I’ve seen several ancient ruins during my years living in Mexico: Chichen Itza, Tulum, Yobain, Ek Balam, Palenque and Lamanai (ok, that last one is in Belize). When people ask me which one was my favorite, I always think hard about it and come up with the same answer: “They’re all… so beautiful in their own way!” Chichen Itza is amazing in its importance and scientific details. Tulum has the best location on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. Yobain is so tiny and unknown that it feels as if it belongs to a select few of us. Ek Balam is secluded and has the best buildings to climb. Palenque has a striking contrast of dark gray stone and lush green, and you can explore inside the temples. Lamanai has incredible views and is fun to get to. During my recent trip to Oaxaca with Mexico Today, I jumped at the chance to see the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban. I’d heard of it before and seen a few pictures, but nothing could have prepared me for how beautiful it really was. Set atop a carved-out mountain, the site stunned me with its… immenseness. I’m not sure if it’s bigger than Chichen Itza or Palenque, but it sure LOOKS bigger. From several vantage points you can see the entire site, with towering mountains in the background. Definitely one of the most surreal and awe-inspiring things I’ve seen. Our guides throughout the trip were from El Convento Tours. I highly recommend them if you’re ever in Oaxaca! The company belongs to the Martinez family… who will forever live on in my heart as some of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. (If you get the chance to meet them, ask to hear about the “rebozo”. Trust me.) We took a van up into the mountains, less than half an hour from our hotel. Once there, it was a steep but surprisingly easy walk up to the museum, where our guide Ulises gave us a fascinating tour, talking about Zapotec customs (sacrifices, pottery, writing and friezes) and beauty secrets (flat foreheads, crossed eyes and pointy teeth embedded with jewels, sexy!). Then we made our way up to the ruins. Filled with temples, stairs, plazas, a ball court, an area for human sacrifice and breathaking views, Monte Alban is truly an unforgettable site. So where does Monte Alban stand on my list of favorite ruins? I’d say it’s tied for first with all the rest. Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Community Manager for the Mexico Today Program. I was also invited on an all-expenses paid trip to Oaxaca as part of my role. All stories, opinions and passion for all things Mexico shared here are completely my own.
I remember my first taste of agua de horchata. I was living in Acapulco and I stopped by a little neighborhood cafe with a girlfriend. She told me it was a refreshing drink made with rice, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. This piqued my curiosity because I had a hard time understanding how rice… could be refreshing. The waitress set a glass down in front of me filled with what looked like milk with a slight beige tint. I took a sip, and my love affair with aguas frescas was born.
We’re really pleased about where some Mexican government agencies are heading with their regulatory improvements. Since time immemorial, industry associations and analysts have intoned about the cost to the economy of excessive regulatory red tape. This can be particularly vexing… for inexperienced exporters to Mexico.
Much wringing of hands is done in Mexico over the country’s excessive dependence on the United States as the primary market for its exports. With good reason: For years now, the United States has accounted for over 80% of Mexico’s goods exports. In boom times, Mexico makes… hay while the sun shines.
