5 Best Hotels in Around Mexico City, Mexico

This former country club morphed into the one of the most upscale resorts in Valle. All guest rooms have fireplaces and great views of the pine forest. If the 18-hole, par-72 golf course doesn't tempt you, perhaps a massage, facial, or yoga class at the high-tech spa will. The property is about 10 minutes from Valle de Bravo, so if you didn't come by car you'll need to take taxis into town.

Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton built this monumental hideaway in the 1950s, after her long search for a site with excellent weather and an interesting history. The Japanese theme is pleasingly consistent, flowing seamlessly from the imposing entrance to the lobby and bar. Restaurante Sumiya, which serves international and Japanese food, is so good it draws people who aren't staying at the hotel. The rooms are in the far part of the garden for privacy, and many have sublime garden views. To reach the hotel, which is about 15 minutes south of town at Interior del Fraccionamiento Sumiya, take the Civac-Cuauhtla exit off the Acapulco Highway.

A colorful history distinguishes this grand hacienda, built in 1529. Now it's a haven of quiet with lush gardens—disturbed only by birdcalls, the splashing of a waterfall, and the ringing of a chapel bell. If you'd like to get even more blissed out, visit the spa, which includes a traditional temazcal. Antiques fill both the public areas and the spacious guest rooms. Outstanding Mexican food is prepared in an inviting open kitchen close to the pool. The hacienda is 35 minutes outside Cuernavaca.

An experiment in "holistic tourism" is making waves at the foot of the Quetzalcóatl mountains in the village of Amatlán. From the traditional adobe structure to the use of feng shui, the complex, which includes a spa, is designed to blend with the environment and soothe guests. Rooms have wicker meditation chairs set in bay-window alcoves from which to absorb the unparalleled views. Rates includes breakfast and some activities. The resort is roughly a 15-minute drive from Tepoztlán.

An American expat opened this hacienda-style hotel in the 1950s, and it is still one of the best lodgings in Cuernavaca, even though it has lost some of its magic. The ample rooms are outfitted with traditional fireplaces, hand-carved bedsteads, hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms, and gilded crafts. The restaurant ($$–$$$), with its spectacular open-air terraces and garden inhabited by flamingos, peacocks, and African cranes, is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon enjoying a leisurely meal. Sadly, the quality of the food isn't as reliable as it once was. However, you can't go wrong with traditional dishes like the well-prepared mole poblano or the sopa de tortilla (tortilla soup).