Mexico Luxury Hotels

This prestigious 'pink and white paradise' with its secluded casitas and 250 swimming pools is bigger than most of our other Mexican recommendations, but the privacy and indulgence of the accommodations make it one of our favorite choices in Acapulco.

The excellent service and personal attention are more typical of a small and intimate resort, and you won't find crowds here even in high season. Romantics and honeymooners will revel in the seclusion of their casitas and we'd particularly recommend the Private Pool or Brisas Beach Club casitas for those who seek real privacy.

Located in Campeche this 17th century hacienda has been carefully and sympathetically restored to its former glory. Many of the hacienda's original features are still evident, from its thick stone walls to the beautifully tiled floors.

With just 16 rooms, the hotel feels small and intimate, more like a grand home than a hotel. With every luxury to pamper guests, from its excellent restaurant to the unique swimming pool, it's a great place relax and unwind. The decor and furnishing of the guest rooms is elegant and lavish, reflecting the opulence and style of the hacienda's heyday.

This is the perfect hideaway for those who prefer a more cosmopolitan ambience over total seclusion.  The location is fairly remote - a pretty cove with lush forest surroundings on the undeveloped Costa Alegre - and with the maximum number of guests at around 100 or so, it isn't a large resort.  Yet there's usually a buzz of activity around the attractive terraced restaurant, and the irregular array of red tiled roofs and balconies give the air of a Mediterranean village.  There's even a small selection of boutiques and a deli.

We also like the range of accommodations at the Careyes; the junior suites are spacious and indulgent enough to envelop honeymooners for a week or more, whilst the luxurious casitas can accommodate a family in comfort.  And the facilities are surprisingly child-friendly; the pool is big enough for everyone to share, baby sitting services are available and there's a good range of activities for all ages.

The rich and famous head to Las Alamandas for its seclusion and privacy - with a maximum capacity of 30 guests in a paradise of 1,500 acres, you may never even see any other visitors.  The hotel  is the creation of Isabelle Goldsmith, granddaughter of the Bolivian 'Tin King' Don Antenor Patino and daughter of the British financier Sir James Goldsmith.  On inheriting from her grandfather the ecologically rich reserves where Don Patino had planned a mega-resort, Miss Goldsmith visualized a discrete hideaway of exquisite taste.

The results are quite extraordinary.  With vast financial resources and a distinguished background, Miss Goldsmith might have created the type of resort where jewels and couture were flaunted by day and night, and where guests were insulated from any kind of local culture.  Instead, with a skilful eye for color and an instinctive appreciation of Mexico's indigenous crafts, Las Alamandas was conceived as a very relaxed, very Mexican retreat.

A current favorite of Hollywood stars and a member of the prestigious Auberge Resort group, Esperanza is an elegant and tranquil hideaway. Guests return here time after time to enjoy blissful dinners under the stars, wallow in the infinity pool while watching the waves crash on the rocks below, and to indulge in a comprehensive range of naturally therapeutic spa treatments.

Each of the resorts' casitas has a large balcony or terrace with ocean views, a fabulously equipped bedroom and a lavish bathroom.

We love the property's Ocean Front Junior Suites for their magnificent views and well appointed interiors - Jacuzzi bathtubs, luxury bed linens and CD players are standard here .

The Casitas are our top choice for families, with private plunge pools and close to the ocean. They also feature kitchenettes and sitting rooms.

With just fifteen sumptuous guest rooms, the Hacienda San Jose offers guests the chance to experience the lavish lifestyle of the henequen lords.

The Hacienda is ideally situated close to Chichen Itza and many other of the "must-sees" of the Yucatan, yet also offers guests the chance to lighten their sightseeing trip with a little indulgent relaxation.

Formerly the 16th Century convent of Santa Catalina, the hotel is a beautiful combination of the historical, together with the excellent facilities and services of the prestigious Camino Real Group.

In one of the bougainvillea decked courtyards is a stunning swimming pool, surrounded by ancient stone walls, restored frescoes and flowering shrubs. In another, tables from the restaurant spill out under colonnades, and echoes of Gregorian chants drift in the breeze.

