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 Travel & Outdoors | January 2007 
Mexico's Boutique Lodging Offers Unusual Touches
 Nick Gallo - American-Statesman
| | A full directory of Mexico Boutique Hotels is available by logging onto www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com. For more information or reservations, call 1-800-728-9098. |
Mexico Boutique Hotels' properties vary widely in style and settings. The group includes former palaces, ritzy haciendas, converted convents, golf hotels, spa resorts, and beach casitas. Here's a look at five hotels:
Casa Las Brisas (outside Puerto Vallarta)
This seven-room, villa-style hotel hidden on a secluded beach 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta is a favorite among travelers who book through Mexico Boutique Hotels. The private ocean setting along the edge of Banderas Bay and the hotel's personalized service appeal to romantic couples who want a simple, but elegant, retreat. A small pool spa, and excellent cuisine add to the "your-own-tropical-island" ambience.
Special activities: Banderas Bay has whale watching (winter season), excellent sport fishing and the Marietas Islands, a national bird reserve. Jungle excursions, horseback riding and bird-watching in nearby lagoons are also popular activities.
Hacienda Xcanatún (Mérida)
Thanks to a five-year restoration, this hotel has been transformed from a mid-18th-century hacienda into one of the Yucatán's most sumptuous properties. Soft Mediterranean colors, local marble and hammock-lined verandas spaced among 9 acres of tropical gardens provide splendor in the jungle. The spa features holistic Mayan treatments, and high-ceilinged rooms have inspired touches, such as premium hand-loomed linens and bathtubs made of hand-carved stone.
Special activities: Mérida, the Yucatán's booming capital, is rich in museums and cultural attractions. The hotel also is an ideal base for exploring the region's Mayan ruins, such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and nearby Dzibilchaltún.
Hotel Básico (Playa del Carmen)
Opened in 2005, Básico is winning accolades from major travel magazines as the coolest, new hotel on the Riviera Maya. Set one block off the beach on Quinta Avenida, Playa del Carmen's trendy walking street, the 15-room hotel has a minimalist, industrial-chic look and whimsical personality: white concrete walls feature flat-screen TVs and odd adornments, such as inflatable inner tubes. The rooftop lounge, offering a bar, movies and four-poster day beds, is a hipster's delight.
Special activities: Set smack in the middle of bustling Playa del Carmen, the hotel is a step away from top restaurants and city beaches. Daytrippers can snorkel in the Caribbean, dive the region's cenotes (natural pools) and tour two Mayan ruins: Tulum and Cobá.
La Casona (Mexico City)
This 29-room stately mansion with pink facades and wrought-iron balconies provides a tranquil oasis amid Mexico City's chaos. Set on a laurel-lined street, La Casona has been lovingly restored — the National Institute of Fine Arts has recognized its artistic merit — and manages the neat trick of integrating a business center into its warm atmosphere and historic furnishings.
Special activities: Located in the Roma neighborhood, the hotel is within walking distance of the boisterous Zona Rosa district; hip Condesa, streaming with sidewalk restaurants and cafes; and swanky Polanco, the city's upscale shopping area.
Casa del Mar (Los Cabos)
Graceful arches and hacienda architecture announce this luxurious, 56-room retreat facing the Sea of Cortés north of Cabo San Lucas. The resort bustles with four tennis courts and plenty of activity, but guests also can relax at a large infinity pool and well-regarded spa. Spacious, ocean-view rooms sparkle with stylish Mexican décor.
Special activities: Guests at the hotel have access to nearby Cabo Real Golf Course, a championship, 18-hole course rated among the best in Latin America. The hotel also arranges sport fishing excursions and recreational activities in the desert. |
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