147 Best Hotels in Mexico

Playa Azul feels like a charming, understated Mexican hacienda—there's elegance in its simplicity, and its spacious rooms overlooking the courtyard pool and ocean are tastefully decorated with Mexican furnishings. Palapas shade the lounge chairs on the sandy beach, and you can arrange snorkeling or diving trips at the hotel's dive shop. An on-site spa offers body and beauty treatments. The all-inclusive option includes the restaurant's à la carte menu, and the adjacent beach club serves lighter fare and live music on Sunday. The hotel offers frequent Web-only specials.

Located directly across from the beach, the Playa Linda not only has great views but also rooms that look like something straight out of an IKEA catalog, with recessed lighting, modern furnishings, and sleek kitchens. Suites have an added dining area and balcony, but not all have ocean views. Room 2 is the largest, and discounted rates are available for long-term stays. Although there's no restaurant or bar here, the hotel has arrangements with local properties for food delivery upon request.

Basic yet comfortable rooms in this three-story hotel have king-size beds with dark blue, hunting-theme spreads and desks of shiny lacquered wood. The property is on the main road into town, just a few short blocks from the plaza and town hall. The price goes up slightly on weekends January through May.

Palatial in name, scale, and decor (oversize entrance columns, crystal chandeliers, fountains), this all-inclusive is known for its breathtaking beach and exceptional service. Although rooms are well equipped, they aren't very large, and you should request one overlooking the courtyard, away from the noisy entertainment area. A steak house and Japanese restaurant are the most popular of the many dining options, despite the fact that reservations are required. Guests are permitted to use the amenities (including restaurants for breakfast and lunch) at any of Riu Palace's six sister hotels throughout Playa del Carmen.

Deep in the forest overlooking a man-made lake, this unique property quickly made a splash on the Valle lodging scene. Each suite is a separate structure—a combination of traditional Mexican and hip modern design—with a view terrace, fireplace, and accommodations for at least four. The fashionable restaurant overlooks the lake, pool, and Jacuzzi, so you can enjoy first-class cuisine and drinks while supervising the kids.

Royal Solaris was the first all-inclusive in Los Cabos, and it runs smoothly like the established property it is, with plenty of entertainment options and sports activities offered. Although it can feel a bit like an amusement park with all the activities, many appreciate the ease of built-in entertainment options. There are four major dinner shows per week in their theater, Teatro Teotihuacan. There's a Mexican night, a Latin Show, and other theme nights as well. A complete Kids' Mini-Club area includes toboggan waterslides, dancing lessons, and kites. Guests can play tennis, basketball, and beach volleyball. There are four categories of rooms, with half facing the ocean and half facing the street.

Sandos Finisterra, whose name means "Land's End" in Latin due to its privileged location at the Baja peninsula's southernmost point, offers guests the best of both worlds: the quintessential all-inclusive experience while being just steps from downtown. One of Cabo's most historic properties, part of Finisterra is built into the cliffside, resulting in gravity-defying rooms jutting out from the mountain and boulders organically decorating the spa's interior. Thanks to its breathtaking views, the resort hosts multiple weddings every week of the year (which has included, most famously, that of Rolling Stone Keith Richards; photos from the iconic ceremony can be seen on display).

Marking the start of the Hotel Zone, the Sheraton was the first of the big-name resorts built in Puerto Vallarta, and ever since it has maintained its status as a Vallarta household name. Even though the building is a few decades old, rooms are renovated constantly to keep up with the times. Sometimes it can feel very business-like, as its convention center is one of the busiest in town.

Oasis Smart caters to business travelers with a location 20 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from the Zona Hotelera. Rooms are average in size, and all except the ones on the sixth floor have small balconies. Rooms in the connecting sister hotel Oh! Cancún The Oasis are worth checking into if you like hip, contemporary decor and you're over age 21. You're allowed access to the beach, restaurant, and gym at the Oasis Palm Resort in the Zona Hotelera.

For families, those spending a lot of time at UNAM or in the south of the city, or visitors with a rental car who don't mind a bit of driving, this well-maintained and attractively furnished extended-stay property offers an outstanding value and a relatively quiet location at the axis of two major roads, just across the highway from the fascinating Zona Arqueológica Cuicuilco. There's a small gym and free secure parking, and the rooftop terrace is a pretty spot to watch the sunset. The feel is that of an apartment building more than it is of a hotel, but there's staff on-hand in the reception area 24/7 to assist if you need anything.

For a white-stucco link in a hotel chain—admittedly a small Mexican chain—this resort manages to exude some real personality. The rooms are handsome, the number of activities is dizzying, and the location on La Audiencia is sweet. A poolside snack bar doubles as a midnight disco; before that, hit the predictable floor show or the lounge, where the piano man sings corny-but-cool Mexican and American standards. All rooms have balconies, but not all have views. Take a look before you bring up the luggage.

Formerly known as Hotel Villanueva and now part of the Wyndham family, this basic property is a good, functional base for exploring the region. Amenities include a cute indoor swimming pool and a Starbucks counter. Rooms are very simple, but clean, comfortable, and equipped with air-conditioning and TV. 

This impressive hotel is an excellent choice for both families with kids and couples looking for a place to get away from it all. Modern and well-appointed rooms can range from single to multifamily suites, and may have a tub in the balcony overlooking the resort grounds and ocean (if you're above the fourth level) or the mountains behind. The resort caters mostly to all-inclusive vacationers but lodging-only is also available. There's a slow river, a wave pool, several restaurants, slides for kids, gyms, tennis courts, a golf course, and a fantastic beach where weddings take place. The resort has expanded even more in the past few years, and now there's a water park in the making and a permanent Cirque du Soleil, among other secret projects that are being developed.

