The Best Boutique Hotels in Chiapas, Mexico

It may be a little kitsch for some, but for anyone obsessed with Mayan culture and architecture, it’ll be your favorite spot in Chiapas. Near the Palenque ruins, Boutique Hotel Quinta Chanabnal is designed as a recreated Mayan palace, with traditional building techniques and modern amenities. They offer four categories of suites – junior, deluxe, queen and presidential, with the presidential including a jacuzzi and coffee machine en suite. Take note that the junior suites don’t have internet in the room.

Set in an 18th-century mansion in the heart of San Cristóbal de las Casas, the Grand Guadalupe by Inmense is a collection of 12 suites that circle an inner courtyard. The architecture and interiors play to Mexico’s colonial era. The rooms have a grandiose style of antique furniture and artistic touches, lots of colors and plenty of character. The hotel is in a prime spot right next to the Guadalupe church and is an easy walk to most main attractions in San Cristóbal. For a taste of history and opulence, Grand Guadalupe is perfect.

Another architectural nod to the colonial era comes in the form of Casa Vieja. This property has a slightly more subdued and traditional look than the Grand Guadalupe. The rooms are tucked around verdant patio spaces and there are four categories, varying in size. There are two on-site restaurants, a meeting room, a reading room, and a rustic-chic wine cellar for intimate events.

This luxury boutique blends spa-like amenities and traditional Mexican textiles with an outstanding natural environment that you can enjoy from your outdoor bathtub or a hammock on your terrace. There is an on-site restaurant that serves up a delightful breakfast (not included in the rate), a swimming pool, a spa, and another perk is that you are greeted with a welcome cocktail when you walk through the door. Piedra de Agua is close to the Palenque ruins and other local attractions such as the Aluxes zoo and various jungle waterfalls and hiking trails.

With just a handful of rooms, Las Escaleras offers rustic style with pops of color and inspiration — in the form of quotes and phrases that adorn the headboard walls of each room. Nestled on a hillside, there are stairs to be climbed (escaleras means stairs) but there are also fires to be enjoyed and hot drinks to be drunk. Enjoy the morning sunshine out on the patio and then get out and see San Cristóbal – the hotel is just steps away from the center of town and its main attractions.

The Plaza Gallery has a 1980s chic vibe, with art and decorative pieces that keep you guessing around every corner. The hotel is housed in a gorgeous 1940s-era neoclassic monster and its common spaces have a charming and welcoming atmosphere. There are four room categories – deluxe junior, deluxe junior standard, atico, and master – but if you want to push the boat out, opt for the latter, as it comes with six balconies, for a 360-degree view of the city.

Quite possibly the most centrally located San Cristóbal hotel on this list, the Casa del Alma sits just blocks from the city’s main plaza. There are five room categories, with the suites offering separate sitting rooms and kitchenettes, and the master also has a soothing whirlpool tub. Nearly all rooms come with black-out curtains so you can get a good night’s sleep. If you need a little more relaxation, head to the spa, where you’ll find treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi.

Hotel Bo is a funky and modern boutique hotel in the heart of San Cristóbal. There are five room categories with some stand-out features: the executive suite has an outdoor tub decked out with Venetian mosaic; the Garden Suite has a private garden and fireplace; while the Bo suite sprawls over two floors. The onsite Lum Restaurant has a menu of local and regional specialties and if you’re traveling with kids and fancy a date night, there is a babysitter readily available.