An Amazing Stay: Site Inspection at One&Only Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Location

The resort is located about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport. It's best to pre-arrange transportation from the airport ahead of time either through the hotel or private transfer. The resort is quite large and includes five restaurants, a beach and beach club, a spa, and a kids club which is complimentary with your stay. The resort is located within a cliffside jungle so the staff provides golf cart rides wherever you'd like to go. The resort also includes the Flatlands which is a sprawling green area that has a beautiful beach and beach club, two restaurants and a polo and equestrian club. You can watch polo matches on Fridays and Saturdays November through May. The resort is in the process of developing a golf course.

Accomodation

The One&Only Mandarina is unique in that it doesn't have traditional hotel rooms. The resort features Treehouses that come with a private terrace and infinity plunge pool. We stayed in a Treehouse with a jungle view so we were surrounded by beautiful tropical trees, and felt fully immersed in nature. Overall the Treehouse felt high-end, eco-conscious and design-forward.

The Treehouses come in several different categories. The Ocean Treehouse has a partial view of the ocean, the Panoramic Ocean Treehouse has a an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean, and the Premier Panoramic Ocean Treehouse hovers above the rainforest and gives you an ocean view all the way to horizon and beyond.

If you're looking to visit the One&Only Mandarina with your family, they have Cliff Villas which can sleep four people. There is a king bed and a queen sofa bed. This villa works best for two adults and two children under 11 years-old. The Cliff Villas also come in the same categories as the Treehouses.

If you need more space then there are Grand Villas available. During my site inspection I was able to see Villa Banderas. It is very spacious and can be booked as either a one bedroom villa which has one king bed and one queen sofa bed so it can sleep four people, or you can book the entire villa which can sleep eight people. The second bedroom has two queen beds and a queen sofa bed. If you book the entire villa you will have two bedrooms, two sleeper sofas and three bathrooms. If you need even more space than the Grand Villas offer then you can book Signature Villas which have a range of four to ten bedrooms.

Beach

Guests have access to two beaches on the property. The Jetty beach is golden, sandy, mellow and short. The Jetty Beach Club is a great place to have lunch and take a dip in the pool. Canalan beach is in the Flatlands and it's more expansive than Jetty beach. It also has a beach club and Allora, an Italian restaurant. The resort can arrange for you to take surf lessons at Canalan beach, and if you want even bigger waves, they can arrange a surf trip to Sayulita which is about 30 minutes away.

Dining

The food is excellent at the One&Only Mandarina. There are three restaurants at the resort: Alma, Carao and the Jetty Beach Club. Carao has a menu curated by celebrity chef Enrique Olvera from Pujol in Mexico City. There are two restaurants in the Flatlands: Allora and Chukker which has Argentinian-style steak and produce grown on their farm.

I highly recommend the One&Only Mandarina for a special occasion like a honeymoon or anniversary, it's perfect for a romantic couple's getaway. The resort is also great for families with older kids, there are plenty of activities like ziplining and the kids club has treehouses for them to explore and a butterfly garden that they'll love. There is also a nanny service available upon request. Reach out and I'd love to plan your next adventure in Mexico!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Mexico. In need of further inspiration? Check out Amy Jade Dempsey’s guide, 3 Days in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico.