Thanks to its rich cultural history, Mexico is home to an eclectic assortment of architectural styles. A veritable melting pot of diverse styles including traditional Indigenous monuments, French and Mexican Baroque from the colonial era, neoclassical, and contemporary brutalism, the country’s aestheticism directly reflects the influences that have shaped its identity. The best boutique hotels in Mexico carry this tradition forward, with a new breed of design-led accommodation executing brutalist, modernist, and contemporary architecture in a way that complements its surroundings while incorporating hyperlocal details.
From brutalist oases to chic mansions, these are the best design-led boutique hotels in Mexico.
1. Paradero Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
Sitting on five-and-a-half acres within the sparsely populated wilderness of Baja California Sur, Paradero hotel is flanked by the beach on one side and the mountains on the other. A luxury hotel designed for the well-heeled adventurer, Paradero finds intimacy in brutalism, with a vast concrete form cocooning guests from the untamed wilderness outside while letting a good dose of nature in. Crafted from elemental materials like concrete, wood, natural stone, and metal, guest rooms are left intentionally sparse, designed to foster a connection with the nature beyond.
Address: La Mesa KM 59 +3100, Degollado, 23300 Todos Santos, B.C.S., Mexico
2. Octavia Casa, Mexico City
Offering a serene respite from the bustle of Mexico City, Octavia Casa is an apt extension of the clothing brand Octavia. A slatted wooden lattice wraps the building, opening it up to the city while maintaining privacy for guests and creating soft, filtered light within. The clean, minimalist interiors of the seven-room boutique hotel see gentle curved forms harmonise with geometric angularity, with a material palette of plaster, polished concrete, and rattan setting a meditative tone.
Address: Av. Amatlan 126, Hipódromo Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, 06170 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
3. Otro Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Exuding contemporary modernism while being rooted in culture, Otro Oaxaca both reflects and adds something new to its setting. Co-existing in harmony alongside the colonial architecture it overlooks, Otro embraces a warm elemental material palette of endemic green limestone, solid brick, and recycled wood, which is complemented by wooden furniture and textiles by local artisans. There’s a subterranean spa, a pool on the roof, and circular concrete bathtubs in many of the rooms. Contemporary Oxacan cuisine can be enjoyed on the ground food patio or on the rooftop, the latter also playing host to a bar and offering expansive views over the city and of the Templo de Oaxaca.
Address: C. Macedonio Alcalá 505, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico
4. Lo Sereno Casa de Playa, Guerrero
Classic Mexican craftsmanship and local materials take centre stage in Lo Sereno Casa de Playa. Situated along the unspoiled shores of the legendary surf spot of Troncones Beach, this boutique hotel sits in the place between sand and mountains. In line with its barefoot luxury offering, Lo Sereno Casa de Playa combines modernist design with rustic charm. The sleek structure is crafted from poured concrete and locally sourced stone and juxtaposes the traditional palapas and thatched roof buildings of the region, however it’s grounded in place through handcrafted pieces from the Guadalajara region and other parts of Mexico, like the palapa art pieces made from woven palm leaves. The ten minimalist rooms utilise an ancient cross-ventilation system and share a common beachfront space with an outdoor restaurant, bar, and a black-tiled infinity pool.
Address: Av. de la Playa MZ 20 LT 12 CR 40802, 40807 Troncones, Gro., Mexico
5. Xela, Tulum
In the past decade, Tulum has been transformed from a sleepy town into a thriving tourist hotspot. While its newfound reputation has led to a host of hotels cropping up, Xela offers a more authentic, intimate respite than its contemporaries. With 12 en-suites set within one of the oldest villas in the area, Xela promotes indoor-outdoor living through its organic architectural style, with a warm palette of ochre and burnt sienna contributing to its inviting tone.
Address: Carr. Tulum-Boca Paila KM 8.7, Tulum Beach, Zona Hotelera, 77780 Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
6. Habita Monterrey, Nuevo León
One for those who prefer a life lived in greyscale. Habita Monterrey eschews conventional aesthetics, with crisp, mid-century design rendered in a stark black-and-white colour palette. The curved minimalist facade stands in contrast to the colonial-style buildings of Monterrey, while its monochromatic suites promote a unique sense of calm through an absence of visual clutter.
