The best hotels in Mexico according to the editors of Condé Nast Traveller
Over the last few years a slew of new openings in Mexico has drawn attention away from Cancun's supersized resorts and towards boutique stays with a focus on local artisans, design and sustainability. Now, some of the best hotels in Mexico are found beyond the typical tourist strips and in places like Tulum, the up-and-coming Zihuatanejo and in flourishing Mexico City – recently voted one of the best cities in the world. For a getaway that's well worth the flight time from the UK, our editors have selected the best hotels in Mexico, ranging from beachside treehouses to minimalist boltholes.
How we choose the best hotels in Mexico
Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Conde Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury and properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We're always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve.
Courtesy Hotel EsenciaHotel Esencia, Xpu-Ha
Featured on our 2023 Gold List of the best hotels in the world
While Playa del Carmen and Tulum on Mexico’s Riviera Maya teeter toward overdevelopment, there’s still an unspoiled coastline between the two fast-growing towns. Near the powdery white sands of Xpu-Ha, the secluded jungle hideaway of Hotel Esencia is a reprieve from bustling resorts and hedonistic eco-hotels – yet offers all the trappings needed to never leave its grounds. Originally built as a haven for an Italian duchess, the 50-acre estate was acquired in 2014 by Hollywood producer Kevin Wendle, who has turned the property into the area’s chicest beachside retreat, beloved by tastemakers such as Bella Hadid and Lupita Nyong’o for its privacy. Hotel Esencia centres on a main house, where afternoon tea is served daily in the ocean-facing library, while stone paths lead to four expansive guest villas and 47 suites, each with a private terrace and some with a heated pool and solarium overlooking the Caribbean. The newest and most luxurious lodgings are at the Esencia Mansion, a four-bedroom villa with three swimming pools, a 20-seat screening room, a subterranean speakeasy, and a nearby cenote where guests can paddleboard among the resident manatees. To recharge, there’s a café offering Mexican pastries, a juice bar for smoothies and acai bowls, and three restaurants, including a Yucatán eatery serving dishes with Mediterranean flair, from green gazpacho topped with crab to grilled octopus layered with creamy garlic mole. Michaela Trimble
Auberge Resorts CollectionSusurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
Everything about this property is seemingly curated to feel more like a boutique hotel than an all-inclusive one. It’s normal to stumble upon things like a sound bath experience on the beach led by a local bohemian who infuses jazz with the singing bowls or a sombrero-making class. The on-site boutique, a Fashionkind outpost (opening in December), co-owned by Nina Farran and Sophia Bush will comprise only Latin American designers creating positive social and environmental impact, and the design by Paul Duesing and Glazier Le Architects, sporting stone walls that continue from the balcony to the interior of the room with pebble-floored rain showers clad in colourful tiles almost entirely Mexican made and also supports local and regional makers, artisans, artists, and purveyors, solidifies the POV of being a boho-fresh, intentional, and barefoot sanctuary for those in-the-know. Don’t get me wrong, it still feels like a resort – just a resort that is focused on what is important to today’s customers. Scott Bay.
Albert LewisRancho Pescadero – The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
Owners Lisa Harper and Billy Moore have always placed great importance on uplifting Todos Santos, Mexico since Rancho Pescadero’s inception in 2007. So when they decided to overhaul and expand the resort – going from 12 guestrooms to 103 – they implemented rare and lengthy programs for the industry, ranging from creating a solar farm and installing a desalination plant to transplanting thousands of plants moved during construction and placing them back in their original locations. But they are also concerned about the strains that a luxury resort can bring to rural areas. Therefore, they have created a housing complex for employees, where each of the 170 dwellings will actually become their legal home after years of working at the resort – while also implementing a technical education program for the community’s youth and investing in a clean-air incinerator for the resort’s waste and for local use. Waking up on my last day in my elegant-yet-beachy guest suite, designed head-to-toe by Harper (of course), and jumping into the private plunge pool overlooking the crashing waves, I found myself thinking, this is true well-being. A place to disconnect, reconnect with what matters most and feel confident that the investment is eco-responsible and helps to uplift the people who live in this slice of desert paradise. Scott Bay
Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta MitaNaviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