This homey hotel is on a hill above quiet La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, and offers garden-view or ocean-facing suites; several have a terrace overlooking the coast, and a large dining area/kitchen and living room. A big breakfast is served in the open-air dining room; the adjacent common area has a computer with Internet access. The small swimming pool overlooks a tropical hillside, the marina, and the town of La Cruz.

Villa del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa is a big, family-friendly, all-inclusive resort that has a bit of everything without excessive luxury. Rooms offer ample space and colorful Mexican decor. Among other amenities, Villa del Palmar includes a well-appointed fitness center, a spa with a diversity of services, three swimming pools, a kids' club, four restaurants, one cantina, and a couple of delis. 

This five-star resort, which blends Maya and modern architecture, makes you feel right at home in apartment-like rooms with full kitchens, living rooms, dining areas, and spacious balconies draped with hammocks. Suites add washers and dryers, two full bathrooms, and private whirlpool tubs. Since the hotel is U-shaped, 90% of the accommodations enjoy ocean views. The center of the property has manicured gardens, three pools (one adults-only), and flower-shaped hot tubs centered with firepits. A bridge crosses over the pool area and tunnels through massive towers that are illuminated at night. On-site activities include kayaking, art classes, and salsa lessons. Although the beach is narrow, plenty of sun chairs line the soft sand, and decent snorkeling awaits just offshore.

The landscaped grounds here are lovely, as are most rooms, although, as befitting the price, there's a certain budget-hotel sparseness to the place. Several low-rise buildings framing generous lawns house the guest rooms, the largest of which have white Moorish facades and archways separating the living and sleeping areas. All rooms have sunken bathtubs and refrigerators; some have terraces or balconies shaded with red awnings. There are two small restaurants on-site, and many more are within walking distance in this tourist area. The sea is across the street from the rooms, gardens, and pool, and there's a dock for dive boats. Numerous dive shops are nearby.

Villas El Tuito is a big, three-room house done in a contemporary Mexican style. As El Tuito has so few lodging options, clean rooms and Wi-Fi access are just about all you can ask for. The rooms include a TV, shared kitchen, bath, and shower.

This secluded beachfront resort boasts spacious rooms with modern decor, a pool, six dining locations, and all the fun under the sun you can think of. The beach has fine white sand, and more often than not has a heavy shore break surfers will love. You can even rent surfboards right at the hotel. The rooms vary in size and there are several beachfront suites for families who want to splurge.

This sophisticated white tower is one of the island's most luxurious hotels, with ultramodern decor and incredible ocean views. Dine in luxury at the Mayan-named Cuzamil restaurant offering Mexican-Mediterranean-fusion cuisine or enjoy a more casual meal at the water's-edge palapa restaurant. A rooftop bar and pool offer excellent views of the sunset and of the mainland 19 km (12 miles) away. A beachfront pool, kids' club, and small sandy beach complete the ground-floor area. An added bonus are three popular restaurants located directly across the street.

Every unit here—four-person studio or eight-person villa—is oceanfront and equipped with a washer and dryer, full kitchen, whirlpool tub, and delightful design touches like recessed lighting and built-in shelves displaying Mexican pottery. Rooms are housed in 14 towers, but those in Building 9, Phase 4, have the best views. All of the pools are heated, and the one designated for children has a waterslide. Families can also enjoy miniature golf, tennis courts, and a playground. Connected to the property are the historic Yamil Lu'um ruins and a stunning beach. Keep in mind that this is not an all-inclusive, and the three on-site restaurants are somewhat pricey.

Built by prominent Mexican artist Javier Sordo Madaleno, the colorful design and architecture reflecting the famous Arco (arch) make this Westin more memorable than some of the others in the Corridor. The rooms, some set high above the beach, are among the best in their price range and have ocean views and Westin's trademark Heavenly Beds with cushy pillows and comforters. Junior suites have balcony Jacuzzis, marble floors, extra pullout beds, and connecting rooms for families or larger parties. The dramatic setting of the hotel means you'll get plenty of exercise moving from one area to another, which is good for some and less appealing for others. The restaurants receive mixed reviews, with most leaning toward the expensive but mediocre in terms of satisfaction.

Pampering touches—like the white-tea mist that periodically sprays in the lobby and the beds so heavenly that some guests buy them for their own homes—are what make this hotel extraordinary. Rooms juxtapose modern and traditional, with sleek dark-wood furniture offset by bright rugs and the occasional blue or yellow wall. There are two beaches—an expansive one on the Caribbean side and a smaller one facing Laguna Nichupté—so you always have a place to sunbathe. Due to its quiet, isolated nature, this Westin outpost mainly attracts families with small children and adults in their thirties and forties.

There's not a bad vantage point anywhere at the Westin, whether you're gazing out to the leafy courtyard or down an orange-tile, brightly painted corridor lined with Mexican art. In the spacious, balconied rooms concrete-and-stone floors massage bare feet, and top-of-the-line mattresses with soft duvets make for heavenly siestas. Guest quarters above the sixth floor have ocean views; those below face the 600 palm trees surrounding four beautiful pools.

The most basic lodging option at this resort is a spacious junior suite with a sofa bed, sitting area, flat-screen TV, stocked minibar, and balcony; family suites have bunk beds and direct access to the Kids' Club via sliding glass doors. Due to the resort's size, the pools here may feel a bit crowded, but if you're lucky (and quick) you can snag a chaise in the outdoor areas. The aqua park with a pirate ship and waterslide—one for kids and one for adults—is the perfect way to cool off.

Rooms at this hotel, which caters mostly to families, have plenty of light and ample space, although some feel a bit dated—for a better experience, book an ocean-view villa. With six restaurants and three bars, the dining offer is a good deal, even if the offerings are nothing spectacular.