Right on schedule, beach restoration began at The Royal Sands on December 16 and by midday Thursday, had already reached the point between Phase II and I. Sand is pumped on shore from the dredger via a system of rubber pipes floating in the water and huge metal pipes– each one measuring 12 meters long – on the shore. The sand spurts out of the pipe at high speed and gradually dries out. During this time it attracts the attention of hungry gulls and other sea birds on the lookout for tiny shrimp and other marine life sucked up by the dredger. Diggers and tractors then move in to level the beach and when this has been completed the pipes the will be removed.

Work is going on round the clock and is advancing according to plan. We would like to share the most recent photos and a short video taken by Royal Channel at 2 p.m. today. Please share them with your friends and stay posted for more news.

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With the scent of sizzling fresh seafood and spices in the air, on December 17 the curtain comes up at The Royal Haciendas to reveal Los Murales, the Riviera Maya resort’s brand new restaurant.

A delight for the senses, art and cuisine go hand in hand at Los Murales. Everywhere you look you will find artistry, from the Byzantine-style murals that give the restaurant its name to the exquisitely presented food on your plate.

A labor of love for Royal Resorts Executive Chef Enrique Garcia and The Royal Haciendas chefs, Juan Manuel Fuentes and Daniel Che Chimal, the Los Murales menu is a true marriage of flavors, conceived to captivate and intrigue. The delicate flavors of seafood are paired with a hint of lime and fresh herbs, a touch of chili and the exotic spices of the Far East. Each dish is a voyage of discovery, an experience that you will want to repeat over and over again.

The finest and freshest fish, shrimp, lobster, scallops and other fruits de mer from the Caribbean, Gulf and Pacific coasts of Mexico occupy pride of place on the menu along with cold-water favorites such as salmon, monkfish and Chilean sea bass. Meat lovers will enjoy the hearty prime steaks, pork, lamb and poultry, and there is a delightful selection of starters, soups and salads for a lighter meal. Finally, be sure to save space for dessert, with choices ranging from classic French Tarte Tatin to Caribbean-style Banana Flambée.

During a pre-inauguration menu sampling, I ordered the Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini with Lobster sauce and locally caught Boquinete, a fish also known as Spanish Snapper or Hogfish, which was served grilled with garlic butter. For dessert I chose Caribbean Strawberries, expertly flambéed tableside by our waiter. All my selections were delicious. Comparing notes with my dinner companions, the Porcini Mushroom Crepes, Shrimp Agua Chile, Monkfish and the Ferrero chocolate cream also received glowing reviews.

The wine list includes wines from Mexico, California and the Pacific Northwest, Chile, Argentina, Italy and Australia carefully selected to enhance the flavors of the food.

The restaurant’s murals are a showstopper. Depicting a collection of tropical fruit and vegetables that are staples in the Mexican diet and in the hacienda kitchens of yesteryear, the six niche paintings by Cuban artist Arturo Montoto are an allusion to the nation’s deep ties with the land itself. Masterfully reproduced in Byzantine-style tesserae by craftsmen at Venetian Mosaics of Mexico, the famous Perdomo family workshop in Cuernavaca, they are also our tribute to Mexican mosaic art, a tradition that dates back to the days of the ancient Olmec, Maya, Mixtec and Aztec civilizations.

Visit www.losmurales.com for more information on our latest restaurant.

Be the first to dine at Los Murales, book your table by writing to losmurales@royalresorts.com or call ext. 66213 if you are at the resort. Open from 5 - 10 p.m., Monday to Friday. The restaurant opens to the general public in January.

On December 9, representatives of the Cancún Beach project met with Royal Resorts management and we are pleased to inform you that beach restoration work will take place at The Royal Sands between December 16 and 21.

Preparations begin at the resort on December 12 with the removal of the palapas, sun beds and any other obstructions on the beach in order for the 12-meter-long pipes to be assembled and heavy machinery moved into place. The tentative date for pumping to begin at The Royal Sands is December 16 and engineers hope to complete the 300 meters of beach the night of December 18. The sand will then be leveled and the pipes removed the night of December 21. Work will continue round the clock and during this time the area of beach being restored will also be cordoned off for safety reasons.

