I traveled to Mexico for three days to explore a 5-star hotel in the heart of Cancun and ended up consumed in my thoughts pertaining to what luxury means to me as a Black woman.
What I thought would be a simple trip close to home to discover a new property turned into days of intense reflection on my end.
Stepping into an environment known for relaxation and refined experiences, I embarked on a journey that transcended lavish accommodations and exquisite amenities.
Photo by Kempinski Hotel Cancún
The Epitome of Elegance at Kempinski Cancun Hotel
Cancun, a vibrant city in Mexico known for its all-inclusive offerings at its many resorts and hotels, now has the Kempinski Cancun that is introducing a different model to the city.
A short flight from Florida, I found myself immersed in an embracive aura of opulence at the hotel.
Formerly known as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which operated for 30+ years, the property has been transformed under the Kempinski brand and has spent the last year intentionally incorporating European-centric features infused with a Mexican flair to display on the property.
Upon arrival, I was met with a convivial spirit from the staff that carried through my time. As I walked into the hotel's lobby, an undeniable work of royal elegance charm, it was clear that each piece of art held a story.
Photo by Kempinski Hotel Cancún
Intricate works of art were displayed throughout the hotel, like bureaus that were crafted by the historical artisans who did Maximilian I of Mexico and Charlotte of Belgium's master chamber's bedroom furniture at Chapultepec Palace and the carpet covering the lobby's staircase that was designed by Hermès in Paris 30 years ago.
My favorite area of the hotel lies in the center on the fourth level. Here, I found a garden-like sanctuary. Each railing bristled with sprawls of green vines hanging from the awnings of each floor, encompassed by green pillars providing stability for the masterpiece that lay in front of me.
In the middle laid a sculpture engraved with symbols representing the hotel owner's family trajectory. Overlooking the sculpture overhead, mosaic-tiled art pieces displayed through a stained glass ceiling allowed for casts of natural sunlight to the hotel, adding to the area's beauty.
Unparalleled Views from the Club Seafront King Room
I stayed in the Club Seafront King Room at the hotel, which granted me views of the turquoise expanse of the Caribbean Sea from my private balcony. Waking up to the sound of the rhythmic collision of waves against the shores, I felt like a queen awakening in paradise.
The interior exuded a blend of modern sophistication, with a plush king-sized bed dressed in fine linens as the centerpiece. Expansive windows allowed natural light to cast a warm and inviting glow into my room daily, positively impacting my mood.
With amenities like a marble bathroom with a rain shower, separate bathtub, minibar, coffee station, flatscreen TV, embroidered plush robe, desk, and more, being a guest in this room allowed me to indulge in a world of luxury that strayed from my conventional travel approach.
The Club Seatfront King Room granted me access to the hotel's Club Lounge, where personalized service and an array of amenities awaited me. From this private enclave that the hotel offers guests on the floors booked in the respective club rooms, guests can indulge in complimentary gourmet lunches, afternoon tea, desserts, evening cocktails, or just a time of relaxation from the comfort of the lounge.
Photo by Christina Jane
Memorable Dining Experiences at Kempinski Hotel
Home to both of the only 5-Diamond restaurants in Cancun, dining at the Kempinski Hotel allowed me to delight in fine dining that presented an innovative expression of modern gastronomy.
5-diamond restaurants are prestigious ratings assigned by the American Automobile Association to hotels and restaurants around the world.
Fantino, an award-winning Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant holding one of the property’s high ratings, allowed me to immerse myself into a two-hour dining experience with stellar customer service and soothing melodies of a live piano, adding another layer of elegance that enhanced every bite.
I still reminisce about the bites of filet mignon soused with Port wine sauce and my introduction to the taste of carajillo, a coffee cocktail popularly enjoyed after dinner.
When not fine dining, I had the option of opting into other dining experiences around the property, like savoring fresh seafood from the casitas placed in front of the ocean or locally-inspired dishes at the El Café Mexicano.
Photo by Christina Jane
Wellness and Leisure Activities That Enhance The Stay
The Kempinski Hotel includes an array of world-class activities and experiences, from its rejuvenating spa and fitness center to its intentionally curated activities calendar with engaging ventures like tequila tasting, a turtle conservation program, and salsa classes that celebrate the rich culture of the region.
You can awaken your mind with a complimentary sunrise yoga class or cruise through the waters on a jet ski. The property alone is designed to provide an escape with two outdoor pools, a wellness spa, and a 1,299 ft white-sand beach.
If beach life isn’t your thing, the hotel has two outdoor pools and a jacuzzi surrounded with blue chairs and umbrellas towering above that give a resort feel.
Photo by Kempinski Hotel Cancún
The on-site KAYANTÁ Spa encapsulates Mayan traditions and customs using indigenous ingredients from the Yucatán Peninsula. From the minute I entered the spa for a day of relaxation, the seamless blend of essential oils with the tranquil ambiance captured my attention.
I was given a heated blanket while I awaited my massage therapist in the lounge and prepared for a 60-minute massage that touched all the right places.
The outdoor component of the spa includes a jacuzzi, a cold plunge pool, and outdoor showers infused with a citrus mango scent that sealed the experience as I prepared for my departure.
Photo by Kempinski Hotel Cancún
Dissecting Black Girl Luxury
So, as I found myself indulging in what I call a surface-level version of luxury for a few days at this stunning hotel, I began to internally reflect on what luxury truly means to be as a young Black woman navigating a society that ultimately was not designed for me to thrive.
My personality and core values have never aligned with the common materialistic narrative of what luxury is thought to be, but I’ve always admired the way Black women have emulated the essence of lavish living.
