Which are the best luxury hotels in Riviera Maya? The best resorts include Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, Chablé Maroma, Grand Velas Riviera Mayan, Le Blanc Spa Resort, Fairmont, NIZUC Resort & Spa, Ritz-Carlton Cancun, and Rosewood Mayakoba.
If you love to lounge on the beach, serenaded by the surf, look no further than the Riviera Maya, sprawled along the Yucatan’s northern Caribbean coast. The area surrounding Riviera Maya also offers horseback riding, golfing, shark feeding, dolphin swims, snorkeling, and scuba diving on the second-longest barrier reef in the world. Step into the past with a tour of the Mayan Ruins, like seaside Tulum, or sail off into the sunset aboard a catamaran.
While some of the best hotels in and around Cancun are All-Inclusive, most of the best are not, so most of the below hotels are not All-Inclusive.
1. Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa
Belmond hotels are some of the best in the world. We are major fans of the Belmond Cipriani Venice and the Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa is similarly good, in a different way.
This boutique hotel is beachfront. 63-rooms are aligned with the azure sea and are hidden among 200-acres of lush jungle on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Spend your days with your feet in the soft sand and cocktails in your hand. Try the award-winning spa or indulge in fantastic food at the two restaurants, the bar, or the celebrated wine cellar. At night, the staff light 1,000 candles around the hotel, one by one, making the atmosphere even more magical.
2. Banyan Tree Mayakoba
The Riviera Maya meets the Orient at Banyan Tree Mayakoba. In the ancient Maya language, Mayakoba means village over water. Banyan Tree Mayakoba is true to this definition, surrounded by lagoons, and mangroves and bordered by the sea.
Here, attentive staff members remove their shoes when entering the 123 villas and residences, each of which is decorated with handcrafted Mayan furnishings and features both a private pool and an outdoor soaking tub. Expert therapists utilize traditional Asian healing techniques in the renowned spa, while the Thai-infused restaurant, Saffron, is overseen by chefs from Thailand. Golfers navigate over a cenote on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón, a PGA championship course; guests can also take a boat tour around the mangrove-lined canals. The Tulum and Coba ruins lie nearby.
3. Rosewood Mayakoba
Surrounded by the emerald embrace of the jungle and caressed by warm Caribbean breezes, Rosewood Mayakoba is built along a network of lagoons and the Caribbean Sea.
Rosewood Mayakoba is imbued with the unique spirit of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Situated along a mile-long arc of white sand on the Riviera Maya, Rosewood Mayakoba is the heart of a 620-acre luxury resort enclave located 40 minutes south of Cancún and north of the charming seaside village of Playa del Carmen.
The resort’s 129 suites and 11 villas are strikingly modern in design. Upon arrival, guests are transported by luxury boats or golf carts to their own personal sanctuary. All of the suites feature crisp, open spaces, contemporary furnishings, wooden lattices, and glass-hiding doors for natural airiness. Accommodations are complemented with such details as spacious bathrooms, plunge pools, and private boat docks. There is also a collection of multi-bedroom Private Residences which offer a private heated plunge pool and a stunning view.
In terms of dining, the elegant restaurant Casa del Lago serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Punta Bonita offers guests Mexican cuisine in a casual atmosphere with a beachfront view. Agave Azul celebrates the Asian cuisines from the northern region of Mexico. Aquí Me Qudo’s La Cantina serves the best of Mexican street foods and drinks with freshly made, Caribbean coastal-inspired fare out of a retro-fitted food truck at the adult’s only seaside oasis. La Fondita draws inspiration from Mexico City’s neighborhood spots, serving favorites like tostadas, tacos, and aqua Frescas. Pan Dulce highlights the sweet side of Mexican cuisine, specializing in pastries, cookies, bread, and custom desserts. Both La Fondita and Pan Dulce are located in El Pueblito. The resort also features bar options; Casa del Lago Bar, Punta Bonita, Aquí Me Quedo, and La Fondita.
4. Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun
Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun is a luxury All-Inclusive boutique hotel in Cancun with great food and top-notch service. Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun is perched on a tranquil beach with a stunning turquoise ocean.
