Best hotels in Cancun – Times Travel – The Times

Cancun is a place where the party quite literally starts as soon as you land. But while the areas well-documented debauchery isnt hard to find, there are glimpses of Mayan life to be found in pockets around the area. And, one look at its turquoise lagoons, white-sand beaches and palm-fringed shorelines is enough to understand why, back in the 1970s, a decision was made to build it into Mexicos enduring tourist hotspot. Naturally, there are plenty of incredible places to stay, from a family-friendly all-inclusive on Playa Mujeres, with a seemingly unending choice of restaurants and bars to the last word in luxury at one of the worlds most exclusive resorts, overlooking the Caribbean. We pick the best of the bunch.

Main photo: SLS Resort & Spa, Cancun (Booking.com)

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Le Blanc Spa Resort (Booking.com)

Best for all-inclusiveWith near-faultless service and world-class facilities, this exceptional adult-only resort just 15 minutes from downtown Cancun should be the blueprint for all-inclusive hotels. The Japanese and European restaurants are world class and no detail is too small; even your butler requests can be logged via the hotels phone app. Spend your days teeing off on the nearby Jack Nicklaus golf course before cooling off in an infinity pool, or taking a pilates class before unwinding on the pristine white-sand beach whatever you choose, this is a hotel you wont forget in a hurry.

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Best for serviceThe Mayakoba reserve located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen may only be half an hour from the airport, but it feels like a world away from Cancuns notorious hedonism. Here, surrounded by otherworldly beaches, lagoons and canals that connect the resort, your fellow guests include rare birds, iguanas, baby crocodiles and hatching turtles. Service is on another level; think pillowcases and napkins embroidered with guests initials, as well as a dedicated butler for every room. Plus, its great for wellness; there are microfibre pillow cases for optimal skin care, lamps to regulate your circadian rhythm and shower-activated aromatherapy pods.

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Best for privacyThis glamorous resort-within-a-resort is a boon for honeymooners; most signature overwater huts have uninterrupted views over the turquoise waters of Maroma Beach and the intimacy of its restaurant, spa and soft-as-sugar sandy beach makes guests feel like theyre staying on a private island. For those wanting to liven up proceedings theres access to its sister resort, El Dorado, which has buzzier restaurants and pools, as well as swim-up bars.

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Best for facilitiesThis beachfront luxury hotel occupies prime position in Cancuns Hotel Zone; here, the turquoise waters and pristine beach feel comparatively untouched. Guests wax lyrical about the amenities: a dedicated pool for aspiring divers, with a man-made coral reef; a lagoon-style infinity pool with chic day beds; a Mayan-inspired spa; and some of the best and most awarded restaurants in Cancun. Theres no need to stump up extra for an ocean view every room and suite has a balcony with a view of the Caribbean Sea.

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Best for architectureDespite being just ten minutes from the party pad of Cancun airport, this mega resort somehow manages to be bewilderingly tranquil. Located on Punta Nizuc known among snorkellers and scuba divers for its coral reef the hotel has two secluded beaches, a mangrove-lined canal and spectacular views of the cerulean Caribbean Sea. Although it has no fewer than 274 rooms, an ESPA spa and six restaurants, one of the most alluring things here is the sleek architecture if it looks a bit like an elegant Aman resort, its because it was designed to do so.

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Best for beachesIn the 1970s, Cancun was built to lure tourists to a remote stretch of Mexican coastline and this 300-key resort was there from the very start. No surprise, then, that it managed to nab one of the best beaches in the region; the waves are almost as calm as a swimming pool, and the sands soft. Plus, unlike many of its more youthful neighbours, the Presidente faces northwest, so sundowners at its Deck Bar are non-negotiable. The hotel has recently undergone a facelift, too, giving it a new lease of life; expect sleek, serene interiors and an altogether more elegant vibe.

