Banyan Tree Resort

Banyan Tree's Latest Resort in Mexico, or is it?

New hotels are popping up on Mexico's Riviera Maya as faster than you can say "Caribbean beachfront land grab." The pristine stretch of white-sand beach is perfectly situated close to the Cancun airport and the charming town of Playa del Carmen -- that is, if you ever want to leave your resort.

Luxury resorts like the Fairmont Mayakoba have been populating the Yucatan Peninsula since the lovely Maroma brought luxe (and an amazing spa) to the area in the late '90s. But late in 2007, a new player arrived in the area with a new trick: the private pool villa. The Banyan Tree Mayakoba is a resort with a grand scale -- the buildings feel over sized, the roofs curving up to the sky for dramatic effect -- and its setting, built around a fresh-water lagoon lends an exotic mystique. The only catch with providing guests with such lavish rooms and private pools, is they tend to stay in them.

Gallery: Banyan Tree Mayakoba

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Banyan Tree Opens First Resort in UAE

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Last month, a new luxury desert resort managed by Banyan Tree opened its doors in Al Wadi, United Arab Emirates. More than half of the new Banyan Tree Al Wadi's 250 acres is set aside as a nature reserve with Arabian gazelles and local antelope or "oryxes." The desert resort consists of 101 tented villas designed with inspiration from the area's Bedouin tribes, each with their own "oasis" - a private full-size pool.

The property has a beach and access to a championship 18-hole golf course. It's located 12 miles outside the city of Ras Al Khaimah in the northern most Emirate, and 45 minutes from the Dubai International Airport. At the resort, visitors can take part in decidedly Middle-Eastern pastimes: falconry, camel riding, desert drives, or floating the river on traditional "dhow" Arabic sailing vessels.

The 10,000-square-foot Spa Al Wadi features 10 tented treatment pavilions. As with all Banyan Tree resorts, each therapist is trained at the Banyan Tree Spa Academy in Phuket, Thailand. Come March, the spa will offer an almost anti-desert experience in its "Rainforest hydrothermal circuit" - perhaps it's needed after those desert drives.

The Singapore-based resort operator runs 15 exclusive Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts all over the world including Ringha and Lijang and two others in China; two in the Maldives and several in the works including one in Vietnam to open 2011.

Gallery: Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resort

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Bride.com's Top Five Honeymoon Destinations

by Dakota Smith (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

As editor of Brides.com, a new wedding portal from the publisher of Brides and Modern Bride magazines, Theresa DiMasi hears about all the top honeymoon destinations. So we asked her to pick the five best places to go this season, either because these spots are buzz-worthy or little-known (for now) destinations. In addition to being great honeymoon spots, many of these places also will host weddings.

The Seychelles

DiMasi: This archipelago of 115 remote islands off the coast of Africa is one of the last truly pristine and secluded paradises because the government has carefully managed tourism--and construction is strictly regulated. For the
ultimate African adventure, spend a week at the Banyan Tree Resort (pictured above), then head to Kruger National Park, the largest wildlife sanctuary in South Africa, for an overland safari. Starting rate per night (three-night minimum): $1,320.