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External Reviews
Travel + Leisure: "At the Hotelito Desconocido, a new resort on Mexico's Pacific coast..., luxury and concern for the environment go hand in hand."
Stay in houses-on-stilts with the Pacific lapping beneath; your very own rowing boat will be anchored by your front door
Features
- Child Friendly
- Kayaking
- Swimming
- Pool
- Beach
- Nature tours
- Wildlife
- Fishing
- Horse Riding
- Windsurfing
- Yoga
- Boating
- Spa
- Beauty Treatments
| Hotelito Desconocido - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | |
Sustainability Scorecard
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From $175 USD per person per night
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good for you
Wake up to fresh coffee and breakfast treats in your cabin-on-stilts overlooking the Pacific, and hop aboard your very own rowing boat to feast on fresh crabs, avocado and lobster at lunch, before a beachside stroll or a nap in the hammock.
This "little unknown hotel" as its name translates, is fast shedding its obscurity; having received plenty of attention from the press and now listed in the 'Hip Hotel' guides and most importantly, earning rave reviews from guests. So much about the place is idyllic and deliciously romantic - the beautiful views of the ocean and the estuary, cabins on stilts - that come with boats, outdoor showers with great views, spacious verandahs, the silence (save for birdsong and the waves), the rooms decorated with Mexican bright colours and art, and the incredibly good food. Along with the in-house spa treatments and warm, helpful staff, the resort's sustainability features make it the perfect place to relax and disconnect. In fact, disconnecting is compulsory, with no electric lights in the rooms, no TV and no internet in the rooms.
Each evening, the resort, rooms and pathways are lit by the soft glow of candles and torches.
While lazing around and enjoying an afternoon massage before sipping margaritas and gazing at the sunset are all the activity required of you, you may choose to explore the estuary by kayak, take a horseback ride along the beach or explore the area on bike, take a trip to the local fishing village, send newly hatched turtles safely to sea or take windsurfing lessons.
good for mexico
The accommodations and other buildings are built on stilts from natural materials, leaving a minimal footprint; solar heating warms the bathwater, ceiling fans replace air conditioning, and there's no electric light in the rooms. You make your way around the property by rowboat and eat organic food, much of it grown on the property. The staff members are all locals, and you can get involved in the hotels' sea turtle conservation project.
The charm of Hotelito is that it truly is a rustic getaway destination._The very concept of a luxury hotel with all its modern trappings-electricity, flashy restaurants and buzzing nightlife -are wonderfully absent from Hotelito Desconocido. Instead there is alternative powered ceiling fans, biodegradable products and organic food. __Each evening, the resort, rooms and pathways are lit by the soft glow of candles and torches.
Highs
- This is a place that feels like a resort, with in-house massages and magnificent food, without all the usual environmental downsides such as wasted energy. Who wants to watch TV when you can gaze at the sunset over the Pacific?
- The location is secluded and incredibly beautiful, making this a perfect place for honeymooners and others looking for a romantic holiday.
- The rooms, perched above water on stilts, the rooms are brightly decorated in Mexico's signature colourful style, many with four poster beds and Mexican art on the walls.
Lows
- While the friendly staff members give you insights into Mexican culture, you are a long way away from nearby communities and there are few places to explore in the immediate vicinity (children in particular may get bored after a couple of days).
- With an estuary dividing the hotel, and the rooms all sitting on stilted platforms, the location isn't ideal for disabled travellers.
Rooms
There are 24 palafitos - or rooms / cabins - at the resort, some with beach views and the others with estuary views. All have spacious verandahs with great views, ceiling fans (no air conditioning) and mosquito nets, white cotton sheets, and an excellent housekeeping service that sees candles lit throughout your room to welcome your return from dinner. There are no lights in the room so bookworms are advised to bring a torch or flashlight! The buildings are all-natural and designed for minimal environmental impact, either raised above the water on stilts (these can only be accessed by water and come equipped with a row boat) or nestled into sand dunes.
