World Events:Hotels for… Day of the Dead

“Mexico’s most recognisable holiday is best known for face-painted revellers, skull-shaped confectionery and colourful parades. In fact, Day of the Dead is a festival of many faces, and it’s just as much about respectful remembrance and paying tribute to the departed. Whether you want to enjoy the carnival side or experience the traditional folk festival will influence where you spend 31 October to 2 November in Mexico. Here are four hotels for Day of the Dead in key locations, each offering a different spin on the festival.

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Hotel Real de Minas, Guanajuato
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One of Mexico’s most picturesque colonial cities, San Miguel de Allende was put on the map for world travellers when artists began to flock there in the 1940s. Nowadays it’s famous for the full week it dedicates to celebrating what it calls La Calaca Festival (the Skull Festival). It’s a spectacular full-scale arts festival with parades, shows, talks and parties. The city’s famous neo-Gothic church, La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, is also a must-visit; the Day of the Dead marks the one time each year when its crypt is opened to the public (usually on 2 November). Hotel Real de Minas is walking distance from the church and the rest of San Miguel de Allende’s historic centre.

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Hotel Trebol, Oaxaca
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Oaxaca is the best-known destination for Day of the Dead celebrations, with the state capital of Oaxaca City the focal point. Be sure to visit the city’s huge main market, Central de Abastos – it’s an assault on the senses any time of year, but it’s fantastic on 31 October, when stalls are stacked with sugar skulls and pan muerto bread. As well as the vivid processions the city is most famous for, Oaxaca is the place for the more solemn, traditional side of the festival, with cemetery vigils and altars around the city. Hotel Trebol is in the city centre near the market and places you ideally for exploring the rest of Oaxaca’s celebrations, with modern facilities and a welcoming, authentic feel.

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Occidental at Xcaret Destination, Quintana Roo
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If you want to combine your Day of the Dead visit with an all-inclusive beachside stay, try the Occidental at Xcaret Destination resort on the Riviera Maya. It’s next to Xcaret Park – a theme park-cum-eco reserve dedicated to celebrating Mexican culture and nature, with jungle tours, reef snorkelling and a replica Mayan village. The park puts on one of the biggest festival celebrations in Quintana Roo, with live music, cultural exhibits, tours and performances added to the traditional events, and it’s perfect for families. Sure, it’s a little touristy, but when the festivities are over you can head to the private beach or one of the resort’s five pools.

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Hotel Porton del Cielo, Michoacán
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Patzcuaro holds some of the most spectacular Day of the Dead events in the country, and is famously synonymous with the festival. Cemeteries are decorated with marigolds, the gorgeously ramshackle colonial streets are lit up with candles and traditional craftsmen show off their creations. The real unmissable spectacle is on the nearby island of Janitzio on Lake Patzcuaro, where the cemetery is covered in candles and members of the indigenous Purepecha group perform traditional dances. If you want to see the real folk festival, come to Patzcuaro and book a stay in the Hotel Porton del Cielo just outside the city centre.”