The scene above is what you’ll see if you walk down to the beach from Villa del Palmar in Baja California, Mexico. Sitting on a secluded bay and with dramatic mountains behind it, this resort—opened in 2011—has brought a new level of glamour to sleepy Loreto.

This area is best known for its abundant wildlife and you can see plenty of that using this resort as a base. Loreto Bay is a natural Protected Maritime Park and as long been a favorite with snorkelers and scuba divers. At different times of the year it’s home to killer whales, blue whales, dolphins and sea lions.

It’s easy to relax after a hike or kayak trip though, with six swimming pools on site and a huge spa with 17 treatment rooms. All of the rooms have their own kitchenette, but there are three restaurants for those who want to just kick back and enjoy the local cuisine.

Speaking of suites, it’s well worth the upgrade here as it takes you from a relatively spacious 645 square feet at the lowest rung to 1,300 square feet going one step up to a one-bedroom suite. That also gets you a whirlpool tub and a washer-dryer for your salty beach clothes.

See our full detailed review of Villa del Palmar in Loreto, Mexico.

Last week I ran down new developments I found at Travel Mart Latin America. This week we’ve got the scoop from the first Mexican summit of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. This is the organization counting most adventure tour operators as members and one of our occasional contributors, Mark Chesnut, was there to see what’s happening. Take it away Mark!

ATMEX, the Adventure Travel Mexico convention, took place September 5-9 in the city of Veracruz. Organized by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the confab brought tour operators, hoteliers and travel buyers to the World Trade Center expo facility. Discussions during workshops, panels, presentations and on the exhibit floor tended to emphasize action, adventure and ecotourism over luxury, but a few companies touted their ability to combine upscale amenities and service with eco-focused adventures.

Among the ATMEX exhibitors that appeared best equipped to cater to adventure seekers with a craving for comfort was Mexico Verde Expediciones, based in the state of Veracruz, which is one of Mexico’s best regions for whitewater rafting. Mexico Verde offers accommodations that include single and double suite-style tents with full baths, terraces and wake-up coffee service, served at the beginning of days designed for decidedly active adventures that include category III and IV rafting in Jalcomulco, jungle biking and kayaking through mangrove swamps and vigorous team-building activities, complemented by spa treatments.

Hotel companies present at the event were especially well versed at promoting their product to upscale travelers. The Explorean Kohunlich – a jungle lodge in the Yucatan peninsula, less than an hour from the city of Chetumal – offers indulgences like a couple’s Temazcal (traditional Mexican sweat lodge) treatment and picnic at the Mayan ruins of Kohunlich, as well as biking through the ruins, rappelling down dramatic riverside cliffs and kayaking through lagoons by day and night. Back at the resort, guests can sign up for additional treatments at Ki’ol Spa, or just relax in one of the 38 bungalows or two cabanas (none of which have televisions, to encourage guests to connect more with nature and less with cable).

Explorean Kohunlich belongs to the Mexican hotelier Grupo Posadas, which also used the event to promote its all-inclusive Fiesta Americana Cozumel property as an ideal base for taking advantage of the excellent diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean waters nearby.

The Villa Group was also present, promoting the adventure-friendly aspects of its upscale properties in Loreto, a Baja California destination popular for diving and fishing. The company’s Villa del Palmar Loreto Beach Resort & Spa, billed as “Baja California’s first million star resort & spa,” has suites with views of the Sea of Cortes (among the largest is the 3,270-square-foot penthouse Royal Suite), while its Sabila Spa and Wellness Center is designed to provide rejuvenation for weary explorers. Kayaking, island hopping in the National Marine Park of Loreto Bay, whale watching, snorkeling and scuba diving are among the more adventurous activities that the hotel can arrange.

In the state of Hidalgo, Sterra, a 24-room spa hotel in the town of Otongo, offers an adventure travel package that includes one night of accommodations, three meals and activities like zip lining, cycling and Swedish massage. The property also has a Temazcal, Zen garden, soccer fields and an art gallery.

Mark Chesnut writes frequently about Latin America travel for multiple publications. See more on his blog, LatinFlyer.com.

You may have read about the new Downtown Mexico hotel somewhere when it was in the planning stages, but Luxury Latin America is probably the first place you’ll read a detailed review (in English anyway) from someone who stayed there and checked it out thoroughly. One of our contributors, Jim Johnston, is an expat writer living in D.F., so he got it right after opening day to give us the scoop.

