The Best Cancun Hotels

Interactive sea turtle conservation program from May to September

The Ritz-Carlton Cancun delivers the elegance and top-notch service you’d expect from this elevated brand. The hotel faces the beach and is within walking distance of the restaurants and fishing charters of Marina Barracuda. Modern guest rooms all present ocean views, which can be enjoyed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and from furnished balconies. Comfortable beds feature 400-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose-down pillows, while bathrooms contain marble-top dual vanities, rainfall showers, and deep soaking tubs. Flat-screen TVs and iPod docks provide digital entertainment, and a Nespresso coffee machine and fully stocked refreshment cabinet will keep you fueled all day long.

Around the hotel, there are two free-form pools, an oceanfront whirlpool, and cabanas and villas line the private beach, offering a relaxing spot to enjoy a day on the sand. There is also a tennis center that offers group and individual classes, a fitness center filled with the latest exercise equipment, and a full-service spa. The range of dining options includes the elegant, classical European atmosphere of the award-winning Fantino restaurant, intimate dinners on the beach in private casitas, and the sophisticated piano bar atmosphere of the Club Grill.

Heavenly Spa by Westin

At the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas and Spa, parents can find a family vacation that doesn’t sacrifice their own relaxation to ensure their kids are having a great time. One of the best Cancun hotels for every member of the family, it offers mini-golf, tennis courts, a kid’s pool, and a waterslide. Those ages 4-12 can spend their days and evenings at The Westin Family Kids Club—an activity-packed program that includes arts and crafts, group games, and around-the-resort outings.

In the meantime, you can relax at the Heavenly Spa by Westin, indulging in your choice of a massage in a thatch-roof oceanside cabana or in a treatment room. For more downtime, hang out at the quieter zero-entry pool. Grab a juicy burger at the Duna Sports Bar, healthy fare from the Westin Eat Well Menu at Oceano, or Mexican classics at the Viento Bar & Grill, where you’ll find a swim-up bar. Once everyone’s tuckered out, climb into your Westin Heavenly Beds and rest up for the next day’s adventures.

Transfer lounge, complimentary bicycle rental, free daily tastings of local beer and wine

If business must be conducted during a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, then the Canopy by Hilton Cancun La Isla is one of the best options among Cancun hotels. It offers many work-friendly touches, but also plenty of vacation-mode options during your downtime. Arriving before check-in or staying a few hours after check-out on your last day? Make use of the Transfer Lounge, comfortable space for guests without a room to store luggage and freshen up. Once your room is ready, you’ll find artwork created by local muralists featuring jungle scenes and a workspace to set up your laptop and conduct Zoom calls.

Even though this property isn’t located on the beach, you certainly won’t miss out on ocean vibes. The rooftop sanctuary is the heart of this hotel and provides the perfect vantage point for Nichupté Bay and the Caribbean. Here, you can swing in a hammock, take a dip in the whirlpool, relax in a chaise lounge with a refreshing cocktail, peruse the rotating art exhibit, visit the fitness center, or dance to the sounds of live musical performances at sunset. The Azulinda Café and Bar serves as the epicenter of the hotel and is the ideal spot to meet with coworkers or clients. Wind down from a long day with daily complimentary evening tastings of local beer and wine. If you can squeeze in a little beach time, take a complimentary shuttle to the Mandala Beach Club just five minutes away.

Thalasso Spa, complimentary private yacht services to and from mainland Cancun, Bulgari bath products

Nestled on a quiet and secluded corner of beach on Isla Mujeres, the white walls and blue-peaked roofs of the Zoëtry Villa Rolandi are reminiscent of a luxurious Greek villa. A little over 14 miles from Cancun, where the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea merge, this image is complemented by the intimate and detailed suites, with stained-glass windows, tiled floors, and carved waterspouts trickling into hot tubs on the ocean view balconies. A particular highlight is the Thalasso Spa, which offers eponymous thalassotherapy treatments that use seawater, seaweed, and marine algae to soothe, rejuvenate, and revitalize.

Three oceanfront pools are surrounded by wooden ergonomic sunbeds and look over a small private beach area and toward the Cancun skyline. Complimentary kayaks and paddleboards are provided for guest use, and there is excellent snorkeling in the reefs off the beach. The renowned Casa Rolandi restaurant creates flavorsome dishes based on traditional Swiss and Italian fare, while Le Métissage serves French-Mexican fusion cuisine complemented by a fine selection of wine from its on-site cellar.