All the buildings are designed in a style that's in keeping with traditional Mexican architecture and rooms are decorated with Mexico's trademark fabulous bright colours and design. Many have individually designed Mexican colourful, four-poster beds romantically draped with mosquito nets. All rooms are equipped with fluffy towels and robes, 24-hour solar powered hot water and biodegradable bath products.
There are four kinds of palafito:
palofito cuartos
The palafito rooms are housed in units of two and have wonderfully soothing views over the estuary and the gardens. They are located on the mainland and you can walk to the restaurant for dinner. Each has an oversized terrace with spectacular sunset views, and there is one power point and a reading lamp in each room.
palafitos playa
The beach rooms are snuggled into the sand dunes across the estuary, right on the beach and surrounded by cactus of all shapes and sizes. You can be first to the pool in the morning, but you'll need to take a boat across the water for breakfast and dinner. Beach palafitos have one king bed or two queen beds. There is no electric light in these rooms, which rely on candlelight. There are amazing sunset views, which you can enjoy from the terrace or the daybeds located in some units.
palafitos suites
These suites are built close to or over the estuary waters in the main section of the hotel. One has two king beds in a duplex arrangement and all have terraces with expansive views. These rooms have individual character and are very spacious. One suite is also located on the beach - it has a delightful outdoor living area and a verandah with great ocean and beach views. All have private terraces complete with hammocks. There is no electric light in these suites.
palafito master suites
The glorious master suites stand directly over the estuary waters, facing the ocean. Your very own rowing boat will be anchored by your front door. Open the wide double doors and the whole room is exposed to the sea breezes - the views across to the beach are truly lovely. The back door returns you to solid ground via a few steps, and you can walk to dinner if you don't want to take the boat. Oversized terraces with hammocks, comfortable chairs for reading and enjoying the sunset views, and oversized outdoor showers with bamboo walls that allow you to enjoy the view even while bathing.
Food
The food is one of the highlights at Hotelito, with traditional Mexican food cooked innovatively, and most of the super-fresh ingredients coming from the ocean and the hotel's own vegetable gardens. The food is mostly organic. The lunch and dinner menus are updated daily, and the kitchen is happy to cater to special diets or preferences.
You'll awake and employ the hotel's innovative phone-free system of ordering coffee - sending a red flag up a pole. Your coffee and biscuits will arrive, arming you with sufficient energy to row or stroll to the restaurant for a hearty cooked breakfast at El Cantarito, one of the hotel's restaurants, which sits on stilts over the blue water with a view of the estuary.
Later, you'll enjoy a delicious lobster lunch at Nopalito, the beachside restaurant and bar, which also operates as the beach club and snack bar. A lavish and plentiful dinner based on Mexico's rich culinary tradition is laid out at El Cantarito each evening.
Features & Facilities
- Twice-daily housekeeping service
- Private airport transfers
- No-smoking rooms
- Valet parking
- Front desk services
- Pool and beach service
- Safe deposit at front desk
- Bottled pure drinking water
- Biodegradable bathroom amenities
- Extra beds for extra guests
- Telephone, internet and fax service at front desk
- Laundry and ironing services
- Concierge
- Yoga Room
- Relaxation Room
- Board games and a book collection
- Meeting areas
- Horses, bikes, kayaks and other sporting equipment
- On-site spa providing steam saunas, Jacuzzi, and treatments including Swedish and shiatsu massage, stone therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, mud bath and exfoliating treatments.
Local Info & Activities
Hotelito Desconocido is quite a distance from nearby towns. However, there are plenty of activities organized by the hotel.
activities provided by the hotel:
All of the activities take place along the Ermitaño estuary under supervision of the activities
coordinator, Jorge.
- A pleasant tour along the coastline (1 hour car drive), visiting a local fisherman's village, where you can do some snorkeling, observing the colorful fish and look for the sunken boat by the bay.
