Whether you call it Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, the meaning is the same. This age-old tradition brings family and friends together around Mexico, to commemorate deceased loved ones. Vibrant flowers and creative altars pop up around the nation between October 31 and November 2, and some people dress up and leave offerings at the graves of family members. But you don’t have to be from Mexico to participate in Day of the Dead activities — several Mexico hotels have made it easy to join in.
Destinations like Oaxaca, Mexico City and Merida are especially good for tapping into local culture during Día de los Muertos, with processions and costumes like the skull-faced, elegantly dressed Catrina among the most common sights. But if you’re interested in combining the holiday with a stay in a luxury hotel in Mexico, not to worry. More Mexico hotels than ever are staging their own unique Day of the Dead events this year. With activities centered around this memorable annual event, your next Mexico vacation just might be the most unique trip you’ve ever taken.
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DON’T MISS: Day of the Dead is a Vibrant Event in Mazatlan, Mexico
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Rosewood San Miguel de Allende
The historic town of San Miguel de Allende hosts a sizable Día de los Muertos event on November 1, and the luxurious Rosewood San Miguel de Allende hotel is offering the opportunity for guests to enjoy it. Special hotel services this year include Día de los Muertos makeup sessions for two, allowing guests to have their faces painted as traditional skulls ($115 per session), as well as tickets ($70 each) to a pre-parade cocktail party at the hotel, followed by participation in the Catrina parade through the city. Guests can also join the Catrina Gala Dinner (for $175 per person), which takes place on the Rosewood lawn, featuring traditional Mexican food and beverage, as well as a Catrina costume contest.
Chablé Yucatan
Mayan people in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula celebrate their own version of Día de los Muertos, called Hanal Pixan, or Food of Souls. The luxury hotel Chablé Yucatan stages its own Hanal Pixan event as part of a Day of the Dead package that’s filled with a variety of activities and programming from October 31 to November 2. Couples, groups and families can indulge in an authentic Yucatecan celebration, while enjoying traditional Pib and Mucbipollo meals, joining a Catrina costume contest, creating Ofrenda altars, and having the opportunity to have their face painted or take tamale cooking lessons, as well as listening to traditional music, dancing and storytelling. In addition to themed-activities, the Day of the Dead hotel package also includes daily breakfast, a three-course lunch and dinner with set menus, one 60-minute spa treatment per person, round-trip airport transfers to Merida International Airport and daily scheduled wellness activities such as yoga and meditation. Rates begin at $3,450 for two; additional guests are $1,000 and children are $600.
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WANT MORE? Where to Celebrate Day of the Dead Around Latin America
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Hotel Xcaret Mexico
In Mexico’s Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast, Hotel Xcaret Mexico focuses on the traditions of a different Mexican state every year for its Day of the Dead festivities. San Luís Potosí is this year’s featured destination, and festivities are divided into four different art forms: theater, music, dance and gastronomy. Activities include a mezcal pairing dinner with Michelin starred Mexican Chef Carlos Gaytán, as well as Chef Orlando Trejo and Chef Fabiola Meraz, with cuisine inspired by the featured state as well as the Mayan region. The hotel’s Hanal Pixan dinner, served at Las Cuevas restaurant near the property’s caves and cenotes, is centered around a special menu inspired by Día de los Muertos. Guests will also be treated to to live entertainment including international performers and acrobats like Jose Mendoza y Los Cazadores, Trio Xochipitzahuatl, Erik de Luna, an actor who portrays a character named La Catrina Azul.