363 Best Hotels in Mexico

Slip through the nondescript entrance, and you'll find a charming property with a lush, sprawling garden with partly tiled pathways, lights strung up from palm trees, two inviting pools, and a spacious central palapa with whirring ceiling fans. Rooms encircle the garden, and all are large, clean, colorful, and decorated with furniture purchased secondhand from Mexican haciendas in neighboring states. Being in town instead of at the beachfront has its perks, more local color and much better prices chief among them. Plus, guests here can take advantage of a day at the beach at one of this property's sister hotels. If you're traveling with kids, ask about adjacent rooms. If you're feeling like a splurge, ask about rooms with whirlpool tubs. And if you're sensitive to noise, ask for something at the back of the property (away from the busy road out front).

With its contemporary design in concrete, the Courtyard by Marriott is a commanding presence amid the other major-brand hotels along Avenida Colón near Paseo de Montejo. Rooms are efficient and comfortable, if not especially interesting, though some on higher floors offer sweeping city views, which both guests and nonguests can enjoy while indulging in drinks and snacks at the rooftop Kioyú Sky Lounge. The rooftop pool is also a favorite feature of many guests. 

The draw of this deluxe property is that it's five minutes from the airport and offers free round-trip airport shuttle service, making it ideal for those who are vacationing in Playa del Carmen or Tulum and who have an early flight. Rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, large desks with ergonomic chairs, laptop safes, and 32-inch plasma TVs; suites have a lounge area, dining room, kitchenette, and private steam room. Given its location, the hotel is surprisingly quiet—even in the garden courtyard, outdoor pool, and palapa lounge. As it's on a relatively undeveloped stretch of highway, however, the 20-minute commute to central Cancún creates a sense of isolation. If you're longing for the beach, use your Courtyard towel as an "entrance pass" at the Omni Hotel, where you can enjoy pools, bars, and a beach area.

The small group of Decu hotels—there are also four in Mexico City and one in Tulum—entered Mérida with this understated, discreet property situated east of Plaza Grande, in a colonial-style house whose rooms have either colonial or Maya design elements, such as traditional pasta tile floors or walls of chukum (a form of plaster that has been used by the Maya for millennia). Regardless of the aesthetic, all rooms have muted contemporary color schemes.

Husband and wife duo Fabrizio Cavallo and Nilú Feregrino have dedicated their lives to "conscious living," and Desierto Azul ("where the desert meets the ocean") is their brainchild. Not a single detail was overlooked when designing this four-room microhotel ("we're not boutique, but petite," they say): the property is solar-powered, the beds are fitted with organic sheets and linens, the bath products are locally made and reef-safe, and the bar serves natural wine. They also offer plant-based nutrition workshops twice a month at an on-site cooking studio.

This old-fashioned hotel—really two perfectly preserved 18th-century colonial homes—has beautiful courtyards, gardens, and sunlit nooks throughout. Rooms have high ceilings and wide windows; some have fireplaces. Ask for one of the rooms that number in the 300s, which are in an older wing and have high wood-beam ceilings as well as working charcoal stoves. The bar, reached through a set of swinging doors, stocks more than 175 brands of tequila.

A longtime favorite of international travelers, this family-run spot with a small motel feel is the best budget choice near the ruins. Spartan-ish rooms have hard beds and chunky, colonial-style furniture, but there are also two pools (one with palapas and hammocks) plus a family-style restaurant. The convivial vibe, along with cheap prices, is the big draw here. Free transportation to Chichén Itzá is provided daily. There's a small discount for reservations made online.

What was for a long time just a restaurant and convention center is now the top lodging choice in Mitla. Owner Alfonso Moreno Díz has lovingly restored his grandfather's estate, and it's a remarkable place to stay, complete with an inner courtyard that has a solar-heated pool, an orange-tree-shaded garden bar, and a play structure for kids. Rooms could hardly be cheerier—everything is saturated with color—with intricately carved furniture brightly painted with flowers and fruits. Some doubles have private terraces over the garden—definitely ask for one. Rates are discounted Sunday–Thursday. The restaurant ($) is worthwhile in its own right; don't pass up the pollo relleno con quesillo y huitlacoche (chicken stuffed with Oaxacan cheese and corn fungus) or the local version of mole negro.

This six-story boutique hotel on the side of Roma Norte closer to Bosque de Chapultepec and Avenida Reforma offers uncluttered contemporary rooms with smart TVs, fast Wi-Fi, and stand-alone rain head showers, but instead of a conventional front desk, guests communicate with the highly efficient staff through text messages or phone calls. It's a set-up that's more akin to an Airbnb and may not be for everyone, but the reasonable rates, great location, and well-designed rooms have earned the hotel a very positive following. Barbero restaurant, on the ground floor, is a nice option for a glass of wine or a full dinner while the rooftop eatery Cafe de Mayo serves tasty breakfast and brunch fare (it's not open at night). 

