Muluk Spa-Hotel, Xcaret

Why merely relax when you can transform? The Muluk Spa at Hotel Xcaret Mexico is your gateway to the ancient traditions and healing practices of the Mayan culture. As you enter the spa’s expansive, open-air lobby you immediately connect with the lush topography of  Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Excavated from a rocky hillside of this jungle region, the spa opens onto a private river that runs through the entirety of Hotel Xcaret.

The Spiritual Experience

For those interested in moving beyond the pampering into the spiritual, plan to visit Muluk Spa on a Wednesday when their Shaman will guide you through the complete Temezcal experience. This traditional Mexican sweat lodge, dating back to Pre-Hispanic times, is not for the faint of heart (quite literally) or those particularly sensitive to heat (your body temperature can exceed 104°F). But it is through the sweat that you cleanse of toxins both physical and emotional. The 1.5 hour guided, group experience invites participants to revisit “cycles” of their lives which they haven’t been able to move past. As the Shaman recites ancient prayers, your spirit transcends these emotional blocks and, once the expunging ritual is complete, you plunge into the river from which you are reborn. Don’t worry if you prefer to hang on to your long-suppressed cycles. After all, transcendence is subjective.

An Extensive Spa Menu

Muluk is also equipped with a spa menu including facials, massages, body wraps, mud baths and even salon treatments. What sets Muluk apart, however, is the focus on wellness that fully incorporates the region. You are not just getting a facial. You are getting the Ksakir Facial, utilizing clay from the Yucatan Peninsula that has been used to heal, clean and repair sensitive skin for generations. And you are not just receiving a body treatment. The Muluk Spa offers their Copal Purification full-body experience, employing the techniques that Mesoamerican people designed for tissue repair, analgesic effects and full corporal soothing.

Every massage happens within a stone cave of all-natural rock. Some massage cabins include private soaking tubs with open sky views, while one cabin—very popular with honeymooners—requires a boat ride to an even more secluded enclave. Whether before or after your treatment(s), set time aside for the hydrotherapy ritual. The spa’s concierge will guide you through a series that includes a sauna, steam room, cold and hot water plunge tubs, a Jacuzzi and a recreational pool.

The Simplicity of Luxe Relaxation

The Muluk Spa at Hotel Xcaret Mexico elevates indulgence into a holistic experience. Every modern technique employed by the spa is grounded in Mayan tradition. From the cocoons of the caves to the freedom of the flowing river, the Muluk Spa allows you to explore the complexities of rebirth or the simplicity of luxe relaxation.

*Spa services can be booked by non-hotel guests but reservations must be made in advance.