Mexico's Best Super-Luxury Hotels to Stay In

Half an hour by car from the state capital Mérida, Chablé Resort and Spa is raising the bar for luxury in Yucatán state, which is often overlooked by travelers making a beeline to the more established resorts of Cancún and Tulum in nearby Quintana Roo. Submerged in dense rainforest, the hotel is incredible to look at and boasts stunning rooms and a beautiful spa. The hotel’s main restaurant Ixi’im is run by Mexico’s most celebrated chef Jorge Vallejo of Mexico City’s Quintonil. A night at the lavish jungle hotel starts at nearly US$1,500 and rises to almost US$10,000 for the three-bedroom Royal Suite.

Another luxurious jungle getaway, Esencia, is set near Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo. The vast estate surrounds an impressive central villa and features 29 suites scattered in secluded parts of the grounds. The hotel also has direct access to a pristine white sand beach. The kitchens are run by Juan Carlos Gutierrez Chavira, formerly a graphic designer at Chanel. Esencia also boasts a luxurious thatch-roofed spa that blends seamlessly with the jungle. A popular vacation spot for Hollywood celebs, a room for two starts at US$880.

Imanta Resorts is a secluded hotel in the increasingly upscale Pacific beach town of Punta De Mita. The resort boasts beautiful suites, expansive villas and even a stunning “tree house” nestled in the mountain. The venue also offers access to an unspoiled stretch of sand and backs onto a lush 100-hectare rainforest. Imanta boasts a vast range of facilities, including an elegant spa, state-of-the-art kitchens and fully equipped gym. A standard suite starts at US$950, while the three-story tree house costs more than US$4,000.

Located in the Freedom Tower in Mexico City, the St. Regis Hotel offers panoramic views of the surrounding metropolis. As with the original St. Regis Hotel in New York, guests are provided with a butler who attends to specific wishes; whether it’s a morning wake-up call or a freshly pressed suit. The hotel boasts no less than six restaurants, which are consistently ranked among the best dining options in the city. The hotel’s Remède Spa offers massages and other therapies, steam rooms, saunas and a juice and tea bar. A night’s stay at the hotel starts at less than US$300 for a deluxe room and rises to around US$800 for a luxury suite.

This splendid nine-suite boutique hotel in Puerto Vallarta comes with a sizeable dose of Hollywood glamour. Formerly owned by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the hotel comprises two separate houses, once owned by each actor, connected by a replica of Venice’s Bridge of Sighs. According to local lore, the former was sent to the opposite house whenever an argument broke out between the stormy lovers. The Richard Burton Suite is set in the actor’s former sitting room and is available to guests for US$435. The Elizabeth Taylor Suite is a more 2,500 square-foot luxury pad that was once her bedroom and boasts her original heart-shaped bathtub. A night in this opulent apartment will set you back US$825.