My Favorite Luxury Hotels in Mexico

I only write about hotels when I have an absolutely exceptional experience on their property. In some ways, my Luxury Hotels & Resorts vertical is a list of my favorite hotels around the world, but I wanted to flesh this topic out a bit further and write more about my very favorites out of all of the places I’ve written about over the years. In this first edition, I’m featuring my favorite luxury hotels in Mexico! It’s been about 2 years since I visited any of these places or the hotels, but they were all places I’d love to visit again one day.

Mexico City

Hotel Marquis Reforma

Hotel Marquis Reforma was our home away from home while we experienced Mexico City. The hotel has an entire floor dedicated to a swimming pool and spa. The interior of the hotel featured thousands of live plants to purify the air (in addition to actual air purifiers all over the hotel and in each room). The location right downtown made walking the best parts of the city a breeze, and the food, made in house from scratch, was some of the best food we had in the city. Our room overlooking the city with floor to ceiling windows and the nearby spacious gym and sundeck resplendent with citrus trees made for a peaceful oasis in Mexico’s busiest city.

I realized I never actually wrote about our stay here, so keep an eye out for a post about this hotel soon!

Playa del Carmen

Hacienda Vista Real

During our time in Playa del Carmen, we stayed at the 5-Star Hacienda Vista Real, and had a lovely time. This gorgeous hotel is famous for its massive communal area, where the massive thatched roof and yellow-orange stucco walls are adorned with works of art from local Mexican artists. Set upon a golf course near a dense forest, with a large private pool, swim-up bar, expansive guest rooms, and plenty of dining options both on and off the property, and the staff were very kind and courteous. While the staff did speak English, it was much easier and more enjoyable to communicate with them in Spanish, so if you speak Spanish, prepare to be treated like family by the wonderful, welcoming staff.

Read my full hotel review of Hacienda Vista Real, here.

Tulum

Tulum is one of my favorite places in the world, and home to some of the very best hotels I’ve ever visited. Here are a few of the best places to stay in Tulum.

Ahau

Ahau is the place to be if you love the beach, raw, organic foods prepared fresh for each guest, and incredible sunsets and sunrises. Located near Raw Love, just a few meters away, these gorgeous cabanas and huts, complete with porch-front hammocks to enjoy a great book or chat with family, is one of the most iconic hotels in the area.

Azulik

Azulik is the epitome of Tulum’s eco-chic sensibilities. Made from the materials that once occupied the same place it now stands, this is one of the most incredible and artistic hotels in the world. If you haven’t heard of Azulik, you’ve almost certainly heard of their luxury dining experience called Kin Toh, which is famous for its giant bird nest looking dining tables lofted high above the Mexican jungle. While this hotel doesn’t have walls in its guest rooms, or many electrical outlets, the unrivaled views of the Caribbean Sea and gentle sea breezes are reason enough to visit.

Sanará

Sanará, which means “you will heal” in Spanish, is one of the most tranquil and luxurious hotels in Tulum’s Hotel Zone, and one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever stayed. Harper’s Bazaar voted Sanará Hotel the third best hotel in the entire world, and it’s easy to see why. Their restaurant, The Real Coconut, is one of my favorite places I’ve ever eaten. Do yoga by the sea at sunrise, eat plant based, adaptogenic meals daily, step out of your room to a private pool or the beach, and indulge in the best hospitality Mexico has to offer.

Read my full review of Sanará, here.

Zamna

Zamna is a sometimes concert venue, enclosed in its own, private cenote, located just outside of Tulum. Each guest enjoys their own, private, over-water bungalow with access to the tranquil waters of the denote via a private ladder and landing. Kayaks are available for guests, or swim around the cenote after walking the grounds of the resort that are one with the surrounding jungle. The property has changed hands since I last visited, but the old owners treated us like family from the moment we arrived, until they hugged us goodbye.

Read my full review of Zamna, here.

Querétaro

Casa de la Marquesa

Situated in the center of Santiago de Querétaro, Casa de la Marquesa Hotel is one of the most charming, unique, and lovely hotels we stayed in during our time in Mexico. The pink, colonial style façade and unexpectedly ornate details made this a very cozy place to stay during our visit to the mountainous Querétaro region. Breakfast is served inside on the lower level in the parlor, and each room is uniquely appointed with traditional Mexican art from the region, and each room has its own private balcony, filled with plants and a comfortable place to sit and admire the mountain vistas. I particularly loved the plants on the balconies, and the unique staircases throughout the hotel, it was all very beautiful.

Read my full review of Casa de la Marquesa, here.

Explore More

Want to see more from our adventures in Mexico? Head to my Mexico archives to read more about each of the above destinations. Check out my Instagram @AnnieFairfax for more of my travels and photography.