This is not your parents’ Four Seasons. Formalities, like a front desk, have disappeared, and the traditional concierge has been replaced with guides who can help arrange everything from dinner reservations to surf lessons. The all-inclusive model means the entire stay is blissfully transaction-free, and the intimate scale – at just 30 guests, the size is also a shift for the brand – allows for unscripted experiences such as mezcal tastings with local distillers. And the tented suites are what it takes to persuade travellers to book a hotel in Punta Mita that isn’t right on the beach. Terraced into 48 acres of forested Pacific-facing cliffs, this adults-only luxury tented resort was designed by sustainably minded safari-tent pioneers Luxury Frontiers. Each of its 15 spacious rooms has an indoor soaking tub, an outdoor shower, and a private plunge pool with sunset views. Taking in and getting out into nature is at the heart of Naviva, but a visit to the two spa pods is a must for treatments informed by Mesoamerican traditions, like the five-hour Refuge Retreat. It includes a copal cleansing and Mayan mud massage, plus post-pampering time to soak in the pod’s oversized palm-shaded tub. Guests have access to the amenities at sister property Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, just next door, but it’s doubtful you’ll want to leave this jungle oasis. Jen Murphy
Victor Elias/Waldorf Astoria CancunWaldorf Astoria Cancun, Cancun
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
For all the resorts that crowd Mexico’s east coast, the Waldorf stands out for its truly white-glove service and amenities that make it hard to leave the property. There are infinity pools aplenty, acres of pristine coastline, and that most glorious asset of all, the feeling of complete privacy in one of the country’s most bustling holiday spots. The decor, a soothing sea of creams and sand hues, spotlights Mexican artisans and highlights materials like tropical woods and local stone. The vibe here is palpably slow – no rushing from one activity to the next, just relaxing. And there are enough private cabanas to go around – you can forget about the dreaded visit to the pool at dawn to reserve a great spot. There are also dozens of lounge chairs facing the beach for when the ocean is your dip du jour. With comfortable yet polished rooms, an excellent spa, and a clutch of bars and restaurants serving excellent riffs on traditional dishes and drinks, this is Cancun like you’ve never seen it. Meaghan Kenny
Karyn MilletCasa Polanco, Mexico City
Featured on our 2023 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
Set in Mexico City's posh Polanco neighbourhood, in an elegantly renovated Spanish Revival-style mansion, a stay at Casa Polanco feels like a peek inside the lives of well-to-do chilangos (Mexico City locals). Polanco is within walking distance from sites like Chapultepec Park, a popular hangout for local families on the weekends, and lovely for morning jogs; and a short drive from Museo Soumaya, known for its unique architecture and mirror-like façade; and Casa Luis Barragán. Just around the corner are the trendy Roma Norte and Condesa neighbourhoods for eating, drinking, and boutique shopping. As is a common tendency throughout Polanco, the food here is not quintessentially Mexican – there's a quesadilla offered via room service, but, beyond that, you're working with what feels akin to a country club menu (think Caesar salads and sandwiches for in-room dining, and afternoon tea in the lobby bar). Megan Spurrell.
Rupert PeaceOne&Only Palmilla, San Jose del Cabo
Featured on our 2022 Gold List of the best hotels in the world
Arriving at this spot on the very tip of the Baja Peninsula always feels like coming home. Many of the staff are third-generation employees who not only remember your name, but whether you prefer your Margarita made with tequila or mezcal (and which brand), and where you like your yoga mat to be set up in your room. And those rooms. White-washed hacienda-style architecture brightened with hand-embroidered textiles, plus perks such as private butlers and, in the case of Villa Cortez, an exclusive fitness suite, spa room and beach cabana, reflect Cabo’s emergence as Latin America’s latest luxury hotspot. There is no shortage of glitzy new five-stars, but as the area’s first proper hotel, Palmilla has a serious advantage: real estate. Its secluded location on one of Cabo’s only swimmable beaches is unbeatable. In the 1950s, Hollywood’s elite flocked here, and today a fresh generation of A-listers do the same. A commitment to discretion and timeless glamour in an age of social-media noise, as well as constant reinvention (new wellness offerings from spiritual healer Alicia Kanxoc) have allowed Baja’s big hitter to continue holding court. Jen Murphy
Tanveer Badal Photography / TANVEERBADAL.COMHabitas Bacalar, Bacalar
Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
A four-hour drive south of heavily touristed Cancún, the discreet Habitas Bacalar entrance on the side of a remote road makes you feel like you’ve been let in on a grand secret. The place is small—just 34 rooms, each with a maximum occupancy of two—and has a very communal vibe. The hotel makes an effort to bring the community to you, by hosting local vendors for guest experiences like a cacao-and-wine tasting, and partnering with local businesses for complimentary paddleboard tours, yoga lessons, and more. Meanwhile, the wellness programme sources local ingredients for its spa products, and restaurant Siete uses traditional Mayan cooking techniques. Mercedes Bleth