Address: Av. José Vasconcelos 150 Ote, Del Valle, 66220 San Pedro Garza García, N.L., Mexico
7. La Purificadora, Puebla
This design hotel sees renowned architect Ricardo Legorreta give a disused 19th century factory a new lease on life. The material palette draws from that of the original building, with old wood, onyx, and fabricated floor tiles alongside elements uncovered by an onsite archaeologist like bottles and glass fragments.
Address: Paseo de San Francisco, C. 10 Nte. 802, Barrio del Alto, 72000 Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Pue., Mexico
8. Hotel Escondido, Oaxaca
Offering an authentic experience with a touch of luxury, Hotel Escondido sees individual palapa bungalows (complete with their own private plunge pools) modernised for the contemporary traveller. Interiors are chracterised by their use of wooden floors, stucco walls, and polished concrete, with the simple palette enlivened by the incorporation of colourful furniture. Each bungalow opens up to a sundeck and pool, while the beach is a stone’s throw away.
Address: Carretera Federal Km. 113, Puerto, Salina Cruz – Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
9. Rosas & Xocolate, Yucatán
A decidedly romantic hotel, Rosas & Xocolate sees two French-style mansions designed and restored by architect Salvador Reyes Rios and his partner, Josefina Larrain. Seamlessly blending traditional aesthetics with contemporary comforts, the pink facade catches the eye while guest suites are similarly defined by their thoughtful use of colour, with statement furniture and soft furnishings grounded by solid cedar wood carpentry and stucco walls.
Address: P.º de Montejo 480, Zona Paseo Montejo, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico
10. Azúcar, Veracruz
This boutique hotel in Mexico is a world of its own. The seaside hotel of Azúcar sees a congregation of curved whitewashed bungalows—known as palapas—with traditional thatched roofs form their own village of sorts. Each bungalow features a private patio with a hammock to promote utmost relaxation. Outdoor spaces feature welcome pops of colour in the form of plush pink pillows and locally made outdoor furniture. The commitment to a unified aesthetic makes Azúcar feel like a world of its own.
Address: Poza Rica Km 83.5, 93583 Monte Gordo, Ver., Mexico
11. Terrestre, Oaxaca
A brutalist structure inspired by pre-Hispanic Mexico, architect Alberto Kalach—of Taller de Arquitectura X—envisioned how aliens might conceive a hotel on earth. Terrestre sees a bold stepped structure crafted exclusively from materials sourced from within a kilometre of (or created on) the property. The orientation of the buildings have been designed with energy-efficiency in mind, with the off-the-grid hotel solely running on solar power. The interior architecture prompts guests to turn upward and outward, with skylights capturing the golden light and expansive windows framing the stunning Oaxacan coastline beyond.
Address: Carretera Salina Cruz- Pinotepa, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
12. Casa TO, Oaxaca
Drawing inspiration from the past, this boutique hotel in Mexico carves out a singular design identity. Designed by French architect Ludwig Godefroy, Casa TO is more akin to an ancient temple than it is a conventional surf hotel. Comprising nine suites—six on the ground floor with a private garden and three upstairs with a terrace and outdoor bath—Casa TO is intended to provide a destination for visitors to experience a “state of total contemplation.” The structure looks the ancient pyramids of Maya and Mexica cultures, as well as the historical hydraulic works of the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul and the Hornsey Wood Reservoir in Finsbury Park, London. Uniting brutalist and surrealist design languages, the surf hotel uses repeated circular forms and cascading steps to create a dialogue between public and private spaces. Executed in concrete, it sees interior spaces open up to the sky to create a sense of liberation while the heft and density of the concrete forms makes for a fortress-like feeling of protection.
Address: Morelos s/n, Brisas de Zicatela, 70934 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
Words by Esmé Duggan
