Mayan Palace Riviera Maya

Overview

Description

The Riviera Maya is a costal strip of 100 miles at the extreme east of the Yucatan Peninsula starting south of Cancun and ending at the beautiful beaches of Allen. Solitary virgin beaches are combined with completely modern architectural areas which include hotels, marinas, sports complexes and restaurants. Interesting nearby destinations include: Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu Há, Akumal, and Tulum. The second largest coral reef in the world, cenotes (lakes formed by underground springs), caves, forest, jungle, flowers and plants, virgin beaches, blue turquoise waters, ancient cities, and Mayan temples are some of the qualities that make the Riviera Maya one of the favorite tourist destinations in the world.

The Riviera Maya is characterized by its diverse activities, where one can enjoy the great variety of water sports and excursions to archaeological sites of the Mayan world such as Tulum, which means "wall" in Maya. Here you can appreciate various buildings; El Castillo is the most outstanding building for its location (constructed on a rock 40 feet from the beach) and its high facade is decorated with serpentine columns, animal figureheads, and a descending deity. Chichen Itza, located in the eastern section of the state of Yucatan, is just 75 miles from the city of Merida. It is one of the most controversial, studied, and visited ruins of the Mayan word. Its history and its chronology are the subject of debates and the fate of these people is a puzzle that archeologists continue to ponder as excavations continue.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 1391

Percentage of local employees: 100%

Mayan Palace Riviera Maya is an avant-garde resort that pursues improvement every day. Since the opening of the resort in December 2001, the complex has been working hard in order to obtain international service, health, and environmental certifications. Because of its size, it has become an important resort that has great influence in the area's hotel association.

Environmental conservation: we conduct feforestation and activities to conserve plants and wildlife including crocodiles, flamingoes, and turtles. We have a waste separation program (recycling plastic, glass, metal, paper and vegetable oil from the kitchen), and a composting system for organic wastes. We have a water treatment plant for our gardens and a towel re-use program for guests. We also use biodegradable cleaning products.

Local Commitment: every year furniture, stoneware, silverware, sheets, towels, bedspreads, etc. are donated to orphanages in Playa del Carmen. We also invite the staff to donate toys for HIV positive children.

The Mayan Amigo program was designed to help children's education. Through this program, the resort gives an annual scholarship to a staff member's child that has the best grades in primary and secondary school.

The "Junto a Ti" program was designed to help our staff with health problems, accidents, or other family situations. Staff can donate money to this cause.

Communication and culture: we publish a monthly Mayan Times Magazine for guests that features articles about archeological sites, Mayan legends, local flora and fauna, and Mexican traditions. We also have Mexican celebrations for guests such as: "Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe", "Día de Muertos" and "Día de los Reyes Magos", where the resort prepares typical food and performances to teach guests about Mexico traditions and culture. We also sponsor employees' events and celebrations such as Mother's day, Father's Day, a monthly staff event (where the best employees of the month are recognized through our Well Done Program), fairs, and the annual sports competition between all the hotels of the group.

Education: the resort has been involved with education institutions at all different levels, through university scholarships. It also encourages staff to finish elementary and high school studies. A group of 27 managers were enrolled at Mayan University.

Grupo Mayan Riviera Maya is willing to share our knowledge of the Green Globe Certification with others hotels in the area that might be interested in joining the program. Grupo Mayan Riviera Maya is not only an influence in the area, but it is also an influence across the country, as it has encouraged the other company resorts to aim for Green Globe certification and make it part of our company culture.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Cancún (CUN)

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 24 miles (38 km)

Exit the airport and turn right on Highway 307 heading to "Playa del Carmen". After passing "Puerto Morelos" (10 minutes) on your left you will see the impressive Mayan Arch welcoming you to Mayan Palace Riviera Maya.

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

December 2007.

Photos courtesy of Mayan Palace Riviera Maya, Mexico, for SustainableTrip.org.