Discover the 10 best hotels near the US-Mexican border

Starting in the wild and wonderful city of Tijuana, Quartz Hotel & Spa can allow you to hideaway from the hustlers and the thumping party scene of the pedestrian centre. While of course testing out the gay dance clubs and bars is in the offing, Quartz Hotel & Spa brings the calm, with a holistic approach to wellbeing and an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre and spa all among its gardens. Quartz Hotel is also the perfect mid-way between the city centre and the Zona Río business district, making for easy access to nightlife as well as less-touristy boutiques and restaurants, just three kilometres from El Popo Market.

A rural red-brick retreat centred within a 4,000-acre garden complete with its own mountain, Rancho La Puerta is Tijuana’s celebrity favourite. Founded in 1940 and since visited by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Kate Winslet, Rancho La Puerta has been honing its wellness therapies for decades, now offering a full range of activities such as morning hiking up Mount Kuchumaa, yoga sessions and a number of new-age offerings such as sound therapy and cardio drum dance. The resort is the ideal place to rejuvenate the soul, choosing active days across eleven different gyms, tennis and pickleball courts, or a lazy afternoon floating in any of the four pools before taking the Sacred Moments couples massage. Healthy buffet lunches and meat-free dinners served at the ranch are also made using fresh produce from the garden.

Centre stage in Valle de Guadalupe wine region and ecological preserve, Hotel Encuentro Guadalupe needs little persuasion to visit. The minimalistic property itself is a dream, with an infinity pool area ensconced by vineyards and 20 eco-lofts that blend right in among the romantic hill landscapes. Perhaps the best designed of all Valle de Guadalupe hotels, the artful lofts here come raised on stilts and each has a balcony terrace for pinnacle sunset views across the region. Though lying slightly outside of Encuentro Guadalupe town and inaccessible by car, the hotel has its own concierge service and there are as many as 12 different restaurants to choose from in the vicinity (as well as 45 vineyards!).

Another top spot in Tijuana is the Alou Hotel Boutique, in easy reach of El Popo, Old Jai Alai Palace, and Caliente Stadium. The selection of rooms here come sleek and minimal, with warm staff providing top-tier hospitality. Like Tijuana itself, Alou embraces gastronomic trends, both at its fifth-floor restaurant that offers glittering views across the city, as well as its lobby coffee bar, which serves up regional beans to perfection. Just one hour from the start of the Ruta del Vino, Alou Hotel can also of course cater to all your wine needs.

The second of our Ensenada hotels has the added bonus of its own private beach, in easy reach of the Ruta del Vino. As well as bay views for days, Hotel Punta Morro brings spacious suites kitted out with the best facilities, each fronted by its own private balcony. In the common outdoor area meanwhile, guests share the pool, gardens and sun terraces, in earshot of ocean waves and sight pink ocean horizons come sunset. Elon Musk fans out there will be pleased to know the hotel has its own Tesla charging station on site, while its international restaurant and wine tours around Ensenada will have you feeling richer than the man himself.

Delving into La Frontera’s prohibition-era history, we move through the Riviera del Pacifico to Hotel Coral & Marina, a stylish ex casino build in 1930s Spanish styles, formerly favoured by Al Capone and supposedly the birthplace of the margarita (so rumour has it). With its roulette-wheel days far behind it, today Hotel Coral maintains its timeless chandelier-hung lobby, with balcony views over the nearby marina visited by a near constant flow of luxury yachts. Just ten minutes drive from Ensenada, 15 minutes from Playa Hermosa Beach and 20 minutes to a range of Guadalupe Valley vineyards, Hotel Coral is in amongst it all. Back on site, you’ve also got the spa and gym to pass the time, plus the famed Baha-Med restaurant and a tough toss-up between the wine or cocktail list.

One last necessary stop on the wine route is at Bruma Valle de Guadalupe, a chic bed & breakfast with just 8 suites that all lead off from the main house. Shared facilities include the living room, kitchen, pool deck and outdoor lounge area, decorated in a blend traditional and contemporary Mexican styles, with raw and natural materials used throughout. As well as supporting the regional community through its use of Baja Botanica amenities and locally sourced produce, Bruma Valle de Guadalupe also tries to promote a sense of community among its guests, offering communal dining and wine tasting as well as introductions to the staff who regularly put on special events and weddings across the grounds.

Whether you want a resort vacation, wildlife safari, city break, luxury cruise, wellness retreat, honeymoon, once-in-a-lifetime adventure or weekend escape, the trip curation experts at Mr Hudson make travel planning a breeze. Find out how we can handle the finer details of vacationing in style.