Here, you'll read about some interesting places that Hideaways staff and "ambassadors" have experienced, or at least checked out, in their world wanderings. These may not always fit the profile for lodgings in The Hideaways Collection^®, but they certainly are worth knowing about, and we think you'll enjoy the insight.

. . . After arriving at Cancun's international airport and being bombarded by the "official" tourism desks peddling timeshares, followed by a $40 fare for a 15-minute cab ride, I arrived in a haven of peace and calm. NIZUC Resort & Spa is the "new kid" on the block (opened in March 2013), a luxury oasis of serenity on 29 beachfront acres in the Punta Nizuc area. Its natural setting and contemporary architecture are jaw-dropping. The resort has a Mayan flair, and the numerous boardwalks crossing over candle-lit decorative pools give it a spiritual feel. With 274 suites and villas, it also has adults-only and family-friendly pools, six restaurants (Mexican, Peruvian, Italian, Asian), and an incredible 30,000-square-foot spa with extensive and separate hydrotherapy areas for men and women. The resort offers quite a number of different room types, but I especially liked my King Ocean Suite, which was large and elegant, with separate dressing and bath areas, and supported by attentive but not intrusive butler service. Rates start at $400/night.

January/February 2015