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Best for familiesThis family-friendly all-inclusive, set on a pretty peninsula in Punta Cancun, is surrounded by ocean on three sides and was designed to resemble a little village. Expect all manner of activities to occupy the most restless of children; anything from theatre shows to watersports and dance classes plus, theres a microbrewery, regular tequila tastings and hydrotherapy circuits for grown-ups. We cant imagine even the most active of people getting bored here, but if you do, its well-located for day trips; the El Rey ruins are nearby, as well as a ziplining course and theres even a shopping centre a few miles from the resort.

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Best for adultsSet on an immaculate white-sand beach, the sheer height of this sleek skyscraper gives guests spectacular views of the Nichupt Lagoon, the Cancun skyline and the sparkling Caribbean Sea. This place is Disneyland for adults; theres a variety of watering holes including a sports bar, piano bar, wine tastings and cocktail classes as well as seven restaurants, all manner of sports and a 12,500 sq m spa. Look out for the resorts on-site winery and 3,000-bottle wine wall.

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Best for foodSet in Cancuns Hotel Zone, this enormous all-inclusive resort is well-regarded for the quality of its nine restaurants and bars its also home to a restaurant, Tempo, by seven-time Michelin starred chef, Martn Berasategui. The hotel itself made up of five interconnected, glass-topped pyramids is sprawled across 600 metres of pearly-white beach, with indoor botanical gardens, a decent kids club, spa and four lagoon-style pools. Look out for their nine-hole, par-three golf course just over the road from the main fray.

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Best for businessAt first glance, this beachfront behemoth has no reason to call itself as a boutique hotel; the installation of this glass-walled skyscraper was an imposing addition to Puerto Cancun, a gated community downtown. But the resort itself only makes up four floors of the building the rest are private residences and there are only 45 suites available for guests; meaning theres a personalised, members-club-style vibe to the property. Days here are spent on the 250m-stretch of private beach theres a roped-off area for swimming, as well as a separate area for watersports and an infinity pool with a whirlpool or at the on-site beach club.

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Best for spaThis chic, mangrove-lined resort, just 30 minutes drive from Cancun airport in beachy Maroma, takes a cue from its sister Chabl property in Yucatan in making a commitment to promote indigenous Mexican wellness. Unlike anything else in the region, here, the 17,000ft spa evokes ancient Mayan rituals, through a blend of natural potions and locally quarried quartz stones. You can even take part in traditional temazcal sweat-lodge ceremonies conducted by female shamans. The Mexico-meets-California-style food deserves a special mention, too its a winner.

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Best for locationWith one of the largest hotel beach fronts in Cancun, this colossal 360-key property is also home to nine restaurants, a bar with over 100 different tequilas, varied kids club and one of the biggest spas in the region clocking in at 5,500 square metres. Perhaps unsurprising for a resort of its size, it does a great job at pleasing everyone from business travellers to young families but its location, in the Hotel Zone, is particularly good for social butterflies; just ten minutes walk to the areas best shopping and ten minutes in a taxi to Cancuns hedonistic hub.

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Best for sportJust 450 yards from the talcum-white sands of Mujeres beach, this sizeable all-inclusive is connected by a network of artificial canals, on which guests often navigate the resort on floating sofa chairs. Its made for active types: heres a dedicated entertainment team, who schedule everything from salsa lessons to beach football, but the most impressive part of this hotel is its ongoing collaboration with tennis champion, Rafa Nadal; access to the fruits of their partnership. A state-of-the-art tennis centre is not to be missed for budding stars.

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Best for large groupsIn the quieter outskirts of Cancun on a peaceful slice of the Yucatan Peninsula, this 2,000-key all-inclusive is doing a roaring trade among families and big groups of friends. The hotel is, unsurprisingly, so large that its been divided into two sections and guests have access to 16 restaurants, two kids clubs, a golf course, meditation garden and even a waterpark. For people who want to holiday together, yet apart, this is a solid option.

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Inspired to visit Mexico but yet to book your trip? Here are the best places to stay from TUI and BA Holidays. Save up to 300 per holiday booking with British Airways, valid until 13 October 2021. T&Cs apply. And if youre still unsure of where you want to go or what type of holiday to book, get in touch hereand one of the Designer Travel experts will be in contact to help you arrange your perfect tailor-made break

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Best hotels in Cancun - Times Travel - The Times