In a nutshell, this was one of the most relaxing, enjoyable vacations I've taken in awhile.

Overall hotel:
From the minute you step into the hotel lobby, you are greeted with pleasant aromatherapy and smiles from all the staff. During my stay, the hotel was only at 30% occupancy, so there were plenty of staff to cater to every guest's needs. The hotel opened one week before Christmas 2007, so the condition of the hotel is still very new and has been decorated with elegant minimalism. The staff all wear white which gives the appearance of a fresh, clean hotel rather than the typical musty Cancun hotel. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful with a plethera of infinity pools overlooking the beautiful blue ocean waters. There are plenty of pool lounge chairs for all guests, but I do have a feeling it was due to the 30% hotel occupancy. Anytime I went out to the pool to sit down, a staff member would always jump in front of me to volunteer to lay my towel out for me. There are no towel huts to distribute towels at this property. All towels are nicely rolled and placed on the lounge chairs so you can easily determine if one is taken or available and there are always plenty of towels to grab off other chairs. The staff were always very friendly, pleasant and available to cater to whatever need was requested.

Food:
The food at the property is spectacular. Much of the food caters to a "spa-type" hotel in that the ingredients are extremely fresh and there are many, many healthy selections on the menu. I know in Mexico, Americans are told not to eat the fruits or vegetables as they are washed in the local water and can bring on illness to Americans, however, I did not experience ANY ill stomach effects from the ice in drinks or any of the fruit. Note: I got violently sick in Acapulco in November from eating a very slight bit of fruits and vegetables, however, I ate five times the amount of fruits and vegetables at this property and never felt an ill effect. I ate at Aqua for every meal and enjoyed anything from scrambled eggs with shrimp or salmon, steak and chicken fajitas with fresh vegitables and beef tenderloin in a delightful red wine sauce with a polenta side. The food is not cheap, however, it is worth the money compared to other restaurants in Cancun where you will get half the quality of food for only 1/3 less the price.

Spa:
I enjoyed the indoor spa and an ourdoor massage while on my vacation. The spa space indoors was beautiful with pools of cool and warm water, sauna, steam room, locker area and beautiful private showers. I enjoyed a 50-minute massage outdoors ($110 + tip) in one of the private ourdoor huts. There are about five huts in a tranquil area of the property that are enclosed by chiffon curtains and straw roofs. There is a waterfall immediately outside the chiffon curtains for tranquility and the huts are also equipped with ceiling fans and speakers to pump through the relaxing/soothing massage music. The massage experience couldn't have been more delightful. I scheduled my massage for 5 pm, which was perfect because the temperatures were just starting to cool down for the day, so I did not sweat at all in the outdoor air with the gentile breezes.

Rooms:
All rooms have an ocean view, so try to get a higher floor to maximize your view. I was in a standard room on the 6th floor, which was plenty high to enjoy the sights. The rooms DO NOT smell of mildew, which was a pleasant surprise for a warm climate. The beds were very comfortable and included down comforters. The bathrooms were plenty spacious with a single sink, soaking tub, toilet and separate stand-up glass shower. The rooms have modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and iHome clock radios/IPod docking stations. Wireless network access is also available in the guestrooms for a fee.

Each night during turndown service, I would receive either a little counter-top waterfall that flowed onto rocks (plug-in waterfall) for peace and tranquility while I slept or I would get a choice from four aromatherapies to burn in my room. It was absolutely beautiful and a wonderful, peaceful touch to the guestrooms that I looked forward to each night.

In sum, this hotel definitely has a "spa" presence to it exuding tranquility in every aspect. The highly trained staff contributed to every whim and request of the guests, which put this hotel into a five-star category for me.