Ana Hop courtesy of Grupo HabitaBaja Club Hotel, La Paz
Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
With the opening of Baja Club Hotel along the esplanade of La Paz, the coastal town now has its first proper boutique hotel. Attracting the creative, artistic elite of Mexico City and beyond, the 32-room, Spanish colonial–style property serves as a base for further explorations in the Sea of Cortez, from swimming with the area’s seasonal visitors—whale sharks and blue whales—to boating trips to the biodiverse Espíritu Santo island. The rooms all have either a balcony, terrace, or private outdoor patio, with cream-and-coral striped banquettes as well as Grupo Habita’s classic minibar staple: a house bottle of Mezcal for guests to enjoy. Michaela Trimble
Laura AustinVerana, Puerto Vallarta
Even the most seasoned traveller may have trouble thinking of the last time they stayed in a handmade hotel. The reason being, they are extremely rare. Few places can be as intricately and ingeniously imagined as Verana. When set designer Heinz Legler and decorator Veronique Lievre left Los Angeles to purchase a plot of land in Mexico’s remote Bay of Banderas in 1997, they had one idea in mind – to build a home surrounded by nature at their own pace. The couple settled into the lush hilltop, only accessible by boat and mule, and began constructing, responding to the landscape and seasons, preserving as much of the natural environment as possible. It may sound romantic, surrendering to the unknown in the pursuit of artistic dreams, but the reality required dedication and true grit. The idea of a single home evolved into 10 casas embedded into the jungle with spellbinding views of the ocean, many of which are wall-less structures with modern thatched roofs and outdoor showers. Some have a private plunge pool or Japanese-style tea lounge. To stay here is to be immediately transported. Don’t be surprised to find it fully booked for a wedding or creative retreat. People come to Verana to become less distracted and more connected to themselves. To shut out the noise. But that’s not all. With thoughtfully coordinated colour-blocked walls, an outdoor library, vintage objects made by Mexican artisans and a spa to manage any tropical discomfort, the alchemy of inspired design dissolves any pressures from the outside world. Wake up to tea and freshly baked bread left on the doorstep, spend dreamy hours whale-watching and fall asleep to the sound of wind gently swishing trees back and forth. In one of the most beautiful parts of Mexico, the real luxury is space to just be. Jade Moyano
Octavia Casa, Mexico City
Fashion designer Roberta Maceda has crafted this seven-room retreat in the chi-chi area of La Condesa as a minimalist extension of her Octavia clothing line. On the ground floor, next to a breezy seating area with bamboo stools grouped around a concrete table by interior firm Habitación 116, there’s a shoppable bronze rail of her pieces that may include white button-up shirts or a black-and-white snakeskin ensemble. Upstairs, rooms are also decorated in neutral tones and each is named after a natural material, from walnut (nogal) and linen (lino) to earth (tierra) and bronze (bronce). The softest bedding comes from Octavia’s new homeware line, while the rest of the studied hangout spaces showcase other Mexican makers with blown-glass cups by Onora and cream-coloured vases from ceramics studio Encrudo filled with dried magnolia leaves. There’s no restaurant, but breakfast is brought in from a nearby bakery – conchas (sweet pastries) are served with homemade hibiscus-and-ginger jam and eaten in the meditative pebble-floored garden under a guava tree. In the evenings it’s a short stroll to local favourites such as Italian restaurant Lardo and natural-wine bar Hugo. This is a meticulously designed gateway to Mexico City’s coolest scene. Michaela Trimble
Rupert PeaceOne&Only Mandarina, Puerto Vallarta
This glossy, globetrotting hotel group might pick up new destinations as if they were passport stamps – classics include the Maldives, Mauritius and Montenegro – but each is uniquely rooted in place. Here, along the Riviera Nayarit on the wild Pacific coast, that means drawing deeply on Mexico’s magic, with considered references to the indigenous Cora and Huichol people. Bedrooms, whether oversized treehouses or ocean-facing villas, are a celebration of local culture from the traditional textiles and pottery to the robes by contemporary Mexico-based label Candor. The spa, set in a natural volcanic-rock garden, is based on ancient healing practices and offers treatments including temazcal sweat-lodge rituals. The fantastical kids’ club was designed by Academy Award-winning art director Brigitte Broch, whose wonderland sets have been seen in Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet. The hotel has also tapped the country’s top chef, Enrique Olvera – of Mexico City’s Pujol, currently ranked the 12th-best restaurant in the world – for Carao, where feasts begin with fresh ceviche and end on homemade cinnamon buñuelos. Meanwhile Alma, an open-air, garden-to-plate joint helmed by French-Mexican Olivier Deboise, is centred around wood-fired, Pan-American-meets-Mediterranean dishes. A serious step up from the surf shacks down the road in Sayulita and San Pancho. Micahela Trimble
