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Mexico City’s fun speakeasy shows no signs of stopping. Officially a membership club, ambitious gate-crashers (doll up and don’t be pushy; foreign accents not a liability) should look for a rather forlorn, seemingly late-night Calle Londres sandwich shop. Are those customers and employees real? Once you’ve talked your way through the air-lock-style door to the back room, you reach a genie’s bottle of a lounge, outfitted in sexy, disco style. Groups take booths and others sit at the bar where surprisingly friendly—and deeply knowledgeable—bartenders shake, stir, garnish, and ignite some of the city’s most showstopping haute cocktaillerie. They’re happy to make your usual, but why not let go a little, allowing mixologists to add their surprising touches? A winning combo of insiders-only and everybody’s-welcome. [Editor’s note: Go to the Hanky Panky Facebook page and send them a direct message. They’ll respond with the exact address and a reservation.]

Right outside the town of Teuchitlán, Jalisco—about an hour west of Guadalajara—is one of western Mexico’s most impressive archeological sites. Discovered in 1969, Los Guachimontones includes a series of unusual conical pyramid structures, built around 2,000 years ago by the relatively unknown Teuchitlán people. The largest pyramid is nearly 60 feet high, with 52 steps to the top. You can visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site for free but the on-site museum charges a small fee.

Santa Monica is officially on the map with this spectacular property, the second hotel for the Proper brand after its debut in San Francisco in 2017. Like at the first location, celebrity interior designer Kelly Wearstler heads up interiors and has produced an absolute stunner, drawing inspiration from her own Malibu home as well as the hotel’s circa-1928 Spanish Colonial Revival building. (The property actually straddles two buildings; the other half is a sleek new construction, connected by a courtyard and sky bridge to the historic part.) The 271 pet-friendly rooms feature original Kelly Wearstler wallpaper, vintage lamps and tables, and custom-made sunburst headboards that remind you you’re near the beach. Guests can also look forward to roomy bathrooms, complete with travertine marble, full-size Aesop bath products, and super-soft Parachute for Kelly Wearstler robes.

Your introduction to Andaz Mayakoba begins with mangroves and a cenote, or at least an architectural tribute to these natural features of the Playa del Carmen landscape. The elegant pillars that support the towering porte cochere mimic the angled roots of the mangrove trees nearby. A tall passageway, lined with dark wood, leads to an open-sided lobby.

At the center of the lobby, aptly called El Sanctuario, a shallow circular pool reflects the sky through an opening in the ceiling above. The Andaz—which opened on the Mayakoba development in late 2016—has 214 guest rooms and suites, all in low buildings carefully placed on the delicate limestone crust of the peninsula. Some of the buildings surround pretty lagoons and offer easy access to the resort’s restaurants, Casa Amate, the fine-dining option, and Cocina Milagro, which serves three meals a day in a pavilionlike space overlooking the property’s pools.

A spa, fitness center, shop, and kids’ club are also an easy walk away. The balance of guest rooms are in a separate complex of buildings beside the beach. A clutch of umbrellas and lounge chairs on the white powdery sand before an impossibly blue sea presents a stunning picture. In the beachside portion of the resort, another pool and two casual restaurants, OllaTaco and OllaCeviche, add up to a slightly funkier vibe.

Guests are transported around the grounds by golf carts and are encouraged to use bikes parked everywhere. Lagoon boats make regular stops between the four resorts at Mayakoba, and guests are encouraged to take a daily cruise of the winding waterways with a naturalist guide. Andaz staff are young, attentive, and warm.

Colorful street-style murals, depicting animals and fish, splash across the buildings’ exterior walls. Inside the airy guest rooms, artfully tiled sections of floors and walls add fields of color and interest to an otherwise mild, sunny palette. Architect Ronald Zürcher has channeled the extraordinary local beauty—the light and darkness of the region’s beaches and jungles, the vivid pops of color of flowers and birds, the sacred hush of the cenote—and designed a gorgeous and intimate boutique resort.

Guests at this 13-room retreat in Costa Rica’s central highlands can tour the estate’s 36 acres of coffee fields. After the walk, try a “cupping,” or tasting, of the shade-grown organic blends. End with a soak in your suite’s jungle-view tub. From $250. (305) 395-3042


After a couple days resting up at The Retreat Costa Rica, I was off on my next adventure. Finca Rosa Blanca, which doubles as a boutique hotel and coffee plantation, proved the perfect setting for exploration both near and far. I stayed in the La Guaria junior suite—each has it’s own name—this one named after a local flower. Having come from New York where apartments are cramped, I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious layout of the villa. The entrance leads into a circular area, with sky lights above that form a sort of dome. There’s a separate kitchen and dining area, a bathroom complete with a whirlpool, and a separate bedroom featuring a kingsize bed. My favorite part of La Guaria were the two balconies. There’s a small one right off of the bedroom, where I’d usually listen to the rain falling hard against the roof in the afternoon. In the mornings and again in the evenings, I’d make myself a cup of coffee and catch up on my emails outside on the larger terrace. It overlooks a large grass farm, as well as the flowers that grow on the property.


