Travel with Pride: The Best Luxury Resorts of Mexico
Indulge in Luxury while Exploring Culture, Class & Diversity with the St. Regis Resorts of Mexico.
Sabrage, the St. Regis’ signature, evening ritual dates back to the French Revolution and Napoleon’s cavalry. Here it is performed by Ryan Young at the St. Regis Punta Mita.
Indulge in the Best of Two Worlds Connected.
I know you- the discerning, curious traveler, interested in culture, history, architecture and what makes a location unique. You’re also just like me. You’ll never say no to a few days on the beach indulging in health, wellness, food, relaxation and soul therapy. I got you; rather the best luxury hotels in Mexico, the St. Regis Mexico City and the St. Regis Punta Mita, they’ve got you.
As sophisticated travelers we enjoy the city and the beach, the perfect cocktail and a great fitness center, a stroll through a museum and an afternoon catching sun on a lounge while the Pacific waves wash ashore just a few feet away. As LGBTQ+ luxury travelers we’ve come to expect elevated hotels and resorts which by their very nature are inclusive, welcoming and celebrate diversity. I invite you to the join me at the St. Regis Mexico City and the St. Regis Punta Mita along Mexico’s Riviera Nayarita coast as we explore luxury travel across Mexico.
The St. Regis Mexico City stands on a roundabout along the Paseo de la Reforma.
The Jewel of CDMX: St. Regis Mexico City
We begin in the cultural center of Mexico, its largest city and capital, its namesake- Mexico City. One of the world’s most populated urban centers, Mexico City stands firm above the ancient lake bed of Lago de Tecoco. Originally built as the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Spanish colonists razed the city to establish their own; but make no mistake, pre-Hispanic myths and legends are found around every corner.
Arriving in the heart of the city, along its historic Paseo de la Reforma, the St. Regis Mexico City cuts into the sky, welcoming personalities, celebrities and government officials since its opening. It welcomes both international luminaries and local connoisseurs of fine taste. There is perhaps no other hotel situated in such a diverse, distinctive location reflecting the city’s cutting-edge fashion, culture and gastronomy as well the St. Regis Mexico City does. Designed by the famous architect Cesar Pelli, the 31 story, glass building holds 189 rooms and suites with an additional 100 residences.
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Feeling a welcome cocktail after your flight? We head to the hotel’s iconic King Cole Bar where we order from a locally inspired beverage selection or we learn how to make our own with an expert mixologist. The King Cole Bar keeps guests surprised as it’s known to rotate and introduce seasonal ingredients, ingenious presentations and sustainable foods to the gastro-bar menu best interpreted as upscale “Mexican street food.”
A solider salutes during the Zócalo flag ceremony performed twice daily in Mexico City’s city center square.
Local CDMX Treasures; Worldwide Influences.
Recently Mexico City has become an international center of food, art, culture and performance, but to those in the know, this isn’t anything particularly new. The city has a history of unique individuals set on living life as they see it while paving the way for others. In 1901, sixty-eight years before the more famous Stonewall uprising, police raided an underground, queer dance ball here in Mexico City. 41 men were arrested as half of them were dressed as women wearing decadent gowns, elaborate jewelry and make-up. “The Dance of the 41” shook Mexican society and its sexual norms to its core. Rumors spread of a 42nd man the party, a man who escaped persecution as he held ties to the elite, ruling class. This was the son-in-law of seven term president Porfirio Díaz. To this day, the number 41 holds special significance across the city.
To explore another character from this diverse and inclusive past we set out to the quiet and peaceful neighborhood of Coyoacán. Here, among the cobblestone streets, colorful art galleries and artisan markets, famed artist Frida Kahlo was born, raised, and lived out her all-too-short life at La Casa Azul. Not one to simply experiment on the canvas, the openly bisexual Kahlo unabashedly explored the intersection of sexuality, gender, race and class. Add the pain of her life-long physical challenges and Kahlo stands strong as a cultural and societal pioneer for feminism and queer advancement not just across Mexico, but around the world.
Frida Kahlo’s studio and workspace at Casa Azul.