It’s a lifestyle that has been heavily critiqued, as it’s clear that people don’t always digest Black women living lavishly well. A classic example: Our good sis Jackie Aina.Black women are not a monolith and do not have to cater to the stereotypes we have been confined to over time. That is a message that has been communicated when discussing the topic and one that I can resonate with.
For me, it was clear that no amount of physical items, collections of high-end commodities, or stays in fancy hotels would represent the deeper meaning I associate with the luxury movement.With all of this in mind, I was faced with trying to pinpoint what exactly luxury meant to me as a Black woman.
Photo by Christina Jane
So What is Luxury to Me As A Black Woman?
I associate the word luxury with freedom. The freedom to choose how I want to spend my days, but mostly the freedom to simply exist without the pressures of the external world caving in on my thoughts or influencing my actions.
As a Black woman who is often deemed “successful” in the eyes of others, I am in a place where I am truly okay with simply existing. The value of who I am as a person goes beyond my contributions to society, and I have been working on leaning into this affirmation.
I think it’s easy to get wrapped up in the accolades, roles, titles, awards, etc., and it can begin to cloud our authentic reflection of self.
Photo by Christina Jane
Lessons from Sunrise Yoga
As if I wasn’t already in my head this entire trip, a sunset yoga class and insightful conversation with the yoga instructor at the hotel, Petra Ver Eecke, reaffirmed all of my thoughts and feelings.
The class focused on the constraints we often place on ourselves due to imitation. We have all of these imitations in life that we carry with us daily about how we believe things should be and look when we should just jump into things imperfect and as we are.
Your life doesn’t have to look like the next person’s life, and it won’t. Sometimes it’s essential to go through the process and create your own blueprint.
Photo by Rachel Cook on Unsplash
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I am incredibly grateful for my time of reflection at the Kempinski Hotel in Cancun—a time that provided me with an escape from the hustle of my average day-to-day life and allowed me to embrace my identity, aspirations, and the moments that truly resonate with my heart and soul.
I look forward to continuing to honor myself in my journey of healing, growth, and intentionality as a Black woman, exploring how to continue living a life of luxury both on the inside and out.
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Featured image by Thomas Barwick/Getty Images
RELATED
So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
Kayla Nicole says she wore a dress that was once worn by Braxton herself for the Halloween costume. “It’s not a secret Toni is more on the petite side. I’m obsessed with all 5’2” of her,” she tells xoNecole via email. “But I’m 5’10'' and not missing any meals, honey, so to my surprise, when I got the dress and it actually fit, I knew it was destiny.”
The episode was the perfect way for the multihyphenate to take control of her own narrative. By addressing the viral moment on her own platform, she was able to stir the conversation and keep the focus on her adoration for Braxton, an artist she says she grew up listening to and who still makes her most-played playlist every year. Elsewhere, she likely would’ve received questions about whether or not the costume was a subliminal aimed at her ex-boyfriend and his pop star fiancée. “I think that people will try to project their own narratives, right?” she said, hinting at this in the episode. “But, for me personally – I think it’s very important to say this in this moment – I’m not in the business of tearing other women down. I’m in the business of celebrating them.”
Kayla Nicole is among xoNecole’s It Girl 100 Class of 2025, powered by SheaMoisture, recognized in the Viral Voices category for her work in media and the trends she sets on our timelines, all while prioritizing her own mental and physical health. As she puts it: “Yes, I’m curating conversations on my podcast The Pre-Game, and cultivating community with my wellness brand Tribe Therepē.”
Despite being the frequent topic of conversation online, Kayla Nicole says she’s learning to take advantage of her growing social media platform without becoming consumed by it. “I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out,” she says.
On The Pre-Game, which launched earlier this year, she has positioned herself as listeners “homegirl.” “There’s definitely a delicate dance between being genuine and oversharing, and I’ve had to learn that the hard way. Now I share from a place of reflection, not reaction,” she says. “If it can help someone feel seen or less alone, I’ll talk about it within reason. But I’ve certainly learned to protect parts of my life that I cherish most. I share what serves connection but doesn’t cost me peace.
"I refuse to let the internet consume me. It’s supposed to be a resource and tool for connection, so if it becomes anything beyond that I will log out."
Credit: Malcolm Roberson
Throughout each episode, she sips a cocktail and addresses trending topics (even when they involve herself). It’s a platform the Pepperdine University alumnus has been preparing to have since she graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism, with a concentration in political science.
“I just knew I was going to end up on a local news network at the head anchor table, breaking high speed chases, and tossing it to the weather girl,” she says. Instead, she ended up working as an assistant at TMZ before covering sports as a freelance reporter. (She’s said she didn’t work for ESPN, despite previous reports saying otherwise.) The Pre-Game combines her love for pop culture and sports in a way that once felt inaccessible to her in traditional media.
She’s not just a podcaster, though. When she’s not behind the mic, taking acting classes or making her New York Fashion Week debut, Kayla Nicole is also busy elevating her wellness brand Tribe Therepē, where she shares her workouts and the workout equipment that helps her look chic while staying fit. She says the brand will add apparel to its line up in early 2026.
“Tribe Therepē has evolved into exactly what I have always envisioned. A community of women who care about being fit not just for the aesthetic, but for their mental and emotional well-being too. It’s grounded. It’s feminine. It’s strong,” she says. “And honestly, it's a reflection of where I am in my life right now. I feel so damn good - mentally, emotionally, and physically. And I am grateful to be in a space where I can pour that love and light back into the community that continues to pour into me.”
Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all the women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
Featured image by Malcolm Roberson