Cancun: Hotel Guides

Long-hailed as one of Cancun’s best hotels, Le Blanc has earned its reputation through sleek contemporary style and impeccable service with high-end luxury. This all-inclusive resort is designed for adults only, featuring an exquisitely designed restaurant serving flavourful gourmet cuisine from France, Italy, Asia and beyond, as well as serenity-inducing guestrooms packed with amenities. What really draws in its customers, however, is the spectacular Le Blanc Spa. Here, travellers can simultaneously relax and stimulate the body in the hydrotherapy circuit by dipping into hot and cold pools of water, or embrace Cancun’s Mayan heritage with the Kukulcan massage, simulating sacred animals like the jaguar, snake and eagle through choreographed hand movements along the body. Enhance your body even further at Le Blanc’s fitness centre with TRX workouts, aqua spinning classes and pilates to stay in shape for the beach.

Boulevard Kukulkan Km 10, Zona Hotelera, 77500

Picture the quintessential honeymoon resort and there’s every chance it will look remarkably like the Viceroy Riviera Maya. Set on an idyllic white-sand beach, overlooking the Caribbean, this boutique, adults-only hideaway is tailor-made for romantic holidays. It’s intimate in scale, with just 41 palapa-roofed villas, each with lashings of space, private plunge pool and assorted little luxuries, from Italian linen bathrobes to fragrant organic soaps. You might be tempted to stay in your room all day but it’s worth venturing out to sample the creative Mexican cuisine at La Marea restaurant, the expertly crafted cocktails in Library Lounge, and the curvy communal pool with ocean view. Plus, there’s a long and varied list of experiences to share, from margarita-making lessons and candlelit dinners on the beach to horse-riding, snorkelling and enjoying a pampering couples ritual in the Mayan-influenced spa.

Playa Xcalacoco, Frac 7. Playa del Carmen, 77710

This romantic boutique retreat combines a lovely secluded spot on one of Mexico’s best beaches with excellent spa and wellness facilities and 70 beautifully designed casitas, all with drop-dead-gorgeous bathrooms and private plunge pools. The jewel in Chablé Maroma’s crown, though, is its culinary offering, masterminded by Chef Jorge Vallejo, whose Mexico City restaurant is ranked in the world’s top 50. Tasty treats abound, from the basket of home-made pastries delivered to your door each morning to the adventurous tasting menu at Bu’ul, the resort’s fine dining restaurant, which showcases contemporary cuisine from central and southern Mexico. You can enjoy casual, coast-inspired food in Kaban, sip cut-above cocktails in Raw Bar and, if you want to take some new gourmet skills home, sign up for culinary classes, mixology lessons and wine or agave spirits tasting sessions.

Carretera Federal Cancún – Tulum Km. 51. Punta Maroma, 77710

Grand Velas Riviera Maya scores highly on the location front: it’s right on a soft-sanded Caribbean beach, surrounded by tropical jungle, yet only a short cab ride from downtown Playa del Carmen. This luxury all-inclusive resort is the very definition of family-friendly, with huge bedrooms, enough dining variety to please even the pickiest young eaters, and a host of activities that appeal across the generations, including beach games and swimming with dolphins. Parents can chill out in the spa or by one of several pools while young children make new friends in the kids club and older children enjoy games consoles, billiards and more in the teens club. There’s even a dedicated baby concierge who can supply everything from bottles and sterilisers to baby bouncers and strollers, so parents get to travel that little bit lighter.

Carretera Cancún-Tulum, Km. 62, Playa del Carmen, 77710

If you’re looking for a business-friendly hotel that also delivers on the R&R front, the Ritz-Carlton, Cancun is hard to beat. As well as sitting in an enviable spot on one of Mexico’s finest beaches, it has 27,000 square feet of conference facilities, complete with business centre, assorted meeting venues and an events team experienced in organising everything from small training sessions to a grand corporate gala. Every room has an ocean view (so if you’re booking in a large group, no-one feels cheated) and there’s endless scope for fun team-building opportunities: the many on-site diversions include culinary classes, tennis centre, large spa and fitness centre. Alternatively, colleagues can relax by one of the pools and forget about work completely, while the Pool Valet keeps everyone topped up with fresh fruit, water and perfectly chilled towels.

Retorno del Rey 36, Zona Hotelera, 77500

A dramatic contemporary style blends wood, stone, hints of Mayan-inspired details and gasp-inducing views at NIZUC Resort & Spa, nestled in the secluded enclave of Punta NIZUC, Cancun. The hotel’s renowned Mexican architect cleverly capitalised on its stunning locale, artfully blurring the lines between in and outside, with all possible spaces directed at those remarkable view. The breath-taking design extends to its cuisine too; each of the hotel’s six restaurants and bars comes big on style, offering Peruvian cuisine, Mediterranean dining, beachside Mexican meals, and even the smoky scents of Cuban cigar-rolling – as well as special wine pairing dinners for a truly memorable culinary experience in this unbelievable setting. Elsewhere, kids and grown-ups alike will love snorkelling, paddle-boarding and kayaking right off the beach, while a kids’ club and adults-only pool area should keep both happy!

Boulevard Kukulkan Mz 59 Lote 1-03 km 21.26, Nizuc, 77500

There can’t be many hotels that transport you from reception to room via boat – but then Rosewood Mayakoba isn’t just any old hotel. Part of the exclusive Mayakoba development north of Playa del Carmen, it was built to the highest ecological standards and sustainably designed to provide high levels of luxury without harming the natural environment. The spacious open-plan suites are set along winding lagoons lined with mangroves (home to hundreds of indigenous flora and fauna), and each suite comes with free bikes so you can explore this tropical enclave at your own pace. There’s plenty to discover: on-site treats include a pristine white sand beach, 18-hole golf course, three pools and a secluded spa, where you can experience Mayan-inspired therapies such as a traditional sweat lodge, sensory garden ritual and consultation with the in-house shaman.

Carretera Federal Cancun km 298. Playa del Carmen, 77710

A prime location right by Cancun’s most beautiful beach and the iconic El Mirador lookout point gives this resort the best views in the Hotel Zone. Most of the guestrooms here have views of the intense blue and turquoise Caribbean Sea, perfect for experiencing Cancun’s stunning signature colours. The immense pool area is among the best in Cancun too, featuring numerous interconnected pools: some designed for relaxation, others for games, and the infinity pool for enjoying a drink from the swim-up bar and amazing ocean views. Kids will love the pirate ship splash pool, complete with mini water slides for fun in the sun. With the all-inclusive plan, guests at Iberostar Cancun have access to five international restaurants, five bars and a casual snack bar. Pool and ocean lovers will find a true paradise at this Cancun resort!

Boulevard Kukulcan Km. 17, Zona Hotelera, 77500