By Lisa Coleman For many, many years the big chain hotels defined tourism in Mexico. Over time, however, the boutique hotel experience has… carved out quite a niche for itself. It seems more and more travelers are looking for an intimate and authentic look at Mexico. They are stepping away from the one price fits all “wrist band” vacation and opting for time in something with some cultural bite. In 1999, I was working in Mexico full time and started to hear a buzz about a new hotel group. Back then, Mexico Boutique Hotels (MBH) was just getting a foot hold in the market. Today MBH is one of Mexico’s most prominent and respected hotel associations and has raised the bar high for small luxury properties. The lovely and brilliant Sylvie Laitre is the Director of Mexico Boutique Hotels (MBH). Originally from Canada, Sylvie graduated with dual (bilingual: English and French) degrees in Communications and Leisure Studies (specializing in tourism development) from the University of Ottawa. She worked in Canada in museums, at festivals, and even as a private fashion consultant (while in college). She moved to Mexico to learn Spanish and never looked back. She moved up through the ranks of the hotel world wearing a number of hats ranging from guest services, sales, and reservations to accounting, reception, and public relations. I recently talked to Sylvie about MBH and learned more about the “boutique” experience in Mexico. Tell me about MBH and how it came to be, how long it has been around and a bit of the history? MBH was created at a time when hotels didn’t have websites (and if they did, they were unilingual or very poor), when large travel sites didn’t see the point of promoting small boutique hotels and when it was still difficult to find someone that spoke proper English when calling hotels. The founder—John Youden—met boutique hotel owners through his travels in Mexico and realized they all had similar challenges; promoting on a very, very small budget, being taken seriously as far as quality, and understanding the hotel business (as most were not hoteliers). These small properties needed economies of scale and a brand of quality that would help put them into a group and give travelers, agents and writers the confidence that these were quality hotels. They needed a bridge and MBH became that bridge. These hotels also needed eyes and ears outside their property… Someone who was watching trends, keeping up with technology, monitoring the industry, etc… And I do that for them. How many properties in how many states? And what are the requirements are to be a member? MBH was founded in 1999. Today, we have 35 hotels in 26 destinations throughout Mexico. The criteria are part tangible (quality linens, elegant decor, original artwork, great amenities, etc) and part intangible (how does this hotel make you FEEL? Are you inspired to take a photo everywhere you look? Does the property tell a story? Is it part of the local heritage? Does the hotel a clear voice and personality?) In translating this concept into hotels, potential member properties must be intimate in size (our requirement is under 50, but most have less than 30 rooms), be meticulously and tastefully decorated, have perfectly choreographed, impeccable service and, most importantly, be willing to go to great lengths (and think outside the box) to provide guests with a faultlessly tailored, exceptional experience. What do you feel the appeal is of the smaller properties in Mexico for the boutique traveler? This is a great question as I just posted something in Spanish on our blog (inspired by a recent study I read about the appeal of B&Bs and Inns): My title was Hoteles Boutique de Mexico; calidad, calidez y conocimiento (quality, warmth and knowledge). Basically, the appeal of a small hotel is just that: Quality of experience, decor and services. Warmth in service and details. Knowledge of local culture and the ability to help guests connect with this. As a society, we are over-informed, over-digitalized, and over-programmed nowadays. The small, boutique hotel takes you back to simpler times where you matter, and where the experience is truly personal. Travelers want unique, meaningful experiences and MBH is one of the channels. Small boutique hotels are also affordable, competitive, good to their loyal visitors and focused on ‘celebrating’ your visit. Boutique traveling is a completely different experience than the all-inclusive route, what’s the single most important thing you want travelers to know about that experience? All-inclusive experiences (aside from their economical pluses) are tailored to please groups of people and therefore must be standardized and somewhat generalized in terms of what they offer. They are molded to please the majority of guests who do not want to venture out of their comfort zone too much. A boutique experience throws you out of the zone…in a good way. It allows you to connect, to experience something different and to immerse yourself in a local culture. I know some of the properties are located in “off-the-beaten-path” locations; can you address the fears that travelers may have? True, many are off-the-beaten-path. But, the very nature of the boutique hotel (taking care of you even before you arrive) makes sure someone is expecting you, in many cases picking you up directly at the airport, sending a driver, etc. My personal philosophy is that an