RivieraMayaMexico

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