Aluxes (ah-loosh-es) are mythological Maya creatures that like to play tricks on people, especially travelers, if their conditions are not met. Rarely seen, the Maya believed that once in their good graces, Aluxes offer protection and serenity. Not surprisingly, imbibing and sharing copious quantities of certain Mexican beverages are allegedly a way to spot and garner favor from Aluxes. Nestled in a beachfront location along the popular Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, it’s not hard to imagine how the Privilege Aluxes’ name was derived. For the Aluxes have clearly bestowed tranquility upon this modern beach retreat, making our stay here both relaxing and an ideal base for explorations of this colorful island.

 

Privilege Aluxes is one of the best located hotels on Isla Mujeres. Just off the fringes of El Centro, the small downtown area that includes the bustling Avenida Hildago, the location makes it quick and easy to walk to all of the area’s restaurants and shops, yet just far enough away from the noise and congestion. The property features 124-rooms, many of them with ocean views; three restaurants; a spa; and three pools, one with a swim-up bar. Busy Playa Norte, the island’s most popular beach for locals and day-trippers from the mainland, is located directly across a small street making for a seamless transition from the property to the beach. On the beach, Privilege Aluxes maintains a guest-only section with palapas, lounge chairs, covered platform lounge areas, and food and drink service. 

 

For those accustomed to the enormous resorts of nearby Cancun, Privilege Aluxes will seem tiny in comparison, but by Isla Mujeres standards it is one of the larger properties. While I normally gravitate towards more intimate accommodations, availability and ability to accommodate my 11-year old, was the determining factor in our choosing Privilege Aluxes. Surprisingly a number of hotels on Isla Mujeres were not welcoming to children, and in fact Privilege Aluxes makes it clear that children can be accommodated but that the property is geared towards adults. We have never availed ourselves of a hotel kids club nor do we particularly enjoy resorts that are targeted towards kids, so this suited us just fine. Despite Privilege Aluxes not being our first choice, any concerns about the size was dispelled immediately, as the property has a real aura of calmness and I never felt like I was staying at a typical resort.

 

One of my pet peeves with beach resorts is that it becomes a game to secure lounge chairs by the pool and beach. Guests often wake early to claim a spot that they may or may not actually use during the day, creating a sea of empty chairs scattered with the hotel's signature towels. Despite being fully booked during out stay, this was never an issue at Privilege Aluxes. We never staked out a spot early in the day and from all appearances, none of the other guests did either. There were always plenty of chairs by the pool and on the beach, including the limited and highly coveted shaded platform loungers. This seemingly minor point was a huge bonus in my book.

 

Our room was located on the third floor of a four story building and was a massive apartment-style spread that included one bedroom, a kitchenette, a huge bathroom and a pool/ocean view balcony. The hotel describes the decor as Spanish beach-modern, another word might be ‘spare.’ All furnishing and surfaces were sleek and featured contemporary materials with little to no decoration on the walls or elsewhere. Reviews of the property often cite this minimalist decor as a negative of the property. While I think this is an area that could use improvement, it didn't feel it detracted from the overall feel of the place as I prefer this to the overly 'wickered' look some beach properties favor. The lobby had a real retro-beach vibe with interesting textiles and mid-century furniture, and the restaurants and bar areas had a style I would classify as beach-chic. Overall the style between the public areas and the rooms were not consistent, and I would have been particularly interested to see the lobby decor carried throughout the property, but for a beach hotel, I didn’t mind the stark interior as it felt less gritty with all of the inevitable sand that ends up inside.

 

As noted, Privilege Aluxes is not targeting the family travel market, but instead bills itself as a romantic getaway destination for couples and in particular, newlyweds. Apparently, it is also popular for destination wedding parties. I lost count of how many wedding groups we encountered, but suffice it to say there is a definite festive vibe at the pool area by late afternoon. While this didn’t particularly bother us, it does take away from mellow-vibe that otherwise pervades the swim-up bar. So, while you may not find children running around screaming and tossing beach toys, you may find groups of twenty-somethings that are essentially doing the same thing. 

 

Privilege Aluxes does offer an all-inclusive package which a number of people we spoke with seem to have taken advantage of. We did not do this. Given the wide range of restaurants within a few minutes walk of the hotel, it is not necessary and we really enjoyed sampling different places. Our room rate did include breakfast, which consisted of an enormous buffet with a wide variety of Mexican, American and European breakfast options. The food was tasty, fresh and plentiful. We did not, however, dine on the grounds for any other meals.

 

Swimming with whale sharks is what brought us to Isla Mujeres, and Privilege Aluxes provided an ideal base for this excursion. From the hotel we could easily walk to the dock to meet our whale shark swim excursion boat. We had made these arrangements prior to arriving on the island, but the hotel can assist with some tour arrangements for guests, as well offering golf cart rentals for island explorations. Not all tours can be arranged from the hotel, however, so do your research beforehand and make arrangements yourself for anything that you don't want to miss. Read more about things to do on Isla Mujeres.

 

Check out Privilege Aluxes website for information about rates and the range of rooms offered. From basic rooms for two to massive suites with private rooftop pools, the hotel can accommodate various group sizes, making it an affordable alternative for larger groups sharing a room. Despite referring to the property as a resort, amenities are relatively basic and do not include a lot of the frills you might find at larger properties. This article was based on our personal experience but since we did not utilize everything that the hotel had to offer, including room service, spa treatments or dining at any of the on-site restaurants other than for breakfast, spend time exploring the website to see that you particular needs and wants can be met by Privilege Aluxes. Also feel free to contact me directly with specific questions and I will do my best to answer. 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay on Isla Mujeres and Privilege Aluxes provided a comfortable and relaxing base from which to take advantage of the all of the island’s activities. Writing this piece reminds me of relaxing moments sitting on the beach with a frozen drink in hand and nothing on the agenda....good times.