Prohotel - Management & Marketing

Playa Xpu-Ha, Mexico (January 24, 2011) Just in time for Valentine’s Day the luxury resort, Esencia Estate in Playa del Carmen, is churning a chocolate trio for two. Cacao has many positive benefits, especially the organic kind from the local Mayan village with whom Esencia has a close relationship. Cacao was once referred by the Mayans as the food of the gods. It was used as a luxury item and often traded for food and clothing. Today Esencia still believes in the power of the cacao. Just as royalty used it years ago for luxury purposes, Esencia, being the estate of a Royal Duchess, uses it for the luxury of well-being and for tantalizing sensations and palates. Esencia purchases the cacao seeds from the small town of Tizimín, just three and a half hours northeast of Xpu-Ha. It is used in Esencia’s organic spa for its antioxidant properties. In the hotel’s restaurant, Sal y Fuego, cacao is used in signature drinks and favorite dishes. The chef prepares the cacao in the estate’s own garden kitchen using an all-natural process with no preservatives or additives. In celebration of the upcoming holiday, Esencia has created a special Valentine's package “Chocolate for Two”. Couples will have the opportunity to indulge and benefit from the local cacao in three enticing ways: -Couples Chocolate Massage: Working together is part of the fun. Couples along with a therapist have the opportunity to grind the cacao and prepare the ingredients for the delicious, invigorating massage. -Chocolate Cocktails: In this indulgent how to class, couples participate in creating a variety of chocolate cocktails with a local twist. -Cooking with Chocolate: Using the bittersweet taste of the cacao, Chef Bernardo shows the couple how to incorporate it in their favorite dishes. As a gift, couples will receive a bag of locally grown cacao to take home so the memories linger. The “Chocolate for Two” package can be incorporated to any Esencia rate. The cost per couple is $250.00, rate does not include tax and service fee. The package is valid from January 20, 2011 – February 28, 2011. For reservations or information please visit www.hotelesencia.com or call 1-877-528-3490. “Esencia is constantly finding ways to support the local culture and its people, for this reason we find great pleasure in purchasing ingredients such as the cacao from the local towns,” said Philip Vidal, General Manager of Esencia. “To complete the experience, our spa staff spends time observing and learning from the local Mayan healers to incorporate their techniques into the spa treatments.”