A Mexico Jungle Retreat So Expansive It Straddles Two Time Zones

Stay Here For

A romantic, away-from-it-all experience. This is the type of resort you whisk your sweetie to for a proposal, honeymoon or milestone anniversary trip.

It’s rare that your arrival at a hotel is announced with the striking of a giant brass gong. And it’s not often that, after you’ve been shown around your room, your host offers to “cleanse its energy” with sage before they leave. But at One&Only Mandarina, both the sounding of the gong (a gesture meant to evoke a sense of tranquility) and the sage burning are standard practice.

The property—part of the 640-acre Mandarina resort and residential development—sits only an hour’s drive north of Punta Mita, but it feels much farther away. Secreted deep within a thick rainforest, it’s bordered by the Sierra de Vallejo mountains on one side and oceanside cliffs on the other. Because the resort straddles both Central and Pacific time zones, staff advise adjusting the settings on your mobile phone so the time doesn’t keep changing with your location. You, too, may want to adjust your own settings, downshifting to match the languor and ease Mandarina’s tropical environment inspires.

As your golf cart zips along the resort’s curving paths, it feels as if you’ve entered a Jurassic wonderland, overgrown with vivid green elephant ears, birds-of-paradise, fan palms and heliconia. You’ll notice coati scampering across the road and birds squawking from the trees above. But what you likely won’t see or hear very much of are other guests—families and couples, mostly—cosseted in villas so integrated into the landscape you have to squint to see them, or sequestered in cantilevered tree houses on the mountainside.

Even when all 105 rooms here are occupied, you’ll encounter other people only when you seek them out, nodding hello at one of the six pools, or waving from a few chairs over on the two broad beaches, where there’s no need to rush to claim a pink-cushioned chaise and macramé parasol. The luxury of space and privacy are central to the One&Only Mandarina experience; social types may want to go elsewhere.

If you do decide to venture out from your room (each of which is attended to by a team of hosts, who are there for anything you may need), you at least won’t need to leave your jungle bubble. The resort offers a roster of activities, from polo to hiking to paddleboarding, all within easy reach on the larger Mandarina estate. When the time does come to depart, the staff will undoubtedly wish you well with a smile and Mandarina’s signature hand-on-heart gesture, which, along with that gong, will also welcome you back.

The Essentials

The Location

One&Only Mandarina is an hourlong drive from Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR). For a seamless arrival, have the hotel arrange your transfer. Once on the estate, everything is accessible via golf cart. On the Flatlands (an expansive plain between the mountains and sea that’s part of the estate) you’ll find the Mandarina Polo & Equestrian Club with around 50 horses; tennis, pickleball and basketball courts; and Canalan Beach Club, with two pools and an Italian restaurant, Allora, open for lunch and dinner. For those in search of their big break (and a slice of Mexican beach town life), the surf spots San Pancho and Sayulita are about a 20-minute drive away.

The Rooms

Treehouse rooms were built high into the jungle to frame the best possible views.

Ranging from Treehouses with plunge pools suspended 40 feet above the rainforest floor to Cliff Villas that are barely visible within a tangle of mountainside trees, the accommodations here have a common aesthetic. Sleek yet warm, they share double-height walls clad in coumarou wood panels, plus floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that allow light to pour in and put the focus where it should be: on the splendor of nature beyond. Leather, stone, copper and brass accents add to the feeling of quiet luxury, enhanced—quite literally—by the soundproof doors, which effectively block the constant cacophony of the jungle.

Treehouses, either with ridge or ocean views, are popular with couples (children under 10 aren’t permitted here for safety reasons) and have a comfort factor that belies their entry-level position. Families and groups, meanwhile, will appreciate the self-contained Cliff Villas, which have larger pools and decks with entertaining space. The top-tier Villa One (there’s a Villa One at every One&Only resort) sleeps up to eight in three bedrooms and has its own wine cellar, cinema, spa and gym.

The Bars and Restaurants

The breakfast buffet at open-air Alma (which serves Mediterranean fare for lunch and dinner) is a sumptuous spread that includes local pastries and a make-your-own Bloody Mary and mimosa station. The Mexican Benedictine, with guacamole and chipotle hollandaise, is a must. Lunch is a casual affair, whether you choose to dine to a soundtrack of waves at the oceanfront restaurant at Jetty Beach Club or have your meal delivered to the private deck in your villa. And every sunset here is worthy of celebration, so be sure to toast to it, perhaps with a Tutu (gin, lavender, butterfly pea and soursop) at The Treetop bar, which offers incredible views of the bay below. For dinner, the nine-course Taco Bar feast at contemporary Mexican restaurant Carao is a delight that, thankfully, isn’t limited to Tuesdays.

The Standout Feature

You can access the spa’s cold plunge and pool even if you don’t have a treatment booked.

For a break from the heat, head to the spa, where the 90-minute Kayuma Cleansing Ceremony incorporates copal incense to purify your energy and finishes with an herbal massage to keep it flowing. Even if you haven’t booked a treatment, you’re welcome to enjoy the refreshing cold plunge and a tranquil pool that’s tucked into the canopy, its turquoise water dappled by shadows from the flowering fig trees overhead.

The Time to Go

From June through October, rains keep humidity levels high, so plan your trip for November through May (the high season), when breezes temper the heat.

The Vibe

For a change of scenery, check out Canalan Beach Club, home to two pools and an Italian restaurant.

What’s on the speakers: Several nights a week in Alma and The Treetop, a DJ spins shoulder-shaking remixes of R&B classics. As the kids say: We’re here for it.

The perfect spot for your social media post: Stand at the far end of the elevated infinity pool at Carao with your back to the camera, facing the sea, and ask your photographer to shoot you from the steps at the shallow end. Whether during the day or at sunset (when you’ll be artfully silhouetted), this is the place.

The design detail you won’t stop coveting: Once you realize how relaxing it is to recline on your bed or chaise in your Treehouse or villa, hypnotized by the clouds gliding silently across your skylight, you’re going to want one in every room of your house.

The family-friendly amenity that’s really for the parents: The butterfly farm at the KidsOnly club enchants guests both little and large. Come for the butterflies, stay for the stick insects and Macarena, the friendly bearded dragon, who loves to be held.

Bring your: Partner, because the combination of steamy jungle, breezy beaches and outdoor bathtubs is the ultimate seduction.

Your arrival at the hotel will be announced by the striking of a giant brass gong.

Everything Else

Lead photo courtesy of One&Only Mandarina.