The Caribbean-facing Riviera Maya has traditionally won the lion’s share of attention among well-heeled travellers bound for Mexico. But the start of a new decade promises a new era in the country’s luxury travel scene, as a wave of firstclass resorts prepare to open along the country’s Pacific coast. At the sun-kissed tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos is already home to an Oscar-worthy collection of high-end escapes, but new arrivals along the Sea of Cortez will raise the bar in the next two years.
Next month sees the opening of Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the fourth member of RitzCarlton’s ultra-luxury collection that also includes resorts in Thailand, Bali and Puerto Rico. Scattered among the dunes on the outskirts of San Jose del Cabo, 115 suites and villas will all feature plunge pools and outdoor terraces and the services of a private attendant. Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas will also open in November, 80 kilometres to the north in the glamorous Costa Palmas development. The 1,000-acre residential and hospitality development will eventually be home to a marina and yacht club and Robert Trent Jones II golf course, and Aman will make its Mexico debut there with Amanvari and Amanvari Residences in 2020, promising indoor-outdoor villas infused with the brand’s signature pared-back style.
Two hours north in the town of La Paz, Chablé Sea of Cortez – the cult boutique brand’s third luxury retreat – will provide a jumping-off point for diving excursions and whale shark-watching cruises in the Sea of Cortez, positioning La Paz as a boutique counterpoint to the big-name resorts at the southern tip of Baja California Sur. Speaking of which, Park Hyatt Los Cabos will be part of the 26-acre Cabo del Sol golf resort, stretching along two miles of beachfront near Cabo San Lucas, when it opens in 2021
On the Mexican mainland, the upcoming Mandarina development is pegged to become the most exclusive destination on the Riviera Nayarit, the 150-kilometre stretch of coast running north from Puerto Vallarta. The resort community will be home to One&Only Mandarina and Rosewood Mandarina – both with private residences – plus polo and equestrian club, organic farm and beach club when it rolls out the red carpet next year. Marriott will manage four hotels at NIA, an integrated lifestyle destination spread along 220 acres of Riviera Nayarit coastline, including the first ever all-inclusive properties in Marriott’s luxury portfolio. Zannier Hotels will open its first Mexican outpost, La Nopalera, two hours south of Puerto Vallarta in 2021; and the Auberge Resorts Collection will welcome 59-suite Susurros Del Corazón in Punta Mita around the same time.
