MICHELIN Keys, like their Star counterparts, denote the best of the best of the world’s hotels, with an eye towards architecture, service, and character. That doesn’t necessarily mean exorbitant prices. In Mexico, affordable Key properties can be found on the prized beaches of both coasts and in destinations between, from a remote otherworldly lagoon to an historic hacienda outside of the capital.
For our favorite economical options on this country’s high-end, continue reading below.
Xinalani (Three MICHELIN Keys)
Xinalani is one of just three Three MICHELIN Key hotels in all of Mexico, a favorite of our Inspectors for its secluded beachfront locale south of Puerto Vallarta and its dramatic open-air lodgings. That it’s included on this list is no typo: the minimalist ethos of this yoga resort extends to the pricing, with rooms that drop below $300 a night in the off-season. Six yoga studios with palm-thatched roofs are set in the jungle that crawls down the property to the sea, along with a restaurant serving a healthful menu headlined by the freshest catch of the day.
Las Alamandas (Two MICHELIN Keys)
Set on some 2,000 acres of a protected nature reserve on one of Mexico’s most exclusive coastlines, Las Alamandas is a resort unmatched in this famously resort-loving country. There are four private Pacific beaches among the property, plus room for a tennis court and an orchard that provides produce for its seaside restaurants. But with just a handful of suites hidden among the campus, the feel is entirely intimate. In the hotter summer months, garden view rooms are available for less than $300 a night.
Hotel Terrestre (One MICHELIN Key)
Hotel Terrestre, on a stretch of coast north of Puerto Escondido that’s become a haven for contemporary art, is a geometric wonder, designed by Alberto Kalach, one of the country’s leading architects. Villas, made from simple brick, wood and concrete materials, are stacked side by side, each with their own private pool and roof terrace that looks over jungle canopy to the ocean. The hotel prioritizes sustainability, operating completely off-grid. That means rooms have no air-conditioning and, in the summer months, are at a nice discount.
Our Habitas Bacalar (One MICHELIN Key)
Bacalar may not be on many international tourists’ radar yet, but the Edenic lagoon by Mexico’s Caribbean coast is laying the groundwork for a star turn. Our Habitas Bacalar was one of the first properties to offer a luxury stay here, building striking tented A-frames right up on the water’s edge. The hotel takes full advantage of its setting, offering a set of experiences out on the lagoon that you won’t find anywhere else in the country, like hydrofoil surfing and healing Janzu ceremonies. Look for rooms at around $250 a night.
Anticavilla Hotel (One MICHELIN Key)
Cuernavaca, the City of Eternal Spring, has long been an escape for those with means in Mexico City, dating back to the Aztecs and conquistadors. Today, Anticavilla is its crown jewel, accessible to everyone just over an hour’s drive from the capital on a steep mountain highway. The restored 17th-century manor has a stately garden and a sprawling pool, perfect for a relaxing counterpart to an urban Mexico City itinerary. It's affordable, too, with rooms as low as $250 a night.
The Wild Oscar (One MICHELIN Key)
It’s not easy to find affordability in Polanco, the most upscale of Mexico City neighborhoods, but The Wild Oscar surprises, with sophisticated rooms that feel like a residence at around $250 a night. The hotel is ideally situated for a quiet stay near the action, on one of the tree-lined street blocks from Two-MICHELIN-Star dining and the city’s finest retail.
Ignacia Guest House (One MICHELIN Key)
Ignacia Guest House is everything you want from a Mexico City stay: an ideal location with stand-out design at a budget-wise price. Rooms, some available as low as $250 a night, come bedecked in a single bold color, with cool vintage furnishings and local art and ceramics. Breakfast, in the leafy garden, is included. And its cross-streets in the Roma Norte neighborhood are enviable, a short walk from some of the city’s best new restaurants.
Be Tulum Beach & Spa Resort (One MICHELIN Key)
Tulum is not known for its reasonable pricing or its tranquility. Be Tulum is the exception for both, a tasteful enclave at a rate far more fair than its neighbors. Located at the tail end of the hotel zone, by the protected Sian Ka’an reserve, the hotel affords an opportunity to convene with the jungle elements often lost in the party atmosphere. Still, this is no yoga retreat: a music program includes DJ sets on the beach and a live Cuban band. Check for off-season deals in the summertime.
Nomade Holbox (One MICHELIN Key)
A couple hours up the coast from the mega resorts of Cancun, the car-free island of Holbox is growing in popularity as a boho alternative on the same famous white sands. Nomade Holbox is the stylish choice in town, with beachfront treehouses built with a stick-in-your-mind woven wood technique. Wellness is a theme here, with a daily calendar of activities like yoga and water sound healing by the pool. The height of the summer means the lowest prices, with rooms available around $250 a night.
Hero image: Be Tulum Beach & Spa Resort
Thumb image: Nomade Holbox
