At Cartesiano color, history and interior gardens abound.
Alina Hernandez is the co-founder of the First 1,000 Days of Wellness and vice chair of the Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute. She considers herself a Peaceful Wellness Warrior and is passionate about supporting people to live their best lives. She has lived internationally for half of her life. Here, she pens a Postcard from a Wellness Seeker, highlighting Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center, an oasis of wellbeing in Puebla, Mexico.
If I had to sum up what the last year has taught me, there are just three words: Sense of place. Clearing out the cobwebs of my earth-bound limitations, I gratefully and recently spread my wings and traveled to an incredibly special destination. For Texans, it’s as close as south of the border. Besides the geographic convenience and ease of getting there, the journey provided just what I needed to reboot and rebalance mind, body and soul. Let me introduce you to Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center.
Many of us who have the travel bug — and what a welcomed bug it is! — want a more “mindful” experience with all the ingredients to feel our best. This is the place to find that. Not only for wellness but for Castesiano’s unique beauty, history and culture.
While Europe remains out of reach, at just a two-hour plane ride from Houston — in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site — Puebla, Mexico is a place rooted in culture, art and 16th century architecture that is close to home yet a world away. Entering the Cartesiano Urban Wellness resort is like stepping into an oasis of nature, history and tranquility carefully curated to deliver nothing short of health optimization in an environment of contemporary luxury.
It is the right prescription to set your world right after an exceptionally long year.
Science + Technology Meet Stunning Natural Beauty
The Cartesiano’s Wellness program is no ordinary spa menu, but a fully integrated wellness experience based on the latest science offering the most innovative Gharieni touch-less Wellness technology, and evidenced-based alternative therapies. A group of international experts in health and wellness have been tapped to design these offerings, which are delivered by a team of intuitive professionals committed to the emotional and physical support of every traveler.
Above all, a stay at Cartesiano celebrates the area’s unique connection to nature in an urban setting enveloped by lush gardens on its surrounding grounds. This serene environment provides the perfect backdrop for a menu of transformative holistic healing treatments.
The innovative approach has at its core wellbeing practices spun around rhythm, vibration, movement, regeneration and nutrition. All of these conscious concepts are integrated organically to de-stress and revitalize each guest who is pampered and indulged in this extraordinary destination.
In the next installment in this special promoted series, we’ll go granular and deep into some of Cartesiano’s signature programs, which range from ecstatic dance to visual healing, mental wellness, sleep therapy and even gong baths.
A Boutique Jewel of the Colonial Spanish Baroque
How about a little history of a hotel that has, until now, been a well-kept secret among the most elite wellness seekers? Cartesiano first opened in 2018 and was instantly recognized as a top luxury boutique hotel, earning a spot in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards as the No. 2 hotel in its 50 Best Hotels in the World ratings and No. 1 on its Mexico’s Best Hotels rankings.
The property — a protected national landmark — features a compendium of architecture that harmoniously spans five centuries. The three main villas date from the 16th to the 20th century, melding the times together. The wellness resort’s most recent renovations were completed this spring.
Imbued with a design eclecticism, Cartesiano’s Spanish Colonial gardens live in peaceful harmony with a 20th century contemporary art collection that is proudly displayed throughout the hotel’s handsome public spaces.
Crossroads of Two Worlds
Cartesiano wellness resort, just like the city it is located in, the capital of the state of Puebla, is situated in a privileged place adjoining churches and historic neighborhoods. The snow-caped Popo volcano always stands watch in the background.
In its colonial heyday, Puebla was the cultural and strategic center of Mexico set between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz, and only 30 minutes away from one of the seats of Aztec culture, the pyramid of Cholula — the world’s largest ancient pyramid.
Puebla is also the epicenter of Mexico’s culinary tradition and home of the mole poblano, which Cartesiano’s somatic chef Esmeralda Brinn honors in her own signature rendition of the dish. You’ll learn more about Brinn’s food wonders in a future installment of this series.
A Secret No More
The Cartesiano is now poised to take its place amongst the very best wellness destinations in the Americas. Just a few months after its opening, it received a “Spa of the Year – North & South America” nomination in the 2021 World Spa & Wellness Awards. My own 14-day immersive experience left me with a deep sense of relaxation with pampering, support and nourishment towards a renewed energy level.
The glow on my skin and the smile on my face emanated from not just having had time to luxuriate and allow myself to be taken care of, but from my profound journey to an internal state of peace. As my car drove away and my hosts waved goodbye, I felt deep gratitude. I basked in a final glimpse of beautiful Cartesiano, nestled amidst a cluster of majestic neighborhood churches.
The perfume of jasmine lingered in the air, like the welcoming and warm smiles of the hotel’s kind staff. I knew that although I had left Cartesiano, this experience — and my newfound deep sense of wellbeing — would remain.
To learn more about Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center and book your wellness experience, check out its full website. And stay tuned for more pieces in this special PC Studios promoted series in the coming months.