The hottest place to stay in Mexico City right now is the ultra-modern W Hotel, with its vibrant red interiors and buzzing lounge bar.  Although critics may say that the hotel lacks traditional Mexican flavor, we reckon that it offers the perfect opportunity to witness the every day city life of the affluent young Mexicans who frequent this area.  The bar is usually full of dating couples, smart business people and occasional tourists, and it stays busy often until the early hours.  The restaurant also serves until at least midnight and the menu includes a "by the piece" section featuring sushi, satay, tempura and oysters - perfect for late night nibbles.

The W's location in up-market Polanco is ideal for sightseeing, being close to the museums and parks, and is also convenient for the city's best restaurants.  Don't forget to save some time to enjoy the fantastic spa facilities at the hotel - these have to be some of the best we've seen in a city property.

Ceiba del Mar is a breath of fresh air. It's luxury and indulgence at its best, without the expense that usually goes with it. Even the most active person could easily spend at least a week here and not become bored. The vast amount of facilities - ranging from a fully equipped gym to motor bikes to jogging track - are more than ample to keep you busy.

In addition, the excellent Spa offers massages on the beach, yoga classes, a sauna and beauty salon.

Le Reve is an intimate and romantic little hotel located right on Playa Xcalacoco which is approximately 10 minutes drive from Playa del Carmen.  The twenty five rooms are simple but chic with white minimal interiors which are accented by brightly colored accessories and traditional hand-made tiles from Merida. Almost all of the rooms have ocean views while the Beach Front  Bungalows have prime positions right on the edge of the beach.  The resort has a beautiful freeform swimming pool facing the ocean, a small spa area and beachfront bar.  There is an excellent restaurant with a further bar which has a great ambiance at night. 

The Tides Riviera Maya (formerly Ikal del Mar) opened in early 2002 and has become one of the hottest properties on the Mexican Caribbean. Honeymooners will delight in the privacy of the individual villas, each with a plunge pool, surrounded by lush tropical gardens - luxuries that have been previously hard to find on this stretch of coast.

Tides will surprise and delight with numerous small details, from super lightweight duvets and fine cotton sheets to the in-room DVD players and the heated pools for spontaneous midnight dips.

With luxurious rooms arranged throughout several exquisitely restored mansions, the Casa Sierra Nevada is the ultimate place to stay in San Miguel. Guest rooms boast wood burning fires or sunny terraces, and the room service is impeccable.

For a break from the rigors of sightseeing spend an afternoon by the magnificent heated swimming pool, delightfully set in a gardened courtyard.  In the evening enjoy a gourmet restaurant, one of the most highly regarded in the country, and one of our favorites for its sumptuous decor and refined elegance.

This is the first luxury all-inclusive property to be built in the heart of Tulum.  The hotel will appeal to couples and families looking for first class service and facilities.  It boasts three gourmet a la carte restaurants, four bars, a spa, gymnasium and oceanfront swimming pool. 

Its 96 suites are arranged through 6 villas; each villa has its own concierge.  Beach butlers are on hand to ensure that you receive fresh towels, refreshments and reading material whilst on the beach or at the pool.  Rooms are luxuriously appointed and feature plasma TV, iPods and finest quality bed linens.

The Hacienda Santa Rosa is a true haven for those intent on seeing the very best that the Yucatan has to offer. We particularly like the intimacy and serenity of the Santa Rosa. A visit here is rather like staying with friends - the welcome is warm and sincere and it's fun to watch the daily activity around this rather grand house.

Rooms offer glorious oversized bathrooms, soaring ceilings - some more than twenty feet high - and enormous, heavy doors that lend so much to the atmosphere. Some original floor tiles also remain, and the rough walls have been repainted in typically Mexican yellows, oranges and blues.

This wonderfully romantic property comes pretty close to our idea of perfection.  The guest rooms capture all of the colors and charms of this richly-textured country and the suites include some of the most luxurious accommodations you'll find anywhere.  Lush tropical gardens stretch right to the sands, where you'll find the surprisingly sophisticated palapa-roofed restaurant "la Villa" and engaging boat-shaped bar.  A further restaurant "la Cantina" has tables spilling out onto the sands and serves Mexican dishes and seafood.

The ambience of the Tides Zihuatanejo is just perfect for a beach resort; relaxed and low key in the daytime, enchantingly elegant in the evening.  And although the Tides has now grown to encompass a total of seventy rooms and suites it still has all the charm and intimacy of a boutique hotel.