When asked about The Royal Mayan, The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Islander, a Cancún Beach project spokesman commented that they are located on the stretch of shoreline most affected by erosion (Le Meridien to The Royal Islander) and where the beach is currently at its narrowest. As a consequence, engineers expect work to take longer throughout this stage, and that is without taking into account the time spent moving the heavy machinery and pipes into place. The estimated dates for the 700 meters of beach from The Royal Mayan to The Royal Islander are January 6 to January 10 (night) for sand to be pumped from the dredgers and January 15 (night) for the pipes to be removed.

The aforementioned dates are tentative; the project spokesman commented that there may be a delay of one or two days, however, we are sure that you will agree that this is excellent news. Stay posted for further updates and photos as work takes place.

The Royal Resorts are looking even more festive than usual this year and staff have been hard at work for days decorating the Christmas trees in the lobbies, hanging garlands, planting poinsettias or nochebuenas and installing impressive light displays and Nativity scenes outside the resorts. As the twinkling lights, seasonal colors and music work their magic, you will soon be thinking about traditional Yuletide fare.

The Royal Resorts restaurants have a bumper Christmas and New Year offering lined up for members and guests. Christmas buffets featuring roast turkey and all the trimmings, Yule log and much more are planned for Tradewinds (The Royal Caribbean), La Veranda (The Royal Sands),La Palapa (Club Internacional de Cancún) and La Palapa del Sol at The Royal Haciendas. El Conquistador (The Royal Mayan) will be offering a dinner special in addition to all its a la carte favorites and Hacienda Sisal (next to The Royal Sands) will also have a buffet and a traditional Mexican show.

Ring in the New Year at Royal Resorts with mouthwatering menus, music and a festive ambiance. El Conquistador and Captain’s Cove are offering New Year’s Eve dinner specials  and beachfront favorite La Palapa at Club Internacional de Cancun will have a buffet and a band. Hacienda Sisal, La Veranda and La Palapa del Sol at The Royal Haciendas are all hosting dinners with live music. Seasoned partygoers may prefer to dance the night away at Pancho & Willy’s next to Captain’s Cove, with classic rock and  a casual deck menu.

Finally, be sure to save space for Los Murales, the new seafood restaurant at The Royal Haciendas, which opens its doors on December 17.

For additional information, pricing, times and reservations please contact restaurants@royalresorts.com or call ext. 165 upon arrival at your resort.

Did you know that the poinsettia, or nochebuena (Euphorbia pulcherrima) as it is called here, actually comes from Mexico? According to ancient lore, the Aztecs used its leaves and flowers for medicinal purposes and also to dye cotton cloth.

After the Spanish Conquest in the 16^th century, Franciscan friars began to decorate their Nativity scenes with poinsettia flowers, forever associating it in the minds of their new congregations with the Christmas season. In 1823, Joel Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, saw the plant during a visit to Taxco in Guerrero. He fell in love with the colorful red flower bracts, sent cuttings back to his South Carolina plantation and spent the rest of his life growing it.  Today the plant that bears his name is a symbol of Christmas the world over.

Poinsettias can reach heights of up to four meters if planted outside and in some Yucatecan villages even become small trees! When this season’s poinsettias have finished flowering why not try and keep them for next year? If you live in a cold climate store your plants in the greenhouse until temperatures begin to rise and then move them outside for the summer.

If you have always wanted to learn more about the Mayan culture, an evening trip to Dos Palmas, a tiny Riviera Maya community six miles from Tulum, may be the answer.
The Dos Palmas visit is part of a sustainable development project to create an additional source of income for Mayan communities and combat migration. In turn, visitors learn about the timeless traditions of a proud people and their profound respect for the environment.

The evening begins with the community leader welcoming visitors to Kaakulshan as it is known in Maya. As darkness falls and the jungle is full of the sounds of nocturnal creatures, visitors make their way to the temascal or pre-Hispanic sweat lodge for a purification ritual. A Mayan priest blesses them and they feel a tremendous sensation of peace. With the chants and the smell of copal incense, the flickering candles and a Mayan night sky lit by moonlight, this is an unforgettable experience.
After the ritual, visitors stroll through the jungle to a cenote and spend the rest of the evening with local families. A traditional meal of achiote-marinated chicken, beans and handmade tortillas is served in a thatched Mayan home.

The Dos Palmas trip is available through Thomas Moore Travel, the Royal Resorts in-house travel agency, for more details contact tourdesk@royalresorts.com or call 1-800-791-4496 (US & Canada) or (+52 998) 885-0266.