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A Favorite on the Riviera Maya

Shhhh….Let me introduce you to “the best kept secret in the Riviera Maya“

One of my most favorite spots is somewhere that, so far, has only been used as the kick off meeting spot our bi-annual ladies trip. On two occasions, my friends and I “set up camp” at this beautiful boutique hotel on the Riviera Maya while everyone flew in from around the U.S. It provided a much appreciated day of relaxation, celebration and reconnecting before heading off to our villa for the week in Tulum and Cozumel. Although I hate to reveal the secret of this magical little hotel so it will remain the hidden gem that it is, I just have to tell you about it!

Tucked outside of the crazy area of Playa del Carmen, lies a lovely “oasis of tranquility” called Petit Lafitte Hotel. Honestly, from the moment I walked into the lobby area, I felt the most incredible sigh of relief, feeling all the pressures, the stress and travel fatigue just melt away. Petit Lafitte is a lovely setting with super comfortable accommodations. But, it’s the many little things that truly make this such a special place.

On both of our trips, we arrived on a Friday. As we all arrived and got settled, we enjoyed the pool, the wonderful bar services, the hammocks on the beach and the views. On Friday nights, Petit Lafitte offers an awesome outdoor banquet (weather permitting). Both times we stayed here, we were blessed with this fun outdoor dining. Our first visit was post-Covid, so we hadn’t seen each other for 3 years. As a special treat to celebrate our reunion, the management surprised us with a Mariachi band! It was an absolutely wonderful, magical night. On our second trip, we were again treated to great food and wonderful music, which solidified our love of the place. Just a lovely, peaceful evening with friends to kick off an incredible week with some of my favorite people!

The next morning, after enjoying coffee on our balcony overlooking the Caribbean, we got the day started with a wonderful hour of yoga. We then enjoyed a yummy breakfast, gathered our stuff and headed off to our next adventure.

And Such a Deal!

The most amazing value here- breakfast, dinner and yoga is all included in the very reasonable nightly rate. And the staff was super accommodating and fun.

Lastly, I just want to bring your attention to another wonderful feature of this little slice of zen. Kuxtal is a lovely sanctuary offering a variety of Mayan wellness experiences. I loved the morning yoga, so I am really excited to return to check out all of these other options. Kuxtal offers a little bit of everything: different yoga styles (including aerial yoga), massage, sound healing, a temazcal (steam temple), cacao ceremony, and other interesting workshops. Everything is created to help us find balance. As quoted on their website, “[Kuxtal] is a refuge where dreams intertwine with reality, where nature’s whispers guide you to fulfillment, and where self-love blooms like a flower in the garden of life.” I love that! Yes, you might find it’s a little woo-woo… but who couldn’t use a little woo-woo balancing in this crazy world! I’m working on a organizing a wellness retreat and cannot wait to really experience all that Kuxtal has to offer. (https://www.petitlafitte.com/en/wellness/inghome-kuxtal – check it out)

I hope everyone gets an opportunity to stop off at this wonderful little oasis – even if only for the night. It really is a special place! I’ll be back for sure!

As always, if you want help in planning your next girls getaway, I’d love hear from you!!

Be blessed friends!

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Overcoming Objections

Are you are dealing with objections on whether or not you can really take this trip with your girlfriends? Are these objections coming from you or possibly from a family member? Let’s take a look at both.

First, let’s examine the many reasons you have come up about why you just cannot do this. I’m going to just start with this bit of advice… STOP IT! I know there are a million reasons why you think this time for yourself just won’t work. I invite you to get really honest with yourself and dig into the real, raw reasons you’re feeling this way. Guilt maybe? Is it guilt over spending money? Are family demands an issue? These, along with whatever other argument you’re having with yourself about this, are all absolutely legitimate. But I invite you to take a different view. Taking this time for yourself really is cathartic! It could very well fill a gap in your life that you didn’t even know existed.

These objections that come from your own mind are really the easiest ones to address. Right now,  try writing down your list of why you can’t. For every NO reason on that list, make a new YES  list of why this trip is exactly what you need. I think you will find that every reason on your “YES” list will address something that has been brewing inside from your “NO.” When you begin to see these observations differently, you can start getting excited about making this happen.

The second type of objection can be an entirely different issue — those are the objections that come from others (generally family members).  Here’s an example: When I first started going on these trips, my youngest was a sophomore in high school and the other children had graduated. So, as far as child rearing, I felt okay about leaving. However, my husband had a really, really hard time with the idea. He reminded me A LOT about why this was a really bad idea for a lot of reasons from timing to finances. Bottom line, he just didn’t want me gone for a week. Part of this is that in many ways he’s pretty spoiled. Don’t get me wrong, my husband is one of the hardest working people I know. Because of this, I was able to work part-time and handled “household management” with the kids and house stuff. Truth is, I really believe the thought of me leaving just scared the heck out of him!! In this case, I made sure he knew I wasn’t doing this out of disrespect, but I needed this break from taking care of everyone and everything else. It took a while, but now he gets that this trip is pretty much non-negotiable, that it brings balance to my life and that it is a big part of my survival kit.  

Finding balance is so important in our lives!

To clarify, however, I would never suggest being so adamant in your discussions with your loved ones that it drives a wedge between you. But I believe (in most cases) you can find a resolution that is balanced and respectful. There are obviously things that may really limit your opportunity to get away for a week. I offer this example to demonstrate that there are solutions to almost every objection that may come your way – either internal or external. So maybe start small – maybe a weekend. But I cannot emphasize this enough – START. It really is life changing!