Luxury Hotels I Love: One&Only Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Vacationer Magazine has friends in the travel industry. So, we thought we’d reach out to travel designer and owner of 127 Travel, Keith Wein, to keep us updated on some of the luxury properties and high-end travel experiences that may appeal to LGBTQ+ people who love to travel. 

Opened for a year, the One&Only Mandarina is absolutely one of my favorite new properties. The luxury resort is about an hour car ride from the Puerta Vallarta Airport (PVR) but, it takes less time to get to the property after the construction of the new Puerto Vallarta – Guadalajara Highway is completed. But once you arrive at the resort, you’ll feel like you’re in Southeast Asia.  

Located in the forest and mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Riviera Nayarit, the Mandarina resort features luxury treehouses and villas that give you the utmost privacy and offers guests a serene retreat from the outside world. From the moment you arrive, you feel as if you’ve escaped the hustle and bustle of the real world and arrived in a peaceful world of nature and opulence.

One of the perks of staying here is that guests are assigned a butler that will be their go-to for everything while they are on the property, including dinner reservations, transportation, or anything they may need in their room.  

The property has two beaches (Mandarina Beach Club and Catalan Beach Club), two pools, and every room has at least one plunge pool. There are four onsite restaurants that are all exceptional and different. Guests at the Jetty Beach Club can dine on the fresh catch of the day while taking in jaw-dropping views of the ocean. Award-winning celebrity chef Enrique Olvera helms the kitchen at Carao, where he serves up unique dishes using experimental techniques with authentic Mexican ingredients. Alma serves seasonal Pan-American and Mediterranean food, including my favorite, the ravioli made with huitlacoche, almond cheese, and epazote. Afterward, you can enjoy a nightcap at The Treeptop, where you can sample drinks made entirely from sustainable ingredients.

The One & Only Spa is a beautiful outdoor oasis nestled in nature. It’s a must for anyone who loves a relaxing spa treatment, such as the 120-minute Nature’s Sanctuary treatment that ends in a warm honey therapy to calm your mind and relax your body. Other amenities on the property include an onsite system of zip lines, an equestrian club, and a butterfly reserve.

Spend your days at your leisure. Take a morning yoga class, eat breakfast overlooking the picturesque main cliff pool, go sunbathing on the beach, take a hike to a 500-year-old tree named “Abuela,” go whale watching at sea, and you can also have a psychic come to your room with a bottle of wine and give you a special reading!

It’s a romantic paradise for anyone who wants a luxurious escape in a unique setting. Check out more photos of the property in the photo gallery below.

And for advice on how to plan your trip to stay at the One & Only Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, consult travel designer, Keith Wein, at 127 Travel.