Undine PröhlEscondido Oaxaca, Oaxaca City
The region’s capital has long been celebrated for its ancestral artistry, which homegrown hoteliers Grupo Habita have drawn on in transforming this downtown colonial-era building. Merging old and new, architect Alberto Kalach has added a surprisingly brutalist extension beyond its unassuming russet façade. The initially minimalist-looking rooms – four in the original building and eight in the new tower – are dedicated to Mexican craftsmanship. Each has a bedframe made from ahuehuete wood, a type of cypress that was sacred to the indigenous Zapotec culture and even featured in its creation myth, with locally woven olive blankets matching the elemental style. Italian chef Mario Petterino serves up traditional dishes from his home region of Piedmont such as handmade ravioli; afterwards sip on a mezcal nightcap in the library-like Culture Room. Escondido is within walking distance of all the city’s hits, from Enrique Olvera’s famed restaurant Criollo to the main plaza with its Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, the latter connecting the past and present – much like the hotel itself. Micahela Trimble
Sergio Alejandro Lopez JimenezCirculo Mexicano, Mexico City
Homegrown hoteliers Grupo Habita have got creating the country’s coolest boutique spots down to a fine art. Their latest opening is no different and deftly switches up the tempo, from the buzzing, market-style ground floor to the quiet austerity of the Shaker-simple bedrooms. The chilled-out rooftop, with its pool and Japanese soaking tub, has views of central sights including the Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace and Templo Mayor. The group shrewdly tapped renowned chef Gabriela Cámara, of seafood favourite Contramar, for the Itacate del Mar courtyard restaurant, where the menu features standout snacks such as tostadas with tangy tuna and fried calamari topped with shiitake mushrooms. And the dining area is circled by a handful of interesting curated shops: Templo stocks Oaxacan ceramics and Atlawa interiors studio sells resin kitchenware. The building was once home to celebrated 20th-century photographer Manuel Alvarez Bravo, and his black-and-white images line the walls of the public spaces. Meanwhile on the second and third floors, Círculo’s 25 utilitarian-aesthetic bedrooms are fitted out with custom oak pieces by local furniture designers La Metropolitana; most also have their own terrace. A calm, considered hub amid the thrum of historic Mexico City. Micahela Trimble
Paradero Todos Santos, Baja California
Tucked away on a previously unused 5.5-acre plot within a farming community in Baja California Sur’s Todos Santos, Paradero Todos Santos represents the mission of Mexico City-based founders Pablo Carmona and Joshua Kremer to preserve the more than 160 acres of family-owned farms that surround the property. The resort, set in front of a palm-tree oasis about 20 minutes from the beach, is made up of a series of brutalist-inspired structures designed by architects Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo. They took note of the landscape’s sun-baked hues and designed the property in golden shades to blend into the sandy natural surrounds. The buildings’ desert tones also allow the plants in the 100,000-square-foot botanical garden to pop: red sand verbena, Mojave yucca and Shaw’s agave. Though the outdoor spa and half moon-shaped infinity pool make it hard to leave the grounds, it would be a shame to miss out on guided hikes through cactus fields to reach the deserted Las Palmas beach, taco tours of the best local spots in Todos Santos, or private surf lessons. The hotel has custom boards positioned in the open-air living room, an airy sanctuary where guests kick back and relax post-adventure in anticipation of seafood-centric meals prepared by chef Eduardo Ríos, an alum of Enrique Olvera’s Mexico City restaurant Pujol. Shaded by almost 100 palm trees and other endemic plants, at the Ojo de Agua (watering hole) spa treatments happen beneath open-air, palapa-style structures and incorporate traditional sound healing – most end with a visit to the temazcal sweat lodge. Michaela Trimble
Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, San José del Cabo
The high-stakes Cabo hotel scene has been particularly frenetic in recent years with fresh openings from big-name players including Four Seasons, Montage and Viceroy. Amid the fray, Ritz-Carlton managed to seek out a peaceful 20-acre plot overlooking the indigo Sea of Cortez and, for their fourth Reserve, built this retreat partially into the sand dunes. Those familiar with the other Reserves (in Puerto Rico, Bali and Thailand) will notice similarities – vast living rooms decorated in blue and white textiles, decorative objets (woven leather baskets, painted pottery) made by local artisans and terraces with fire pits for a feel that’s more home than hotel room. And like its sister at Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, Zadún has a sanctuary-like spa that is central to a stay: here, the showpiece is an earthy temazcal (a traditional ‘healing heat’ hut), as opposed to Dorado’s jungle-shrouded pool. But it’s the staff who are the real standout, remembering favourite breakfast tables and knowing where in the ginormous L-shaped pool – so large you can’t hear splashes in the other end – each swimmer will want that salt-rimmed Margarita served. In this town of elevated hotels, Ritz-Carlton shows that the bar can always be raised. Stephanie Wu
