Mexico - Full-Time Travel

Mexico

Mexico

Finding a New Kind of Cool


A new wave of cool is crescendoing throughout Mexico, taking hotels into new architectural, culinary and wellness terrain: By casting double vision — to Mexico’s rich past as well as its future — a group of pioneering chefs, designers and hoteliers is homing in on Mexico’s very own luxury groove. “A lot of developers in Mexico have elevated design to an international scale, to introduce some of the most globally recognized and accomplished architects to design, and develop out the latest resort and residential developments in the country,” says Ricardo Santa Cruz, Developer of Mandarina, a soon-to-open, low-environmental impact, high luxury resort and residential development.

FIELD NOTES

More than 350 new hotel properties will open in Mexico between this year and 2022, according to real estate firm CBRE. Overwhelmed by the bounty? We’ve honed some of the best soon-to-open options:

1. Architect Rick Joy has been tapped to imagine another, otherworldly experience at One&Only’s foray into Mexico with Mandarina. Located on the Riviera Nayarit near Puerta Vallarta, the resort and residences will incorporate jungle vegetation and dramatic cliffside drops to the Pacific.

2. Mexico is set to get its first ryokan-style inn with Nobu Hotel Los Cabos. Bringing clean-lined Japanese design to a beachfront location in Cabo San Lucas, the 200-room, contemplative hotel will include wooden soaking tubs, stone floors and, perhaps best of all, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature fare.

3. Amanvari Resort and Residences will craft its own dramatic beach-meets-desert oasis. Neighboring the soon-to-open Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, the private retreat includes striking pavilions built on stilts over the ocean.

INN CROWD

Long a lure for art-seeking explorers, the tiny mountain town of San Miguel de Allende casts a spell all its own: Colonial architecture, terra cotta-topped buildings and hot springs. Now Hotel Amparo weaves past and future into a residential-style retreat where turn-of-the-century architecture meets state-of-the-art amenities, including a chef’s teaching kitchen for culinary classes. Hotel owners Taylor Goodall and Mariana Barran de Goodall mix heirlooms with ultramodern touches, like a striking marble coffee bar serving what is arguably Mexico’s homegrown answer to Starbucks, BUNA coffee. 

LAUNCH PAD

Ignacia Guest House split screens then and now: On one side there’s a 1913 home, on the other, a modern glass and steel structure. Connecting the two eras, a cactus-filled courtyard that creates an intimate oasis within Colonia Roma, one of Mexico City’s best barrios for galleries, restaurants and shopping. Solar-powered interiors blend old and new — original architectural detailing and sleek marble bathrooms; small wood-paneled nooks and glass catwalks connecting rooms. Upstairs, Casa Jacaranda hosts cooking classes. Or you can skip the effort, slide into true vacation mode and enjoy the amazing home-cooked breakfasts served in the courtyard or on your own private balcony.

WELL + GOOD

Spread across 750 acres of remote Yucatan jungle, Chable Resort offers a high-contrast study in then-and-now Mexico: Consider its combination of glass-and-concrete stand-alone villas that come outfitted with plunge pools, smart technology and an architectural ruin artfully blended into the compound. Ancient Mayan-inspired spa treatments take center stage at its wellness center while the Temazcal Ceremony offers a shaman-led journey involving chanting, rocks, fire and teas.

EAT, DRINK, REPEAT

Learn why Valle de Guadalupe is gaining on Napa as the wine-making region to beat. Almost 70% of Mexico’s wine is produced in the area, where architecturally daring hotels, chic eco-lodging and cutting-edge tasting rooms are just two hours south of San Diego by car. Visit Finca Altozano to experience Chef Javier Plascencia’s unbeatable interpretation of Baja cuisine accompanied by some of the best local wines. Or make it a weekend and head to Encuentro Guadalupe, where hillside-hugging cabanas offer sweeping views, great food and no shortage of gems from its wine cellar.

Merida is emerging as one of Mexico's top culinary hotspots. Here are some of Chef Jorge Vallejo's top dining destinations:

1. Nectar is one of my favorite restaurants because the cuisine is authentic, maintaining flavors that we have used in Mexico for centuries.

2. La Tradicion pays homage to traditional Yucatecan cuisine in a place where you feel at home because of the warm attention from the staff.

3. I always recommend Oliva Kitchen for its Italian food made with quality products. It’s the perfect place to change things up.

