Destination: The Mexican Caribbean
Forget standard spas. From Tulum to Cancun, resorts are embracing the hottest trend in luxury travel: high-tech healing.
The Mexican Caribbean, particularly the Riviera Maya region, has emerged as a serious wellness destination for a simple reason: That’s what the luxury travel market wants. Notably, an acclaimed, celebrity-endorsed wellness clinic called SHA Mexico, which boasts the latest in high-tech equipment, opened on the coast of Costa Mujeres in January just north of Cancun. Soon after, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue and United launched their first non-stop flights to the new Tulum airport, making it quicker and easier than ever for Americans to access its beaches, cenotes and Mayan sweat lodges. Modern-day temazcal ceremony anyone?
The global wellness tourism industry is predicted to be worth $1.4 trillion by 2027, according to Statista, and Mexico is certainly competing for its share. Today, you’ll find its high-end hotel rooms and private residences are designed to support not just a vacation, but a healthy lifestyle.
“Our residences provide premium amenities, larger spaces, and in-residence consultations and treatments, making them a highly attractive option for extended stays,” said Alejandro Bataller, co-founder of the SHA Wellness Clinic, which first opened in Spain 15 years ago. “Within this booming sector, wellness real estate is a significant player, with the market expected to reach $887.5 billion by 2027. Investors are now embracing wellness design features, recognizing that such enhancements can increase property values and rental income.”
His white-on-white property, designed by the Mexican architectural firm Sodro Madaleno, appears as if the spiral structure of the human DNA molecule landed on the beach. It boasts 101 suites and 37 wellness residences, with glorious views of Isla Mujeres. Upon arrival, the first thing that hits you is the blueness of the water, in five vibrant shades. The rhythmic sound of waves hitting the beach. The canyon height of the ceilings, anchored by heavy wood furnishings and stone floors. And the cool taste of welcome lemonade… which, of course, is sugar-free. Though the company declines to disclose the amount invested to create SHA Mexico, the business is doing well enough to support the opening of a third resort-clinic near Dubai called SHA Emirates, expected to open in 2026.
They’re not the only game in town. “The numbers are just insane. From 2019 to 2022, we opened 200 resorts. In the last five years, we built 25,000 rooms here. That's the size of Los Cabos. That's the way we are developing. It's a very prolific tourist destination,” said Andrés Martínez Reynoso, director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ) over coffee at Nizuc Resort & Spa, another example of a luxury hotel that has poured millions into spa and wellness offerings.
If you’re looking for a next-level health experience—where things like stem cell treatments, hydrotherapy circuits, and sensory deprivation tanks are par for the course—Mexico might just be the ticket. But be prepared to pay more. According to CoStar data, average daily rates (ADR) in the Mexican Caribbean have jumped 46% in the past five years. Health is wealth, or so the saying goes.
Where to Stay
SHA Mexico | One of Europe’s premier health retreats opened its second location in the private enclave of Costa Mujeres. The program, if you choose to fully embrace it, can be transformative. Rates start at $5,600 for a 4-night “Rebalance & Energize” program.
Treatments | After initial testing, which includes bioenergy and neurocognitive assessments, the staff uses your data profile to customize a fitness regimen and nutritionist-guided meal plan. Treatments include transcranial electrical stimulation, personal training workouts, private yoga sessions, sound bowl meditation, water shiatsu i.e. “Watsu,” a sexual health consultation (reminding you that sexual health is part of your overall health), and something called Emsella—which demands description. Emsella is a futuristic electromagnetic chair designed to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. It's an answer to that age-old question: What if a robot forced you to sit and do kegels for 28 minutes? Does this magic zap-you-in-the-under-carriage chair work? Who knows. But I had a good laugh. More importantly, a stay at SHA comes with anytime access to its spa, which has an extensive hydrotherapy circuit, infrared saunas, cold plunges and a seemingly endless list of a la carte massage and skin treatments (think electromagnetic stimulation for your face).
Meals | Miso soup for breakfast? Yes, and it’s surprisingly delightful. Every morning, guests are offered a steaming hot bowl of rich brown Miso soup, brewed with lemon slices, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and fresh herbs, served alongside a tall glass of tart green apple kale juice. This is a signature dish at SHAmadi, the main restaurant, and captures SHA’s ‘Blue Zone inspired’ approach in a bowl. It’s essentially a diet of unprocessed, plant-based organic foods, with some occasional seafood. The idea is to give yourself a chance to experience what it feels like to remove alcohol, caffeine, meat, dairy, and refined sugar—and instead get really into fresh fruits, veggies, fermented foods, and ample amounts of oil of the avocado, sesame, and olive variety. You’ll also become very familiar with something called umeboshi—pickled Japanese plums known as the ‘king of alkaline foods’ which seem to magically depuff everyone post plane ride.
Of course, all-inclusive dining reduces stress simply because you’re not worried about shopping, cooking or doing dishes. But, for me, it’s a real personal victory to survive without caffeine, having not gone a day without it for 25 years. And SHA’s “healthy haute cuisine” really did make me feel way more energetic, less anxious, and even a bit sexier. That said, this isn’t Mexico City-level food, and the property knows it. So, they’re busy building a new fine dining restaurant called Earthy, which aims to make healthy gastronomy a Michelin-star proposition. “I've been designing the kitchen for the past three years. It’s a beautiful restaurant with 15 intimate tables in front of the sea, and we might expand onto the beach,” says Lixi Lineas, the executive chef from French Guiana, who also teaches cooking classes on-site. “The vision for us is, in a few years, to reach the Michelin star.” Sending me off with a booklet of SHA’s take-home recipes, he adds: “The more you cook for yourself the more you love yourself. It’s about creating better habits. Global food industrialization has put us on the wrong path. We just need to remember what we have.”