Mixing the colonial with modern Mexican, this hotel's whitewashed rooms have wrought-iron fixtures and hand-carved furniture. The nicest standard rooms have orchard-view terraces; junior suites have balconies (overlooking the parking area), small kitchens, a living-dining area, and spa baths. The property also has a game room, communal computers for guests, an arboretum with local flora, and a fenced-in area for ducks. You can borrow tennis rackets and balls to use on the cement court. There's a lively palapa bar and the main restaurant has a big menu ranging from nachos to filet mignon, with Yucatecan favorites represented, too. 

The Mediterranean-style palapa-topped bungalows are on a hillside at the extreme end of the beach and just steps from the sand. Each has a terrace with a lovely ocean view and a hammock. Rooms are tastefully furnished with beige linens, floral pillows, and rustic wooden furniture. The restaurant serves Mediterranean foods including pizzas from a wood-burning stove and grilled meats. Note that the beach in front of the hotel is popular among nudists. The spa and yoga studio have a small pool.

Since access is only via a walk along the beach, there isn't much standing in the way of you and the ocean at this stark-white property, which, as the tallest hotel in Mahahual, also offers spectacular views from its rooftop, where you'll find a small infinity pool and a rooftop bar (open 5 to 10 pm). Most rooms feature two double beds, and all of the rooms here have a hand-painted mural, air-conditioning, cable TV, and a mini-refrigerator; the four rooms facing the water have balconies. This hotel also features one handicap-accessible room on the ground floor with a bed and a futon.

If you absolutely need a place to stay in the area, then this simple three-story hotel is really your only remotely acceptable option. Rooms, which can accommodate up to three people, are bright and clean but basic and dated; upper level ones toward the back are quieter than those on the street level. The restaurant does a brisk business with locals who come for good Yucatecan specialties like poc chuc (pork marinated in sour-orange sauce), bistec a la yucateca (Yucatecan-style steak), and pollopibil. The mole is also recommended.

Near the Diego Rivera Museum and other downtown sights, the four-story "Inn of the Poets" offers comfortable lodgings at a moderate price, which is all too rare in downtown Guanajuato. Each room and suite is named after a different poet and has unique layout and furnishings; those on the upper floors have the most natural light and best views, but bear in mind you must walk up.

On the north side of the main square, this well-preserved, 17th-century house was built around a lovely, open patio and has comfortable rooms with air-conditioning, Wi–Fi, and safes. Suites and superior class rooms have extra amenities, such as bathrobes; rooms on the fifth floor open to the pool on one side and the square on the other. The restaurant, in a courtyard with an old stone fountain and surrounded by porticoes, serves Yucatecan specialties; the ambience is more impressive than the food itself, although the soups are quite tasty.

Thanks to the use of solar energy, a water-recycling system, and composting toilets, this tranquil hotel has little impact on the environment—and its luxuriant garden blocks the heat and noise of downtown. Hammocks hang poolside, and wrought-iron tables and chairs dot the grounds. There's artwork throughout, much of it painted by the owner herself. Standard rooms are small and dated (think lace curtains and floral bedding) but all are clean and have kitchenettes; newer executive rooms are larger and have hardwood floors. Rooms on the second or third floor overlook the pool, while those on the first floor are dedicated to families. Another perk is the small spa, where you can get honey massages for a third of what you'd pay in the Zona Hotelera.

In the heart of San José's historic Art District, this gorgeous and comfortable inn has two separate buildings—one looks onto the verdant gardens and pool; the other one, across the street, is in a charming, historic building with a narrow courtyard. A former hacienda, the property was converted into a hotel and the horse stables into rooms. Surrounded by gardens and adorned with climbing vines, all guest quarters are immaculate and impeccably decorated with wood plank headboards and unusually high beds royal-style. This intimate hotel makes for a great wedding property, and the on-site chapel harkens back to the Mexico of years gone by.

With freestanding steel box-cabins perched on a boulder-strewn hill, this property has architect Jorge Gracia to thank for its innovative design. Dirt trails lead to 20 rooms (called “lofts”), each reminiscent of a shipping container from a distance, but inside you’ll find plush white bedding, concrete floors, rain-showerheads, and lamps made from steel pipes. Each sleeps a maximum of two guests, and the hotel is not child-friendly. In an effort to connect with nature, guests are given access to hiking trails and private decks with chimeneas that can be lit upon request. This also translates to no TVs, no phones (walkie-talkies provided), no room service, no minibars, no closets, no wine tasting, and very few room amenities. Despite these cutbacks, this still happens to be the one of the most expensive properties in wine country. Breakfast is served by the infinity pool bar, but your view begins in the glass lobby located at the foot of the mountain (it sometimes functions as restaurant, but is often closed and changes hands frequently). Beyond this point, only guests of the hotel can enter and rooms must be reached by shuttle or on foot. 

On Cerro Pinzona (Pinzona Hill), a five-minute walk from La Quebrada, the Etel has outstanding views of Bahía de Acapulco and spacious, if plain, rooms with sturdy cedar furniture. All accommodations sleep three, and you can rent a full kitchen and dining room to turn your room into a suite. One studio has a kitchenette. There's a garden on the roof and a children's play area by the pool. The gracious owner is a descendant of John Augustus Sutter, whose gold mine launched the Gold Rush of 1849.

