12 Best Hotels in The Riviera Maya, Mexico

Five minutes from the town square and opposite the main beach, this charming hacienda-style bed-and-breakfast has five rooms with firm, comfortable king-size beds plus private terraces, some with partial ocean views, and six larger cabañas with kitchens. Each cheerfully decorated option features local artwork, terra-cotta tile floors, and added perks like a small refrigerator, a coffeemaker, filtered drinking water, organic shampoo and conditioner made with honey, and beach towels. 

Mosaic stone paths wind through lovely gardens, and colonial-style hardwood furnishings gleam throughout at this inn on a side street. At the center of the property are a botanical garden and stunning pool area with multiple pools, some interconnected, where tiki torches and illuminated palm trees lead to two-story adobe buildings. Rooms are small, but most have balconies and are equipped with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. There's a common area with a bar, pool table, little library, and games, as well as a small spa where guests get 15% off. Although La Tortuga isn't on the beach, the pool area is a delight, a sundeck is available, and guests get discount passes to three nearby beach clubs.

This small, colorful inn three blocks from the beach is split in two, with a family-friendly side and a separate adults-only area, both with pools. The garden restaurant serves up tasty fare for an early dinner (try the tequila shrimp, but go early: it closes at 9 to keep noise down for guests). A palapa out back hosts a weekly fresh market and daily pay-what-you-can yoga classes. The design is a work of art, with Mexican decor, batik wall hangings, and rustic wood-frame beds. Junior suites in both buildings have living rooms and microwaves for a quick meal. There's also a small business center and spa.

Ecologically sensitive Balamku, located 5 km (3 miles) south of town, sits on a stretch of pristine private beach where you can lose all track of time. Cool, spacious rooms are bright with Mexican tiles and textiles, and outdoor palapas are set up for the hotel's top activity—"hammocking." But it's not all about sleeping in the sun: a famously generous breakfast plus kayaking and snorkeling equipment are included in the rate. Canadian expat Carol Tumber runs an ecologically tight ship. In addition to generating power with solar panels and wind generators, the property uses water-saving toilets and composts all hotel waste. There's an outer reef for snorkeling and a platform where you can catch some rays after a swim. The restaurant serves only snacks, but there are two more robust restaurants five minutes down the beach road, one in each direction.

A wonderful place to stay if you want to dive, snorkel, kayak, fly-fish, or just relax in a hammock, this hotel has spacious rooms with colorful tiles and hand-woven blankets on single or queen beds. Each room has Wi-Fi, a collection of books, and a kitchenette—though you don't have to worry about breakfast as it's included in the room rate and served in a palapa dining area. Despite the lack of air-conditioning, rooms stay cool with ceiling fans and the ocean breeze. Kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkel or fishing equipment are free to use. In high season, there's a three-night minimum (or an additional $5 cleaning fee for shorter stays).

Tranquility and seclusion are the name of the game in these adults-only, cozy bungalows located a stone's throw from the beach. Although small, each has a bath, a queen- or king-size bed, a hammock, and a terrace that leads to a garden; the three-person suite has an extra pullout bed and a kitchenette. Added creature comforts include hair dryers, TVs, Wi-Fi, refrigerators, and coffeemakers. Meals are served in an on-site restaurant, where the menu includes seafood, grilled dishes, and brick-oven pizzas. To cool off, there's a small swimming pool and the beach is just a two-minute walk away.

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.

An interesting fusion of Maya and contemporary decor, budget-friendly Kinbé (which means "path to the sun") is steps from the beach. Even if you don't stay here, visit the impressive lobby, where an onyx bridge crosses an illuminated pool filled by a three-story waterfall. Rooms are divided into four categories: Pretty (the smallest, with one double bed), Moody (two doubles or a king), Rugiada (one king), and Garden (a striking bilevel option with a king bed in the loft). There are private terraces in 10 of the 29 rooms, but only one has a partial ocean view (for better views, head to the rooftop sundeck). Rooms are simple, clean, and stylish with bright white linens and small pops of color on pillows and blankets.

Large and modern by Chetumal's standards, Hotel Los Cocos has a pool framed by a pleasant garden (a boon on sweltering days) plus rooms—some with balconies or outdoor sitting areas—that are tidy, if not especially stylish. This is also one of the few area hotels that offers guests a gym and communal computers. The waterfront is within easy walking distance. Check the hotel website for discounts.

It may not have the bells and whistles of other Playa hotels, but this small property, on a quiet street two blocks from the beach, is very pleasant. Surrounding an attractive pool are rooms with tile floors, cedar furnishings, and spacious baths; suites also have hot tubs. If you want a balcony, request a "standard plus" room. Considering the central location and lovely setting, this may be the one of the best values in town. Although the hotel doesn't operate its own restaurant, there is one attached near the pool.

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.