This is a smaller hotel than most of your other options in the hotel zone in Cancun. The hotel offers stylish decor in calming white and greys, and the staff are brilliant. They will run you a bath, hand you a towel as you get out of the pool, and refill your poolside cocktails before you even realize you need a refill.
The pools here are lovely, with an infinity pool by the beach and a smaller pool on the terrace. Both pools offer free food and drink. For meals, there is à la carte dining with French, Italian, and Asian food included as well as room service 24/7.
5. Chablé Maroma
The brand-new Chablé Maroma, Riviera Maya is 30 minutes from Cancun yet feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Cancun’s popular beach nightlife. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the area but want to avoid the resort of Cancun itself, this is a great hotel choice.
Guests can enjoy a convenient retreat to Chablé Maroma, which offers a collection of 70 villas featuring private access to 650 feet of prime beachfront, private pools, and moon showers. The spacious villas offer glass walls that bring nature in and an inviting outdoor living area.
With an emphasis on whole-body well-being, the resort induces relaxation with a beach yoga deck, a full-service spa with eight treatment cabins, water sports, a gym, fitness classes, and cooking classes. Chef Jorge Vallejo of Mexico City’s acclaimed Quintonil and his team created innovative Mexican dishes that highlight local ingredients and seafood. As a member of Leading Hotels of the World, Butler and Concierge service sweetens the stay for guests in search of impeccable and memorable service.
6. NIZUC Resort & Spa
Less than 20 minutes from Cancun International Airport, The award-winning NIZUC Resort & Spa is set along the Yucatán Peninsula, where ancient Mayan astronomers studied clear night skies. It also lies on a gorgeous beach facing the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.
NIZUC Resort & Spa is located in a new destination called Punta Nizuc at the gateway of the Riviera Maya and just a few minutes from Cancun. The resort offers 274 luxurious suites and private villas dispersed throughout its 29-acre property. Guests can enjoy the resort’s 109 pools, six world-class restaurants, a private jetty, and a 30,000 ft² spa.
NIZUC Resort & Spa’s 274 ultra-luxury Punta Nizuc suites overlook either the breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea or the verdant mangrove trees and water canal. The suites offer walls of windows and a private terrace or balcony. Select suites include panoramic ocean views, a private garden, a private pool or plunge pool with cascade, and an outdoor shower.
7. The Fairmont Mayakoba Playa del Carmen
The Fairmont Mayakoba Playa del Carmen, is situated in the heart of the Riviera Maya, approximately 42 miles or 70 km south of Cancun. Set over 47 acres, the AAA five-diamond resort has spacious rooms and suites in the main building and in two-story casitas, with stunning views of the sea, golf course, mangroves, or lush tropical forests.
The resort’s 401 guest rooms, including 34 suites, are located in a traditional low-rise hotel building and clustered throughout the property in 90 two-story Casitas with two to four rooms each. Between sunrise over the Caribbean and a night sky filled with the same brilliant stars that inspired the Maya, you have plenty of time to savor the fare at one of four exceptional restaurants. Wake up to an Oceanside breakfast and unwind with a poolside lunch; regroup with cocktails at sunset and wind up with some very sweet endings.
There is a young adult/children’s center equipped with games and computers, as well as an outdoor play area. Beach horseback riding excursions are popular at nearby Loma Bonita, while every conceivable water sport is offered along Playa del Carmen’s easily accessible string of main beaches, including Playa Tukan.
Fairmont’s private beach is located just a quick ride from the resort. Take a bike, ride the shuttle, or take or take the electric boat across the magnificent sapphire blue waters, bordered by a white powdered sandy beach.
Fairmont Mayakoba was voted one of 2012’s “Top 121 Golf Resorts” by readers of Conde Nast Traveler for a good reason. Managed by Fairmont, the 18-hole, 7,000-yard course with par 72 El Camaleón is Greg Norman’s first Mexican course design. A 16,000 ft² Willow Stream Spa features 20 treatment rooms, including a unique couple’s suite in the treetops, plus & two mineral pools and steam rooms. A full-service health club and beauty salon are also available.
8. Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya
Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya immerses guests in a hidden paradise, where style meets nature. Situated on 25 square acres of breathtaking oceanfront, preserved mangrove, and lagoon surroundings, Andaz Mayakoba invites travelers to indulge in one of its 214 guestrooms, including 41 luxury suites.
The resort’s breathtaking design reflects Mayan culture in a mystical environment. Four unique restaurants and bars with pool, lagoon, or ocean views will offer a distinguished culinary experience. Amenities include a spectacular 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman, outdoor pools, a full spa, a fitness center, and a kids’ club.
Pick a room with a private plunge pool, and you can cool down in privacy just steps from the beach.
9. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun
The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun offers one of the best hotel club lounges in Cancun. If you book a club room, you, in effect, have an All-Inclusive experience, at least for the duration you are in the lounge. Once you are out by the pool or in the hotel’s other restaurants and bars, you will have to pay for your drinks and food, much like any other paying guest. But for those who enjoy drinking and dining in the club lounge, the food is excellent, and the drinks are free.
The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, a AAA Five Diamond resort, rests on the tip of the exotic Yucatan peninsula. This Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Category 6 luxury resort offers an enticing stretch of white sand beach, indulgent amenities such as the full-service Ritz-Carlton Spa and award-winning restaurants, and the intrigue of the ancient Mayan sites nearby. Recreational facilities include a 1200-foot sand beach, two sculpted outdoor pools, an oceanfront whirlpool, two tennis courts, and Fitness Center.
The resort has 363 guestrooms, including 50 suites with ocean views and private balconies or terraces. Each resort’s guestroom and suite is a sanctuary of comfort featuring sweeping ocean views and a wealth of welcome amenities. For families with infants, specially designed rooms offer all the comforts of a home nursery, including a crib, a changing table, and a menu of baby essentials that can be ordered before arrival.
Guestroom amenities include Egyptian cotton linen and duvet covers, television with international cable, CD Player, individual air conditioning controls, fully stocked refreshment cabinet, multi-line telephones with data ports and voice mail, high speed, Wi-Fi Internet access, in-room safe, marble bath with double vanities and separate tub and shower, plush terry bathrobes and more.
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level provides guests with the highest level of personal service with five complimentary food presentations daily. Worth noting Platinum and elite Marriott Bonvoy members don’t get free lounge access. Everyone who uses this lounge has paid for a club room.
Often referred to as a hotel within a hotel, this oasis offers a dedicated concierge who attends to individual needs in a well-appointed, relaxed lounge environment. The Club Level food includes breakfast, lunch, light snacks, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, chocolates, and Cordials.
Beyond the food, there is also a selection of wines, liqueurs, beers, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages, complimentary wireless, in-room internet access, and two garments pressed daily.
This lounge is super smart, with double-height ceilings and intricately carved wall features, and the whole lounge is designed in browns and olives with lots of wood and thick chunky marble. The meals are excellent and filling, you will not be disappointed and leave full (with food and alcohol if you want).
10. Grand Velas Riviera Mayan
The All-Inclusive Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort is a newly opened resort that sits on the edge of the stunning white-sand shore of Playa del Carmen, just under an hour’s drive from Cancun.
Expect exquisite accommodations, a gourmet culinary tour dining experience, a deluxe spa, personalized butler concierge services, and a state-of-the-art convention center. The hotel is located 5 minutes away from downtown Playa del Carmen and 35 minutes from Cancun International Airport.
The resort’s 491 spacious suites include such amenities, which include oceanfront and jungle terraces with private plunge pools, in-room massage tables, whirlpool bathtubs, 42-inch plasma TVs, wireless Internet, and 24-hour room service – all with stunning views of the ocean or lush, tropical jungle views.
The resort’s exclusive Grand Class section is designed for optimal privacy and relaxation, featuring 90 sophisticated ocean-front suites. Suites overlook the sparkling, azure waters of the Caribbean and offer a private plunge pool on the terrace, as well as a rain shower head. Enjoy the cool night ocean breezes, or manage the interior climate with state-of-the-art temperature controls. These suites include every possible amenity to ensure that guests may bask in comfort while enjoying the richness of the breathtaking surroundings.
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