Which are the best luxury hotels in Playa del Carmen? The best resorts include Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, Fairmont, Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Resort, Grand Velas Riviera Mayan, Hotel Esencia, Rosewood Mayakoba, Viceroy Riviera Maya.
Playa del Carmen is a coastal resort town in Mexico along the Yucatán Peninsula’s Riviera Maya strip of the Caribbean shoreline. Look no further if you love to lounge on the beach, serenaded by the surf. 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 best hotels in and around Playa del Carmen 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, situated 25 minutes north of Playa del Carmen is similarly good, in a different way.
This boutique hotel is beachfront. Sixty-three 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 lights 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, which is on the edge of Playa Del Carmen and around a 15-minute drive from the center of Playa Del Carmen. 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 decorated with handcrafted Mayan furnishings featuring 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
Very close to the center of Playa Del Carmen, just 20 minutes drive from the very center of the town and surrounded by jungle on the edge of the sea, you’ll find Rosewood Mayakoba.
Rosewood Mayakoba is built along a network of lagoons and the Caribbean Sea. 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 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 spacious bathrooms, plunge pools, and private boat docks. There is also a multi-bedroom Private Residences offering 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. Chablé Maroma
The brand-new Chablé Maroma, Riviera Maya is 30 minutes drive from Playa del Carmen. 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.
5. 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 and less than a 20-minute drive from Playa del Carmen. 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 and 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 your bike, ride our shuttle, or take or electric boat across the magnificent sapphire blue waters and white-powdered sandy beach.
Fairmont Mayakoba was voted one of 2012’s “Top 121 Golf Resorts” by readers of Conde Naste Traveler for 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 square-foot 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.
6. Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya
Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya is less than a 20 minute drive from Playa del Carmen and 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 private plunge pool room, and you can cool down in privacy just steps from the beach.
7. 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 hours 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 and 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.
8. Hotel Esencia
Hotel Esencia offers ocean-view and garden-view suites in a one-of-a-kind private home. Once the home of a European duchess, the main house is the heart of Hotel Esencia. Food, wine tasting, and intimate gatherings with friends will come alive here.
Hotel Esencia’s signature restaurant, Sal y Fuego, is the place for sophisticated cravings. Our menu consists of amazing rustic specialties prepared with an ethnic, Meso American cooking method consisting of seafood and meats simmered in banana leaves deep below the earth. Hotel Esencia’s restaurant Sal y Fuego (salt and fire) overlooks a cenote (underground freshwater pool) that is illuminated at night.
Like other resorts in the area, the Hotel Esencia organizes excursions like snorkeling, horseback riding, jungle walks, and windsurfing. One unique offering, though, is the organic spa, using principles of ancient medicine.
Sign up for a massage, and you’ll take in the fresh open air and the ocean while relaxing on the table. Aroma is the first pampering organic spa specializing in fito-therapy, fito meaning plant in Greek. This is a natural remedy for healing that was once discovered in ancient medicine. Plant extracts and botanical essence create harmony and invite peace and well-being. Aroma is set in a tranquil area allowing the outside views to come in and act as a catalyst to the organic ingredients. Relaxing massages, herbal saunas, and facials are performed in a tranquilizing, organic methodology. The Pavilion of Wind offers yoga and meditation accompanied by an experienced instructor. We recommend making reservations for the spa prior to arrival.
Hotel Esencia is the perfect setting to celebrate your joyful beginnings. The resort is on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Riviera Maya, set in a cove, and the sea is super calm. Lush gardens, spacious accommodations, champagne brunch, romantic dinners, and private plunge pools are the amenities that await at this lovely hotel.
9. Viceroy Riviera Maya
Viceroy Riviera Maya, is a 41-villa Mexico Luxury resort just 15 minutes drive from the center of Playa Del Carmen. Offering luxury accommodations, superb dining, terrific service, and an excellent full-service Wayak Spa, you can relax or get active, whichever you prefer!
Try deep seawater fishing, diving (Scuba and cenote), horseback riding, sailing, tennis, water skiing, windsurfing, and parasailing. For a quieter experience, have a go at bird watching and take nature walks. You can even go swimming with dolphins! There is a golf and driving range as well as Jungle tours.
From fine dining at superb restaurants to private luxury villas with Egyptian cotton bedding and private terraces, Viceroy Riviera Maya is a resort that needs nothing except a guest to indulge in its luxury.
10. Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Resort
Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Resort is located on a 460-feet area of Playa del Carmen’s most beautiful white sand beach and turquoise waters, at the corner of 26th Street, the heart of La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue). It is steps away from the shopping, party, and gastronomic scenes in Playa del Carmen.
The Playa del Carmen hotel offers a variety of amenities to make the most of your trip to this beautiful coastal town. The spacious guest rooms include terrace suites and gorgeous views of the Caribbean Sea.
Discover El Paseo, the hotel’s own extension of La Quinta Avenida with authentic local food. The design concept by acclaimed Mexican architect Sordo Madaleno and award-winning New York-based Rockwell Group translates into spaces that are original and memorable, making the hotel in Playa del Carmen the ideal spot for guests to explore and enjoy this delightful destination to the fullest, whether at the hotel’s facilities or out and about.
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