ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL
Licensed to chill Angela Sacre finds that there is no place like an all-inclusive spa resort to get rid of all those stresses and strains
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ho wouldn’t jump at the chance of an escape to the five star resort of Le Blanc Hotel and Spa in popular Mexican resort, Cancun? Well, normally, I wouldn’t. I never stay at all-inclusive resorts. It’s the fear of feeling incarcerated in the confines of a sinister complex, like something out of The Prisoner, forbidden to visit any local sights or experience anything of the world around me. And in Cancun, my fears turned out to be quite founded. Though I can’t blame the hotel (and certainly no large balloon). Nothing was preventing
me from venturing further – nothing other than my own growing sense of deep relaxation and contentment. I hadn’t figured on that. But when you consider that Le Blanc ranked at number three in a recent poll of the world’s top ten all-inclusive resorts, perhaps I shouldn’t have been so surprised. This is what it’s all about. For a start, comfort is paramount here. Every night, the Le Blanc Spa Resort team surprises us with a turndown service, where our own personal butler, Alex, there to indulge our every whim, runs us a Jacuzzi bath and offers a pillow menu that spans orthopaedic, goosefeathered and extravagant
lavender or chamomile pillows. During our time here, I sleep much more deeply than I normally do. With a Caribbean breeze floating in from the balcony and petit fours at bedtime, the sense of serenity is truly overwhelming. The resort’s list of activities includes ‘relax in plush lounge chairs on the private white sand beach’ or ‘sip on cocktails served by the pool concierge’ – which is about as much activity as you need here – though you could go scuba diving or indulge in a bit of poolside volleyball, with the right motivation. Days pass in a blissed-out haze of relaxation and comfort. The Le Blanc Spa features a unique blend of Asian and European tradition
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26/07/2012 19:29