Welcome to the second iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, an index of the 100 best spas in the world, built from the expertise of our global editors and trusted contributors. There is a lot to choose from in the world of wellness, and no matter how far you’re planning to travel—from a subway ride to a trans-Atlantic flight—we want to make sure it’s worth the journey. Whatever your path, let us be your guide.
Why go here?
Close to Sayulita and Punta Mita, the One&Only Mandarina is a secluded 80-acre resort set amid a dense jungle landscape at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Whether your room looks over the canopy or the cliffs, the emphasis here is on the extraordinary natural environment, with floor-to-ceiling windows of the rooms framing a landscape shaped hundreds of years ago by a now dormant volcano. The spa emphasis here is on the healing powers of nature.
Photo: Courtesy of One&Only Mandarina
What’s the vibe?
“Instead of building walls, we worked on the landscape to provide those screens for you…,” notes Kerzner international head of design, Hakan Ozkasikci. (Kerzner is the hotel operator behind One&Only.) “We actually started a conversation with nature to ask for its assistance.” The result is a resort that’s elegantly integrated with the surrounding environs. From your room, you might spot a tejón—the adorable long-tailed raccoon—and chattering chachalaca birds. In the rainy season, a skylight above the bed will keep you attuned to the shifting of the clouds. Personal plunge pools are bordered by lush ferns, elephant’s ears, and birds of paradise. In fact, the area surrounding Mandarina offers one of the most diverse microclimates in North America.
The whole resort is so thoroughly nestled within the landscape that it’s not immediately obvious that 105 villas have been constructed amid the jungle. (There are multiple-bedroom villas within the resort, but also a number of private homes available to rent or own in four- to eight-bedroom configurations. The resort will work with you to tailor them to your needs and offer all their amenities.) The goal, as Ozkasikci puts it, was for the buildings to “hide in plain sight.” Conjure the scents of sage, palo santo, and eucalyptus wafting through open-air haciendas, and you’ll get the general feel.
Photo: Courtesy of One&Only Mandarina
What’s the history?
With the many One&Only resorts located around the world, and a philosophy that keeps each location firmly rooted in the landscape in which it’s embedded, the company has built up an extremely solid reputation for offering one of a kind experiences. This location opened in 2020, and at the time brandished the distinction of being the only spa in the world to offer Tata Harper’s Sensorial Reset, a “wellness immersion” appealing to all five senses. Count them among the precipitators of the “journeys” and “voyages” now commonplace among spas across the world.
Photo: Rupert Peace/Courtesy of One&Only Mandarina
What should I try?
The conversation with nature continues in the spa, where an open-air waiting area is a treatment on its own: Watching the foliage (and the occasional tejón trotting by) has a meditative effect that leads into experiences like Nature’s Sanctuary, a two-hour session that includes a facial with Tata Harper products, a foot and hand massage, and a tuning fork ritual. The resulting effect is like waking up after a deep sleep of intriguing dreams to find your skin is tighter and your eyes have a new gleam. A good part of the menu has been designed in homage to local Indigenous cultures, including its main attraction: the traditional temazcal, a kind of Mayan sweat lodge that combines medicinal herbs, heat, steam, and incense.
Photo: Courtesy of One&Only Mandarina
How environmentally friendly is it?
One&Only Mandarina is committed to low-impact architecture designed to embrace the dramatic setting rather than alter it. A prime example: The entire 27,000-square-foot spa was constructed around a large higuera blanca (white fig) tree and built from local materials like cumaru wood and stone extracted from the site itself. Excursions beyond the spa (and resort) are designed to be low-impact on the surrounding landscape. And of course, the nontoxic and organic Tata Harper products are known for their environmental bona fides.
What else should I know?
This isn’t an adults-only kind of place. In fact, the One&Only Mandarina prides itself on incorporating a family-friendly approach into the very architecture of the place. Look no farther than the playground of suspended bridges that weave between the trees (which happens to have been designed by Brigitte Broch, who won an Oscar for her set decoration work on Moulin Rouge). The kids program at One&Only Mandarina isn’t the kind where the kids are tempted into a windowless room by the promise of unlimited screen time. Rather, efforts have been made to make sure that the children are getting the most out of the landscape as well: They hunt for treasure in the tree houses, nurture caterpillar gardens, and paint outside in an amphitheater. There’s even a resident biologist who will mentor and instruct your budding lepidopterist. With this in mind, you can settle into your massage knowing the kids are thrilled to be left to it.
Who can go?
The spa is only open to guests at the hotel.
–Adapted from Ella Riley Adams
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