The Big Six: Vintage retreats in Mexico

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Verana, Puerto Vallarta

Verana is the perfect antidote to nearby Puerto Vallarta. A 10-minute drive, 30-minute boat ride, then a hike or donkey ride transports you from the busy beach resort to Yelapa, the rustic location of this cliff-side retreat. Set in lush surroundings overlooking the Pacific, the collection of casitas borrows from mid-century modernist and indigenous architecture using a combination of glass, concrete and stone.

Verana, Yelapa, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco (001 310 455 2425; verana.com ). Doubles start at US$320 (£213), room only.

Rosas y Xocolate, Mérida

The name of this colonial restoration project hints at what lies within: not so much floral arrangements and sweet treats, but a vivid palette of pink and dark wood. However, this being the region where Mayans reputedly first established cocoa plantations, the hotel does have a gourmet chocolate shop. Antique tiles have been reused to create "carpets", and centuries-old building techniques employed to keep the hotel true to its location. The addition of modern luxuries completes the indulgent package.

Rosas y Xocolate, Paseo de Montejo 480, Colonia Centro, Mérida, Yucatán (00 52 99 99 24 29 92; rosasandxocolate.com ). Doubles start at US$236 (£157), room only.

Hotel de Cortes, Mexico City

This early 17th-century baroque monastery was converted into a hotel back in 1780. Today, resplendent with original features, it offers modern comforts that range from a rooftop bar to an Haute Mexican cuisine restaurant in the courtyard and a spa. Situated in the historic centre, the hotel is also a springboard for exploring the baroque, beaux-arts and neoclassical architecture in the vicinity; plus the green expanse of Alameda Central park is on the doorstep.

Boutique Hotel de Cortes, Avenida Hidalgo 85 / Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City (00 52 55 55 18 21 81; boutiquehoteldecortes.com ). Doubles start at US$173 (£115).

Maison Couturier, Veracruz

Just outside the town of Veracruz lies this sympathetically restored 19th-century plantation estate. The essence of the French immigrants that built it is kept alive inside with classic Provencal styling and black-tiled bathrooms.

Maison Couturier, San Rafael, Veracruz (00 52 55 89 68 79; maison-couturier.com ). Doubles start at 1,416 pesos (£73), room only.

Hotel Boca Chica, Acapulco

This recently renovated hotel is helping restore the glamour of Acapulco's 1950s heyday. The mid-century structure houses a contemporary take on the original design, where geometric prints take on tropical colours.

Hotel Boca Chica, Playa Caletilla, Acapulco, Guerrero (00 52 74 44 82 78 79; hotel-bocachica.com ). Doubles start at US$103 (£69).

Casa de los Frailes, Valladolid

This colonial house was restored by perfumiers Coqui Coqui, whose fragrances recreate the scents created by 16th-century Franciscan monks. Gardens have been planted with frangipani, peppermint, lime and gardenia.

Coqui Coqui Valladolid Residence & Spa, Calzada de los Frailes, Calle 41a 207, Valladolid, Yucatán (00 52 98 48 79 10 69; coquicoquispa.com ). Doubles start at US$262 (£175).