~ The vibe: An idyllic Mexican beach escape with local art and food and immersive cultural programming Location: Desarrollo El Banco Carretera a La Cruz de Huanacaxtle Km 14, Corral del Risco, Nayarit, Mexico | View on Google Maps ~ |
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The Afar take
While the Mexican resort area of Punta de Mita grows in popularity each year, Susurros Del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection offers a more tranquil beach respite in a secluded part of the Riviera Nayarit. The stylish resort has all the trappings of a sublime beach vacation (think white-sand beaches, a stunning three-tiered pool, and a sprawling spa that could easily occupy most of every day of your stay), yet it goes to great lengths to immerse guests in local culture as much as possible, via experiences of food, art, music, and more.
Decor in the guest rooms and public spaces features the work of local artists and artisans, starting with a massive wooden table by the welcome desk that’s topped with sculptures and pottery. Guests can experience everything from a cacao ceremony led by a local medicine woman, who leads guests in the creation of a Mayan-inspired altar dedicated to IxCacao, the goddess of the cacao tree—to a cooking class on the ancient Nayarit grilling technique, zarandeado.
The spa’s robust wellness program goes far beyond massages and facials and offers a wide range of daily fitness and movement classes (many included in your stay), plus spiritual experiences like sound baths, drum circles, and guided meditations.
A dramatic three-tiered pool overlooks the ocean, with the uppermost level reserved for adults only. Aside from the pool and the adjacent beach, the resort features tennis and pickleball courts, snorkeling excursions, surfing lessons, fishing trips and, for those with more expertise, surf safaris via boat to find the best surfing spots. For the artistically inclined, there are hands-on classes including a hat-decorating workshop by local artist Mariana Ortega of Mowi, who sources various handmade hats by local milliners for participants to decorate.
A dynamic kids club ensures the younger set is cared for, so parents can relax fully. There is a three-day surfing camp, plus the Morritos Kids Club, which features locally inspired adventures like visiting a tidal pool, Huichol beadwork workshops, and a concha (Mexican sweet bread) baking class. My son was obsessed with his turtle-shaped concha.
A Garden Studio guest room at Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection
Auberge Resorts Collection
Who’s it for?
Susurros is ideal for couples, friend groups, and families looking for a beach vacation that includes meaningful wellness experiences and immersive encounters with Mexican culture.
The location
Susurros del Corazón is on the tranquil Riviera Nayarit peninsula and sits on its own private beach, with nary another hotel in sight. (The busier Punta de Mita area is on a separate peninsula about 15 minutes away). Puerto Vallarta and its international airport are about 45 minutes away by car.
Susurros is ideal for couples, friend groups, and families looking for a beach vacation that includes meaningful wellness experiences and immersive encounters with Mexican culture.
The rooms
Susurros comprises 59 guest rooms and suites and 30 villas and casas, which are large, multibedroom homes. All accommodations feature expansive patios or terraces framed by floor-to-ceiling glass doors.
The breezy, Bohemian-chic rooms are filled with the work of Mexican artisans, including intricately carved whitewashed wooden headboards and dream catchers made of driftwood and seashells. There’s also a locally handmade straw hat and rattan bag for use on the property (or, for a fee, to take home).
Bathrooms have spacious wet rooms with showers and free-standing, organic-shaped soaking tubs. The body oil, body scrub, and all-natural bug spray were created by Mexican brand Ram Ram.
The food and drink
The four drinking and dining outlets on the property are all run by executive chef Tonatiuh Cuevas, who took inspiration from regional dishes. For example, at the open-air La Boquita, the (absolutely delicious) ceviche he makes pays homage to a famous local street food vendor, and the juicy al pastor pork tacos are shredded from the whirling spit behind the bar, while the tortillas emerge fresh from the comal.
The slightly more upscale menu at Casamilpa features locally grown produce, freshly caught fish, and sustainably sourced meat and poultry. I’m still dreaming about the succulent guajillo pepper–marinated chicken with grilled vegetables and borracha salsa, along with my daily breakfast order of chilaquiles with a flavorful salsa rojo and a side of the juiciest, most perfect papaya I’ve ever tasted. Acapulco is the poolside spot offering crowd-pleasing Mexican favorites like tacos, and the adults-only pool has a swim-up bar with playful cocktails. For coffee, fresh Mexican pastries, or gourmet snacks, you can swing by Don Surf, a convenient grab-and-go spot near the resort’s entrance.
The open-air Boquita Restaurant at Susurros del Corazón features such simple, locally inspired meals as grilled fish, tacos, and ceviche.
Auberge Resorts collection
The spa
The 25,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor Onda, an Auberge spa, has 11 treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam rooms, and an on-site dining spot called Good Vibrations Café.
Aside from classic spa treatments, experiences include tarot card workshops, sound baths, and gratitude circles, as well as daily fitness classes on the beach, most of which are included in your room rate. There are also weekly drum circles and sound bowl meditations on the beach; we spontaneously joined the complimentary drum circle in the sand one evening.
Staff and service
The staff was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Whenever we had trouble finding our way, the staff insisted on gently leading us wherever we wanted to be, even if they were in the middle of something else. We found the waitstaff at Casamilpa and La Boquita to be incredibly attentive.
The pool at Susurros del Corazón faces the Pacific Ocean.
Auberge Resorts Collection
Accessibility
The entrance and some public areas are wheelchair accessible, as are the rooms on the first floor. Televisions have closed captioning. Guests with mobility challenges can call 866.256.6829 or email accessibility@aubergeresorts.com for more information.
Culinary experiences
For a deeper encounter with Mexican cooking, book one of the standout food and drink experiences, including a mezcal-and-chocolate pairing session; a cooking class on zarandeado, an ancient grilling technique that originated in Nayarit; and a tasting of lesser-known ancestral spirits, paired with a private dinner by executive chef Tonatiuh Cuevas.
Susurros del Corazón offers culinary classes that focus on regional techniques.
Courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection
My husband and I participated in a tasting of raicilla, a spirit that can only legally be made in the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit. It’s sometimes referred to as the moonshine version of tequila (although I think it tastes way better), and it’s made from roasted hand-harvested agave maxamiliana.
Our class took place at Casamilpa and was led by local raicilla producers Ana López and Juan Pablo Mercado, the husband-and-wife duo behind La Reina, a boutique raicilla company in the area. We tasted the four unique expressions of raicilla, paired with locally made cheese and candied guava, and ended the experience with a family-style five-course dinner. From $1,234
