Luxury travel booms in Mexico.

Spring Break beaches and border towns do a disservice to Mexico's reputation. Luckily, the country's rich history, diverse topography and world-renowned service define Mexico more than keg parties and drug trafficking do. Which explains why Mexico's luxury travel market continues to rise.

Compared to a lot of popular destination sites around the globe, a tourist or local can indulge in top notch pampering in Mexico for less money than one would expect. It is reasonable for a visitor to rent a kayak for the day to see gray whales in Los Cabos, enjoy a decadent massage in Valle de Bravo, play a round of golf on the Riviera Maya or even purchase a second home equipped with maid, gardener and butler.

Juan Diaz Rivera, director of Sales and Marketing for the resort Capella at Pedregal de Cabo San Lucas, attributes the heightened travel business to the baby boomers in the United States who are recent empty-nesters with time, energy and money to spend on pampering themselves. His clients are mostly in their 50's and 60's and enjoy scuba diving, eco-sports, kayaking, fishing and hiking.

Salim Sacal, secretary of Tourism for the State of Mexico, thanks the recent plethora of small luxury hotels and larger five-star hotels with spas and golf courses for the luxury travel upsurge in Mexico.

Other factors luring tourists to Mexico include current world affairs, terrorist attacks elsewhere, good weather and outstanding service.

"We believe that people from the United States feel very safe in Mexico. It is a country that makes people feel well received, safe and is close to home. Also, the diversity of destinations and cultural attractions contribute to a rise in luxury travel in Mexico. Travelers today are interested in new experiences," adds Alan Becker, director of Promotora Punta Nizuc, a planned five-star hotel and residential project near Cancun.

Although prevalent, Americans are not the only tourists indulging in Mexico's luxury services. Travelers from Europe, Canada, South America and even Asia are vacationing at top resorts in Mexico. In fact, the department of Tourism reports that Mexico pulled in over US$10 billion from foreign tourists in 2004. Becker believes the number will almost triple by 2025.

Foreign tourism helps the Mexican economy, but patriots take advantage of their country's vacation spots too. However, because of its distance from Mexico City, Los Cabos is not as popular with Mexicans as Acapulco, Cancun and the colonial towns.

"The affluent market and luxury travel are always on the rise in Mexico because Mexican travelers know what they are looking for, what to expect from the product, and they are always looking for new ways to be in touch with nature," says Jacqueline Benitez, director of Sales and Marketing in Mexico and Latin America for the Luxury Collection, part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

Weather, culture, safety and good service draw people to Mexico, but the diverse vacation properties maintain a high level of interest among discerning travelers. The country offers everything from private villas to Abercrombie & Kent's Safari Quest, a small expedition cruise ship in the Sea of Cortes with ten staterooms at US$3,995 to 5,995 dollars per person. Guests can even request bathrooms with jacuzzi tubs and a sea kayak for whalewatching.

TRENDY HACIENDAS

Updated haciendas with modern amenities are trendy, too. "They take you to another time," says Benitez. The Luxury Collection highlights properties such as the Hacienda Uayamon in northern Campeche, built in 1700. Some travelers outside of Mexico envision haciendas as dilapidated spots without air conditioning, but the stereotype rings false. The Hacienda Uayamon, for instance, offers guests a pool, spa, sophisticated meals and horseback riding.

Private villas are increasingly popular in Mexico. Benitez says that the people who frequent the luxury market enjoy privacy and want distance between themselves and the hotel staff, so private villas are always appealing to honeymooners and families. Nancy Strong, founder of Strong Travel Services based in Dallas, Texas says her typical clients in Texas are parents who take their newly engaged child and partner to a multi-bedroom villa in Mexico since the flight is short and airline schedules between the neighbors more frequent.

Barring natural disasters, golf resorts like El Tamarindo in Jalisco state and Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort will always survive since companies often use them for retreats. Large resorts contain business centers, Internet access and meeting rooms to draw business travelers, yet offer enough activities to attract families, too.

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"We want to appeal to the board directors of General Motors, people who are millionaires in their own right. I want to be able to say 'If you want to have a board meeting in Los Cabos, bring your families down, have your meeting and working lunch off the main conference room and then have fun with your kids and wife,'" says Rivera.

A fairly new but rising trend for vacation properties in Mexico is residences attached to hotels or resorts. The properties tend to be second homes where couples or families enjoy the "hotel experience." Benitez says residences are increasingly common since they make safe investments. If they find they do not have the time to spend in Mexico, owners can rent their all-inclusive homes to other luxury travelers. The St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City plans to include residences, as does the Sheraton in Cancun, if Hurricane Wilma did not irreparably damage the property.

"The market is increasingly looking for value-add. Luxury travelers don't just want the house. They want the house, butler, spa, yacht club, on-site restaurant, etc. They want the house but they do not want to worry about the hassles of owning it, having to deal with the property management, etc. They want to be pampered and receive domestic services they could not get in the U.S.," says Rivera.

Assuming a luxury traveler has the money to pamper herself at a Mexican hacienda or resort, how much should she budget for? Strong says an across-the-board budget for the entire country (colonial towns to ritzy beach resorts) is US$600 to 1,000 dollars for a room, food and entertainment per day per person. However; she aims higher when referencing private villas such as the Four Seasons Resort at Punta Mita's new five-bedroom villa. The addition includes a sub-zero refrigerator, top-line appliances, private pool and maid service. A realistic budget for a traveler seeking to stay in such a private villa ranges between US$3,000 and 10,000 dollars according to Strong.

Of course, location and season determine prices. Sacal says areas such as Valle de Bravo and Ixtapan de la Sal in State of Mexico cost US$250 per tourist per day. Inland destinations tend to cost travelers less than beach destinations. Before this year's hurricane season, Cancun's average budget was US$611 per tourist per day with an average stay of 4.7 nights, says Becker. Benitez's clients spend more when staying at getaways such as El Tamarindo Golf Resort, roughly US$1,500 per couple per weekend. And then there is Los Cabos, the most expensive Mexican destination. Rivera advises a tourist seeking upscale accommodations such as Pedregal de Cabo San Lucas to budget US$2,500 to 10,000 dollars per day for their room, meals and activities.

How does one know where to go when he has the budget? Travel experts say word of mouth, the Internet and magazines are large sources of information for luxury travelers. International brokers and agents certified by the American Society of Travel Agents such as Nancy Long are valuable too. Last, Rivera says travel consultants are big with his clients, who pay them thousands of dollars either on a retainer basis, yearly fee or per trip to advise them where to go.

So whether you seek a facial before hiking to an accessible Mayan ruin or a guided snorkeling trip after a five-star lunch, Mexico should make your list of travel destinations this year. The culturally rich country offers enough diversity in the way of properties and prices to appeal to luxury travelers worldwide.