The ofrenda, or altar, is a central showpiece of the Day of the Dead in Mexico, set up in family homes and small town plazas across the country ahead of the November 1 and 2 holiday. On a surface layered with colorful papel picado, delicate tissue paper with decorative cut-outs, families place photos of their deceased loved ones and all of their favorite things, from candies and toys to tobacco and tequila. Traditional elements ground the offering in nature: cempasúchil flowers, a bright orange marigold, sweet breads, candles, and incense that transmits songs and prayers through their smoke.
The altars, legend dictates, help to welcome the dead back to the land of the living during their one visit of the year. Creating one is an act of love and remembrance in itself.
In jungle courtyards by the Pacific and streetside lounges in the Mexican capital, some of the country’s finest hotels plan to erect their own elaborate installations. Giant skeleton parades and special feasts complete the spectacle at these MICHELIN Guide spots, rounded up below.
Hotel Esencia (Three MICHELIN Keys)
Hotel Esencia, the elegant beachside property south of Playa del Carmen, will mount a dramatic three-tiered ofrenda on the candlelit walkway that leads up to its main manor house. Designed by Mexico City and New York-based studio and gallery AGO PROJECTS, the piece will overflow with cempasúchiles sculpted by floral designers FDK Florals, known for their fantastical arrangements. Traditional elements will complete the work: copal incense, sugar skulls, food offerings and photographs that honor the deceased loved ones of hotel guests.
The ofrenda will be unveiled on November 1, along with cocktails and live music, as part of the hotel’s new Fiesta de Todos los Santos weekend. “Our inaugural Fiesta de Todos los Santos weekend, on the occasion of the Day of the Dead, will become a yearly tradition, where we gather for this soulful yet joyful holiday, offering our guests a glimpse of Mexican folklore through rituals, design and gastronomy,” said Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, the hotel’s artistic director.
Chablé Yucatán (Two MICHELIN Keys)
The ofrenda at Chablé Yucatán will be an ephemeral masterpiece, only staged for a few hours on the evening of November 1: the extraordinary Two-Key property is buried deep in the jungle, and local deer, coatis, raccoons and iguanas would turn the sacred set piece – made with offerings of flowers, candles and food – into a feast if it were left up longer.
The hotel team picks a new theme each year to orient their design for their Day of the Dead festivities. This year’s, “My Root Chablé,” honors the region’s heritage, with immersive stations centered on ancient Mayan harvest techniques and the journey that ancestors make from the afterlife, recreated at the hotel’s cenote spa. A piñata exhibition, with pieces based on local animals, and a parade of performers in handmade La Catrina skeleton costumes are especially family-friendly events.
Hotel San Fernando
This Art Deco gem in Mexico City will feature a modern, minimalist altar with a striking point of view. From Mexican designer Raúl de la Cerda, the installation is a contrast in textures and colors, with traditional cempasúchil flowers, black resin pieces, and artwork in vivid tones from painter Luis Velarde. “This altar reflects what Mexico City is to me: profound and vibrant tradition, always reinterpreted with a contemporary and fresh vision,” de la Cerda said. The altar will be open to the public from October 27 to November 3 in the hotel’s all-day lounge.
Hotel Parián
Hotel Parián, set inside the iconic Parián passageway off the main avenue of Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighborhood, will adorn its façade with hundreds of cempasúchil flowers, handcrafted ceramic elements and candles in a non-traditional installation on display to the public. The project, from the expert floral arrangers at Artistería, is a collaboration with Cerveza Victoria, and will light up with the brewery’s signature burnt red coloring throughout.
One&Only Mandarina (Three MICHELIN Keys)
The ofrenda at the stunning Three-Key One&Only Mandarina will be traditional with a modern touch, made by staff with the use of recycled materials. Guests will see it as they process through the grounds on November 1 in the hotel’s parade of La Catrina skeletons. (They can vote for their favorite at the end of the route.) On November 2, a special Día de Muertos menu is on offer at the hotel’s open air restaurant, Alma.
Hero image: KERZNER INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT / One&Only Mandarina
