Maya Way
The Mayan Riviera

The temperature has just started dipping below 70, which can only mean one thing—it's time to start planning your winter escape to the Riviera.

You can be, well, obvious and head to the French or the Italian, or you can fly off the beaten course…to the Riviera Maya.

This little stretch of Mexican-Caribbean paradise has remained relatively below the radar, although Europeans have long been descending upon the Mayan Riviera's quiet alabaster-white beaches, fringed with lush tropical jungles, crumbling Mayan ruins, and nightlife worth a few coladas.

Head to the southernmost tip of Tulum, where the new Azul Blue Hotel and Spa opens on November 1st. True Riviera-style indulgence abounds—a dedicated butler for each villa will help you select the firmness of your pillow from a "pillow menu" (we've heard a "slipper menu" is in the works), draw your temazcal, an ancient Mayan purifying steam bath, and book your beach cabana with its king size four-poster bed—all while serving you ceviche produced by their trained cevichero (yes, life's just better with a butler…and a cevichero).

Nearby, explore the ruins or take a dip in the cenotes—underground water-filled caves. And if you hit the Riviera at the end of November, the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival keeps the laid-back Caribbean vibe going on the sand late into the night.

Adios for now, St. Tropez.