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4 of Mexico's Best-Kept LGBTQ+ Travel Secrets

Brandon Berkson READ TIME: 5 MIN.

Queer travelers have been heading to Mexico for decades. Our fall collaboration with Hotels Above Par, where we highlight our favorite LGBTQ+-friendly hotels and destinations, continues with the U.S.'s southern neighbor.

[READ MORE: 4 Hip LGBTQ+-Friendly Boutique Hotels Across the U.S.]

Maxwell Residencies

Maxwell Residences
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Puerto Vallarta is often considered the capital of Mexico's gay travel scene. When here, stay at the luxe Maxwell Residences, owned and operated by 22-year-old hospitality entrepreneur Elliot Kimelman. The concept offers the privacy of a vacation home–one with sea-facing terraces–plus the amenities of a resort. Also, it's only a 15-minute walk from the LGBTQ+ bars in the Zona Romantica.

Casa Hoyos

Casa Hoyos
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

San Miguel de Allende's well-kept Spanish Colonial-style architecture, artist community and restaurant scene galvanize American travelers to trade in their Mexican beach vacation for an inland yet culturally rich getaway. Here, 16-key boutique hotel Casa Hoyos employs a design that melds contemporary Mexico with colonial reimagination.

Visit rooftop bar BEKEB for city views and refined cocktails: Owner Fabiola Padilla, a former mixologist at famous New York City bar Cosme, is heavily involved in Mexico's LGBTQ+ community and welcomes queer travelers with open arms.

Rosas & Xocolate

Rosas & Xocolate
Mérida, Yúcatan

The chromatic colonial town of Mérida has welcomed the LGBTQ+ community for years. This embracement was only further solidified with host state Yúcatan's recent legalization of same-sex marriage. Stay at the all-pink Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel & Spa: Each of the 17 rooms has a private outdoor Jacuzzi, and the in-house restaurant delights gourmands at first bite.

El Alquimista

El Alquimista
Zipolite, Oaxaca

Nestled on the coastline of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Zipolite attracts queer travelers from near and far: Hosting Mexico's only nude beach and an array of gay-owned businesses are to thank. Stay right in front of the beach's queer section at El Alquimista: a boutique hotel and restaurant that same-sex couples heavily frequent.


by Brandon Berkson

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