All the very best boutique hotels in Mexico offer exceptional design, fuego food & drink, and stellar service
The design scene in Mexico gets us every time.
Give us a sunny holiday destination any day. Whether we’re living it up at the best boutique hotels in Thailand, Croatia, or Malta, there ain’t nothing that some beach time can’t fix. And if you’re looking for some wellness with your vacay, then you know that Mexico has you covered. Brimming with history, colour, and damn fine design, the best boutique hotels in Mexico will put a little extra joy in your heart during your travels.
The best boutique hotels in Mexico
1. Aldea Kuká | Isla Holbox
A hotel that embodies sustainability, Aldea Kuka on the sunny coast of Isla Holbox, was designed with love by owner Marco Z. Garcia Marquez. The hotel is made up of traditional wooden bungalows (main image), which are decorated with Mexican accessories made by local artisans, such as hand-carved tables and free-standing bathtubs. You’ll have views over the infinity pool and nearby ocean, which you can enjoy from your hammock and that’s just in the most basic room.
The Palma Real Presidential Suite includes complimentary yoga classes, gym access and two massages, two bedrooms and its own kitchen. Relax by the pool or enjoy a treatment at the spa, before settling in to a meal at their restaurants, Kukatch and La Malix, which are famous for locally caught seafood. All of this can be enjoyed guilt-free – the hotel avoids using plastic, has solar panels and its own CO2 emission offset forest and offers bicycle rental to make your stay extra eco-friendly.
Learn more about Aldea Kuka or Book through Booking.com
2. Downtown Mexico | Mexico City
Downtown Mexico truly achieves what it says on the tin. Set in a former palace in Mexico City, the hotel combines ultra-modern abstract interiors with original features pieces from the building. The hotel was brought to life by Serrano & Cherem Arquitectos and features comfortable rooms with rain showers, minibars and luxury king-sized beds.
The buffet breakfast is an excellent al fresco affair of fresh local foods, and downstairs is a locally owned restaurant, Azul Historico, to sate your hunger come dinner time. The central location is uniquely suited to visiting the city’s best sights on foot, but if the heat gets overwhelming, the rooftop pool and bar, with fun yellow umbrellas and views across the city will soon cool you down.
Read our story on the best boutique hotels in Mexico City.
Learn more about Downtown Mexico or Book through Booking.com
3. Azulik | Tulum
If you haven’t already heard of the otherworldly hotel that is Azulik in Tulum, you’re in for a treat. Designed by an Argentinian hotel owner called Roth, the unique hotel, entirely made of wood, emerges from the jungle like a small volcano. The 48 handcrafted villas are connected via wooden walkways which blend into the jungle, with plants creeping up the walls and living spaces opening out towards the ocean. However, to retain its rustic feel, you won’t find any electricity, TVs or air-conditioning here, just good old-fashioned candlelight.
The unique architecture features holes in many of the buildings, which allow water to funnel into the jungle floor, encouraging even more plant life to take root. The hotel is close to the beach, which notably doesn’t require clothing, and although there is no central pool, most rooms come with their own al fresco bath. Staff here offer a range of spa treatments and activities including meditation and morning yoga classes. There are three very different restaurants to choose from in the evenings: Cenote, with its classic breakfast smoothie bowls, Tseen Ja, serving fresh Japanese cuisine, and Kin Toh, whose elevated nest tables you may have spotted on Instagram, which serves authentic Mexican dishes.
Azulik is also one of the world’s most sustainable hotels.
Find out more about Azulik or Book through Booking.com
4. Bruma Casa Hotel 8 | Baja California
Casa 8, part of the Bruma hotel group, is located in the stunning Baja California wine region. The entire complex is designed to feel like you are whiling away your days on a Mexican ranch immersed in nature with fresh food and great company. It is a masterpiece of architecture by Alejandro D’ Acosta, offering guests its own 200-acre vineyard, luxury eco-ranch villas and restaurant providing locally sourced food.
Using dark wood and sand-coloured boulders, it blends seamlessly into the landscape, and while the hotel may appear rustic from the outside, the glass walls and high-end furnishings elevate it to boutique status. Aside from a tranquil pool, your own private balcony, and endless mountain views from your villa, you can also take a dip in the biodynamic swimming pond or enjoy a tasting session in the winery. Their restaurant, Fauna, has no set menu and serves up whatever local ingredients can be found that day.
Find out more about Bruma Casa 8
5. Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets | Isla Mujeres
Located just steps away from exquisite beaches and epic snorkelling spots, Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets is a luxury stay on Isla Mujeres. Arrival is via the resort’s private catamaran, where you’ll find a beautifully appointed stay amid the natural landscape of the island.
Relax at the spa and enjoy a floatation treatment or time in the Hammam, spend time at the infinity pool, and drink and dine at a selection of outstanding F&B outlets during your stay.
Learn more about Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets or Book through Booking.com
6. Hotel Terrestre | Oaxaca
Nestled in Puerto Escondido between the Pacific Ocean and Sierra Madre del Sur mountains, Hotel Terrestre was designed by architect Alberto Kalach to look like a Mayan temple. The building peeks out of the jungle, a huge sandstone coloured block which seems industrial but inside is beautifully modern. The hotel is entirely eco-conscious, using one hundred percent solar and wind power. There are just 14 rooms, each with open-air showers, private pools, custom designed furniture and hammocks.
