High Design and Art Details at Susurros del Corazon Resort

At this point in my life I’ve probably stayed at 100 hotels and resorts in Mexico and many of them blend together in a sea of sameness. Some really stand out for their strong attention to detail wherever you look, however, like at Auberge resort Susurros del Corazon in Punta de Mita, north of Puerto Vallarta.

This is a resort where the designer walked the fine line between Mexican tradition and modern Mexico and managed to pull it off without going too far in one direction or the other. Sure, it’s better to favor modern design for a modern resort, especially when you just opened a few years ago, but not so far that people wake up and can’t remember if they’re in Paris, Palm Springs, or Puerto Vallarta. You still need a sense of place, even though the world’s design elements are widely shared and remixed now.

Susurros del Corazon is Mexican through and through, something that’s obvious as soon as you step out of your vehicle and are handed a tepache (lightly fermented pineapple) drink and are offered it with or without a spirit from Jalisco. When we got to our room, the welcome gift was a little boat filled with traditional Mexican candies.

The attention to detail follows you throughout the stay, but here are a few cool aspects that illustrate the strong attention to detail and thoughtful design at this Auberge Resort. Be sure to check out the video tour to see the grounds and rooms. Then scroll to the end for a link to our full review.

Decorative Additions Aren’t Just an Afterthought

How many hotels have you stayed in where the artwork is the same in one city that you saw in another? Or the best they could do was buy 150 of the same city photo print to add some “local artwork” to the walls? They weren’t having any of that at this Auberge resort.

At Susurros del Corazon, the whispers are subtle but the artwork was chosen with care. You might have traditional masks on the wall, a carved goat figure by the door, jaguar heads made from black Oaxacan pottery, or mobiles made from driftwood and seashells.

These are not just one item per room either: you’ll find artistic surprises in the bathroom or in the entrance foyer too. Then check out these amazing hand-painted mirrors in the public bathroom by the swimming pool!

Even the Mundane Items Have Thoughtful Design Elements

Even at many luxury hotels, it is obvious that the designer did their job well for what they were tasked with, but then the procurement people took over when it was time to stock the room with necessities. Out came the hotel supply catalog for all the mundane items that are a part of any hotel room, like towels, robes, toiletry bottles, and an ice bucket.

Not at this design-focused resort though. For one thing, some of those mundane items that are standardized are hidden away in a drawer or cabinet, like the Bose Bluetooth speaker, the lie-flat safe, and the minibar fridge. When they’re out and seen, however, they’re beautiful to look at instead of mundane.

That photo above shows the interesting wall with embedded stones, the unique textured cabinet containing the minibar, and a standing basket that looks decorative. It’s not just decorative though: it holds the ice bucket that is refilled at turndown.

The robes here are appropriate to the climate and unique, but then the slippers are woven reed ones that are an upscale version of what you can find at the market. There’s a poncho in the closet too if you want to really step back in time when sitting by the fire pit.

Then the shot below is indicative of the careful design choices applied in the bathroom: these ceramic, leather, and stone items were clearly not pulled from a supply catalog used by Marriott and Hilton. They take cues from Mexican craft items and feel connected to the Earth.

This idea of making the utilitarian items beautiful extends to almost every element in your room or suite. The light fixtures are custom ones with natural elements incorporated, such as woven reeds or fibers, or surrounded by a handmade basket. Bedside lamps are crafted from polished animal horns. The pillows include local weaving or embroidery panels.

Surrounded by Art

The artistic elements are not confined to the rooms, suite, and residences, however. Right at the entrance as you arrive, several sculptures are prominent and bubbling fountains are a work of art themselves. The two boutiques feature a few essentials but are filled with quality local handicrafts and designer clothing made in Mexico, not factory-made junk like you’ll see at the airport.

While you normally don’t see much besides liquor bottles at a swim-up bar, even that space is utilized as a canvas, the whole wall the width of the pool covered with wooden Mexican masks depicting different animals.

At the restaurants, which are beautiful even without the ocean views, the napkins and hand-embroidered by local craftswomen, the plates and mugs are ceramic, and the glasses are blown-glass beauties.

Then the carefully tended grounds are a work of art as well, a riot of colors and smells to delight your senses as you wander around the public spaces. See a full tour here to get an idea of the overall design and some of the specifics:

You can book a stay here in a regular room (which is still quite large), a suite, or one of the residences in the rental pool with multiple bedrooms. Or hey, buy one to stay in instead and rent it out when you’re not there. Some have been resold already and others are under construction as I write this in the new phase. See the new residences details here.

See our full review of Susurros del Corazon, an Auberge Collection Resort.