The dramatic glass facade of this high-rise faces the Minerva Fountain and Los Arcos monument. Four glass-enclosed elevators ascend dizzyingly above a 14-story atrium lobby to the guest rooms, which have dignified modern furnishings, small marble bathrooms with bathtub, and, for the most part, arresting views (Rooms 1211–17 have the absolute best). The lobby bar has live music every night. Executive-floor rooms come with continental breakfast and canapés in the lounge, and there's a fully equipped business center.

This popular choice, a branch of a dependable Mexican chain, attempts to evoke the grandeur of the mansions on Paseo de Montejo with colonial accents, plush armchairs, gleaming marble, and a stained-glass ceiling in the lobby. The subdued rooms have extras like balconies, bathtubs, hair dryers, and coffeemakers, but be prepared to pay surcharges on Wi-Fi and bottled water. Some rooms face the street and are a little noisier; others, though quieter, face a dull inner courtyard with the hotel pool. Downstairs you'll find a mall with stores selling souvenirs, crafts, and clothes; a couple of restaurants (including a Chili's), rental-car agency offices; and other services. Occasionally there are events, including dinner shows and dances for children (inquire at the front desk).

This contemporary tower with plush rooms and myriad amenities—a member of Mexico's largest hotel brand—rises 12 floors above the fashionable Toreo shopping center in Lomas de Sotelo, a short drive northwest of Polanco and Lomas de Chapultepec. On the border between Mexico City and the state of Mexico, it's a good choice if you're seeking an upscale retreat reasonably close to city attractions but a little removed from noise and traffic. Guests with dogs receive a pet bed and water and food bowls to use throughout their stay. 

This storied resort rises above a deep-blue pool that flows beside palm oases. The ocean-view rooms have a modern neutral color scheme, beige marble floors, balconies, and tile baths with powerful showers. The beach is small but bustles with activity and equipment rentals, and the breakwater forms a sheltered nook that's nice for swimming. It's in the Northern Hotel Zone, about halfway between the Marina Vallarta complex and downtown Puerto Vallarta.

Overlooking the sparkling Laguna de las Ilusiones, this hotel in a small chain of Mexican business-class hotels is surrounded by coconut-palm, mango, and cacao trees that hide the neighboring hotels. The best rooms are in the newest wing beyond the lushly landscaped pool. A buffet breakfast is included in the rate.

Although this seven-story property---it's one of the largest in the neighborhood---isn't particular trendy, it does have warmly appointed contemporary rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, attractive white-tile showers, and ultra-comfy beds. There's a full-service restaurant and rooftop bar, and it's the rare Roma hotel with free parking. Rooms facing the street have Juliette balconies and let in more light (but also some street noise on the lower floors). 

Location gives this ultramodern hotel an edge; it's on a quiet street, but plenty of shops, restaurants, and nightspots are nearby. Service and facilities are faultless; advantages include a rooftop pool with sundeck, a secure underground parking lot, and 24-hour room service.

Close to the Ek Balam ruins, this simple retreat is modeled on local dwellings—cabins of stucco, wood, and thatch surround a casually maintained open area with a ritual sweat lodge, meditation room, and bio-filtered swimming pool. Several rooms have outdoor eco-showers and bathrooms en suite, while four economical options have shared bathrooms. Unique accommodations range from the two-story Maya temple (ideal for families) to the "birdhouse" with a spiral staircase leading to a tiny room perched in a tree. The owner organizes artisan tours of a nearby village where you'll grind corn for tortillas and learn about weaving and other traditional crafts. If you'd rather explore solo, bikes can be rented. The restaurant offers organic produce directly from the owner's farm.

Located on leafy Parque Hidalgo, this legendary 1901 hotel has high ceilings, wrought-iron balcony and stair rails, and ornately patterned tile floors. The period decor is so classic that you expect a mantilla-wearing Spanish señorita to appear, fluttering her fan, at any moment. The old-fashioned sitting room features antiques and plants; wide interior verandas on the second and third floors provide pretty outside seating. Porfirio Díaz, the dictator who ruled over Mexico for almost 35 years, stayed in one of the corner suites, which have small living and dining areas. 

The rooms in this 1895 art nouveau beauty face either the iconic and bustling Zócalo or a less dramatic garden. The roomy accommodations are traditionally furnished, if a bit staid, but service is exceptional and the location in the historic heart of the city is exhilarating. An utterly spectacular four-story stained-glass atrium ceiling adds to the charm.

Sleek and contemporary, this stylish hotel stands opposite the Bosque de Chapultepec, close to the city's main shopping area, and five minutes from the Auditorio Nacional. Plush rooms are done in muted tones of brown and cream. The spa, beauty salon, and barbershop guarantee that you will be presentable for the modern Azur Restaurant.