PUBLISHED IN DEPARTURES
An Award-Winning Stay on Mexico’s Pacific Coast
MEXICO’S PACIFIC COAST is nearly perfect in the winter: warm days, cool nights, no humidity. But having lived in the area for a couple of years, I would actually recommend visiting in the summer. The temperatures and humidity are oppressive, but only in this season can you experience the region's incredible storms.
As this past summer wound down, I spent a few days at One&Only Mandarina. Recently voted the No. 1 hotel in North America by The World's 50 Best Hotels 2023, the property — located an hour north of Puerto Vallarta and 30 minutes from Sayulita, my former home — is carved into 80 acres of pristine jungle, set in the lush foliage where the Sierra Madre mountains meet the ocean. Each of its 105 rooms is housed in its own freestanding building; they vary in design from multi-bedroom villas (much bigger than any house I've ever lived in) to the world's chicest treehouses, set among the jungle canopy.
The sprawling property is serviced by golf carts, which zip guests between their rooms and extensive facilities: three restaurants — my favorite was Carao by Enrique Olvera, which offers a high-end take on traditional Mexican cuisine, prepared by Jesús Durn, formerly of Pujol — the spa, multiple pools (although the villas have private ones, too), horse stables, and two beaches. One can also choose to explore the property on foot, using miles of dedicated walking trails. At dawn and dusk, the wildlife comes out. I saw numerous birds, including some species of hawk, chachalacas (a wild relative of the chicken, indigenous to the area and possessing the funniest bird cry l've ever encountered), and, around every turn, coatis. These adorable, mischievous creatures, which look like a cross between a monkey and raccoon, freely roam the property. Guests are cautioned against leaving food out or their doors unlocked, because the coatis can open them with their cute little fingers.
During my stay, I had a memorable outdoor massage that felt nearly religious, set under the cathedral formed by the jungle canopy. My children also loved the Kids' Club. Like at all One&Only properties, family travel is a big focus at Mandarina and the staffed children's Facilities include treehouses, a climbing wall, and a butterfly sanctuary. But the best part of the visit was sitting in our villa with its 180-degree view, watching a massive thunderstorm move across the Pacific Ocean. The lightning lit up the sky, followed immediately by thunder so strong our walls shook; the electricity flickered a few times before the generators kicked in. On display, in this hotel that showcases the most incredible spaces humans can create, was the amazing, always superior, power of nature.