Review: Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection

Why book? Spacious, thoughtfully designed rooms where everything is sourced locally—from the soap to the furniture, a completely private white-sand beach with a direct view of the Marietas islands, three giant infinity pools leading down to the beach, and comforting Mexican food thoughtfully elevated by chef Tonatiuh Cuevas. But it’s the relaxed, down-to-earth vibe and the whales breaching as the sun sets behind Bahía de Banderas, the largest bay in Mexico, that seals the deal.

Set the scene At the heart of the resort are three pools (one lively, one for families, one for zen) that cascade toward the private beach. At the beach, with perfect waves for both swimming and surfing, a Huisache tree and an art installation of three pieces of driftwood stick straight up in the sand are on show. The same trio of wooden pillars are a somewhat mascot of the resort, on display at the entrance and in each room, representing the “soul and power of the local origin people,” the Indigenous Huichol. At the swim up bar of the lively top pool, I sipped a chili mezcal margarita alongside a double date of speedo-clad men exclusively chugging Ruinart, a chic middle-aged couple reigniting their flame, and successful 30-to -40 somethings sporting black Alo hats and Hermès sandals, the latter is who I’d expect you’ll most likely encounter here.

Everything about this property is seemingly curated to feel more like a boutique hotel than an all-inclusive. It’s normal to stumble upon things like a sound bath experience on the beach led by a local bohemian who infuses jazz with the singing bowls or a sombrero making class. The on-site boutique, a Fashionkind outpost (opening in December), co-owned by Nina Farran and Sophia Bush will comprise only of Latin American designers creating positive social and environmental impact, and the design by Paul Duesing and Glazier Le Architects, sporting stone walls that continue from the balcony to the interior of the room with pebble-floored rain showers clad in colorful tiles almost entirely Mexican made and also supports local and regional makers, artisans, artists, and purveyors, solidifies the POV of being a boho-fresh, intentional, and barefoot sanctuary for those in-the-know. Don’t get me wrong, it still feels like a resort. Just a resort that is focused on what is important to today’s customer: A sense of place with a sustainable slant and a celebration of the local culture, with a transparent and direct line to how the resort is investing in its community—this one is through the sourcing of staff, food supply, design details, and everything in between.

The backstory A completely new build managed by Auberge Resorts Collection, a U.S.-based company with 26 resorts from New York to Cabo, it's the pristine location that has been front-of-mind for owner, Tim Koogle, ever since he purchased the plot over a decade ago. He was drawn to this specific coastline of Punta de Mita for its rather untouched beach, the views of Isla Marietas, and the region’s history, as well as a big investment to the Carib-Mexico region in recent years.

The rooms With touches such as a dream catcher made from sea shells and driftwood found along the sand that looks like a craft project a family made after a day by the ocean, the room design brings elements of the beach inside. These elements contrast with the more sleek additions like the high-end rugs and furniture, creating a singular design language. The piece-de-resistance though is the spacious patios that overlook the resort’s cascading pools and the beach, or for lower level rooms a private splash pool and private lawn area. Depending on your preference: view or pool—request a room either on the second floor or ground level. Rates from $1,332 per night.

Food and drink The restaurant, Casamilpa, is informed by the area’s Indigenous Huichol culinary traditions, offering a Mexican farmhouse concept by chef Tonatiuh Cuevas. I particularly enjoyed the warm ceviche that is a tribute to a local street vendor, Fabian, who, as the story goes, mixed all of his already famous Aguachile with hot shrimp broth in his cart one day, in the region of Nayarit. Cuevas wanted to pay homage to the fluke of a dish by elevating the techniques and ingredients and placing it on his fine-dining menu. But don’t miss the Al Pastor spit-roasted tacos and Raicilla margs at the beach bar. I had the pleasure of learning about Raicilla (one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets!) during an educational tasting, which the resort offers in partnership with La Reina distillery, a hand-crafted Raicilla distillery led by Ana López and Juan Pablo Mercado. The spirit is a sister to Mezcal and Tequila, also produced from agave, but is unique to this region of Mexico.

The spa During my stay, the spa wasn’t complete yet, but that didn’t stop the spa director from creating an oasis in a few adjoining guest suites for the time being. I did tour the massive 31,300 sq. ft. structure that is going to be the spa come early 2023, complete with its own pool and 11 treatment rooms. It’s going to be a remarkable space. The massage was sublime—my masseuse included a skin treatment that soothed my sunburn. But the experience that helped me shed pent up emotions I didn’t even know that I needed to release was the sound waves sound treatment (which will be offered in the spa pool) by Ana Barreto, a local healer based in Puerto Vallarta, who comes to the resort and leads a sound experience which interacts with the water, changing cellular frequencies as you float on your back and trust her expert guidance.

The area 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta and 25 minutes from the party-and-surf town of Sayulita is a quiet beach enclave that Susurros del Corazòn now calls home. Punta de Mita, the area where the resort is located, is quickly changing—and for the good according to my Cuate (what the resort calls the personal concierges who are assigned to each room) Rodolfo Alvarado. A lot of the businesses coming here are respecting and integrating local and Indeginous cultures unlike other popular tourist areas in the country. The rapid development of the area is best viewed by water. I noticed it on my way to the Marietas Islands, a centerpiece of the Pacific view from Susurros, floating in the distance. The uninhabited island chain is designated as a National Park, recalling The Galápagos Islands, not only due to the fauna and rock formations, but because it’s one of the only places in the world were the Blue-Footed Booby (and Yellow-Footed Booby) can be found outside of the Ecuadorian islands.

The resort has no neighbors and a west-facing white-sand private beach which allows beach chair access well into the evening (which is a welcome departure from the staff kicking you off your lounger at 6pm, as sunset is becoming the most colorful), and just the right amount of tide to enjoy a leisurely swim or to try surfing for the first time–the resort offers lessons for anyone aged 5-and-up.

The service I was first greeted with the exclamation: “Welcome home!” which I have to say gave me White Lotus energy, but as I got to know my cuate Roldofo during our welcome tour, who introduced me to many of the employees by name from a pool attendant (Pablo) to a housekeeper (Vanessa), who shared smiles and greetings, I started to understand the sentiment. Fast forward a few days, and I started also getting to know each of the staff’s names because people from every department would stop when they saw me and chit chat, time and again. It started to feel like the staff were neighbors.

For families There is the kids club that is located steps from the family pool, where children ages 5 to 12 can go for activities, crafts, and games. There is also a resident component to this property with villas ranging from two- to seven-room options that are available as nightly rentals for larger families or groups—each with their own kitchens, pools, and yards (with grills!).

Eco effort The property and the buildings were plotted to keep as much of the natural habitat intact and nestle the hotel amongst the natural landscape of mangroves and bluffs without disruption. There is an ecologist on site that helps with animal protection and responsible relocation. And the property has worked very hard to eliminate all single use plastics and is completely paper free. Guests will all check in at their room with their cuate 100% digitally.

Anything left to mention? As with any resort, it’s all too easy to stay on property. Take advantage of the car transfers to the surrounding towns and curated experiences that give guests a glimpse of the community and the destination. It’s a large effort for the resort as well, so they will be all too pleased to see guests interested in learning more about Mexico. But even if you opt to stay on property, learning about Mexico is a given, and that is what makes this resort so special.