By Carley Rojas Ávila,Contributor
Copyright forbes
It has been a record-breaking year for travel to Mexico, and many of the country’s incoming vacationers aren’t headed where you’d think. It’s true, all-inclusive resort travel is still hotter than ever, even among the youngest generation of visitors. But as Mexico welcomes more travelers than ever, many are headed for a new crop of boutique hotels, many with less than ten rooms, that have cracked the code of creating an big impact in a tiny space.
Perhaps the first signpost of Mexico’s shift from “mega” to “micro” tourism was the sudden rise of Tulum. In its early days, the town’s tiny, backpacker-friendly beach hotels felt like a breath of air compared with built-up Cancún or Playa del Carmen.
Though Tulum has gotten bigger and busier, traveler preferences for boutique-style stays have only gotten stronger. Now, Mexico’s trendsetting ‘micro’ hotels range from cliffside villas and beachfront bungalows to desert escapes designed around some of the country’s best food and drink.
More than just pared-down vacation properties, these one-of-a-kind micro hotels are a window into where travel in Mexico is headed: towards deeper cultural connection, more personalized experiences and even more intentional design.
La Valise Mazunte – Mazunte, Oaxaca
Namron Hospitality
La Valise Mazunte
It’s hard to say if La Valise launched the micro hotel trend in Mexico, but it certainly perfected it. Perched above a less-visited stretch of Mexico’s Pacific Coast, La Valise Mazunte is newest property to join trendsetting sister hotels in Tulum, Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende, bringing breathtaking architecture and a refined luxury experience to a region that feels poised to be the country’s next biggest thing.
“There is a magnetic energy here, something that cannot be packaged, only felt,” says Yves Naman, founder and CEO of Namron Hospitality, the group behind the La Valise collection.
Designed by legendary Mexican architects Alberto Kalach and Ignacio Urquiza, La Valise Mazunte debuts with six ocean-facing suites and the oversized Villa Pentágonos, dramatically clinging to the coastline with a plunge pool seemingly hanging over the sea. It’s hidden within the 30-hectare El Torón nature reserve and offers in-room spa services, excursions to nearby beaches for sunning and surfing, and cuisine crafted from fresh, local ingredients.
Desierto Azul – Todos Santos
Ashley Rae Attaie
Desierto Azul
With just four rooms, Desierto Azul brings a bold boutique experience to Baja California Sur, in an untouched spot between the desert and sea outside of artsy Todos Santos. Just an hour north of Los Cabos, it feels a world away from the region’s mega-resorts with its sleek saltwater pool surrounded by natural stone architectural details and towering desert cacti silhouetted against the sky.
Easy access to the beach and nearby town, one of Mexico’s pueblos mágicos—magic towns, rife with historic, cultural and artistic importance—makes Desierto Azul ideal for a varied escape. Foodies can attest to the ever-growing popularity of farm-to-table cuisine in the region, and the bakery and test kitchen at this husband-and-wife-owned independent property perfects the experience for guests with plant-based cooking classes and healthy meals.
The property’s same zero-chemical policy in the kitchen also filters into ever detail of a stay, from the organic cotton linens in guest rooms to and organic bath and beauty products, making it ideal for a wellness-minded escape.
Mira Earth Studios – Valle de Guadalupe
Mira Earth Studios
Mira Earth Studios
Drive just an hour and a half south of San Diego and you’ll hit Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe, a steamy inland destination with an enchanting lunar-esque landscape and the country’s most prodigious vineyards. Designed by Nicaraguan architect Juniette Bermúdez, Mira Earth Studios sits tucked into the mountainsides. At once imperceptible with its environment-honoring rammed-earth construction style and green roofs, its clean lines and almost brutalist feel make it one of the most dramatic boutique properties in the country.
A full wall of windows in each of the 10 studio-like suites highlight valley views from every room, each equipped with a private outdoor jacuzzi tub and fire pit, a spa-like bathroom with private infrared sauna, and a projector with Sonos sound systems for movie nights under the stars.
The property also offers a new pool club and dining space with a menu designed by Chef Jose Luis Hinostroza, whose celebrated Tulum restaurant ARCA is among the top 100 restaurants in the world. Ready to head out for wine? Staff can recommend from among what seems like an ever-growing list of local options, available to visit by taking out the property’s vintage car for a spin across the valley.
Casa Hygge – El Pescadero
Kenny Viese
As its name implies, the tiny Baja California town of El Pescadero was once little more than a fishing village wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the dusty Sierra de la Laguna mountains. Today it sits on the outskirts of artsy Todos Santos, a beachside paradise brimming with cool accommodations like the boutique Casa Hygge, its 13 standalone bungalows making visitors feel at home in paradise.
This bespoke property was designed with the utmost of intentionality, using details like hand-selected and individually laid river stone floors, local rosewood furnishings and decor pieces, and architectural elements designed to maximize natural light and views. The thoughtfulness of the design should come as no surprise consider the property’s name; hygge is a Danish word that loosely translates to the art of building a warm, welcoming sanctuary.
Beautifully designed, yes, though Casa Hygge’s community-forward, service-oriented approach, guided by its husband-and-wife owners, is even more central to its appeal.
La Valise San Miguel de Allende – San Miguel de Allende
Namron Hospitality
La Valise San Miguel de Allende
Built around a towering parish church designed with slender spires and a pink-hued facade, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico has had an unforgettable sense of style right from the start. Now home to stylish hideaways like La Valise San Miguel de Allende, it’s even better.
Surrealist designer Pedro Friedeberg had a hand in the design of this six-suite property and it’s clear right from the entrance. The property’s “full moon door” leads into its serene inner gardens surrounded by Aztec-inspired architectural elements and embossments, with passages leading to each room. Punches of color, texture and pattern in every individually-designed guest room will inspire you to come back to experience them all.
Though San Miguel de Allende’s sublime culinary scene means visitors will want to spend meals out on the town, the property’s kitchen also makes a mean breakfast—and has the in at every restaurant in town.
Casa Silencio – Xaagá, Oaxaca
Casa Silencio
Casa Silencio
The renowned mezcal makers behind El Silencio saw an opportunity in the growth of experience-first, food and drink-inspired travel in their native Oaxaca, and from there Casa Silencio was born. Now, this celebrated six-room property designed by Alejandro D’Acosta sits on the brand’s 16-acre property in Xaagá, a vast valley just over an hour outside of the city. Its provocative design uses a rammed-earth building technique and natural materials to both stand out and blend into the stunning surrounds.
Design-minded travelers are in for a treat, but its all the about the culinary experience at Casa Silencio, with spirits taking center stage. At the heart of the property is the tahona, used to grind the agave used to make mezcal; this one is solar-powered though no less imposing. Guests explore the property with one of the brand’s jimadores, cutting their own agave and learning how to prepare it for wood-fired roasting, the key step in its production process that differentiates it from tequila.
XELA – Tulum
Namron Hospitality
A Design Hotels property through and through, XELA marries warm ocher tones and sandy hues with Middle Eastern design elements to create what is one of the most unique places to stay on the sands of Tulum. The property got its start as a private residence before a redesign by architect Carlos Larios transformed it into a 12-room boutique hotel. Still, it has seamlessly preserved its home-away-from-home feel while adding loads of charm for guests.
Design is key in unlocking the experience here, with each of the 12 spacious rooms offering private terraces, plunge pools and open-air bathtubs. The property also features in-room spa services, beachside spa cabins, and an on-site restaurant. Guests also have access to NÜ Tulum, a Michelin Guide-listed restaurant at XELA’s nearby sister property.
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