2. Paraiso de la Bonita Resort, Puerto Morelos

After checking out about six other resorts the next day, my hands-down fave was the enormously fabulous (set on 14 acres, including a 500 yard private beach and also adults-only) Paraiso de la Bonita Resort.A member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, Paraiso offers 90 extra-large beach front suites and a 22,000-square-foot -like thalassotherapy center and spa, where I could happily spend the whole week.

The dream begins when you are picked up the Cancun airport by one of the resort’s private Lincoln Navigators and handed a damp towel and a cold water bottle of drinking water and whisked 20 minutes away to Paradise.

This romantic hideaway (the owner, a Mexican architect, built it as a lasting gift for his beloved wife) is totally styled out with an eclectic mix of tasteful antiques and whimsical ethnic objets d’art displays, starting with the massive Balinese lions standing guard duty in the foyer. Each suite is totally unique but all are swathed in luxurious fabrics and filled with treasures collected by the owners during their travels around the world, and they all feature exceptional views, private terraces, and oversized glass and marble bathrooms with marble tubs for two and soothing jet showers. Just a sampling of some of the other classy niceties are Frette linens, maid service 3 times a day- Bulgari bath amenities, a variety of passion oils, scented candles, a welcome bottle of Tequila and a bottle of champagne with fresh fruit in room each day.

Although there are only two main restaurants, plus a beach side grill and pool bar if you want to go casual, the caliber of the food is so incredible that I think you’ll be more than satisfied, particularly when you dine in La Canoa, their AAA 4 Diamond Award winning Gourmet Restaurant offering “Cuisine de los Soles” – a fusion of styles based on spices and chilies which is guaranteed to excite your palate as well as your mind with their beautiful presentations.

Not content to simply offer a plebeian “all- inclusive” , Paraiso provides “Endless Privileges™” for their guests. The full list of these exclusive services is quite lengthy, so I have enclosed the link for you to salivate over, and perhaps carry with you to pull out at the office next time you need a 1 minute relaxing mind getaway

But I knew it was true love when I first glimpsed their Zoëtry™ Wellness Spa. They offer the only certified Thalasso Spa in Mexico and the first in North America, where believers attend this non-denominational temple of healing and rejuvenation. Thalassotherapy is based on the belief that ocean is the source of life and the therapeutic use of warm seawater, seaweed, thermal clay, plankton and phytoplankton are the basis of many relaxing Thalasso treatments .

If you’re after a more lasting result, then stop in and check out their “anti-aging” center, where they take aesthetic procedures a step further by incorporating a host of cutting-edge age-management treatments. There is an on-site doctor who will oblige you with everything from cosmetic procedures (including the ever popular Botox or Restalyn) or perhaps the more controversial Swiss cell therapy.

You’ll also have many choices for burning off calories the old fashioned way at their beach side exercise center, fitness classes, yoga or swimming pool. Don’t miss the unique Mayan healing ceremony of the “Temazcal” . This ancient ritual includes a traditional steam with herbal essences, held with a Shaman who guides you through the various stages of this unique and unforgettable experience.