Luxury Resorts That Balance Family Life and Romance - Hotel Esencia

So nice, we visited twice! What can we say, Hotel Esencia is truly one-of-a- kind. Last year during the height of the pandemic, we decided to take a baby-moon (last vacation with just parents before the arrival of the new baby). We still talk about how that was the best decision for us. Hotel Esencia, including the service and safety measures taken by the staff was the primary reason it was so enjoyable. The memories we made, the views, and the overall experience was something we knew we wanted to do again. So we did! We decided to return almost 1 year to the date, but this time as a family with our 9 month-old daughter, Seline. This was so nostalgic and special for us. The staff even remembered us! In this recap, we want to highlight this luxury resort and what it brings for couples and/or families. We want people to know that they can travel with their children and — due to the resources available — have a great time together as a family as well as alone as a couple.

Our family on the rooftop of the wellness suite at Hotel Esencia

Accommodations

We stayed in the wellness villa. An active vacationer’s dream. If fitness on vacation isn’t your thing (it is not always ours), having every single piece of equipment and motivation from the Mirror smart gym in your home away from home is all the motivation you need. They provided an iPad, free weights, yoga mats, medicine and bosu balls among other equipment. Oh, and did we mention that the view while working out was — let’s just say, tropically lush, beautiful? There was an oversized steam shower adjacent to the designated workout room. The living space was open and airy and right behind the large patio with a full dining set up. This is where we enjoyed breakfast every morning. They provided fresh coffee with pastries for us daily. The dopest part of their breakfast service was that they even brought our daughter steamed apples and oatmeal. I mean, honestly, service and thoughtfulness does not get any better than that. Wow. The absolute best part of this wellness suite for us was hands down the rooftop! There were approximately 30 stairs from our bedroom to the top, but boy was it worth every knee popping lunge we took. The views were amazing. We could see for miles and miles and it felt so private and exclusive. The rooftop had a mini fridge and wine fridge, one of the largest plunge pools we’ve seen, cushioned seating with a beautiful custom wooden table, lounge chairs to sun bathe and an outdoor shower. We enjoyed lunch, mid-day swims and late-night hang- outs after we put our daughter to bed. It was perfect because with our baby monitor, we could relax and take a late-night swim with music and cocktails right from the comfort of our villa. I mean, the perfect mixture to provide an amazing vacation.

Childcare Services

This was our very first time traveling with our daughter for vacation and her first time out of the country. We were very interested to see how the childcare options we had discussed with Hotel Esencia would play out. It was refreshing to know that they used a reputable service of sitters that had been vetted and followed strict protocol as well as new COVID safety protocols. We requested our sitter accompany us to our off-site destination. Our daughter was comfortable with her, she took direction well and we were satisfied with her and the company’s services. We know that hiring a nanny service while abroad may not be for everyone, and that’s ok. It was perfect for our family and not only would we recommend considering that option when traveling with your children, we 100% would do it again. Having that extra set of hands, or those few hours to step away and bond was so special for us. As new parents who have very little alone time, this was a great opportunity to slide in a date night/day and reconnect.

Restaurants and Activities

There were 2 more restaurants/bars open than the last time we visited. Beach Bar was this two-story, open lounge that offered a front row accessibility to the beautiful beach and ocean breeze. Even sitting downstairs was relatively private due to the strategic landscaping that surrounded the bar and the pool area that was adjacent. The other new establishment was this very modern, yet eclectic restaurant called Beefbar. We loved everything from the décor to the ambiance, libations, and wonderful food. There were plenty of choices available to tempt any palate. Our 9-month-old daughter eats a select variety of solids, so they prepared a meal that would accommodate her. Grilled chicken, carrots and rice to be exact. As she joyfully scooped up her dinner while CoCoMelon softly played in the background at the table, we knew she was full and happy and that, of course was a win for us as parents. While at Hotel Esencia we had the privilege of participating in a coveted experience. We released sea turtles. This is something that we have watched many times on documentaries and always thought that would be a cool experience. We finally had an opportunity to not only witness but also participate with our baby girl. What a beautiful experience that we will always have. One of the fellow guest that was present even coined our daughter with the name “Turtle Queen.” Oh and that title came with an in-prompt-to song that we still sing to this day.

COVID Protocols

Everyone on staff wore masks the entire time during our stay. They provided sanitizer upon arrival and at all public areas throughout the resort. Our villa was completely sterilized. How do we know for a fact? Well, we arrived a bit earlier than expected, so the scent from the sanitation was still present. We didn’t mind too much because it made us more comfortable knowing that it had been done, especially traveling with a curious and crawling 9-month-old. Feeling as safe as we possibly could was top priority for us and part of the reason we decided to return for the second time. If you're interested in a trip like ours, or another seamless and memorable family vacation, contact us as we'd be thrilled to help make it a reality for you!