unbeaten path presents much less traffic and thus, less interest for potential trouble makers. Like anything, and anywhere in the world, preparedness, knowledge and common sense are important. How are the hotels working together to thrive in this tourism climate? I’ve seen more cooperation in terms of recommending each other. Group promoting is important and necessary. Shared co-op ads have been placed in key national magazines, and we have a good repeat guest program where our hotels pamper past MBH guests (even if the person did not stay in their own hotel). The hotels are working together to make the MBH traveler feel special and hopefully encourage more repeat business between properties. There are other hotel groups in Mexico, what makes you unique? Our niche. Our bi-cultural position (knowing and living in Mexico yet still understanding what a foreigner expects and needs). Our size (in terms of operation): we’re not corporate. We’re not government run. We’re just a very tiny group of people that love Mexico, love hotels and curate them in order to help others have the best experience possible. We don’t accept hotels that want to buy membership and we must know each of our properties. I recently made an important decision that I believe truly sets us apart. We no longer commission bookings. We can still help with reservations BUT not through commissioning. I am allowing the hotel to present its best rate and allowing the traveler to get the best deal on my site. I want to be a channel and a voice for small hotels. I want to be a friend for travelers that want a good recommendation. What are the goals of MBH and what are your plans for the future to build your brand? I want to give great, small hotels a platform to promote, a network to communicate with each other and share tips and strategies. I want to help fantastic hotels continue to get the word out and help them see what is so great about themselves. It’s also very important for me to be their eyes/ears on the Web. They don’t have the time or the resources to monitor activity and reputation. I enjoy doing this and keeping them aware. For the traveler, I want to be a friend. I want to be the girl who lives in Mexico, who visits hotels; the one who will tell you the truth. The one who puts together a list of places she thinks are pretty fantastic. For the media and travel agents: a one-stop shop. A place for advice, for recommendations, for the latest news on boutique hotels in Mexico, for current deals, etc. I’m updating our site to be more of a portal with great links to others sites. I don’t need to know everything; I just need to know where to find it and how it all fits in. We’ll be posting relevant blog posts on our hotel pages for example now. Great articles on other sites, maps, destination reviews; anything I think can help a traveler make a more informed decision. And of course, if they need me, I’m always an email away. Sylvie and Mexico Boutique Hotels are a dynamic combination. They are a small group with a huge impact. This attention to culture and detail is fantastic trend for all travelers and could change the face of how we see travel in Mexico. For more information visit http://www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com/ and for Sylvie’s blog go tohttp://www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com/wordpress/. MBH is launching a new website in the next few weeks so stay tuned. Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating and managing content as a Community Manager for the México Today Program. All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own. Mexico Today is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination.
Let’s take a look at why lots of baby boomers think it might be a good idea to retire to Mexico. You might be surprised by what people are saying and experiencing.
Huatulco has been one of my favorite beach destinations since my first visit in 1997. Since then, several of the large resorts have changed name and ownership, there are new paved roads, hotels, shops, and tourist amenities, but the area maintains a laid-back feel, the beaches are as clean and… beautiful as before, and the natural areas surrounding the resort development are just as lush and verdant as ever. Since my first visit to Huatulco I have returned many times, staying in budget hotels or enjoying the modern amenities of an all-inclusive resort, and most recently enjoying the convenience of a vacation rental. I've always enjoyed the lovely beaches and striking landscape, but in recent years my appreciation for Huatulco has grown even deeper, particularly because of the efforts that are being made to protect the beautiful natural areas that surround it. Located on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Las Bahías de Huatulco (the Bays of Huatulco) is made up of nine protected bays that stretch over 22 miles of rugged coastline with 36 unspoiled beaches, as well as a national park. Established in the mid-1980s, Huatulco was the fifth resort development to be initiated by FONATUR (Mexico's National Trust for Tourism Development) after Cancun, Ixtapa, Loreto and Los Cabos. Huatulco was designed from the outset to be ecologically sustainable, and the community has maintained its commitment to protecting the environment. As one of FONATUR's “Integrally Planned Centers” there is a plan for the long-term development of the