Download - Fly Thomas Cook

and drinking policy. But I learn that treating
yourself doesn’t have to be about overdoing
it. There’s an incredible array of à la carte
restaurants here, and every restaurant dishes
up fresh food sourced from local suppliers,
whether you go super-healthy with sushi and
teppanyaki at Zen, carbo load Italian-style at
Ciao, get stuck into local Mexican fare at Frida
or stock up on the protein-rich grilled meats
at Ipanema Brazilian barbecue. On day one
all I could think about was digging into a big
plate of salty chips, but by the end of the week
of exercise, I’m loading my plate with fresh
vegetables at the salad bar and opting for sushi
dinners instead of cheese-loaded burritos –
which are, for the record, also incredible.
Back at the bootcamp, the next few days
are a flurry of planking, pulling, squatting
and lifting, with more burn inflicted on my
muscles than sun on my skin. But I swear I
can feel muscles in my behind, thighs and
arms working that I never even knew I had,
and I definitely notice an improvement in
my tone. For one thing, my thighs are firmer
and don’t jiggle with every movement and
– what’s this? – a hint of definition finally
forming on my arms?
Later that week, it appears that
we’ve started a trend, as it emerges that
Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Reese
Witherspoon were also making the most of
the sunshine and bootcamping just down
the Yucatán Peninsula in Tulum. Eat your
heart out ladies, we got here first.
92 THOMAS COOK TRAVEL
FRESH AND HEALTHY
TEPPANYAKI IS
AVAILABLE AT ZEN TO
COMPLIMENT YOUR
WORKOUT
blue team
IT SEEMS THAT REMEMBERING TO
breathe is also an important piece of advice
when you’re being the opposite of active.
I am so relaxed in the middle of my
Kukulcan ritual massage that the simple task
of inhaling and exhaling seems unimportant
as my mind, body and soul are whisked away
on a blissful 80-minute journey in the Hard
Rock hotel’s Rock Spa. The Mayan ceremony
starts with inhaling the scent of essential oils
of rosemary and sage, before copal resin is
burned to ‘purify’ my spirit.
The real decadence is the four-hand
massage that follows. Using organic jojoba
oil, the masseurs’ movements replicate three
animals – a snake, a jaguar and an eagle
– that represent the division of earth, the
underworld and heaven, respectively. To me,
it’s all heavenly, and I am so relaxed after
that I only want to speak in whispers – and
even forgo drinking that night. You won’t
find the ritual on the menu – it’s something
that’s designed for the Riviera Maya sister
hotel that’s under construction, due to open
in summer 2014 – but you can book it at the
Cancún spa in advance for $220 (£145).
Of course, there’s also an array of other
excellent spa options to choose from, such
as massages, body wraps and facials,
including options for men. I also tested
TIME YOUR TREATMENTS
AT HARD ROCK HOTEL
CANCÚN’S ROCK SPA SO
YOU CAN SOAK IN THE
POOL AT SUNSET
Book your treatments to finish
an hour before sunset to enjoy
the view from the outdoor pool
out the rejuvenating antioxidant facial
($145/£95). Using 100 per cent organic
brand Amala, this specific treatment uses
cocoa beans from the Amazon rainforest
to stimulate cellular renovation and firm
skin. After the harsh British winter, my
skin had started to resemble sandpaper, but
after the facial I emerged with a hydrated
complexion and enhanced glow. In fact, even
after the 10-hour flight home, people were
commenting on how good my skin looks.
A tip: book your treatments so that they
finish an hour before sunset, and not only
will you not miss out on valuable sun time,
but you can also enjoy the view over the
Caribbean Sea in the Rock Spa’s outdoor
hydrotherapy pool. Sore muscles? What
sore muscles?
Work it … For more information on
B3 Boot Camp Cancún’s offering, including
prices, please contact Angela or Jackie at
b3bootcamp@hotmail.com.