FIELD NOTES: @Amanvari Resort and Residences

INN CROWD: @Hotel Amparo

LAUNCH PAD: @Jaime Navarro

WELL + GOOD: @Chable Resort

EAT, DRINK, REPEAT: @Encuentro Guadalupe

A lucky snorkeler watching a MASSIVE fever of Mobula Rays glide past him during a trip with @bajarawtours. The Mobula migration is in full effect right now in Baja. Every year from April to June, you can witness huge congregations of these animals along the shores of the peninsula. It`s truly an incredible thing to see.

Reel: @wandering.westerner
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Quang Phu Cau Incense Village is a traditional craft village located in Quang Phu Cau Commune, Ung Hoa District, Hanoi, Vietnam. The village has a long-standing history of producing high-quality incense sticks, and it is considered one of the oldest and most famous incense-making villages in the country.

Reel: @travelmina_
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An English fairytale in Canterbury. A wonderful spot for a picnic especially when the sun is shining.

Reel: @pocketwanderings
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As the only Hindu region of the predominantly Islamic Indonesian archipelago, Bali is an island rich with festivals and spiritual rituals – many of which visitors are welcome to respectfully participate in. After rinsing yourself under the holy spring water which cascades through a series of waterspouts, you will emerge feeling cleansed in body and soul.

Reel: @lksjohan_ljc
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Our team & @sassafranski just finished a whirlwind road trip throughout the state of Kentucky visiting some of the best museums and cultural destinations in the state. Below are some of our favorites stops that should be on your list next time you visit.

🚘 OWENSBORO, KY
Stop 1: @bluegrasshall
Stop 2: @owensboromuseumoffineart

🚘 PADUCAH, KY
Stop 3: Paducah Floodwall Murals
Stop 4: Guided Tour of Metropolitan Hotel

🚘 BOWLING GREEN, KY
Stop 5: @downing_museum
Stop 6: Bowling Green Murals

🚘 LOUISVILLE, KY
Stop 7: @flame_run_gallery
Stop 8: @frazierhistorymuseum
Stop 9: @oldlouisvilleky Walking Tour
Stop 10: @speedartmuseum

Visit @kytourism for your next trip to the Bluegrass state! #TravelKY #partner
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A hidden gem in Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place where ancient history meets modern luxury. Reel: @hobopeeba ...

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Welcome to Season 4 of The Trip That Changed Me! Our first guest of the new season is @lauriewoolever, writer, editor, public speaker, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) in New York, and former assistant to @anthonybourdain, with whom she co-wrote several books.

In this episode, Laurie shares memories from Sri Lanka, where she joined Bourdain (or “Tony,” as she affectionately calls him) on a shoot for the TV show “Parts Unknown.” For Laurie, this trip was part business and part pleasure; an opportunity to explore the lush island nation with her friend and mentor while working on a story about Sri Lankan home cooking, but it was especially significant because she was newly sober. Navigating triggers and travel rituals that involved alcohol was challenging, but the experience shifted Laurie’s perspective. To her surprise, the world was bigger and better without the booze.

🎧 Link in bio to listen to an interview full of wonderful, personal anecdotes about Anthony Bourdain the traveler, plus loads of insider tips that food-obsessives will appreciate.

Cover Art: @nelsonknatalie
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This enormous staircase took 200 years to complete. With 691 steps, it has nine decorated levels with pyramids and statues called the Courtvard of the Kings. It crosses the hill to reach the Santuário Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

Reel: @bokehm0n
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Morning swim @borgobastiacreti

Reel: @victorsfitz
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Surround yourself in a picturesque scenery of cherry blossoms, tulips, pansy, viola and more at the rainbow colored flower field at Hinoyama Koen Park.

Reel: @1min.traveller
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Town between the mountains 🌊

The settlement of Ponta do Sol was founded around 1425, shortly after the discovery of the island by Portuguese settlers coming from Minho, the Beiras and the Algarve.

Reel: @ilya.somewhere
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From the picturesque canals of Friesland to breathtaking Flevoland, and the stunning Weerribben-Wieden National Park, there`s so much to explore in The Netherlands.

Reel: @kuhrmarvin
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Known for its colorful houses built on steep cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Positano is a small town located on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. Some people might consider it overrated because of its popularity and high prices. However, others might argue that its beauty and charm are worth the cost and crowds. Tell us, what do you think about Positano as a summer destination?

Reel: @rflcpl
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