Casa Delphine, San Miguel de Allende
This pastel-tinted town has captivated writers and artists including Jack Kerouac and Frida Kahlo since the 1940s. It also bewitched LA jewellery designer Amanda Keidan, who fell so hard for its bohemian vibe that she relocated to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed spot in the Central Highlands and bought an empty hotel. With just five rooms, it hits the right note in this artistic landscape so dominated by big-name players. And unlike other small properties opening in the outskirts, it has one of the more enviable addresses, just a 10-minute stroll from the famous neo-Gothic Parroquia church with its distinctive orange-pink towers soaring above El Jardín. The latter is the social heart of the city where everything – fiesta band practice, football games, lovers meeting on benches shaded by laurel trees – takes place. There are original cantera-stone fireplaces, colourful painted tiles from nearby Dolores Hidalgo and lampshades from printmaker Ri Anderson. Local woodworker Peter Grau crafted the cedar dining table where jalapeño-spiked avocado toast and pastries are laid out each morning. Keidan’s insider knowledge rivals any hotel concierge’s with tips from her favorite restaurants (Terraza 48 for its tamal) and shops (Roma Quince for home goods) to Pilates classes and spa treatments; tarot suppers and chef-led pop-ups double as mini house parties. This feels like a revitalisation of the scene, drawing in a new wave of creatives. Jen Murphy
Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, Baja California Sur
The eastern cape of the Baja California peninsula is like the Cabo of the 1960s, when a trip down to its tip was still largely about dirt roads and drinking tequila in the sun. Just under an hour’s drive from the big hotels that now tightly pack the stretch of coast between hectic Cabo San Lucas and charming San José del Cabo, this cactus-studded landscape appeals to travellers looking for an alternative experience. Set right on the beach, against the backdrop of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, the Four Seasons is by far the area’s smartest stay (Aman is due to open next door in 2021). Exclusivity is of course a draw – a handful of celebrities from LA are rumoured to have bought villas. But then there’s also a strong outdoor-adventure pull, from snorkelling in nearby Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, where giant polka-dot whale sharks hunt for plankton, to quad-biking empty sand dunes. While there might not be the bars and restaurants to rival Los Cabos, they’re hardly missed. Toes-in-the-sand El Puesto is the spot for ceviche and Margaritas; for a proper sit-down meal, an outpost of beloved Greek restaurant Estiatorio Milos serves seafood suppers. All 141 rooms are designed to blend into the surrounding desertscape with sliding glass doors that lead to private terraces, as well as views of the Sea of Cortéz. And unlike on the rough, rocky Pacific side of Baja, the waters here are as tranquil as a lake. This Four Seasons arrival has let the secret out of the bag. Jen Murphy
Chable Maroma, Riviera Maya
This may quite possibly be the only hotel anywhere in Mexico that provides the level of wellness travellers now hop on planes for with the country’s trademark sugary beaches. It is a worthy second act from the brand whose resort Chablé, in the jungles of the Yucatán, made waves in the wellness world with its intelligent, stylish approach to holistic health nearly three years ago (that cenote! That spa!). The focus hasn’t shifted at Maroma, but this place does feel remarkably more resort-like than its boutique sibling. With 70 neutral-palette suites, it’s nearly twice as large, and each has its own pool, terrace and palm-shrouded outdoor rain shower. And let’s not forget its access to Riviera Maya’s powdery sands (we definitely missed the surf at Chablé). True to the brand, Maroma’s bright spa remains deeply rooted in Mayan healing traditions (the temazcal ceremony, led by a local healer, is the real deal, requiring a two-hour commitment). While your schedule in the Yucatán is packed with fitness classes and spa sessions, Maroma encourages time spent sipping margaritas by the infinity pool, as any Mexican hotel should. Chef Jorge Vallejo of Mexico City’s top-ranked Quintonil oversees the menus at both outposts, sourcing ingredients from on-site ka’anches (Mayan gardens). Naturally, seafood is the star at Maroma, showcased at the rooftop raw bar and at casual restaurant, Kaban. The tasting-menu-only restaurant Bu’ul is more ambitious – and delicious, in our opinion – than the Yucatán’s fine-dining spot. Regional dishes such as mamey fruit tartare topped with glazed escamoles (surprisingly tasty ant larvae) will challenge and wow your palate. In a world where travellers are increasingly having to choose between the amenities of something big-scale and the consideration of a boutique property, Maroma lets us have both. To find out more see our Chablé Maroma, Riviera Maya hotel review.