Casa Azul continues to capture how life must have been for Kahlo. Her family residence dating back to childhood and where she lived with husband, Diego Rivera, we can still feel the ambience linger within these rooms. It’s warm, inviting and enlightening; though there’s a certain sadness in understanding the suffering and pain Kahlo navigated throughout her life. Original paintings from both artists hang on display. The couple’s photographs, documents, books and furniture show what life was like here at Casa Azul. In a small annex next-door, Kahlo’s famous, colorful and ornate dresses give goosebumps. But perhaps most impactful, the medical equipment needed over the course of her life shows Kahlo’s complexity. Much of it painted and adorned with bells or trinkets, Frida choose not to hide, but to live the best she could through life’s challenges.
One of these challenges, or the second accident of her life as Kahlo choose to describe him, was acclaimed Mexican artist and activist, her husband Diego Rivera. While we get a sense of the couple’s tumultuous relationship at Casa Azul head to El Museo Anahuacalli for awe and wonder, and a look inside Rivera’s mind. The intricate and detailed Aztec style temple commissioned by Rivera’s daughter after his passing houses his vast collection of curated pre-Hispanic artifacts, many of his sketches and studies, and a sampling of his famous frescos. Standing in a cavernous exhibition space on the second floor is an early charcoal sketching of the artist’s El Hombre En El Cruce De Los Caminos(Man at the Crossroads). Originally commissioned for Rockefeller Center in New York City in 1932, the fresco itself is a story of politics, advocacy and an artist who refused to silence his voice, one of which I knew little about until coming face to face with the powerful rendering here.
Art, history and culture, how about we enjoy the thriving Mexico City culinary scene? As the largest urban hub in Mexico, young entrepreneurs have always migrated to the city to make their name. Recently Mexico’s Chef of the Year for 2014, Fernando Martinez Zavala, opened the doors to his first restaurant appropriately named, Migrante. With the goal of breaking down borders, celebrating distinct palates and uniting cultures through food, Zavala’s up and coming restaurant is a must visit for any self-described foodie.
Migrante - by Chef Fernando Martinez Zavala - opens its doors for evening dining.
Back at the St. Regis Mexico City locals in the know meet for boozy Sunday brunches at Diana Restaurant. To a blend of upscale city residents and travelers alike, Diana serves a vast selection of cold and cooked specials with numerous live stations that range from traditional Mexican antojitos (little cravings) to ceviches, pastas and a diet damaging desert bar. Brunch is highly recommended before an afternoon strolling town or pampering yourself with the hotel’s newest addition to its spa menu, a sound therapy bath with gongs. This gentle, but intense, touchless therapy is designed to bring healing and relaxation to even the most stressful, anxiety ridden personalities. Factors such as trauma, depression and disease can cause our body’s cells to vibrate at less than optimal frequencies, but this sound bath therapy can be beneficial to realigning these cells and bringing about a more zen-like state.
Just a few of the desserts available during the St. Regis Mexico City’s famous Sunday brunch.
Luxury on the Riviera Nayarit Coast: St. Regis Punta Mita.
Enlightened, energized and relaxed- the perfect state as we close out our exploration of culture in the city and make our way to the incredibly beautiful Riviera Nayarit coastline along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Our home here is ideally located within the most exclusive beach community in the country, Punta Mita. Welcome to the St. Regis Punta Mita. Like its sister property back in the city, this St. Regis offers modern sophistication, unparalleled luxury and bespoke service, but this resort rests along one of the most distinguished, shoreline addresses in the world. Designed by Roy Azar Architects, the resort boosts 120 rooms and suites and offers all guests its legendary St. Regis Butler Service. We set an intention for our stay at this incredible resort: to simply enjoy ourselves.
A St. Regis Punta Mita Suite at Sunset.
With activities and options ranging the spectrum from to rest to sport, there’s someone for everyone here at the St. Regis Punta Mita. Give into the seduction of being pampered and book at treatment in the Remède Spa, play a round on one of the two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses or serve a high-powered ace at the tennis center nestled into a beautiful palm grove. Take an excursion to Mexico’s Hidden Beach, a twenty minute boat ride offshore. Enjoy cooking? Discover kitchen secrets at the Las Marietas Restaurant & Bar learning how to cook a delicious lunch during a private lesson with the chef. The options here are boundless. What you can dream of, the St. Regis Punta Mita will make happen.
Aerial view of the private peninsula of Punta de Mita, home to the St. Regis Punta Mita.
