I had the One & Only Mandarina on my personal travel wishlist for quite a while. Mexico has always been a travel favourite of mine and when I saw pictures of the resort, it was love at first sight: The Riviera Nayarit’s landscape, the lush greens of the tropical rainforest, the white-sand beaches and swimmable seas… All this paired with the world-class One & Only Resort experiences such as the outstanding spa and dining from world-renowned chefs seemed almost too good to be true.
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I decided to combine my visit with work-related travel to LA as the One & Only Mandarina is only a short 3.5 hour flight away from LA. Arriving at the resort was everything I dreamed of and more! Initially, I booked a cliffside villa but was upgraded upon arrival and it was an absolute dream come true! All villas are immersed in nature and tucked away amidst the mountains and full of wildlife. Our breathtaking room was called Villa Cumaru aka “The Honeymoon Villa” amongst resort staff as it’s the only villa with 1 bedroom and all features are so romantic, especially the open-air terrace with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.
Other core highlights were the indoor-outdoor living connection with a full floor-to-ceiling window with access to the terrace which featured a private pool and even a hot tub with fire pit – so dreamy for sunset cocktails.
The resort also has two beach clubs which are both stunning! We were so lucky to experience all the restaurants and absolutely loved the variety. Foodie highlights were a 9-course taco experience at Carao restaurant and the sharing concept at Jetty Beach where we dined during sunset and it was magical. All plant-based dishes were out of this world!
As an absolute animal lover, I loved being so connected to wild nature especially when walking to breakfast, seeing lots of birds and the local coati (we are aware – they are naughty, they stole our food multiple times ;)) and we even saw a few alligators on our way to a nearby beach club.
If you’re planning a romantic getaway in all senses with amazing food and connection to nature, the One & Only Mandarina is the perfect place!
