The Best Boutique Hotels in Mexico

Coqui Coqui Coba Residence and Spa rises from the banks of a lagoon, an enigmatic hideaway inspired by the local Mayan ruins of the Yucatán Peninsula. Two towers, joined by a suspended wooden bridge, house four rustic suites with thatched roofs, polished concrete floors and lagoon views. The decor harks back to the classic explorer’s era of the 1920s. Coba’s menu is an homage to Mayan culture with regional specialties, bursting with garden ingredients, while the spa is a natural homeopathic sanctuary.

Floating over mountainous vineyards, 22 individual eco-lofts at Encuentro Guadalupe offer blissful seclusion and a chance to become acquainted with Mexican wine culture. Welcomed by a glass of the wine cellar’s own produce, admire the breathtaking views. This is only heightened on the private cabins’ terraces where, with the chimenea firing to keep warm, you can soak in every inch of the clear night sky.

Earthy and sophisticated, Acre, in the foothills of San José del Cabo, is a retreat where the slow life reigns. Elegant treehouses provide private sanctuaries that have a buzzy bar and restaurant close at hand. Here you’ll find locally-grown food with global influences – think fish tacos with thai sauce and burrata pizza. Connect with the natural world without leaving the resort – this unique jungle oasis is also home to animals – peacocks, roosters, Nigerian dwarf goats and a donkey named Burrito – as well as a mango orchard and their own organic farm.

A mystical experience awaits on the cliffs of the Tulum coast. Villas are habitable sculptures that cling to the dramatic Mexican coastline, stripped of technology, allowing you to unplug from urban life and connect with your surroundings. Private nests, tucked in the treetops, form the Kin Toh restaurant, serving avant-garde Mexican cuisine. For art workshops, look no further than SFER IK, an interdisciplinary creative space where contemporary artists come for residencies.

Part artist’s home, part boutique hotel, the Ser Casasandra was founded in super cool Holbox as a creative sanctuary, away from the distractions of urban life. Rooms are filled with original artwork and craftworks from around the globe. Meanwhile, the restaurant and wine cellar pay homage to Yucatán cuisine, rooted in Mayan culture. The hotel also features a space for the Island Residence project, where visiting artists can interact and work with local residents.

Included on our guide to the best hotels in Oaxaca, we also think Hotel Azul is one of the best boutique hotels in the whole country. Throughout the 19th-century compound, the modern Mexican vibe is palpable with bright splashes of colour and local artwork. Don’t miss the cactus-filled courtyard with a fountain (designed by Francisco Toledo), or the ground floor art gallery; they’re both Hotel Azul highlights. Finish your day with a mezcal at the Azul Terrace bar.

This Vogue-approved hotel is the epitome of boutique luxury on the Caribbean coastline. Once the estate of an Italian duchess, turned Playa del Carmen hotel, Esencia overlooks the Yucatán jungle and white sands of Xpu-ha. Scattered over a sprawling complex are 45 suites offering plunge pools, ocean views and complimentary morning pastries and coffee. Start your day with sunrise yoga and finish it with a kobe steak or crispy Chilean seabass at the restaurant, Beefbar. It’s no wonder this resort has been voted one of the top hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveler.

Gorgeous Mérida is the safest travel destination in all of Mexico and also one of the most charming colonial cities in the country. At Casa Lecanda, Mérida’s top boutique hotel with just seven rooms, you can enjoy the central location just off the Paseo de Montejo. Effortlessly combining original features, custom furniture and modern necessities (free wifi throughout), Casa Lecanda’s interior decor brings together past and present Mérida beautifully. Don’t overlook the communal patios, gorgeous tiled details or the chance to take a dip in the outdoor pool.

Guanajuato, with its colourful buildings and colonial history, is a traveller favourite on the Mexico tourism scene. It’s no surprise the city is home to one of the country’s best boutique hotels. The clue is in the name. This slick, centrally located hotel has Egyptian cotton bed linen, fluffy bathrobes and a complimentary newspaper delivered to your door. Boasting just 20 rooms, all named after women, you can choose from the “pillow menu” to ensure the best night’s sleep possible after enjoying your mezcal at the rooftop bar with its incredible views across the city.

Considered Mexico’s first ever hotel and contemporary art gallery combo, Hotel Encanto in Acapulco is a sight to behold with all white walls, sharp angles and sweeping lines. Private infinity pools and floor-to-ceiling windows allow unobstructed ocean views from the larger suites. At night, the hotel is illuminated while you dine on seared tuna medallions with hibiscus flower crust at the Origen restaurant. Encanto proves simple doesn’t mean sparse.

Situated in Guadalajara’s Zona Rosa is the beautiful boutique hotel Villa Ganz, a 1930s townhouse with original stone floors and marble staircase. Each of the 10 rooms pay homage to a character from the famed Pedro Páramonovel by Jalisco native, Juan Rulfo. Take, for example, the eponymous Pedro Páramo suite with Persian carpets, hardwood furniture and two-person Jacuzzi bath. This hotel should be anyone’s first port of call in the vibrant city of Guadalajara, book lovers especially.

Cabo San Lucas takes much of Baja California’s international limelight, given that it’s a popular haunt with numerous celebs. However, San José del Cabo (the second of the “Cabos”) is much quieter. Here, you’ll find the marvellous Casa Natalia. A 19-room boutique hotel with a fantastic adjoining restaurant, Mi Cocina, artsy Casa Natalia offers a gorgeous secluded hideout. Cool down in the half moon courtyard pool or while the afternoon away in a hammock – either way, you’ll never want to leave.

One of the top boutique hotels near Puerto Vallarta, Verana also rightly deserves a spot on this list for spectacular ocean views and “hippie-chic vibe” (according to Vogue). Perched on a cliff top and only accessible by boat, it is the ultimate getaway resort, created by an ex-Los Angeles movie set builder. Enjoy a private candlelit dinner under the stars or discover Mexico’s culture through a cookery lesson. There are only ten individual suites at Verana though, so do book in advance.

Better known for yoga retreats and surfing, Sayulita’s Haramara Retreat is unequivocally one of the country’s best boutique hideouts. The 12-acre (5ha) resort on the Nayarit coastline has a Robinson Crusoe feel to it – with individual open-air villas dotted around the jungle complex. It’s retreat-style, so guests can mingle and make new acquaintances. Electricity is limited, ideal for travellers who need to switch off entirely from the outside world. Practice yoga twice a day under the 360-degree view pavilion and finish the week with a bonfire ceremony on the beach.