Playa Xpu-ha, Mexico (May 12, 2009) Esencia Estate, one of the Riviera Maya's most exclusive boutique hotels, is offering guests the chance to discover something new while on vacation through the Summer Gatherings learning series. Esencia, originally built as the private estate of an Italian duchess, is a 50-acre retreat located 20 minutes south of the resort town of Playa del Carmen, on the way to the Mayan ruins of Tulum.