WO Magazine Spring 2013 | Page 37

Lifestyle JOURNEYS A SOUL SATISFYING EXPERIENCE ... WITH A PLAYFUL SPIRIT The accommodations at the resort, while clean, comfortable, inviting and affordable are perhaps a bit more basic than those you might be used to. luxury is more than compensated for by the resort’s commitment to comfort and environmental responsibility. Take your water bottle for example…and you will take it because you’ll get just one. It will be courteously refilled for you in the lobby any time you like, but if you don’t use it, you’ll have to pay for other bottled water – a great strategy for reducing plastic waste. Some cabanas share a communal washroom (no worries – it’s cleaned constantly and has lockable shower enclosures), hairdryers aren’t supplied and free wifi is available only in the hotel lobby. But this slight reduction in Your linens and towels will be replaced twice weekly (unless you ask) and you’ll find that the cabanas are all built from locally sourced materials including palapa (thatched) roofing, wood/ plaster composite walls and bamboo window coverings. At night, you’ll be thankful for the breezes off the water and for the romantic mosquito netting that drapes over your bed to protect you from the bugs. In all, a visit to the Papaya Playa Project in Tulum will offer a holiday for body, mind and spirit that will ensure that you come home with memories of total relaxation and a harmonious natural experience that will last far longer than the sand in your suitcase. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: PAPAYAPLAYA.DESIGNHOTELS.COM/MEXICO LIZ FLEMING IN ADDITION TO EDITING WO, LIZ FLEMING IS ALSO THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CRUISE & TRAVEL LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE, THE MANAGING EDITOR OF NATURALLYINNIAGARA.CA AND A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TORONTO STAR, AND TORONTO SUN. SHE’S THE AUTHOR OF TWO AMAZON EBOOKS “SINCE YOU’RE HERE, WE MIGHT AS WELL SHAG” AND “207 TRAVEL TIPS BECAUSE 101 JUST WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ENOUGH. spring 2013 | wo magazine | 35