In Review | Access to many types of medical professionals under one roof, each reviewing a comprehensive dossier of information on you, is a significant value proposition for wellness seekers who might otherwise struggle to get their own doctors or therapists to share opinions or records. Plus, the benefit of working with a qualified nutritionist that liaises with the kitchen staff to manage your prescribed ingredients cannot be overstated. Previously, I couldn’t reach or maintain my goal weight on my own. But I did it with SHA. I also left with a list of tools and guidance to gain muscle, improve sleep, and even restore hormonal balance. It’s just up to me to follow it.
NIZUC Resort & Spa | Originally slated to become an Aman resort, this $170 million dollar property sits on almost 200-acres of private land merely 15 minutes from Cancun International Airport. It is also the former Mexican Presidential retreat, now owned by Antonio Cosío Pando, CEO of Grupo Brisas. He opened Nizuc in 2013 as a wellness retreat ‘for every age’ with 274 suites and villas, and now has plans to add 90 new residences in 2026. Think of it as the Cosio family compound, with two secluded beaches, a lavish spa, a high-end kids club, and a separate adults-only section with its own eatery and infinity pool. Room rates start at $585 per night.
The Spa | Nizuc’s spa is a 30,000 square foot oasis dedicated to well-being, including a hydrotherapy circuit (where a therapist calmly guides you through a structured sequence of time in a steam room, sauna, ice room, hydro-massage pool and cold plunge), a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool and 14 dedicated villas for couples to make a day of it. Most popular here are the non-surgical “MedSpa” radiofrequency facials, which claim to fade fine lines, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and tighten overall appearance of skin. ‘Tis the season to tighten up!
According to Alfonso Martínez, Nizuc’s general manager, approximately $25 million was invested into this spa, which is a kind of getaway within the larger hotel. Still, he feels the need to make more of it. “We do feel pressure because of places like SHA, which is a big event in Mexico. Because our customers are asking for stem cell treatments, new technology, hydrotherapy, et cetera. So, we are constantly developing, not because we want to compete directly with SHA, because SHA is a different thing—but we need to be competitive,” said Alfonso Martínez, Nizuc’s general manager.
In Review | While SHA can be stringent, Nizuc is about pure pleasure. It’s a sultry resort that draws big groups, and boasts huge suites with all the couple amenities, like dual showers, separate sinks, and private hot tubs on balconies overlooking the Caribbean sea. By nightfall, the place vibrates with the energy of indulgence—especially in the Hemingway-esque Havana Lounge where you can drink fine tequila and roll cigars to the sound of live Cuban music. There’s wellness in that, too.
Hotel Esencia | Originally the private home of an Italian Duchess located 45-minutes north of Tulum, Esencia maintains its aristocratic character in the hands of owner Kevin Wendle. This year, Hotel Esencia was awarded the coveted Three Michelin Keys and also made the World's 50 Best Hotels list for the second consecutive year. Room rates start at $875 per night.
The Backstory | Wendle’s initial investment was over $20 million when he purchased Hotel Esencia in 2014. “I instantly knew that if I applied all of my passion and focus it could become the most celebrated beach resort in Mexico and the Caribbean,” writes Wendle in the chic new Assouline coffee table book, Hotel Esencia. Since then, he has continued to invest in the property, more than doubling its size and completing a multi-million-dollar renovation of the spa, which now incorporates more wellness tech (a sensory deprivation tank and electromagnetic facials are now on the menu). In our interview, Wendle didn’t mince words: “I want to have the best spa in the world. I want to do whatever it takes, but I really look at the hotel on the whole as a wellness center.”
The Spa | Esencia’s spa spans nearly 3,000 square feet, and is housed under a massive thatched roof with rounded stucco walls surrounded by a tropical flower and herb garden. There are 12 distinct spaces housing wet saunas, an infrared sauna, plunge pools, an ice room, massage rooms (two with double-size stone bathtubs), a laser treatment room, a beauty salon, and a dedicated space for temazcal ceremonies.
“People come to us and say, I had better wellness results in one week at your hotel than I've had in the last five years with my doctors in New York,” adds Wendle. “Our local therapists know ancient Mayan therapies and rituals, which have been passed down for generations. A lot of the ingredients for those are grown right in the spa garden. We grow our own aloe, herbs, citrus, and coffee for coffee scrubs. So it's really this blend of ancient techniques combined together with modern technology. And, yes, some of it is moving into the medical realm now.” For instance, Wendle’s sister, a dermatology nurse, recommended he consider a “NuEra” radio-frequency skin tightening machine. They took before and after pictures, and Wendle was immediately sold. But the jury is still out as to whether non-invasive tech can beat botox.
In Review | Esencia’s appeal is pure Hollywood glamor. After all, Kevin Wendle is a veteran TV producer who continues to attract Los Angeles A-listers to the property, which is run like a private home. The hotel’s non-corporate, completely independent character makes it a place where anything goes. There is tremendous freedom in that, and when you consider its close proximity to Tulum, where eco-chic wellness and spirituality were already having a heyday, this place takes that spirit and delivers it on a whole new luxury level.