I suggest greeting each morning at the Sea Breeze Restaurant with the resort’s famous breakfast buffet offering stations of egg specialities, pancakes, waffles, fruits, cheeses, smoked fishes and cold meats. While there’s your favorite Mexican dishes like chilaquiles and quesadillas, there’s also a delicious assortment of gluten free alternatives. Set poolside with lush garden views and the ocean waves just off in the distance, this lavish breakfast buffet is one to be savored slowly.
Elevate Your Holiday Activities.
Riviera Nayarit doesn’t just pride itself with much of the country’s best real estate, it boosts many of Mexico’s most upscale activities. Today we head to La Patrona Polo Club just a few minutes north of Punta Mita in San Pancho for a fun-filled afternoon with our friends from the stables. Steps away from the ocean and surrounded by the lush vegetation of the Sierra Madre mountains, the club, opened in 2001, is for beginners and professionals alike. Never ridden a horse? Come learn how to ride. Curious about polo but don’t know much about it? Come learn the ins and outs of the game. Take a dressage and jump lesson. Or maybe you’re a polo pro; well, there’s a tournament waiting for you to win. La Patrona Polo Club is a top-notch facility with love and a solid craftsmanship put into its infrastructure and design. From the stables designed to blend into the hills to the on-site hospital, there’s a modern, refined attention to detail worth a visit to see all on its own.
Shop the Looks:
After a day at the stables, partake in a late lunch at Tierra Beach Club, or maybe plan ahead and make it a full-day event. You’re going to love the internationally awarded architecture, the fabulous lounge pool, fitness facility and beach. This beach club offers high-end facilities for those of us who desire luxury and class whether at a resort or out exploring the town.
Grab a board and hit the waves in surf town Sayulita.
San Pancho, Punta Mita, or any of the other small towns along Riviera Nayarit, they each offer their own unique touches to what it means to be a Mexican beach community. Sayulita is one that’s not to be missed. Easily the surf capital of Riviera Nayarit and a beacon for surfers worldwide, Sayulita shows its pride with flying colors as one of Mexico’s Magical Towns. Health and wellness take form here in yoga studios, juice presses, and numerous raw and vegan restaurants. Adventure is found on the waves or on a zip-line flying through the jungle. Style and design call from the many well-curated, boutique storefronts. This is small town, beachside Mexico, at its most enchanting. We cheers and toast to this incredible holiday with overflowing margarita glasses before heading back home to the St. Regis.
Celebrate Your Holiday With Taste.
As if we didn’t get in enough activity out and about, or maybe for just that very reason, treat yourself once again to the St. Regis Punta Mita Remède Spa, but today request an Abhyanga massage. This therapy is a custom treatment based in ancient Ayurvedic medicine practices incorporating essential oils, herbs and non-traditional strokes and kneading methods. Before your therapist begins, you’ll take a quick test to determine your predominant Dosha. From here the treatment is completely unique to your body’s needs while working to relieve pain, increase circulation, stimulate and strengthen the lymphatic system and open the flow of life-force, leaving the body cleansed and revitalized.
We couldn’t discuss the St. Regis Punta Mita’s unpretentious luxury without mentioning Carolina, the most awarded restaurant in the Riviera Nayarit, and the perfect dining option after such a soothing treatment. The only AAA Five Diamond Award restaurant in the state, Carolina showcases the very best of contemporary Mexican cuisine from talented Chef Miguel Soltero. The ever-changing menu reflects a rich culinary heritage, Mexican gastronomic traditions and the unique flavors of the region. Tonight we sample a light smorgasbord of the available dishes, but rumor is there’s a thirteen course meal available upon request…
Punta Mita’s only AAA Five Star Diamond Restaurant, Carolina at the St. Regis Punta Mita.
Whatever your distinguished taste fancies, it’s sure to be found at the St. Regis Mexico City or the St. Regis Punta Mita. Culture, history, food, performance, wellness, sport, thrill seeking and so much more— discover the luxury of adventure exploring the best resorts Mexico has to offer. You live an unconventional, upscale existence; make your vacation the same with time split between the city and the beach. I guarantee you, in fulfillment of the mind, body and soul, you’ll find a holiday spilt between separate but connected locations that much more rewarding.
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