Dia de los Muertos looks different from region to region, with Mayan Hanal Pixan traditions on the Caribbean coast, mariachi on the Pacific coast and giant skeleton festivals in San Miguel de Allende. Read on for part one of two:
Dia de los Muertos by Hyatt
Two of Mexico City’s biggest moments land on the same weekend this fall. Dia de Muertos and the Mexico City Grand Prix converge Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, and Andaz Mexico City Condesa has built its programming around both.
The marigold, known as cempasuchil, is one of the holiday’s most recognizable symbols and anchors the hotel’s plans. From Oct. 26 through Nov. 4, The House in Bloom, a collaboration between Leonela and the hotel, turns the property into a site-specific installation, with sculptural cempasuchil moving throughout. A separate collaboration with Surco focuses on the scent of Dia de Muertos: cempasuchil and copal fill the lobby alongside handcrafted barro negro candles. Guests can also take part through Catrina face painting.
At Derba Matcha Cafe, seasonal items include pan de muerto with orange blossom, cinnamon, guava and cempasuchil sugar, along with mandarin cheesecake with cempasuchil compote.
For advisors with clients attending the races, the hotel runs a shuttle to and from the event. Back on property, Portico hosts UXMAL, the hotel’s taqueria-inspired pop-up, which recreates the neighborhood taco stand with carved-to-order tacos, handmade tortillas, molcajete salsas, aguas frescas and craft beers. After dark, Cabuya Rooftop carries the celebration into the night with sunset DJ sets and Dia de Muertos-inspired cocktails made with Catrin, mandarin, orange blossom, mezcal and more.
Impression Isla Mujeres is hosting a two-day Hanal Pixan program for Dia de los Muertos on Nov. 1-2. Hanal Pixan is the ancient Mayan tradition of honoring and remembering departed loved ones.
The schedule starts with a traditional Mayan cooking class, where guests can learn about ancestral culinary traditions. An intimate workshop follows, in which guests create their own personalized ofrendas. In the evening, live ancestral music and an energy purification experience set the tone for remembrance. The next morning brings a Day of the Dead coffee experience.
The celebration closes with an Ancestral Dinner inspired by Mayan gastronomy and an Ancestral Mayan Show that brings the region’s traditions, heritage and symbolism to life.
Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan Golf & Spa Resort is the newest all-suite, all-inclusive resort and the first of its size and scale in the area. It sits inside the gated Estrella del Mar community, 10 minutes from the airport.
For the holiday, families can join a Catrina parade, get their faces painted and help decorate a traditional altar honoring loved ones. Mariachi performances run as guests walk the resort and a traditional Mexican feast includes pan de muerto.
Clients who want more than the holiday programming will find an adults-only section with a private pool and swim-up bars, a waterpark with a lazy river, a full-service spa and wellness center, and kids’ and teens’ clubs. The golf course is among Mexico’s most prestigious.
Adult travelers can celebrate on the Riviera Nayarit at Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort, an eco-conscious, all-suite resort between the surf-friendly beaches of Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Architect Sordo Madaleno designed the property.
The holiday centers on the Main Plaza, where a traditional altar stands among papel picado, marigolds and Catrinas. Guests can try pan de muerto and freshly prepared Mexican dishes, join tequila tastings and order themed cocktails. Live mariachi performances play as the celebration continues into an after-party with music and dancing.
Outside the holiday programming, the resort has ocean views, the area’s only rooftop infinity pool and a full-service spa with guided hydrotherapy and treatments. The spa’s design draws on the nearby Marieta Islands. An on-site zipline adventure park includes a ZipBike, hanging bridges and a free-fall jump. Throughout the stay, guests receive the resort’s signature Unlimited-Luxury inclusions.
San Miguel de Allende’s NUMU Boutique Hotel serves as a home base within easy reach of the city’s events, including the annual Festival de la Calaca, held Oct. 30-Nov. 2. The festival features giant skeletons, ofrenda exhibitions, Catrina face painting and events in Parque Juarez and the historic center.
At the hotel, guests can have their faces painted as Catrinas and attend a Dia de Muertos dinner designed as a sensory experience. The curated menu is built for blind tastings, so traditional flavors arrive in an unexpected way.
Around the city, travelers can find altars in historic plazas, try seasonal pan de muerto or join an intimate candlelit callejoneada through San Miguel’s cobblestone streets.
For more information, visit world.hyatt.com.
Mondrian Mexico City Condesa
Mondrian Mexico City Condesa is marking the occasion with an art exhibition, a participatory altar, themed food and drink and three excursions, giving advisors a cultural stop to offer clients.
Perla Arroyo, creator of the Calavera Mexicana project, is showing a contemporary interpretation of the Mexican skull in a limited-time exhibition tied to identity, memory and the duality between life and death.
At The Flower Shop, the hotel’s cafe and concept store, guests add notes or mementos to an ofrenda, the traditional altar honoring deceased loved ones. A limited-time menu includes the Cold Brew Ofrenda, the Cafe de Olla Cappuccino and the Pan de Muerto Latte. Pan de Muerto breads come in flavors from Goat Cheese and Guava to Chocolate and Hazelnut.
Events include:
Marigold Flower Fields (Through Nov. 2, 2026): A trajinera boat tour of the Xochimilco ecological reserve, a World Heritage site, includes a stop at a chinampa, or floating garden, to learn about the marigold’s planting, uses and history.
Pan de Muerto Food Tour (Oct. 29 to Nov. 2): Guests visit two Mexico City bakeries to sample traditional and innovative breads with Mexican hot chocolate while learning the holiday’s traditions.
Mixquic Day of the Dead Experience (Nov. 2): An excursion to San Andres Mixquic, where hundreds gather overnight at the cemetery with candles, flowers and prayers.
For more information, visit mondrianhotels.com.