Access to spa treatments, additional restaurants at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa next door

Located within the heart of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, the Marriott Cancun Resort caters to young adults who want the luxury of a tropical vacation without paying the price for it. Each day is filled with fun pool and beach activities including volleyball, water aerobics, trivia, and more, led by peppy recreation staff. There’s a large pool and oceanfront jacuzzi for lazy afternoons, while tennis courts and a gym are a great way to expend some energy. Don’t miss snapping a photo at the Insta-worthy Sacbé Beach shack, where you can climb into a macramé hammock, sip on a margarita, and dine on Mexican-style street food (hello, lobster tacos!).

Guest rooms bring the beach vibe indoors, and the 124 premium ocean view rooms overlook the Caribbean Sea and come complete with turn-down service, bathrobes, and slippers. When you feel like shaking up things for dinner, head right next door to sister property JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, where you can access some of the 12 restaurants among the two resorts.

Dom Perignon Wine Cellar Experience curated by a sommelier, NIZUC Spa, featuring signature Mayan treatments

Secluded, tranquil, and with an air of understated elegance and class, NIZUC Resort & Spa provides the ultimate indulgent, pampered hotel experiences. The resort’s location on the tip of Punta Nizuc creates an environment like none other in Cancun, with the white sand beaches joined by lush mangrove forests and green wetlands. Ocean Suites are for adults only and treat guests to spectacular sea views from an indoor/outdoor-style balcony. The 274 private suites and villas are adorned with a private pool and tropical gardens, and the Residence suites offer panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. Some suites connect for easy access to families and friends. The main pool is home to a sophisticated swim-up bar, and a relaxed adults-only infinity pool looks out over the surrounding tree canopies toward the ocean.

A highlight of the resort is the ESPA-branded spa, one of the finest to be found in the area. Its treatment rooms and saunas are constructed out of wooden panels and white limestone bricks. With calm, reflective ponds and warm, soft lighting throughout, guests will relax and unwind from the moment they enter the spa. Signature ESPA therapies are fused with ancient Mayan principles to offer services such as cacao-oil massages and sea salt and agave cleanses. Six world-class restaurants offer authentic delicacies from around the world, including Mediterranean, Peruvian, Asian, and Mexican options. Your pampered pooch will enjoy a special pet menu and dog beds, your kids will find plenty of fun at the Winik’s Kids Club, and your teens may never leave the new Teenage Lounge equipped with billiards, pinball, and foosball. Even your parents will appreciate the adults-only pool and multiple beaches with water activities. 

Access to more restaurants at the Marriott Cancun Resort next door , Mayan-inspired spa

When it comes to the best Cancun hotels for a quieter stay, look no further than the JW Marriott, which is part of the brand's wellness-focused New Point of Blue package. The $40 million room renovations in 2019 provide guests with a dynamic wellness experience that starts the moment they arrive and see the bright blue Caribbean Sea from their balconies. The program focuses on total mind-body wellness, which includes everything from healthy snacks and meals to holistic spa experiences inspired by the ancient treatments and remedies of the Mayan culture. Check out the sunrise yoga classes, Shaman blessings, and don’t forget to try one of the hotel's 150 variations of margaritas.

The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa takes full advantage of the enormous expanse of beautiful beaches and stunning ocean views at its doorstep. Every room in the hotel comes with sea views, which can be enjoyed from the furnished balconies. The pools and paths in the hotel courtyard flow and curve in graceful arcs to create a mesmerizing effect when viewed from above. The main infinity pool commands excellent views over the beach, where sun lounges, palapas, and cabanas are arrayed. Restaurants include the award-winning Gustino Italian Grill, housed within the marble columns of the lobby, and the classic Mexican fare at Sedona Grill. To enjoy alfresco dining with the sight and sound of the ocean, choose the open-air Sasi Thai, which serves authentic Thai cuisine and signature cocktails under a huge thatched roof pagoda.

Upgrade to The Reserve for exclusive access and services, YHI Spa, nine-hole golf course

Easy to recognize thanks to its five pyramid-shaped buildings inspired by the local Mayan culture, Paradisus Cancun easily stands out from other properties along the busy Hotel Zone—but not just because of its architecture. There’s no shortage of ways to spend your time, including partaking in sushi workshops and tequila tastings, playing nine holes of golf, lounging at one of the four pools (one with a swim-up bar), or making your way through each of the 10 onsite restaurants since this property is all-inclusive. Sal Steak Cave is an adults-only option, serving up premium cuts, while the Bana Restaurant delivers Japanese fusion set in a Zen garden complete with a koi pond. 

Kick things up a notch by upgrading to The Reserve option for adults-only services including a butler, concierge, preferential dinner reservations, and access to a private beach area. Kids also will appreciate this experience, which treats them to turndown service with milk and cookies, a PlayStation, and a welcome beach kit. Don’t forget to spend some time at the YHI Spa, a full-service indoor facility with body and facial treatments, adorned with bamboo and bonsai trees and staffed with expert Asian massage therapists.