With the makeover of the main restaurant complete, Maroma Resort
and Spa last month brought in Nicolas Gomez Duran as executive
chef, one of a series of improvements at the property over the past
year.
Born in Spain, Duran is known for his work at the acclaimed La
Manoir Aux Quat Saisons in Oxford, England. He brings to Maroma
plans to merge the regional cuisine of the Mayan Riviera with his
French and Spanish influences at the resort’s newly renovated
restaurant, El Sol.
Maroma reopened in November after an eight-week closure, during
which El Sol was redesigned with a new beachfront dining area
seating 50, to offer more ocean views. El Sol also added a private
reserve wine cave, and a private room off the bar.
The outdoor dining area now features a stone kitchen, where the
chef will prepare dinners twice weekly: one seafood-themed meal,
and another highlighting traditional Mayan cuisine.
The restaurant’s new look was designed by Jose Luis Moreno, the
original developer and owner of Maroma, who is now a partner in the
property with Orient-Express Hotels.
Artist Bertrand Castelli also contributed to the redesign with
murals, and his unusual art collection. The executive producer of
the original Broadway musical “Hair,” Castelli loaned the resort
several pieces from the original production, which are on display
in the new bar and billiard room.
Maroma has also added a new spa, called Kinan (pro-nounced
“keynan”), which is scheduled to open in March or April. Kinan, in
the Mayan language, means “source of life,” and the spa will
combine Zen and Mayan concepts in treatments and design.
Outdoor treatments are available in the Zen Garden, for
ex-ample, and treatment rooms are available in the rooftop tower
with full ocean views. And the spa will also offer a flotation
tank, as well as a traditional Mayan sweat lodge, or
“temezcal.”
A new cafe, called Cilantro, adjoins the spa. Cilantro is open
for breakfast and lunch, and offers lighter cuisine.
The 64-room Maroma joined the Orient-Express collection of
hotels in March 2003, and made a number of improvements, including
the addition of 11 new guest suites, two free-form pools and a new
wellness center with cardio and weight equipment and a spinning
studio. In December, the resort also added two new sani-turf tennis
courts.
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