Mexico’s Mayan Riviera has jumped to the top of the honeymoon hotlist according to Virgin holidays thanks to its pitch perfect balance of dazzling Caribbean sunshine, warm turquoise waters and the Tulum Mayan ruins to add a learning curve to your break.

Karolina Kurkova launching the Virgin Atlantic Cancun service

It’s in no small part also down to the clutch of stylish, honeytrap hotels dotted along the coastline. The Mandarin Oriental, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Rosewood Mayakoba, The Tides Riviera Maya, Esencia, Basico and Be Tulum are the places to visit and the trend this year is to trip between a couple of hotels to fake a mini sabbatical. Albeit a luxury one – hey, it costs the same as a Gap year...

Virgin Atlantic has just announced that it will launch direct flights from London Gatwick to Cancun next June. “Cancun is one of the top five long-haul leisure destinations for UK travellers” said Richard Branson, “We are so pleased to be launching flights there”. British Airways already runs direct flights from Gatwick.

Visit Virgin Atlantic here

Visit British Airways here

See ELLE’s review of Be Tulum