Tulum, Mexico Series: Coqui Coqui Spa

Wellness, quite literally meet wanderlust!

Looking for a nontraditional way to experience Tulum? Well look no further, “experience” luxury, history, and relaxation in the spirit of “enjoyment” in the most lux spa I’ve been to so far!

My new “thing” is absolutely treating myself to a spa day on vacation, when and where possible. I was able to do this so far in South Africa, Colorado and now here in Mexico. We decided to dedicate a full day to being pampered and lounging around the Coqui Coqui Papolchac Residence & Spa, which is located in Coba, Mexico. Coba is the ancient Mayan city of the Yucatan Peninsula in Quintana Roo and though the spa is not a ruin itself, it is modeled after one.

As suggested in the name Coqui Coqui Papolchac Residence & Spa doubles as a hotel and a spa, and though we did not stay at the hotel (we instead stayed in an Airbnb which I will share about in a later post) we were able to take advantage of the spa services, the pool & the in house restaurant. I would consider staying at their residence on my next vacation–especially if visiting with a significant other!

Getting There:
If like us, you decide to just leverage Coqui Coqui for their spa services, you will need to navigate getting to there for just the day trip. If coming from Tulum, Coba is about a 45 minute drive, barring any traffic, and though the road is pretty much a “straight shot”, it is relatively bumpy and not well paved. For an inexperienced driver, I would recommend instead hiring a taxi service. We did this and paid 2500 pesos roundtrip (roughly $118 USD) from our airbnb to the spa, not including tip. We organized with the driver the day before our spa appointments and allotted for an hour of drive time before our appointment- we probably could have used more as we got a brief tour of the premises and a lesson on the perfumes that are made on location, causing us to start with a slight delay.

Services:
I will start by saying- this is the best massage that I have received in my life- and I’ve had quite a few on vacation and at home. Coqui Coqui offers many different services but the spa is small, only allowing 2 appointments at a time. Check HERE for the spa menu. They offer a variety of services from 45 minute back massages, 60 minute facials, 90 minute hot stone massages, and even 3hr long “rituals” complete with deep tissue massages, exfoliations and botanical baths. The price and time will differ based on what service you choose.

Personally, I opted for the hot stone massage and it was the perfect amount of time, pressure, and attention that my body needed (90 minutes & $128 USD). My friends received the Regeneration and Rehydration Ritual and thought they were both worth every penny!

Once our group had an idea of what service we each wanted, we sent an email to the address listed below to confirm our times and services and were able to pay ahead via pay-pal. A deposit was required to lock in our dates/times and we confirmed about a week in advance.

This was definitely my favorite experience of our trip and I plan to build in another spa visit to my future itinerary upon my return to Cancun/Tulum.

Some key things to note:
1. The perfume that I mentioned earlier, it’s all made in house with natural ingredients and herb blends and is used as the oil in your treatment- you can select the scent that most resonates with you!
2. Coqui Coqui has adjusted their services to accommodate for Covid-19 and to keep their guests safe and comfortable– read more on their website HERE.
3. To book an appointment- email their services here (spa@coquicoqui.com) and don’t forget to mention that FitFlyFlournoy of Weight Loss Travel Gains sent you!
4. Bring your camera– aside from the super relaxation spa services you’ll receive, the premises are so picturesque, you’ll want to be sure to capture everything.
5. Don’t forget your swimsuit! There are pools located outside that you will have access to and you’ll want to be able to take a dip! You can also wear your swimsuit while receiving your treatment or be completely naked.
6. The restaurant menu was a bit limited- so be mindful of this when planning your visit. I ordered the mushroom tostado with a side of guacamole to share and a margarita to wash it down!