HOTEL ESENCIA: UPDATED 2020 Resort Reviews, Price Comparison and 1,111 Photos (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

About

5.0

Excellent

421 reviews

Location

Cleanliness

Service

Value

Travellers' Choice 2019 Winner

Certificate of Excellence

Hotel Esencia is a 50-acre private estate, with an awe-inspiring beachfront, two swimming pools, day spa, three restaurants, and an indulgent atmosphere fitting of royalty. In fact, the property and many of the buildings once served as the exclusive beach-side retreat of an Italian duchess. Though friendly, warm and generous, the duchess demands the very best and Esencia still benefits from her superior taste, her impeccable style, and her zest for life.

Full view

Property amenities

Parking

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Pool

Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room

Bar / lounge

Beach

Snorkelling

Babysitting

Free internet

Wifi

Public wifi

Internet

Hot bath

Outdoor pool

Restaurant

Breakfast available

Breakfast in the room

Poolside bar

Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)

Airport transportation

Car hire

Meeting rooms

Fax / photocopying

Spa

Couples massage

Facial treatments

Full body massage

Massage

Salon

Concierge

Currency exchange

Non-smoking hotel

Sun umbrellas

Butler service

24-hour front desk

Dry cleaning

Laundry service

Ironing service

Room features

Air conditioning

Housekeeping

Private balcony

Room service

Safe

Minibar

Refrigerator

Flatscreen TV

Room types

Ocean view

Non-smoking rooms

Suites

Family rooms

Good to know

HOTEL CLASS

HOTEL STYLE

Hidden Gem

Family Resort

Languages Spoken

English, French, Spanish

Location

Full view

Contact

Calle Carretera Federal KM 265, Xpu-Ha 77710 Mexico

Name/address in local language

Getting there

Cozumel Airport34 kmSee all flights

Aerodromo de Playa Del Carmen24 kmSee all flights

Car HireSee all Xpu-Ha car hire

See all nearby hotels

Nearby restaurants

Jessie Gelato

448 reviews

3.7 kmItalian

Chic Cabaret & Restaurant

612 reviews

5.8 kmInternational

BLoved Lounge & Restaurant

See all nearby restaurants

Nearby attractions

Chikin Ha

1,197 reviews

2.3 kmNature & Wildlife Areas

Cenote Azul

1,479 reviews

14 minGeologic Formations

Puerto Aventuras Marina

See all nearby attractions

421Reviews31Q+A100Room tips

Magical trip!

I booked a long weekend stay at Hotel Esencia and it was SO wonderful I just had to post something. I needed some solitude and downtime from the world and my stay at Esencia fit the bill! I spent hours in the main house reading and admiring art work and afternoons soaking up peaceful serenity in a private cabana on the beach being coddled by the friendliest staff. And the beach, OMG so beautiful! The food is utterly amazing and the fresh catch specials were mouthwatering. The healthy smoothies at the beach were the best watching the ocean in the quiet loft above. Total relaxation. Thank you Esencia! Truly magical stay. I am rejuvenated!!

Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family

Dear P3028OQjanetw, Such a nice review -- thanks so much for your visit and for taking the time to share your feedback. As you may have heard, Hotel Esencia began as the holiday home of an Italian duchess. Though the duchess has long moved away, we try to carry on her tradition of refined entertaining within this truly spectacular natural paradise set on the prettiest beach in the Riviera Maya. Here you will not find swim-up bars or giant water slides. Our emphasis is enjoying our natural jungle setting and warm crystal blue sea, with simple but stylish accommodations and the best in casual fine dining and service. We want each of our guests to feel as though they are staying with us in our private home filled with books, design, artwork and love. We are indeed family owned and operated and I hope you met some of our family on your recent visit. Again, my sincere thanks for your visit from all of us at Hotel Esencia. Kevin Wendle Owner and CEO

