LAST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 2, 2024
This post shares our experience staying at Hotel Maraica San Pancho, a tropical eco-resort in the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.
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About Hotel Maraica San Pancho
Just steps from the beach in laid-back San Pancho, Hotel Maraica is an eco-friendly hotel designed in harmony with nature and the tropical environment it is situated in.
The hotel encourages guests to unplug from technology and connect with themselves and nature through activities such as yoga, spa treatments and simply just being present in the beautiful surroundings.
We recently spent three nights here and came away refreshed, rejuvenated and re-energised.
From the hammock overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the balcony of our room. To the fresh, healthy food at their onsite restaurant Muvieri. And daily sunsets that light up the sky, it’s impossible not to fall in love with Hotel Maraica San Pancho.
🌿 Convinced you already? Book your stay at Maraica here
Getting to San Pancho
Maraica sits about one kilometre out of the centre of San Pancho town (officially known as San Francisco), in the Mexican state of Nayarit.
The closest airport is PVR – Puerto Vallarta International Airport, approximately one hour away by car.
It’s possible to organise a taxi from the airport, Puerto Vallarta or other nearby towns such as Sayulita.
Or if you’re feeling adventurous you can catch the local bus, which runs along Highway 200 from Puerto Vallarta.
The bus doesn’t actually drive into the town of San Pancho, it drops you off on the highway, near the OXXO.
From there, you can walk approximately two kilometres to the hotel, or grab one of the taxis which are generally hanging around near the bus stop. We went for this option after getting off the bus from Sayulita and it was just 80 pesos.
🌈 Read our complete guide to San Pancho
The rooms
The rooms at Maraica focus on natural materials and feature a minimalist, tropical design.
There are options: one king-size bed for singles or couples, or two doubles for friends, or families.
Most rooms feature incredible ocean views from the balcony and the macrame hammocks make for the perfect spot to relax.
The palm roofs and open-air style utilise the ocean breeze to provide natural cooling without the need for power-intensive air-conditioning.
You won’t find a TV in the room, but you will enjoy the sound of waves crashing all night and the sounds of the gardens coming alive with birds in the morning.
We slept with our curtains open each night, and woke with the first light and views over the ocean from our bed – pure bliss!
Communal amenities at Maraica
It was difficult to drag ourselves away from the balcony with those stunning ocean views.
But the entire property at Maraica is oriented towards the Pacific Ocean, with blue vistas wherever you turn. And the lush tropical gardens and stunning pool were too beautiful to resist!
The property centres around the rainforest-style pool, on-site restaurant Muvieri (more on that later) and the elevated yoga deck.
We spent many hours lazing in the lounges by the pool, reading and swimming.
The contrast of blues from the pool, the sky and the ocean and the vibrant greens from the tropical gardens was simply stunning!
The elevated yoga deck is situated above the restaurant and features a large open space with mats available. As well as plenty of comfortable seating, that can be used for meals or to read and relax.
Dining at Muvieri
The on-site restaurant at Hotel Maraica San Pancho, Muvieri dishes up a range of delicious, fresh healthy meals.
We were blown away by the range and quality of dishes here, and whilst many are a fresh take on Mexican cuisine, it was a nice change from the tacos we had been eating constantly!
Smoothie bowls, avocado toast, poke bowls, fresh tuna and salads were just some of the options on the menu and everything was amazing. Fresh, light, zesty food at an affordable price meant it was difficult to find a reason to leave the hotel at all!
We had a room-only package, but it’s possible to purchase an all-inclusive package that includes your meals too.
If you’re looking to really relax for a few days and want to stay put on the beautiful grounds of Maraica, I would highly recommend this option. This isn’t your typical hotel food, and I have no doubt you will love every meal.
Sustainability at Hotel Maraica San Pancho
What really drew us to Maraica was its sustainability practices.
The property has been designed to integrate seamlessly with the natural environment and utilizes natural materials in its construction.
The property is not only powered with solar power, there is also a strong desire to conserve power by removing unnecessary appliances such as air conditioners and televisions.
Wastewater from the property is recycled and reused for the gardens. And you won’t find a single-use plastic item anywhere.
Bathroom products are organic, and locally sourced in refillable bottles.
There are filtered water stations with glasses all over the property, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. And no styrofoam, straws or plastic cutlery is used in the restaurant.
Nature is at the heart of Hotel Maraica San Pancho and you can feel it throughout every element of your stay.
Our experience
The second we walked into the property, we instantly felt relaxed.
The lush gardens, ocean views and palm-thatched rooves oozed tropical vibes.
The beds and pillows were the most comfortable we have experienced on our travels so far, and we slept great. The shower was also blissfully hot and high pressure, which isn’t common everywhere in Mexico.
We spent a lot of time relaxing at the hotel over the three nights we stayed, which was a welcome break from our busy travel schedule over the previous few months. It was amazing to wake up and know we had nothing to do.
We started our day with yoga overlooking the ocean. Followed by coffee and a delicious breakfast from Muvieri.
From there, it was a tough choice between the hammock on our balcony or a lounge by the pool. And after a blissfully relaxing day, watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean was the cherry on top!
If you’re looking for some peace and refuge in this part of Mexico, you can’t go past Hotel Maraica.
It’s a far cry from the concrete jungle of Guadalajara, the busy resort city of Puerto Vallarta and even nearby Sayulita which has grown in popularity quickly.
It was the perfect getaway, surrounded by nature, peace and quiet. And you have the benefit of enjoying the luxury, knowing it’s not impacting the beautiful environment you find yourself in.
For a sustainable, eco-friendly hotel that doesn’t sacrifice design or style, we highly recommend a stay at Hotel Maraica San Pancho.
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