9 of Mexico’s Under-the-Radar Boutique Hotels to Know
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While Mexico was once known for its mega resorts in tourist-heavy destinations like Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, the all-inclusive hotels of yesteryear are no longer what entice travelers to visit the country. Long gone are the days of glow-in-the-dark daiquiris consumed in Americanized bars (Señor Frog’s, anyone?). Now, it’s all about the country’s array of gorgeous boutique hotels, many of which are designed by Mexico’s most prolific architects and are based in natural sites that offer miles of untouched beachfront and sustainable design to mirror the setting.
Vogue’s Guide to Mexico’s Under-the-Radar Hotels:
- For a Solar-Powered Oasis: Hotel Terrestre
- For a Retreat in a Biosphere Reserve: Casa Chablé
- For Adventurous Couples: Club de Patos
- For Swimming and Hiking: Hotel San Cristóbal
- For a Restorative Retreat: Habitas Bacalar
- For a Healing Spa: Cala de Mar
From Bacalar to Todos Santos (and some even more off-the-grid locations, too), here are nine stunning spots perfect for a refined beach vacation.
Hotel Terrestre
Beyond the convivial charm of Puerto Escondido is Punta Pajaros, a private stretch of coastline host to projects built by some of the world’s leading architects. One such is Hotel Terrestre, a Grupo Habita property designed by the Mexican architect Alberto Kalach that operates completely off the grid by solely using solar power. Brutalist in style, the property features 15 brick suite-style compounds made of Oaxacan clay, each with its own second-story plunge pool that offers views of the Pacific Ocean. At the center of the property is an outdoor swimming pool and an open-air restaurant, both situated near a hexagonal spa structure containing a chilled water tub, steam room, and indoor-outdoor showers. Just down the road is Kakurega Omakase, a chef’s table dining experience, and El Papelillo, a contemporary sweat lodge designed by the Mexico City-based design studio Tezontle.
- Amenities: Open-air restaurant, spa, swimming pool
- Editor’s tip: The nonprofit Casa Wabi arts center, designed by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, is within walking distance and can be accessed by pre-booking a tour.
- Address: Carretera Salina Cruz- Pinotepa, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
Casa Chablé
Located beyond the hustle-and-bustle of Tulum’s beach road and deep into the protected Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is Casa Chablé. (The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.) First built as a private home in the 1990s by a Mexican family who grew palm trees to harvest coconuts, the property was purchased by Chablé Hotels when it went up for auction and is now one of the only hotels in the reserve. About 22 miles south of Tulum, the hidden sanctuary is located in an otherwise untouched stretch of Quintana Roo’s Caribbean coast and is best accessed by boat. The property’s main villa offers five rooms, each with private balconies. Just beyond the villa’s plunge pool, a central area shaded by palms is a sand pathway that leads to five oceanfront bungalows: standalone suites with indoor-outdoor showers and terraces.
