Mexico’s Pacific coast gets a jaw-dropping new ultra-luxury resort with the arrival of One&Only Mandarina, a beachfront rainforest sanctuary boasting chic treehouses, cliffside villas and an exclusive spa.
Following the recent opening of its spectacular property along Malaysia’s Desaru Coast, the One&Only brand has now landed in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit in the form of One&Only Mandarina, which opened its doors on 1 November 2020.
A hidden retreat
Ensconced among 33 hectares of emerald-green jungle along the swimmable shores of the Pacific, just 45 minutes from Punta Mita, this hidden retreat slots seamlessly into its verdant setting, allowing guests to enjoy being in the heart of nature.
There are 105 keys in total, encompassing both eco-designed treehouses in the canopy and eye-catching cliffside villas. These include Villa One – a sprawling three-bedroom 1,747 sq m abode with an infinity pool, private spa and gym, cinema, wine cellar and outdoor dining terrace – and Villa Pacifico, which at 342 sq m can sleep up to eight guests. For those looking for something more permanent, the resort also offers an intimate community of One&Only Private Homes, available to own or rent.
The conviviality of Mexican cuisine and hospitality unfurls itself through four drinking and dining venues, ranging from casual beachside spots to award-winning culinary hotspots. Among the highlights here are Carao, an offering from celebrated Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, who will serve up his signature style of reinvented Mexican specialties; and The Treetop, where guests can sip on playful versions of classic cocktails paired with sweeping views of the Pacific coast.
A luxurious sanctuary
Perhaps it’s no surprise that the top diversions for guests involve a plethora of water- and nature-based activities.
For the more active, there’s the Mandarina Wellness Race – an endurance test created for high-performance athletes – and Meet La Abuela, a hike to the hotel’s ancient 235-year-old ‘Grandmother Tree’ with an expert guide who will share knowledge about the ancient trees, endemic plants and birds along the way. Junior guests, meanwhile, can learn about the hotel’s natural surroundings at the 12,800 sq m KidsOnly, a space designed by Brigitte Broch – the production designer behind Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet – featuring treehouses connected by suspended bridges, slides, climbing walls and wildlife trails.
Outside the resort, moreover, guests can access the nearby Mandarina Polo & Equestrian Club, the Flatlands – a sprawling green landscape – and The Estuary, which is home to a diverse ecosystem with hundreds of bird species.
And for the more sedate, the One&Only spa offers indulgent treatments from six enclosed rooms cocooned beneath a canopy of large higuera trees. In partnership with skincare brand Tata Harper, this spa is the first in the world to provide Tata Harper’s Sensorial Reset, a holistic wellness immersion that promises to radically transform skin while lifting the senses.