area that ensures proper management of natural resources, so that development and economic growth do not adversely impact the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The Huatulco resort development is surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range, where you can find coffee plantations set amid semitropical forests. In 1998, the Huatulco National Park was founded, protecting 5516 hectares of marine territory and 6375 hectares of land which are officially set aside to be left undeveloped. In 2006 this area was listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Over 700 species of animals make their home in the park, as well as a wide variety of fish and shellfish. The park is open for scuba diving, bird-watching and hiking. Huatulco is the only destination in the Americas to have received EarthCheck Gold certification, evidence of the commitment of the Mexican government, business owners, and residents to protecting the natural environment. EarthCheck (previously Green Globe) is an independent organization which offers environmental benchmarking for the hotel and tourism industry. In order to achieve certification, a property or community must show evidence of superior levels of practice in several different areas, including water and waste management, renewable energy, biodiversity, and conservation of natural species. Some of the measures which have been taken to reduce the environmental impact of the tourist development in Huatulco include a water management infrastructure including 17 km of storm protection channels, 23 re-lift stations for sewage treatment and management, and harvesting structures which collect storm water runoff. A recycling center has been built, and a training program for hotel staff, area residents, and local schoolchildren has been instituted. My most recent visit to Huatulco was this past January. I went with my family and the family of a longtime friend who was visiting from Canada. Since we both have small children, we decided the most comfortable accommodation option would be a vacation rental. My internet research led me to Villa Valencia (http://www.villapaita.com/valencia.html), a villa with two separate guest houses and a private pool, located by the Tangolunda golf course, and a short drive to the beach. We enjoyed shopping in the local market and preparing food (and cocktails!) in the well-equipped kitchen. The best part about staying in a vacation rental was being free to have our meals and activities at whatever time was convenient for us, with no worries that we or our children might bother other guests. Since my husband is an avid birder he would rise at dawn and venture out to roam the area around the golf course with his binoculars, while the rest of us slept in or got up for an early morning dip in the pool before breakfast and then heading out to the beach. We enjoyed visiting different beaches each day, particularly La Entrega and El Arrocito, beaches which have gentle waves and were perfect for our little ones to play in the sand by the water with no fear that a large wave might come and knock them over. We would have lunch at a beachside palapa, and in the late afternoon head back to our villa to rest and enjoy quiet evenings. On the final day of our stay, the men took the children to the beach and my friend and I enjoyed a ladies' day of pedicures and shopping in La Crucecita. A most satisfying vacation! Huatulco is a wonderful beach destination, offering a variety of conditions within its various bays. Parents of small children will be pleased with the beaches that have gentle waves and safe swimming and snorkeling conditions, others looking for more excitement may prefer beaches with stronger waves. Nature lovers will be thrilled with the diversity of birds, animals and plants in the area. But one thing that should please all visitors to Huatulco is knowing that they've chosen a destination that's committed to being environmentally sustainable.
Mexico is an excellent destination for a vacation or extended stay for families with children of all ages. A visit to Mexico can expand children's horizons: they'll be introduced to a different culture, language, and beautiful landscapes, and they'll have a great time as well. Mexican culture is… extremely child-friendly, and people are very welcoming of families with children, and will go out of their way to be helpful to them. It's a very large country and there are sites and activities to interest all ages. There's plenty for children and their parents to see, do and learn in Mexico.
Las Bahias de Huatulco (the Huatulco Bays), most often referred to simply as Huatulco (pronounced "wah-tool-ko"), is a beach area made up of nine bays with 36 beaches. Located on the Pacific coast of the state of Oaxaca, 165 miles from the state capital of Oaxaca City, and 470 miles from Mexico City,… this area was chosen in the 1980s by FONATUR (Mexico's National Tourism Fund) for development as a tourist resort area. Huatulco stretches out over 22 miles of coastline between the Coyula and Copalito rivers. It is set within a beautiful natural area with the Sierra Madre mountain chain forming a beautiful backdrop to the tourist development. The lush lowland jungle vegetation is particularly verdant in the rainy season, from June to October. Its biodiversity and pristine landscapes make Huatulco a favorite destination of nature lovers.