The tour includes transportation, water, towels, snorkeling gear, snack and tour guide, and optional fresh seafood caught by the local fishermen.
- A tour to the hotel's secret beach, perfect for body surfing, swimming and enjoying nature
(25 to 30 min. car drive). The tour includes transportation, water, towels, snacks and boogie boards.
- A 2-hour tour around the village of Cruz de Loreto where you can visit the local church and take in the surroundings. The tour includes transportation, water, and tour guide.
- Have you ever caught your own lunch? Jorge will show you how to catch your lunch on the estuary of Ermitaño by traditional panga boat. Includes, fishing gear, drinking water and guide.
- Enjoy a scenic tour by panga boat along the Ermitaño estuary observing the different types of birds in the area, or walking around the property with the resident tour guide. Includes a bird list, binoculars and drinking water. From 2-4 people at a time.
- Help to preserve the local sea turtles. At night, the resident biologist will take you in a 4-wheel motor looking for turtles and watching the process as they lay their eggs. You'll help to collect them, and they'll go to the hatchery where they're safe from predators. The tour includes drinking water, biologist guide and all participants receive a Hotelito t-shirt.
- A horse riding tour will see the guide will take you across the jungle, to gallop along the sandy beach of Hotelito.
- Additional activities include windsurfing classes, cycling, and kayaking.
Sustainability
For energy, Hotelito Desconocido uses a stationary electricity generator which covers the minimum electricity requirements for the management office to operate. Because there are no televisions, no air conditioning and no electric light in most rooms, power use is kept to a minimum. Showers are heated with solar energy.
Food is mostly supplied by the hotel's own harvest, and is almost all organic.
The hotel plays an important role in the local economy, employing people from the closest village, La Cruz de Loreto. The staff works at the hotel by day and most return to their families in the evening.
The hotel has an ongoing project of nestling and nursing sea turtles from June to December. There is a professional licensed person taking care of the project and he is on site most of the time. The project helps boost the sea turtle population by protecting hatchlings from predators. Guests can participate, releasing hatchlings into the ocean - un unforgettable experience.
All the construction materials used to build the resort are natural and recyclable.
All products and bathroom amenities are organic and manufactured by people from the region.
The owner is Mr. Marcello Murzilli, an Italian designer for the Charro jeans and clothing brand.
Getting There
The hotel's location is quite remote. Most guests fly to Puerto Vallarta Airport and make their way by road. The hotel offers a private transfer from the airport, at additional cost. The trip is 2 hours.
From the USA there are several airlines with direct flights (non stop), like Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, America West, Alaska Airlines and AeromŽxico among others. There are many car rental companies at the airport.
Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.
Rates & Bookings
oct 30 - dec 17, 2008
Palafito Room US$220.00
Palafito Beach US$267.50
Palafito Suite US$290.00
Palafito Master Suite US$39500
may 01 - oct 29 2008
Palafito Room US$175.00
Palafito Beach US$202.50
Palafito Suite US$232.50
Palafito Master Suite US$312.50
January 08 - April 30, 2008
Palafito Room US$205.00
Palafito Beach US$247.00
Palafito Suite US$267.50
Palafito Master Suite US$360.00
included / excluded
- Rates are per person, per night.
- Breakfast is included.
- Taxes of 17% are excluded.
- For full board (all meals), an additional charge of US$80.00+15% taxes per person, per night applies.
- Rates do not include beverages, activities, spa treatments or gratuities.
- Check-in: 3:00 pm- Check-out: 12:00 pm
booking & cancellation policies
- 15% of the entire cost of stay + 2 nights accommodation is required to secure the reservation.
- If a cancellation is made prior to 30 days in high season or 14 days during low season, before arrival date, then a 10% of entire cost of stay applies as a cancellation fee. If a cancellation is made within these time limits then a cancellation fee of 10% + the cost of 2 nights stay plus tax is charged in high season and 10% + the cost of 1 nights stay plus tax is charged in low season.
Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.
