Hotel Esencia

A true five star experience. Excellent service, food and experiences. The spa is magnificent. For a life changing experience go snorkel with the manatees. We have been twice and look forward to going again next year.

On arrival in the late afternoon, a golf cart took us from the innocuous main entrance along a winding path to a point where a member of the concierge met us. The cart does not go beyond this point, which is a maze of footpaths. We were taken on a quick tour of the hotel so we can remember the way to the restaurants (3), the pools (2), the beach (1) and, more importantly, how to get back to our room (or suite in our case). Strangely, room and suite numbers are not sign posted anywhere in the hotel, not even at their entrances. The suite was enormous and everything was glossy white - the floor, walls, ceiling, bed, indoor plunge pool, bath, toilet, basins, shelves - everything. The interior designer must have been a massive Star Wars fan. A storm trooper would have felt very much at home. The super king size bed was on a level two glossy white steps up. As my wife and I are in our seventies, we found it quite a challenge to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. Not only is the toilet the furthest point from the bed, you have to avoid falling down if in your sleepy state you miss the two glossy white steps down to get to toilet level. To be fair though, they did place blue adhesive tape along the edges of the steps once this hazard was pointed out to them. The palatial room and its excessive whiteness aside, I was most impressed by the quality of the service in the hotel. Every member of the staff is so attentive, obliging and friendly. Housekeeping was very efficient, poolside service was outstanding, restaurant staff was superb and concierge was very professional and accommodating. The Angus short rib at the Mistura restaurant is out of this world and so are all the ceviches. The fairly extensive grounds and gardens through which the footpaths wind are also immaculately maintained. The many iguanas and the peacock and peahen that roam freely add to the attractiveness of Escencia. Finally, the beach is truly one of the best I have seen or been to, equal to if not nicer than some of the best in Europe. The sand is white and fine, water is crystal clear and the gentle waves and generous shallow shelf make it an ideal beach for young children. You don’t have to snorkel far off to see mantas gliding below you. The resort hotel is of boutique size, not big. It was only half occupied when we were there, which made our stay more intimate and relaxing, but I’m sure it would have been just as enjoyable had there been a few more guests around. If you want a luxury resort with the feel of home rather than a palace, and if you want to completely relax and be thoroughly pampered, then look no further than the Hotel Escencia. My wife and I will definitely be coming back.

So obviously it rains a lot but when their hotel rooms leak and for puddles of Clearwater on shiny white concrete, it’s impossible to see them and when you walk through it, barefoot you will fall and you will break your leg or your hip or whatever my knee is been screwed up since this happened in October And now Hotel Esencia wants me to sign a waiver that says I won’t hold them responsible if I fall and it’s their fault, I had just booked a return for Christmas and New Year’s and they told me that I can only go if I sign a waiver so I passed they treat their employees very badly too It’s a nice place cause it’s out-of-the-way and quiet, but that’s all and their management is absolutely heartless.