Speaking of coffee, Finca Rosa Blanca, is also a coffee plantation. On my first full day at the hotel, I signed up for their guided coffee tour, where I learned the ins and outs of coffee-making in Costa Rica—things like how Arabic coffee is the only type of coffee grown here and how the blonder the roast, the more caffeine it has; I always assumed the opposite. Our tour group was small but we had a guest appearance by the finca’s two adopted dogs—aptly named Finca and Rosa. It’s a mother and daughter, and I loved watching them run around the plantation and play in the little waterfall separating one bank from the other. The second part of the tour was an actual coffee tasting, where we sampled a “good” cup of coffee and an “over roasted” cup. I was surprised how many flavors and aromas I could pick up despite always claiming that I have a poor sense of smell...and silently resolved to skip the milk and sugar next time.


As for the food and lounge areas, there are some really creative spots. The El Tigre Vestido restaurant has both outdoor and indoor seating; I mostly ate in their open-air sections but definitely took advantage of the fire crackling in the evenings. It can get a little chilly there at night. On my last full day at Finca Rosa Blanca, I went all out. First up was a scenic (and very uncrowded) hike to Barva volcano. I learned that, while a national park, it’s one of Costa Rica’s hidden secrets. There were few tourists along our path, allowing us to feel like we had wandered into an enchanted forest out of a story book. Back at the finca, I indulged at their spa, with their Pura Vida Coffee Detox Package: a Swedish full-body massage, a coffee and chocolate body scrub and a refreshing facial. After a challenging hike that morning, it was just what the doctor ordered. Fun fact: There’s some great art here and I’m not just talking about the murals on the walls (there are some super colorful ones at the pool); One of the owners, Glenn, is an artist by trade and he designed all the metal work seek throughout the property, right here on-site.

A short ferry-ride from Playa del Carmen, Isla Cozumel is a diver’s paradise. And while diving and snorkeling might be the main attraction here, the island and its town San Miguel de Cozumel offer a lot of land- and sand-based activities for the traveler as well. San Miguel de Cozumel’s main plaza is a peaceful spot to people watch, shop, and dine. Even though this town sees thousands of tourists a year and shiploads of cruise-goers dock here daily, it has managed to keep its charm and warmth. For some scrumptious grub, check out Kinta, a block or so off the main plaza on Avenida 5-- it offers up fresh seafood and traditional Mexican cuisine. The western side of the island is built up with beach clubs, where for a small fee you can enjoy their beaches and facilities-- Isla de la Pasión is one of these and boasts a gorgeous beach. The eastern side of the island is wilder and the surf too dangerous for swimming in most places, with the exception of Playa Chen Río. When you get tired of the beach, put on your Indiana Jones hat and travel inland to a minor Maya ruin, San Gervasio, which the ancient Maya dedicated to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility. Of course, this island was built around diving and you’ll see why once you hit the clear, turquoise waters and behold their technicolor reefs. Santa Rosa Wall and Palancar are two of the best dive spots. Dive shops abound for equipment rental, tours, and even certification lessons.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso represents the epitome of luxury, with gorgeous, gigantic rooms featuring traditional crafts, handmade mosaic headboards, and classy furniture and accents. Balcony railings are awash in pink blossoms of bougainvillea. Some rooms take amenities further still, with private kitchens and wine cellars, as well as personal butler service. The property is set between the desert and the sea, and common areas, such as pools, have exceptional ocean views. Service is ultra-attentive, as one would expect at this price point, and guests rave about on-site restaurants and dining, especially in La Cava, the resort’s private wine cellar. Concierges can assist with planning a host of excursions and experiences, from cooking classes to whale-watching trips.

Bear Mountain Lodge has had many lives since it was first built in 1928. Back then, it was a school for unruly boys from the East Coast; later it became a country club and hotel for the well-heeled; and before artist-turned-innkeeper Linda Brewer bought the property five years ago and turned it into a 10-room lodge, it was owned by the Nature Conservancy. It’s fitting, then, that nature is the main attraction at the lodge, which sits on 178 acres and has horses, cows, and chickens, plus birds and butterflies and a pond that’s home to the endangered Chiricahua Leopard Frog. The Gila National Forest—at 2.7 million acres, the largest wilderness area in the Southwest—is the lodge’s back yard. If you find yourself missing civilization, Silver City is just over three miles away, but escape is really the point here. And while there is Wi-Fi, there aren’t any televisions.