The wider hotel also boasts its own hammam, bathing pool and mirador, which has panoramic views over the mountains. The restaurant offers up a beautifully curated selection of dishes made from local produce, with a similarly refreshing fruity cocktail menu. Just outside, if you ever do want to leave, you’ll have access to Puerto Escondido’s best activities such as hiking, surfing and horse-riding.
Read our full story on the best boutique hotels in Oaxaca state.
Find out more about Hotel Terrestre or Book through Booking.com
7. Chablé Maroma | Riviera Maya
Another wellness retreat in Riviera Maya, Chable Maroma is a sister resort to the Chable in nearby Yucatan, which has won the award for the best designed hotel in the world. Maroma more than lives up to its counterpart, designed by Jorge Borja and Paulina Morán and retaining much of the style and features from the original, from high wooden ceiling to open air living and dining spaces. The design combines Mexican jungle hideaway with beachfront relaxation – furnishings are blue and white to mirror the ocean, while the lightwood floors and outdoor furniture give everything a light and airy feel. Each casita has its own private pool, outdoor furniture and walk-in wardrobe.
The hotel features three hydrotherapy pools, multiple spa treatment rooms and a gym for all your wellness needs. The food here is just as excellent, with an a la carte menu at breakfast, while at dinner you’ll be served authentic Mexican dishes created by Jorge Vallejo, who owns one of the world’s best restaurants – expect local sopa de lima and fresh seafood ceviche.
Find out more about Chable Maroma or Book through Booking.com
8. L’Otel Casa Arca | San Miguel de Allende
If you’re searching for a small-town oasis, Casa Arca located among the charming cobbled streets of San Miguel de Allende should be your next stop. The area is a mecca for artists and creatives, and this was the original houses of Isaac Cohen, an artisan from Syria.
The interiors are surprisingly modern, with the ten rooms having flat-screen TVs, electric fireplaces and Nespresso coffee makers. But you’ll also observe local touches such as the hand embroidered pillowcases hailing from Yucatan and modern wall art. Since it’s not a coastal resort, it doesn’t have extensive amenities, but there is still a tranquil pool area and patio, plus spa treatments and fitness classes.
Downstairs, in keeping with the original building, there are a variety of local art and fashion boutiques. Jacinto 1930 is the on-site restaurant, but there are so many restaurants at street level that you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Explore Casa Arca or Book through Booking.com
9. Hotel El Ganzo | Los Cabos
Hotel El Ganzo has an undeniably retro feel to it – with its classic neon entrance sign, see through swimming pool and modern artwork. Basking in the Los Cabos sun near downtown San Jose, the hotel was designed by renowned architecture firm HKS and the hotel’s founder, Pablo Sanchez-Navarro, to be a bohemian style artist’s retreat. The 72 rooms all have a classic beach feel, with white furnishings, wooden accessories and billowing curtains that open up to your sea view balcony.
All rooms come with carefully thought-out amenities such as Carmignani Italian sheets and organic toiletries, while some have their own jacuzzi. Los Cabos is famed for the beautiful sea of Cortez, which El Ganzo lets you get stuck into with kayaks and paddleboards. If you prefer to admire from afar, take part in an in-house yoga class or relax in the pool. The hotel’s multiple eateries will make sure you don’t go hungry, whether you head to the main El Ganzo restaurant, rooftop bar or beach club.
Discover more about Hotel El Ganzo or Book through Booking.com
10. Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel | Yucatan Peninsula
Casa Lecanda is arguably the Yucatan’s most stunning property, situated in a lovingly restored colonial house featuring original arches and interiors designed by local architects. The hotel has just seven rooms, of which you can book just one or all of them. Each room has beautifully tiled flooring, wooden shuttered doors opening onto your balcony or courtyard as well as a spa shower and local Yucatan toiletries.
The hotel is the perfect place to dive into the local traditions, whether you take part int their cooking classes or take a private tour to some of the area’s historical sights. They also offer yoga classes and spa treatments if you just want to relax; there is even a small pool to escape the heat. Although there is no restaurant in the hotel, you will find more than enough if the surrounding area and they do offer a delicious breakfast spread which includes both western and Mexican specialities.
Discover more about Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel or Book through Booking.com
11. Palmaia The House of Aia | Playa del Carmen
The House of Aia in Playa del Carmen is a uniquely self-declared ‘healing hotel’. The wider wellness retreat of Palmaia is known for its Architects of Life program, which is said to help heal and explore your mind, body and soul through meditation, workouts like Tai Chi and Yoga, as well as art classes and dancing. The hotel itself has ocean-front suites with private terraces which were designed without the use of any animal products, and allow you to enjoy the calming sound of the ocean throughout the day. Some of these are swim-out suites, letting you roll out of bed and directly into the sparkling infinity pool.
If you’re taking your wellness seriously, you can book an exclusive meditation suite which has all the usual amenities with extra space for yoga and other healing work. The on-site restaurant is entirely plant-based, using local ingredients to create dishes that you won’t realise are meat, although select items do feature ‘animal items’ if you’re really craving it.
Discover more about Palmaia The House of Aia or Book through Booking.com
But wait, there’s more…
- We reviewed Sala Rattanakosin in Bangkok
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- And we spoke with leading French hotel design Dorothée Meilichzon
