Catrina Parades and Candlelit Canals: 10 Luxury Hotels Honoring Día de los Muertos This Year
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- Ten luxury hotels and resorts in Mexico and the United States are marking Día de los Muertos with experiences designed to connect travelers with the holiday’s traditions.
- Offerings range from candlelit canal ceremonies and catrina workshops to community festivities, traditional meals, live music and hands-on crafts.
- The destinations span the Riviera Maya, Mexico City, Los Cabos and San Miguel de Allende, as well as Orlando and Santa Fe.
A few years ago, I happened to be visiting Mexico during the week of Día de los Muertos. Having grown up in India, I didn’t know much about this tradition. But thanks to my trip, I came away with a real understanding of this Mexican holiday and was deeply moved by it. The hotel I was staying at was hosting a vibrant Día de los Muertos celebration, which included customizing ofrendas, artisanal tasting menus, traditional candlelit ceremonies and catrina workshops (La Catrina is the elegant skeleton figure whose painted face many celebrants recreate for the holiday). It was such a wonderful immersion into Mexican culture and heritage. I still remember everything vividly.
If you’re looking to travel during Día de los Muertos and would like to celebrate this vibrant cultural tradition, read on. Below is a guide to 10 luxury hotels and resorts in Mexico and the United States that are offering travelers an opportunity to experience this deeply sacred holiday through an elevated, respectful lens.
Fairmont Mayakoba
Riviera Maya
Situated alongside 594 acres of verdant mangroves, serene waterways and a scenic Caribbean coastline, Fairmont Mayakoba offers a spectacular setting for the celebration of Día de los Muertos. Throughout the weekend, travelers can participate in a number of signature experiences. One is a ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ party at Cielo Rooftop Bar, which will feature elegant catrinas, handcrafted cocktails, delectable late-night bites and live entertainment. There’s also a Mayan-inspired Hanal Pixán celebration, where guests can glide through the mystical canals of Mayakoba, where illuminated altars rise from the mangroves with live music and cultural exhibitions.
“Our vision is to honor that heritage through authentic programming that invites guests to discover the holiday’s many expressions, honor the past and foster a greater appreciation for Mexican culture,” mentions Gonzalo Güelman Ros, general manager of Fairmont Mayakoba.
Dreams Resort & Spa and Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa
Puerto Morales and Cancún
Guests staying at Dreams Puerto Morelos and Dreams Sapphire are invited to engage with authentic Día de los Muertos festivities by visiting the local community themselves, discovering the stories behind the celebration and connecting more deeply with the destination through its people. This year, the resorts have thoughtfully curated a new experience that brings guests into the heart of Puerto Morelos (a picturesque fishing village), where they can observe and participate in Hanal Pixán and Día de los Muertos festivities, including a catrinas exhibition.
Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Los Cabos
Zadún’s elegant eatery, El Barrio, will be hosting a special Día de los Muertos dinner featuring traditional Mexican food, live music and cultural elements woven throughout the evening. The experience will focus on honoring the tradition and bringing guests together to celebrate and remember their loved ones.
Conrad Orlando
Evermore, Florida
Guests can also celebrate the spirit of Día de los Muertos at Ceiba, Conrad Orlando at Evermore’s signature rooftop, which offers panoramic vistas of Evermore Bay. On Nov. 1, Ceiba will collaborate with The Lost Explorer, a spirit brand from the culinary hub of Oaxaca, for a colorful celebration honoring Mexico’s rich culture and traditions.
Known for its elevated approach to regional Mexican cuisine and exceptional agave spirits, Ceiba will host an evening featuring live mariachi music, tarot readings, specialty cocktails and a traditional Mexican dinner. This celebration offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience this cherished Mexican holiday in one of Orlando’s most well-loved rooftop dining destinations.