+1

Hotel Esencia=Perfectiin

As some of you may know, I’m an incessant and adventurous traveler. Having lived in Paris for 15 years I had easy proximity in Europe. I also venture to places as diverse as Tasmania to Tromso. Zanzibar to Zulu lands. Wanting a chic small beach resort in Mexico is not all that simple. But having spent past holidays in San Miguel de Allende & Mexico City I was anxious to discover a Mexican beach experience that would rival Capri and Il Pelicano. This boutique hotel exceeded even my stringent expectations. First the pristine private beach, cabanas and elongated views without another hotel in sight. Then the beautifully furnished beach villas, impeccably cleaned and with nary a spec of sand. To the excellent (really!) meals and evening events where the decorations and entertainment rival anywhere you’ve traveled and loved. The excellent staff is friendly, helpful, unswervingly polite and professional. I will return often. And I don’t say that frequently.…

Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family

Dear lindabcoleman, My sincere thanks for choosing Hotel Esencia and of course for this lovely five star review. I've read some of your previous reviews here and it's clear that you are a discerning traveler with a lot of experience in the luxury category. I'm so happy to know that we exceeded your high expectations. I sincerely appreciate your many nice comments about our rooms, restaurants and service. And thanks for noting the variety of ever changing decorations and entertainment we offer. It's always been my philosophy as owner to consider the entire experience of our guests from one day to the next -- much more than just a beautiful beach. We look forward to your next visit! All the best, Kevin Wendle Owner and CEO

Outstanding Trip

I just had the most amazing stay at Hotel Esencia. This place is unreal. I’ve traveled extensively in Mexico and the food, no it should be called cuisine, is unmatched. We had some amazing dishes that you’d find in any 5 star restaurant in the states. The staff was super friendly and attentive and it’s apparent they truly care about providing wonderful service. For being a small enclave tucked deep in the Yucatán jungle, I was amazed at how well manicured the grounds are. Each day we saw amazing flora and fauna. The iguanas and gorgeous peacocks were my faves. And each night the garden is decorated with colorful candles, tikis and hammocks. On Sunday the hotel hosted a Mexican Fiesta and we lounged on hammocks and over-sized, monstrous pillows listening to Mariachi’s while giant mojigangas danced among us. Then we were treated to an amazing buffet with desserts to die for! And the beach is one of the most beautiful in the world! We had lunch a couple days in one of the many beach cabanas. And while we only used the snorkeling equipment, the activities cabana has everything you’d want, including a catamaran! It’s not the least expensive hotel but now I see why it’s truly outstanding in so many ways. Thank you Hotel Esencia - we'll be back!!…

Date of stay: November 2019

Value

Location

Service

Room Tip: There are villas deeply tucked away for privacy and others closer to the pools and restaurants

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Dear TexMexBeachGuy, On behalf of all of us here, thanks so much for your recent visit and for taking the time to post your feedback here. Hotel Esencia is our family business. We are not a huge corporate operation and we take a lot of pride in what we do here. We truly think of each of our guests as friends or family coming to stay with us. We are not perfect but we try our best to provide each and every visitor an exceptional holiday experience -- thanks so much for noticing all of the details. I agree with you that all of the nature that surrounds Hotel Esencia really sets us apart. We are certainly not anything like the other big cement box hotels in the region. We have no neighbors here except private homes to the left and right. Our beach Xpu-Ha is included on so many lists of the best beaches in the world and we are fortunate to work with nice people who truly care about our guests experience as much as we do. Please consider Hotel Esencia your new beach home in Mexico! All the best, Kevin Wendle Owner and CEO

Paradise in MX

Highly recommend and will certainly be returning!!The staff was kind, caring and anticipated every need. We were fortunate enough to also participate in the sea turtle release one night. The cuisine was excellent as well

Review collected in partnership with this hotel

Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple

Dear jwileywiley, How lucky that we were able to witness the birth of hundreds of sea turtles during your visit. It is always such a tremendously moving experience, even for those of us who live and work here on this extraordinary beach. The giant sea turtles come to lay their eggs in the dark of the night between May and the end of summer, and then beginning in mid-September we witness the birth of hundreds of babies several times each week until the end of October and sometimes even into November. Thanks so much for choosing Hotel Esencia for your vacation and for taking the time to post your wonderful feedback. Truly...much appreciated! All the best, Kevin Wendle Owner and CEO

+1

Privacy you deserve!