Montage, Los Cabos
Cabo has a secret it doesn’t like to reveal: it’s tough to swim at most of its beaches. While dramatically beautiful, this stretch of the Pacific is rough and rowdy with sneaky undertows and crashing beach breaks that keep even lifeguard-strong swimmers landbound. Not a big deal if you’re more of a pool person, but when the honeyed, late-afternoon sunlight hits the cobalt-blue water just so and it looks like a thousand little diamonds are winking, there will be a primordial pull to set down the frosty drink and leap, giddily, greedily, into the sea. The lack of wade-in-worthy property has never stopped hotels from building here, in fact the area is having a boom right now, with big-name openings lined up like relay runners. Which makes it all the more magical when a great hotel has access to a dive-right-in section of sea. Montage Los Cabos, the first international property from the Orange County-based brand, is said unicorn. Located on 39 quiet acres of beachfront between the overdeveloped hotel zones of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, Montage looks out on the serene, divinely swimmable waters of Santa Maria Bay. Just as impressive is the fact that all of the 122 guest rooms, suites and casas (not just top-tier rooms) have ocean views, expansive terraces with daybeds and dining areas, and outdoor showers – just the sort of breezy indoor/outdoor set-up you want on a beach holiday. And in a town where things can go from place-defining to cliché very quickly, Montage gets it right. Interiors have a Mexican 2.0 aesthetic that favours local materials, executed in a sophisticated desert palette (lots of native wood, creamy sandstone, earth-toned woven throws and hanging tapestries), while landscaping embraces native, drought-resistant plants such as agave, flowering desert figs and saguaros. The food at fine-dining Mezcal and casual beachfront Marea is traditional in flavour and ingredients but executed with a light touch and an eye on health (Marea has a separate vegan menu) and seafood – lobster ceviche, scallop tiradito, grilled Baja prawns – is always the way to go. The real treat, though, is to sit by the pool with a book and Michelada, knowing that the Pacific is there waiting when you’re ready for your plunge. Find out more at our Montage Los Cabos, Mexico hotel review.
Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, Tulum
Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
The most distinctive part of Hilton’s luxury debut on Mexico’s Riviera Maya is its chameleon-like approach to hospitality. Yes, with its 349 rooms, acres of pools, 11 restaurants, and kids’ and (soon) teens’ clubs, the Conrad is the type of resort whose (large bronze) gates a traveler would be content to pass through only twice: right before check-in and right after checkout. Spiritually, though, it aligns more closely with the smaller-scale properties 30 minutes north in Tulum that seek to connect guests with the surrounding destination. Honoring the Mayan cultures that have occupied this stretch of Caribbean coast for centuries, a traditional sacbe, or “white road”—the name of the ancient roadways Mayans created to travel by moonlight—cuts through the jungled grounds. In the lobby, a soaring art installation takes a cue from Mayan macramé. And at the cenote-inspired spa, a traditional four-hands massage is second only to a jalapeño margarita in the open-air bar as a way to immediately shed any lingering real-life stress remaining after a dip in the sea. Erin Florio
Casa Silencio, Mexico
Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
Located in a windswept valley within the community of Xaagá (about one hour outside downtown Oaxaca City), this six-room boutique property is an isolated refuge for spirits enthusiasts who desire to taste rare editions of Mezcal El Silencio. Designed by the Mexican architect Alejandro D’Acosta, using a rose-hued shade of compressed clay—along with reclaimed wood, steel, and stone—the property’s heartbeat is an open-air dining room with outdoor firepits, where its legendary mezcal tastings are held. Each of the six rooms features a moody aesthetic, with design touches like abstract black-and-white textiles produced by local artisans, copper light fixtures, and wood-burning fireplaces. Michaela Trimble