Palmaïa, The House of AïA

The first time my friend Sam told me she was heading to a vegan hotel in Mexico I was filled with mixed emotions:

1) Excitement that there was such a place. 

2) Confusion that I didn’t know about it.  

3) Pure envy!  

She had unlocked the magic vacation formula – the beauty of Mexico at a hotel with vegan food, yoga, cruelty-free products, AND cocktails? What is this magic? It’s Palmaïa – House of AïA! Located in Playa del Carmen, Mexico this luxurious all-inclusive sanctuary boasts locally sourced plant-based cuisine in gourmet restaurants, oceanfront swim-up suites and a jungle spa. Here, sophistication meets boho-vibes on a beautiful property that was built to maintain much of the natural landscape and where energy is sourced from solar panels and other renewable sources.

All 234 suites are cruelty-free, containing no animal products or products that have been tested on animals, offering “an enlightened space that celebrates the value of all life on Earth with zero use of leather and feather-free bedding.”

Palmaïa also boasts 5 different restaurants with styles ranging from Mexican, to Mediterranean to Asian-inspired entrees. All with an emphasis on local vegan deliciousness created with intention towards nutritional absorption and designed to diminish body inflammation, reduce anxiety, and teach us how to eat cleaner. 

There are so many beautiful creations to choose from, but some of their favorite dishes to recommend are a soy-marinated watermelon poke bowl, cheese and mushroom quesadillas with textured soy carnitas, smoked carrot toast and their famous Palmaïa burger with home-made fermented sauerkraut. While the menus are vegan there are always one or two non-vegan options offered as well (you just have to ask). Finally WE, THE VEGANS get the prime real estate on the menu! 

Did I mention there is also a vegan taco truck? Yes Vegan.Tacos.On.The.Beach. I don’t know what else you could ask for but here’s more…

The masterminds behind Palmaïa know that it’s not enough for today’s sophisticated travelers to just have great scenery or exquisite food, we need to have activities in between beach days to fuel our healing and help really take our minds to another place. Luckily, you can find everything from Yoga to sound healing to cacao ceremonies during your visit. A sample program from one of their days looks like this:

7:00 am Pranayama

8:00 am Vinyasa Yoga

10:00 am Art Class

11:00 am Soul Reading Circle

12:00 pm Full Body Workout 

3:00 pm Ancestral Dance

4:00 pm Harmonic Singing  

5:00 pm Tai Chi 

And if you HAVE to get some work done no worries! Enjoy the ultimate in remote-work life in one of their beachside fiber-optic powered suites. Here you can pretend to listen to your boss on Zoom while gazing out at the white sand beaches while bathed in the cool air coming from your dedicated AC unit. When you do finally get off that call, switch on your personal Nespresso and let your favorite playlist flow through the built-in Bluetooth speakers while you wrap up any lingering work commitments or maybe allow yourself to start writing that book…

Whether you are working or relaxing you can rest assured that your children are also creating lifelong memories. “Palmaïa operates a Waldorf-inspired, children’s activities program creating an environment which draws on avant-garde thinking, giving children opportunities to explore and nurture their senses in a natural way.” The children’s program celebrates the spirituality and special nature of children by encouraging them to try a wide range of holistic nature-driven activities all in a device-free zone. Yes folks, they thought of everything. 

Chances are by now you have already hopped over to their web page to check out availability and rates. With the rapid rise of vegans and veg-curious people out there it’s sure to book quickly. TripAdvisor named Palmaïa one of the Top 25 All-Inclusive Resorts of 2022. I can’t help but feel such excitement to know that resort properties that share my ethos are not only on the rise but are in demand and crushing the competition. And I know our Vegan Set readers feel the same! 

Photo credit: Palmaïa, The House of AïA

Author

 

Jessica Sarter

Jessica has been working in the food and beverage industry for over 15 years and has worked with global brands inside of some of New York’s most iconic establishments. Along with a passion for growing brands, Jessica works with both individuals and businesses to incorporate a vegan lifestyle through food choices, education and coaching.

@nyveganbossbabe

https://linktr.ee/JessicaSarter1111