The Best Hotels in Mexico: 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards
For the 33rd annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, readers leaned in heavily to nostalgia, as travel was pretty much on pause the whole year. Here are the hotels in Mexico travelers couldn’t stop thinking about this year.
Rank, Name, Location, Score
#1: Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, San Miguel de Allende, 99.58
#2: Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de Allende, 99.11
#3: Cartesiano, Puebla, 99.09
#4: Hacienda de San Antonio, Comala, 98.68
#5: Casa Rosada, San Miguel de Allende, 98.63
#6: Hacienda Temozón, Temozón Sur, 98.05
#7: Four Seasons Hotel, Mexico City, 98.38
#8: Hyatt Regency Merida, 98.2
#9: Hotel Rodavento, Valle de Bravo, 97.69
#10: Casareyna, Puebla, 96.97
Also of note: #13: Dos Casas Hotel & Spa, San Miguel de Allende, 96.09
Mexico Beach Resorts Offer COVID Tests
Margarita? Beach lounger? Nasal swab?
Beach resorts and small hotels alike throughout Mexico are racing to ensure guests have access to COVID tests as new travel requirements take effect.
Starting Jan. 26, the US government will require travelers over age two, including US citizens, to show proof of a recent, negative COVID-19 test result before boarding flights to the United States.
United unveiled a new platform that provides travelers testing requirements for their destinations, local testing sites, and a portal to upload their test results that would be required to fly.
Hyatt Hotels said its 19 resorts in Latin America will offer free, onsite COVID-19 tests for up to two guests per room through May 31.
Marriott International said many of its hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean offer testing onsite and it’s working to expand access to tests because of the new US rules.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings also said several of its resorts in Latin America and the Caribbean are offering COVID tests or access to tests.
Last week, Spanish hotel chain Meliá Hotels International said 10 beach hotels in Mexico and the Dominican Republic will provide free, onsite COVID antigen tests for guests whose countries require it before returning home.
Guests at Sandals and Beaches Resorts can now get tested for COVID-19 at the resort. Tests will be conducted by approved medical professionals.
International News
US Hotels Suffered Worst Year Ever
US hotels recorded the lowest occupancy rates on record in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic kept travelers at home and ate up lodging industry profits. The industry will likely show nearly zero profit for the year.
Hotel occupancy was just 44 percent for the year, down from 66 percent in 2019, and the lowest number on record. The industry passed 1 billion unsold rooms for the first time in history.
Industry experts expect a slow recovery, with occupancy rates staying below 2019 levels through 2024. Even now, as vaccination efforts boost hopes for a boom in leisure travel, the rampant virus is depressing demand, and it’s hard to say when corporate travelers and meeting planners will start booking rooms again.
Deal of the Week
Churchill Polar Bear Expedition
Frozen tundra, boreal forests, and tales of Hudson Bay
Lying on the edge of Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, is one of the best places to see polar bears in the wild. Aboard a specially designed Tundra Buggy®, this hotel-based adventure allows you to experience the excitement of polar bear viewing in total safety and comfort.
Expert guides and researchers from Polar Bears International (PBI)—the world’s leading polar bear conservation group—will join you on the buggies and at the lodge, and allow travelers to not just see polar bears but learn about them in a way that will leave a depth of knowledge about these majestic animals.
You’ll also search for other sub-arctic wildlife, including arctic fox and ptarmigan and have the opportunity to take in the eclectic charm of this remote northern town. A bonus: you’ll have a chance to race through the boreal forest with a local dog musher and a team of enthusiastic sled dogs by joining in the traditional northern sport of dog sledding.
And keep your eyes to the sky after dark for the northern lights, visible in Churchill more than 300 days a year! If you’re seeking an authentic Canadian adventure in the Far North, look no further.
Highlights
⁕ Enjoy the thrill of polar bear viewing on two full-day Tundra Buggy excursions in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.
⁕ Take a dog sledding excursion through the boreal forest.
⁕ Explore Churchill, home to Canada’s most iconic wildlife, and experience its culture as you visit a historical museum filled with Inuit artifacts.
⁕ Enjoy a cultural presentation by a local trapper who shares this way of life in the far north.
⁕ Learn about polar bears and their habitat from presentations and ride-alongs with species experts from PBI.
Details
Length: Six days
Prices from: US$5,180 per person (16-22 members in group)
Single supplement: US$858
Arrive and Depart: Winnipeg, Canada
Lodging: Hotel for five nights
Meals: All meals included except 1 dinner
Activity: Cultural adventures, wildlife and natural history
Trip Level: 1–Easiest; Polar bear viewing by Tundra Buggy, dog sledding, easy walks. Weather can be very cold with icy conditions.
Departure Dates: 2021 from Sep 25-30 to Nov 13-18; 2022 from Sep-25-30 to Nov 13-18.
Judy Newell, an international travel consultant since 1971, heads Perfect Journeys and specializes in unique travel experiences to destinations around the world. She custom designs journeys that are tailored to suit your interests, physical abilities, and budget. Please contact Newell for further information on Travel News topics and around-the-world travel. Cell phone 415 111 8765; Vonage 949 300 3682; email judynewell@perfectjourneys.net.
Sources: Reader’s Choice, CNBC, Bloomberg, Wilderness Travel