I don’t know about you, but the last thing I need this Christmas is another sweater or kitchen gadget. I don’t want stuff at all. I want an experience that I can treasure for a lifetime. Viceroy Riviera Maya, located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, gave me just that on a recent visit.

With Viceroy Riviera Maya’s week-long Cyber Monday (the online version of Black Friday) sale starting Monday, November 19th, you can have or give this as well for Christmas or Hanukkah at an incredible savings.

A dream vacation gift under the tree is 99.9 percent guaranteed it will NOT be returned. And a trip to Viceroy Riviera Maya really is a gift that keeps on giving. As I sit in front of my computer at home, working away, my thoughts often drift to remembering the picture-perfect scenery, incredible cuisine (and tequila, of course) and overall tranquility and pampering I felt at Viceroy Riviera Maya.

Viceroy Riviera Maya is near the mammoth, all-inclusive hotels in Cancun but it’s a world away when it comes to the amenities and service. For starters, you stay in individual thatched-palapa roofed villas with your very own butler, private plunge pool, outdoor shower and hammock. A return trip to Viceroy Riviera Maya to take a nap in one of those hammocks is certainly on my wish list to Santa.

Sanctuary & Serenity

The villas, where privacy is utmost, are really like mini-retreats unto themselves. You won’t want to leave, especially if you stay in one of the beachfront villas with a deep-soaking tub and views of the sea. But there is a lot to do beyond taking a dip in the private pool while watching the little black spider monkeys play in the trees above.

If relaxation is your heart’s desire, you can roll out of bed and head to the luxurious day beds (pictured above) on the beach. Get a massage or just simply order a pineapple-basil margarita and catch up on that novel you’ve been meaning to read.

Mayan-Inspired Spa Treatments

Speaking of massage, a visit to Viceroy Riviera Maya’s Wayak Spa is a must. From the circular design to the sage burning throughout to the Mayan-inspired spa treatments, it truly is a unique way to treat yourself to some well-deserved TLC.

With the impending doomsday of the Mayan calendar this December, l wanted to garner favor with the gods so I went for the full-on Mayan mojo spa treatments. The Tzokin (which means the counting of days) treatment took place in an outdoor candle-lit hut (pictured above) near a waterfall and started with a cleansing of energy using healing herbs like basil, rosemary and rue and finished with a mud massage. It was pure Mayan magic.

The next day I did the Temazcal – a sweat lodge ritual for purification led by an actual Mayan shaman. I must say, life has gotten much better after the gods and I had our sweaty heart-to-heart in the pitch-black stone hut at the Viceroy Rivera Maya.

From Snorkeling to Tequila Tasting

Maybe adventure and sports are more your style when it comes to a dream vacation, if so, Viceroy Rivera Maya’s private pier is a hub of water-centric activities. Morning yoga and getting picked up right in front of the resort for a private snorkeling tour with Dive Xplor were my favorite uses of the pier (and some killer photos to boot).

Trust me, if you’re a foodie like I am, you won’t have any desire to head to Playa del Carmen for a meal out because the cuisine at La Marea and the Coral Grill, headed up by Chef Jetzabel Rojas, is ten times more delicately fresh and delicious than anywhere else you could find. One of the reasons behind the exquisite dining is Viceroy Riviera Maya sources, almost entirely, local produce, meats and dairy for the resort’s restaurants (they are the only resort in the area making such an effort to buy local).

Cooking classes, cocktail classes, private oceanside dinners and ceviche/tequila pairings are also available.

Viceroy Riviera Maya Cyber Sale Promo Code

So now you’re ready to go and get pampered, eat well and bask in a slice of Mexico’s Caribbean paradise at Playa del Carmen’s only 4.5-star adult-only resort. Here is the deal, available November 19, 2012 through Cyber Monday, November 26, 2012:

Book a Sol y Mar package offering 35% off the room rate, daily breakfast and 35% off of spa services and during the Cyber Sale, you’ll receive a $200 Resort Credit, and a one-category upgrade at the time of booking (the upgrade does not apply to Beachfront Villa or Premium Villa categories).

The Viceroy Riviera Maya Promotional Code is CYBER12. The promotion applies for stays between Jan. 4, 2013 – Dec. 24, 2013.

Book your Cyber Monday travel deal at viceroyrivieramaya.com or call the reservations line at 800-578-0281.

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