The Habita Group is one of Mexico’s most interesting and dynamic hospitality companies, with a portfolio of design hotels scattered around the country—plus now one in New York City. They’re known for interesting aesthetics, playful public areas, and bars that never fail to turn into local hotspots. Not all of them are upscale enough to appeal to our readers, but when they are we’re usually thrilled with what we find. See our previous reviews of Habita and Condesa df in Mexico City, plus Purificadora in Puebla.

Downtown Mexico is the first hotel in the historic center of the city that really appeals to discerning guests and the local scenesters—both key to the long-term success. Not all of the property is right for luxury guests as there’s a budget section (with its own entrance) and as the decor is minimalist rather than plush. Here’s what our reviewer had to say:

Downtown is more than just a hotel—its 17 rooms occupy only a portion of the massive palace. Its spacious rooftop terrace has become the hot place to meet for a drink in Mexico City. There are two restaurants on the ground floor, both in greenery filled open courtyards (with retractable covers for the rainy season), and you’ll find more than a dozen small shops on the mezzanine. The restaurant Azul Histórico is the creation of noted Mexican culinary star Ricardo Muñoz Zurita; the stores feature young Mexican designers, an art gallery, several gourmet food outlets, and shops offering traditional crafts.

So if you’re looking for a quiet spot where you’ll be pampered in seclusion, this is not the place. If you want to feel like you’re taking part in a real renaissance, however, book a room in this milestone marking a turning point in the central historic district of Mexico City.

See our full review of Downtown Mexico Hotel.

Hotels and resorts are like organic creatures: they keep evolving and changing. So what was true four years ago may not be true today.

Because of this, we are continually updating and rewriting our luxury hotel and resort reviews when there’s a new wing added, a big renovation, or a name change.

On the last count, we just posted an all-new review of Viceroy Riviera Maya, formerly Tides Riviera Maya (pictured above). Same parent company, same great service, but an upgrade on some of the amenities to bring it up to the company’s highest level brand.

Upgraded with soft lighting and sleek furniture, the high-ceiling, thatched-roofed accommodations evoke the feel of a romantic jungle retreat adorned in native textiles and warm woods. Ideal for honeymooners, the enormous bathrooms with fine touches of locally made soap are complete with indoor and outdoor showers and his-and-hers sink and closets. The airy bungalows-situated oceanfront, ocean view or nestled in the jungle-feature small private plunge pools and a patio with elegant chaise lounges and handmade crochet hammocks ideal for curling up with a book.

We also recently posted an all-new review of Llao Llao, perhaps the best-known resort in Patagonia.

In Costa Rica, we posted a new review of the best hotel in San Jose proper: Hotel Grano de Oro.

Sometimes a great colonial building hotel doesn’t have the room or the reason to change, however, and they just stay great. I didn’t feel any need to change the reviews in place for Hotel Dario or La Gran Francia in Nicaragua. In a good way, they’re timeless.

Follow the individual country links here for detailed reviews of the best luxury hotels in Mexico, Central America, and South America.

As an editor of a luxury travel blog and webzine, I get inundated with “news” releases that none of you would care about in the slightest, so most go in the virtual trash bin. This week, however, a few items have come down the line that could either impact your future travels or enhance them while you’re there.

The big news this week was that Taca/Avianca officially joined the Star Alliance network of airlines. This is a huge deal for frequent fliers going to Latin America, both from a miles earning standpoint and a cashing in standpoint. Most road warriors consider the Star Alliance to be the best network of the three, in no small part because you can book the award tickets online, transparently. (As opposed to using AAdvantage miles for Lan flights, where you have to call a representative and pay $25 to get it done.) The Star Alliance includes United, Singapore Air, Air Canada, Lufthansa, and many more. Panama’s Copa is in there too, so you’re well-covered in the Americas. See the options at Taca.com.

This story came out two months ago, but I just saw it. Apparently a staggering 95% of Brazil’s tourism is domestic. I’m sure the reciprocal visa fee doesn’t help, but tales of poor value and high airfares probably has a lot to do with it as the booming economy led to a rapidly rising currency. The World Cup and Olympics should change that number a bit though.

Speaking of Brazil, as I’ve remarked in the newsletter before, Brazil is going to have a tough time accommodating visitors for the World Cup in 2014. Their cities are woefully underbuilt when it comes to hotels (especially high-end ones). I admire Kensington Tours‘ proactive move of offering World Cup Tours of Brazil that include tickets and a place to stay. See these links for their 8-day tour and their 9-day tour.

As of yesterday, one of Mexico’s most famous chefs took over food and bar operations at Hotel Matilda in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Chef Enrique Olvera, who launched to stardom running Pujol in Mexico City, has built a menu in his style and this is a huge leap forward for San Miguel.