 |
Impossibly romantic
Playa Escondida
By Donna Evans-Deyermond
|
|
|
The tranquil sights of Mexico’s Playa Escondida resort;
all photos courtesy of Playa Escondida and Donna Evans-Deyermond.
|
The first time you make the drive to Playa Escondida, you’ll be certain you’re on the wrong road. After the turn off the main highway between Punta de Mita and Sayulita (just north of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico) you’ll follow a dirt road winding deep into the jungle. There’s little sign of civilization, just one or two rustic houses and a huge brahma bull dozing in his pen. When you are about to give up and turn around you finally hit some cobblestone, but it’s not until you reach the top of a steep hill that the ocean comes into view and you begin to think maybe you’re going the right way after all. You were looking for an escape, right?
|
|
|
|
 |
At the end of this jungle trail you’ll find what is possibly the most romantic resort on earth. Here you will have your own private house on the beach, overlooking a beautiful, sheltered cove. “We like to think this is a magical, unique place,” says Nova Slouenwhite, manager of guest services. “Most people come here for a romantic getaway—there’s no TV, no air conditioning, and most cell phones don’t work. We do offer access to the Internet on one of our computers, but we ask that guests be considerate of each other and not tie it up too long.” In truth, who would want to spend time on the computer when they could be taking a dip in the infinity pool that seems to drop right into the Pacific, having a meal or snack at the outdoor gourmet restaurant, or lounging with a cool drink on the private beach, undisturbed by the vendors one typically finds in resort areas?
Playa Escondida has eighteen houses, most completely separate but a few with two-story units. The houses accommodate from two to four people, and each has a decor different from the next, a private entrance, living space that is open to the outdoors, and a palapa roof (thatched from local palm leaves). The setting has been kept as natural to the jungle as possible—even the swimming pools are surrounded by sand. (This travel guide doesn’t typically recommend Mexican restrooms, but the baños at Playa Escondida are something to behold. With sand floors and natural rock formations serving as cubicle walls, this is like finding the conveniences of home in the middle of the jungle.) “We attract interesting guests because they have to like living in tune with nature,” Slouenwhite says. “I do tell them not to leave any food out at night or they may have a visitor: a racoon or one of his close relations.”
Playa Escondida is located at the same latitude as Hawaii and enjoys a similar climate—sun year-round, a little warmer, and more humid in the rainy season. In summer, guests may also be introduced to an influx of the local land crabs which migrate as many as five miles from the hills to the ocean to lay their eggs. Dinner is served beginning at 6:30 p.m. and prepared by Cordon Bleu chefs. The five-course meals start with soup; your choice from two salad offerings; choice of seafood, meat, pasta, or vegetarian entrée; and dessert, all for 275 pesos. That’s $27.50 USD, people. (Drinks are extra, while spectacular sunsets are free.) “Everything is fresh if at all possible. It’s whatever the fish and produce vendors have to offer each day,” says Slouenwhite. “And if someone requires a special diet, it’s rare that we can’t accommodate their needs.”
The resort also offers a full-service spa, snorkeling around the rock formations in front of the beach (ocean currents permitting), and guided horseback tours into the jungle or up to Monkey Mountain, a local scenic destination. Should you have any excess energy, surfing is available in next-door Sayulita, a brief taxi-trip away. But just as Playa Escondida is not your typical resort, it is also not all-inclusive. Prices vary depending on the time of year and room you choose. Guests are asked for a nonrefundable deposit of $100 per adult, which is applied to the food and drinks they consume during their visit. The resort does offer meals to people staying in neighboring towns, but they must reserve, and resort guests get priority. To reserve your impossibly romantic great escape and view the decor of each house, go to www.playa-escondida.com. But you’d better get clicking. Slouenwhite says they are booking into April 2009.
Donna Evans-Deyermond is a freelance writer and public relations consultant who kept insisting to her husband they were going the wrong way the first time they visited Playa Escondida.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Back to the Table of Contents
Back to Top
|
|
|
