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

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 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
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
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
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.