The outdoor cantina upstairs at the famed Coyote Cafe makes a perfect spot to perch and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the bustle of the Santa Fe streets. Try the Lava Lamp cocktail, a more-delicious-than-it-sounds blend of draft beer and a frozen margarita. Other concoctions like the prickly pear margarita make excellent companions to the warm, thickly cut tortilla chips and fire-roasted salsa.

Home to Mexico’s largest concentration of artisans, Tonalá—just 10 minutes from Tlaquepaque—is known for its pottery, hand-blown glassware, textiles, miniatures, and more. On Thursdays and Sundays, the town hosts an open-air market, or tianguis, in its main plaza—and has since Prehispanic times—during which visitors can shop stalls from more than 400 craftspeople. If you can’t make it on market day, you’ll miss the hustle and bustle but can still visit the stores and family-run workshops where the artisans produce their unique wares.

Though his reputation is now arguably overshadowed by that of his former wife, painter and muralist Diego Rivera—commissioned by Mexico’s postrevolutionary governments starting in the late 1920s to adorn several national monuments in complex, pageantry- and allegory-laden wall paintings—was among the first Mexican artists to gain worldwide acclaim. Many of his finest works are on display in the Centro Histórico. Perhaps most spectacular are Rivera’s portrayals of Mexico’s millennia-long history, as seen in the Palacio Nacional on the Zócalo (Mexico City’s main square; take a state-issued ID for admission to the palace); a more contemporary depiction of socialist workers’ struggles (and one which includes a Frida Kahlo cameo) decorates a courtyard at the Secretariat of Public Education. One of the artist’s earliest pieces can be seen inside the amphitheater at the San Ildefonso museum. Additionally, the dazzling Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central, a surrealist who’s-who of Mexico’s turbulent fin de siècle, is the chief artwork on display at the nearby Museo Mural Diego Rivera.

Mexico has three mountain ranges named Sierra Madre (Mother Mountains), and the range near Puerto Vallarta is covered with dense jungle vegetation and terrain that has been described by one outfitter as “chassis-challenging.” For active travelers who enjoy the outdoors, excursions into the mountains promise all sorts of possibilities, from hiking to rappelling and zip lining. Good health, a knowledgeable guide, a change of clothes and a sense of adventure are all required.

Do you like discovering new spa treatments? I do too. Here is one I discovered at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico, called Flotation Therapy; and as far as I know their Remède Spa is the only place in Mexico that you can try it. For those who have not visited Riviera Nayarit, it is a stunningly beautiful beachfront enclave of upscale villas and hotels overlooking the Pacific Ocean.


The Flotation Therapy spa treatment utilizes a state-of-the-art float pod which creates a relaxing, zero-gravity feeling, giving you a completely neutral environment without distraction. Executive spa director at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort Remède Spa, Alejandro Ortiz says of this treatment, “We consistently offer our guests the most exclusive and unique spa treatments and we’re proud to offer a new level of relaxation to our guests.” Flotation therapy or “floating” is the newest addition to the Spa’s abundant list of wellness offerings.


And just what does it do for you? Apparently the flotation pod is a powerful wellness tool providing a wide range of benefits, including supporting creativity, muscle recovery, and joint pain relief, among many others. Here’s what “floating” is. Ten feet of water is infused with 1,000 pounds of Epson salt-so now you are buoyant and floating. The water is heated to match the surface temperature of your skin to create an environment where the senses gently float away.

Right now is the perfect time to go to Mexico because the temperatures are mild yet the days are sunny, and the summer crowds have not yet arrived. And don’t forget the St. Regis brand is noted for their stellar St. Regis Butler Service so you can live it up like a queen (or king). And this St. Regis, the Punta Mita is also a culinary star with “Carolina“ the only AAA Five Diamond restaurant of Mexican cuisine when you want to wear your hi-heeled sandals, and the beach-y casual Mary Mita Boat Bar & Bistro right on the sand Riviera Nayarit where flip-flops will be just right.

The establishment bears two names for a reason. Lenox is the front room, a restaurant chasing after that holy grail of U.S.-style diner food that’s just refined enough to appeal to the beautiful people (remember Max’s Kansas City?). Tables are tight and eavesdropping may be impossible to avoid, so watch what you say. Behind Lenox lies Parker, a larger (if just as crowded) space, home to live music, sexy lounge areas, and a long, shimmering bar whose staff is thoroughly up-to-date on the latest craft cocktails. What might first seem like a cliquey crowd opens up after a drink or two.

English explorer and draftsman Frederick Catherwood and American adventurer John Lloyd Stephens were the first foreigners to rediscover Copán and numerous other Maya cities. Catherwood’s extraordinary lithographs, on view at the Catherwood House Museum, portray those monuments as they appeared when the pair first witnessed them; the institution’s Belle Époque setting transports visitors to Catherwood’s day and conjures the wonder he experienced as he wandered the Maya world of Mexico and Central America. A coffee enjoyed in the courtyard and a poke through the elegant gift shop are icing on the cake.