The Ritz-Carlton
Mexico City
For the Día de los Muertos holiday, The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City’s on-site Mexican fine-dining restaurant Samos will serve pan de muerto, the sweet bread baked for the holiday. Carlotta Reforma, the property’s signature cocktail bar, will host a beautiful Pasaje ritual. Here, guests can raise a toast to life as they are treated to a mix of traditional Mexican music, including pre-Hispanic, mariachi and echoes of La Llorona.
“At The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, cultural richness is an important source of inspiration that extends throughout the guest experience, from the design and atmosphere of our property to the culinary and bar experiences we offer,” mentions Anandrea Hernández, director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City. “Through offerings such as our traditional pan de muerto at Samos and Pasaje at Carlotta, we celebrate the flavors, rituals and spirit of our destination, creating meaningful opportunities for guests to connect with the culture of Mexico City.”
Royalton Reserve Paraíso de la Bonita
Riviera Maya
Perched between protected mangroves and the Caribbean Sea, this adults-only, all-inclusive Riviera Maya hotel is celebrating Día de los Muertos through cultural storytelling, traditional flavors and live music. At Royalton Reserve Paraíso de la Bonita, a traditional ofrenda is the focus of the festivities, introducing guests to the symbolism of its offerings and the customs through which Mexican families honor their loved ones. Mexican sweets and bread will complement the celebration, while the resort’s signature Mexican restaurant, K’uhul, will craft time-honored recipes using the freshest, locally sourced ingredients.
In the evening, the hotel’s Bonita Piano Bar will host live entertainment with a Mexican touch. With 100 oceanfront suites, the property provides an intimate setting to explore the remembrance, love and culinary heritage at the heart of the holiday.
Rosewood
San Miguel de Allende
A short walk from San Miguel de Allende’s UNESCO-listed historic center, this hacienda-style hotel welcomes travelers to experience Día de los Muertos through citywide festivities and intimate cultural traditions. On Nov. 2, professional makeup artists will pop up at Rosewood San Miguel de Allende to create catrina-inspired looks before guests join the city’s annual parade. Celebrations continue at the hotel’s eatery, Jardín Rosewood, with traditional Mexican dishes, specialty cocktails, live music and a catrina contest overlooking the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.
Other highlights include chef Odín Rocha’s seasonal dinner at Pirules Garden Kitchen and Tonalli, a cocktail inspired by the Mexican milpa and ofrenda rituals, featuring copal notes, hoja santa, cacao and corn, served with a traditional blue corn sweet from Puebla.
Montage
Los Cabos
At Montage Los Cabos, guests can celebrate Día de los Muertos with a special dinner at Mezcal, the resort’s signature Mexican restaurant. The experience is complemented by executive pastry chef Aurelien Revil Signorat’s creative Día de los Muertos pastries, including traditional pan de muerto, Galletas Caritas (skull-shaped treats featuring Mexican ingredients like mango with chili and pitaya) and a Churro Croissant blending Mexican flavors with French technique.
The resort’s central lawn will also feature handcrafted altars and catrinas crafted by associates, alongside live entertainment, family activities and complimentary churros and hot chocolate.
Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Collection
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Located on 317 secluded acres bordering Santa Fe National Forest and minutes from downtown, the 98-room resort invites travelers to enjoy a range of complimentary festive experiences in celebration of Día de los Muertos. Bishop’s Lodge’s Día de los Muertos programming offers guests an opportunity to connect with the cultural traditions and symbolism of the holiday through a forest immersion honoring the past, hands-on folk art sessions (papel picado and paper marigolds) and a chance to contribute to the resort’s ofrenda. Guests can also take part in a traditional piñon burn, offering a moment to remember and honor their loved ones.
Park Hyatt
Cabo del Sol
Park Hyatt Cabo del Sol’s restaurant Mesa Madre will be hosting a Día de los Muertos Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 1. The décor and ambiance will be adapted to honor the occasion and celebrate Mexican traditions. On the culinary side, guests can enjoy a selection of traditional Mexican antojitos and curated culinary stations that exhibit Mexico’s rich heritage, highlighting authentic flavors and recipes inspired by family gatherings and local traditions.
