadore came
close, I spent three days watching the weather from the club lounge, drinking
tea and coffee and enjoying the selection of food available. I have to
say I felt very safe in the hotel. It was built to withstand hurricane
force winds. If, however, it had become necessary, the hotel had an evacuation
plan and would have moved us to another hotel further inland. Fortunately,
it wasn't necessary.
 Guest
Rooms
All guest rooms offer marble bathrooms, remote-controlled television
with international cable, Lodgenet in-room pay-per-view movies, Nintendo
Ritz-Carlton 64 systems, a mini-bar, three telephones with dual lines
and data ports, plush terry bathrobes, slippers, irons and ironing boards,
and in-room safes. Room service offers a “Spa Alternative” breakfast
of grannery muffin and pumpkin-sunflower seed bread rolls, egg white omelet
with mushrooms and ricotta cheese, fruit juices, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
A Bath Butler is available for The Margarita Bath. The tub is lined with
sea salts, designed to resemble the edge of a margarita glass, bath water
is garnished with fresh slices of lime and lime-scented bath gel for an
authentic recreation of the popular beverage. Fresh margarita flowers,
votive candles floating in margarita glasses on the lip of the tub and
a pitcher of margaritas with two glasses complete the experience.
 Ritz-Carlton
Lounge at the Cancun Airport
For a small fee ($25 USD at the time of my visit), guests of the Ritz-Carlton
Cancun have access to the Ritz-Carlton Lounge at the Cancun Airport. Beverages
and light snacks are available, as well as comfortable chairs (two are
massage chairs), televisions, computers, magazines, newspapers, and a
flight monitor. Because of Hurricane Isadore, my flight was delayed six
hours. I was very thankful that I had access to this comfortable place
to wait.
Final Thoughts about Isadore
September is one of my favorite months to travel. The weather is usually
still summer-like and there are no crowds. However, when traveling in
the Caribbean, there is always the possibility of hurricanes. This year,
I ran into Isadore. I always felt safe, was only slightly inconvenienced
and got home the day I was supposed to. I guess one storm in all the traveling
I have done isn't too bad. Would I still travel to the Caribbean in September?
Absolutely!
Photos copyright 2002, Julie Register
except those marked * which have been provided by The
Ritz-Carlton Cancun
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