I recently stayed in a King room in the main house and had a wonderful experience! The rooms are elegant, super comfortable and a most gracious staff to match. The spa was wonderful for massages and you may use the steam and sauna even with no services, although i highly recommend treating yourself to a massage. The food was excellent and always attended by a happy, helpful and eager to please team on hand. This property was super private and away from all of the busload tourists that are so prevalent in this part of Mexico. The beach is spectacular and exactly what you had pictured of a small caribbean hideaway!! Loved it!!

Date of stay: November 2019

Rooms

Cleanliness

Service

Room Tip: I liked the main house and being close to the beach and the amenities of the main house

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Dear TripsterLA, Such a pleasure to read your lovely review! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback here. As you may have heard, Hotel Esencia was once the private villa of a refined Italian duchess who entertained her friends from around the world with style and elegance. Since acquiring the property more than five years ago it's been my goal every day to live up to her legacy. Thanks so much for coming to experience our little paradise. We sincerely hope you will consider returning one day very soon. All the best, Kevin Wendle Owner and CEO

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How is the beach water In this part of Mexico? We recently went to the Mayakoba and I didn’t bother to get in because it wasn’t clear and pretty. Any seaweed issues?

Our beaches in this part of Mexico have been back to their normal pristine white with crystal clear blue water since mid-August. Seaweed normally appears after the spring bloom in late April or early May and then becomes less and less until it nearly disappears in mid-summer. In any case at Hotel Esencia we have a team of beach cleaners 365 days of the year dedicated to keeping our own beachfront as pristine white as possible for our many VIP guests. May/June seaweed has only been a problem during the past three years. Of course we can never predict what nature will bring.

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What's the current situation with the seaweed? Is the beach still accessible and the ocean conducive to swimming? Hoping to go end of Aug 2019. Thanks

Our beaches in this part of Mexico are back to their normal pristine white. Seaweed normally appears after the spring bloom in late April or early May and then becomes less and less until it nearly disappears in mid-summer. In any case we have a team of beach cleaners 365 days of the year dedicated to keeping our own beachfront as pristine white as possible for our many VIP guests. We've never seen heavy seaweed during the fall or winter high season.

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Are there any sail boats, hobbies cats or sailing of any kind available at the hotel? What water sports are available?

There are are paddle boards available for guest use. If you want to saii, I think you may need to charter a trip. Email the hotel.

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Is hotel esencia all inclusive?

It is not! They may offer meal packages but it’s not an all inclusive, it’s a boutique hotel. Food is excellent.

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Is it feasible to bike into Puerto Aventuras? Also, are there any activities included in the stay like volleyball, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc?

They do have paddle boarding and I think they had kayaks. No volleyball. Don't recommend biking on Hwy 307. No bike paths and a little too busy with traffic. You can have a cab pick you up and head to Puerto Aventuras. It's easy to also rent a car in Cancun and head south to Tulum. You will love Esencia. Why leave?

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"There are villas deeply tucked away for privacy and others closer to the pools and restaurants"

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"I liked the main house and being close to the beach and the amenities of the main house"

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"Beachfront is worth the price"

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"Exceptional in every way. "

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"There's not a bad room. Look for the cute beach bag in the closet."

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PRICE RANGE	€857 - €2,110 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS	esencia playa del carmen, esencia hotel playa del carmen
LOCATION	MexicoYucatan PeninsulaQuintana RooRiviera MayaXpu-Ha
NUMBER OF ROOMS	40