Sonora is a vast desert state in northwestern Mexico bordering Arizona, spanning the Sonoran Desert from the Sea of Cortez coastline to the Sierra Madre Occidental foothills. Its capital, Hermosillo, sits at the base of Cerro de la Campana, while the coast delivers the resort towns of San Carlos and Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), the historic port of Guaymas, and the UNESCO-listed volcanic dunes of El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar. Inland, the restored silver-mining Pueblo Mágico of Álamos preserves one of Mexico's best-kept colonial cores, far from the standard tourist circuit.
Luxury hotels
Five-star and palace properties.
Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa
A AAA Four Diamond-rated collection of restored 18th-century mansions and a 17th-century sugar mill in the heart of Álamos, with four pools, gardens and a full-service spa.
Marinaterra Hotel & Spa
A 134-room oceanfront resort with Sea of Cortez and Tetakawi headland views, San Carlos's flagship full-service hotel.
Sonoran Sun Resort
A beachfront condo-resort on Puerto Peñasco's Sandy Beach with ocean-view units, pools and a spa, close to the Arizona border.
Cuatro Palmas Hotel
A boutique luxury property in central Puerto Peñasco with high guest-satisfaction ratings, an alternative to the larger condo-resort towers.
Grand Hotel Hermosillo
Hermosillo's established business-luxury hotel on the Boulevard Kino corridor, with a full-service spa and event facilities.
Hotel Playa de Cortés
A colonial-style mansion hotel overlooking Guaymas bay with more than 60 years of history, gardens and a semi-Olympic pool.
Fine dining
Michelin-starred and chef-driven restaurants.
Bermejo
A modern take on Sonoran cuisine from Tijuana-based chef Javier Plascencia, elevating carne asada and regional grilling traditions with local produce.
La Barcaza Oyster Bar
Baja California oysters alongside tiraditos of dorado and yellowfin tuna and grilled seafood tacos in Hermosillo.
Restaurante La Siesta
An old-school steakhouse serving classic Sonoran beef cuts in a formal sit-down setting, reflecting the state's cattle-ranching identity.