Indulging in Luxury at Boutique Hotel Las Alamandas, Mexico

About two and a half hours South of Puerto Vallarta lies Hotel Las Alamandas, a secluded luxury boutique hotel in Mexico’s Costalegre, with 1,500 acres of private real estate home to just 16 suites but also wildlife that includes birds, dear, armadillos, monkeys, turtles … Named by many magazines as one of the most romantic hotels in the world it has been featured in Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast, Vogue , Architectural Digest and was chosen by the Robb Report as one of  “Earth’s most exclusive retreats”.  With so much praise and located in an area known for its beauty yet isolation you can correctly assume that I was looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and comfort.

Hotel Las ALamandas

While getting there from Puerto Vallarta does require some driving along a road that needs improvement, the dirt path that veers off it will make guests wonder if they are heading the right way, yet the signs leave room for no mistake. Once you reach the property  though you’ll know you’re on the right track as personal service is treated very seriously. Despite arriving later than expected (11 pm) part of the staff was still up to accommodate any needs we might have had. I’m not one to make too many demands and didn’t really need to have a dinner cooked- the welcome fruit plate they had prepared and a couple of quesadillas were good enough for me.

After a few hours of much needed sleep we woke up Saturday morning to the invigorating sound of the waves pounding on the beach, just a stone’s throw away from our bungalow. We then made our way to the breakfast area, a sheltered traditional lounge right besides the beach where our table had already been set up. Breakfast in Las Alamandas is a la carte, freshly prepared for you. There are several dishes to choose from and I began with a healthy fresh citrus juice and followed up with some toast, waffles and cinnamon rolls- I know, not quite as healthy as the juice but I’m one with a sweet tooth. I could have chosen to have eggs, beans rice and sausages instead but it’s just not my cup of tea. Speaking about which there’s also great coffee and a good assortment of teas to choose from.

Once the breakfast was over we were taken on a property tour with the concierge, an outgoing individual with many interesting stories about guests who’ve stayed here including the likes of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Robert de Niro, Cindy Crawford and royalties from the Middle East. The huge property was initially purchased with the idea of building a golf course, but it never happened. Instead the hotel now aims to blend in and protect the flora and fauna that abounds in the area; it’s quite common to spot deer, boar, rabbits and lots of birds. We stopped at a couple of the private beaches (which you can book for yourself), and atop a cliff with beautiful views that has witnessed its share of wedding proposals.

Gourmet Food

Back in the hotel we opted to take a couple of strolls along the beach followed by a long dip in our open air Jacuzzi which would have us ready for lunch shortly after. The menu changes very often adjusting to the best ingredients to be found in the season- food is taken very seriously here. We opted for dishes that were cold and light, ideal in the hot weather, which included seafood and ceviche (diced raw shrimp and fish with diced vegetables and lemon served cold), a cold coconut soup and salad. For desert we loved the kiwi, hibiscus and tamarind sorbet and a chocolate fudge volcano (how could I skip a chocolate dessert?).

We spent the afternoon dozing off after so much food and walking up and down the beach again, looking at the ocean and reading. It was a much needed break, and relaxation is what people come to this hotel for, to get away from it all. This said we joined the staff during the turtle release at 6 pm: the hotel is very committed to nature preservation and members of the staff patrol the beaches every day searching for tracks of turtle who have laid eggs during the night. Once found they are taken to a special room and once the baby turtle are born they are released into the ocean. This practice saves thousands of baby turtles every year as the area has a large population of raccoons who would eat the eggs otherwise.

We were lucky enough to enjoy a little treat our second and last day at hotel Las Alamandas. As suggested by the hotel manager we booked a beach for ourselves and were excited about having a 2km stretch of sand for ourselves, set up with an umbrella and a cooler with the picnic menu we had chosen. Ideal for long walks we did just this and spotted turtle tracks two thirds down the beach; after a little bit of digging we found the eggs and covered them again marking the spot so the hotel staff would be able to find them later.

Conclusion

It felt good to be away from it all, to be pampered and to spend a couple of days in a secluded luxurious retreat where taking long walks, reading and eating take up most of your time- though there’s much more to do if you feel like it. Hotel Las Alamandas was remodeled in 2009, and while holding on to its Mexican flare from the 1990s its grounds are exquisitely kept and bungalows tastefully maintained without forgetting exquisite food patrons expect to receive.

Las Alamandas Video Review

Resources

Hotel Las Alamandas is 2.5 hours south of Puerto Vallarta and about two hours north of Manzanillo, along a road that does need some improvement- but is being worked on. There is a private tarmac for small propeller planes though, but you must warn ahead if you’re going to fly in.

Check rate: www.lasalamandas.com

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Is this your kind of hotel? Why would you like to visit it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below and this post too if you think others might find it useful!

I was a guest of  hotel Las Alamandas during my visit but all the opinions, pictures and video are entirely my own. I mean come on, what is there not to like right??