Ceiba Del Mar - Ceiba Del Mar is just 20 minutes south of Cancoon airport on the edge of Puerto Morelos. This boutique style Riveria Maya hotel has rooms in six thatch-roofed buildings. The resort has a feeling of understated luxury and facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, spa and two restaurants, serving both traditional and Mexican cuisine. One of the best hotels for a relaxing vacation in Mexico.
Fairmont Mayakoba Resort - This large resort is set on a lovely beach on the so-called Rivera Maya, 70km from Cancoon. The Fairmont Mayakoba hotel covers a huge area but still feels quite a personal hotel.
Paraiso de la Bonita - a secluded and exclusive luxury resort of 90 suites situated on the sugar white beach on Petenpich Bay, just 20 minutes drive from Cancoon. The excellent spa offers thalassotherapy (heated seawater treatment), massages, beauty and hydrotherapy treatments. Paraiso de la Bonita is one of the best resorts in the Mayan Riveria.
Akumal
Approximately one hour south of Cancoon on Mexico’s Riveria Maya is the upmarket resort of Akumal. This small vacation resort, with two beautiful bays lined with palm-fringed beaches, has a more laid back feel than most of the larger resorts on the Riveria Maya. In addition to the excellent beaches, Acumal's coral reefs provide excellent snorkelling and scuba diving.
Esencia - Esencia is small luxury resort set on Playa Xpu-Ha, a beautiful sand beach on Mexico’s Rivieria Maya. Escencia has just 30 rooms and a restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine. Escencia is one of the best small hotels on the Yucatan's coastline, and is great for a relaxing vacation in Mexico.
Club Oasis Akumal - Located one hour south of Cancun, in the heart of the Rivera Maya as Mexico’s Carribean coastline is known, is the Club Oasis Acumal. The remote 200 room resort is located on a beautiful white sand beach, on a bay in the relaxed, upmarket community of Akumal.
Villas Akumal - This resort is made up of thatched cabanas set beside one of the Riveria Maya's finest sandy beaches. There are 12 suites in total at this self catering resort which is perfect for villa rental in the Riveria Maya.
Xpuha Palace - Xpuha is an all-inclusive resort that is essentially a wildlife park bordering a small, white sand beach, 90km south of Cancún on the Riviera Maya. The resort town of Akumal is just 15km away.
Playa Del Carmen, Riveria Maya
The best way to describe Playa del Carmen is as a mini-Cancun. The beaches are excellent making a good base for diving and swimming. There are numerous hotels to choose from.
Maromma resort - One of the best hotels of the Riveria Maya, the beautiful Maromma Resort is located 45 mins drive from Cancun and 15 mins from Playa del Carmen. Maromma is surrounded by jungle, with only one other resort adjacent, and faces a long, sweeping stretch of sandy beach.
Las Palapas Hotel - Las Palapas is a spacious beach complex 2km from Playa del Carmen. There are 75 cabins in total at this Riveria Maya Hotel.
Mosquito Blue and Spa - an attractive hotel located in the lively heart of Playa del Carmen on the Riveria Maya. Facilities include a spa, two swimming pools and small restaurant serving Mexican and Italian cuisine.
The Tides Riveria Maya – previously known as Ika del Mar, the Tides Rivera Maya is located 5km north of the resort of Playa del Carmen, and 45 minutes south of Cancoon. The Tides Resort is a stylish, upmarket hotel of 30 luxury thatched villas, each with private plunge-pool and small outdoor terrace with hammock. The beach itself is quite small, and rocks underfoot make it inadvisable to swim there, but nonetheless this is one of the best hotels on the Riveria Maya in Mexico.
Shangri-La Caribe Riveria Maya - a beach-front complex of thatch roof cabanas about 2km north of Playa del Carmen, or 20 mins walk along the beach. There are 100 rooms in total, and the Shangri La hotel is a good base for diving.
Basico Hotel - an unusual boutique style designer hotel located right in the heart of the bustling centre of Playa Del Carmen. The Basico has a sister hotel - the Deseo, closeby. This is quite a "cool" hotel on the Riveria Maya in Mexico.
Gran Porto Real Hotel - The Porto Real, with 270 rooms, is located on a beautiful stretch of beach in the centre of Playa del Carmen, close to the lively bars, restaurants and shops of its main avenue. There are several restaurants and bars, a gym and two swimming pools.
La Tortuga - a relaxed hotel located on one of Playa del Carmen's quieter streets, on the outskirts and just two blocks from the beach. Facilities include a restaurants, poolside bar, spa and rooftop sun terrace.
Ocidental Royal Hideaway - a plush luxury resort located on a lovely stretch of beach 3km south of the main hotel strip of Playa del Carmen in the Riveria Maya, the Ocidental Royal Hideway is an all inclusive resort.
Tulum
The village of Tulum is 130 kms south of Cancoon and is a relaxed and simple beach retreat. The beaches here are beautiful and less developed than at other parts of the Rivera Maya. The best hotel is the Dreams Tulum Resort and Spa.
Isla Mujeres, Rivera Maya
A short boat trip from Cancoon, laid back Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) makes for a refreshing and relaxing contrast. Buildings higher than three storeys are prohibited, as are American franchises. Like many travel destinations on the Riveria Maya, the island is a good place for scuba diving. The best hotel is the 30 room Villa Rolandi.
Puerto Aventuras
Just south of Cancoon, this private resort built on recently pristine coast is the centre for sports fishing vacations on the Carribean coast. Sporting activities include golf, tennis and diving. Puerto Aventuras is a quieter alternative to Cancun or Playa del Carmen. The Omni Puerto Aventuras Resort is a small beach resort while the Club Oasis Puerto Aventuras is a larger all inclusive first class luxury hotel.
Cozumel Island Hotels, Riveria Maya
Once a sleepy backwater island, Cozemel has become so popular that comparisons are now made with the upmarket resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen. It's the best spot for for scuba diving and snorkelling and the rugged Carribean coastline has a wide variety of wildlife.
Fiesta Americana Cozemel Reef - The Feista Americana Cozumel Reef is a large modern hotel located in the south of the island, about ten minutes’ drive from Cozumel town. The Fiesta Americana's main attraction is its proximity to the island’s best diving and snorkeling reef, Palancar.
Melia Cozumel - The all inclusive resort Melia is situated on the largest natural beach in Cozumel. This all-inclusive Riveria Maya resort has 150 deluxe rooms. A ‘Country Club’ development in front of the resort has botanical gardens and an 18-hole golf course.
Ocidental Allegro - This large Riveria Maya resort is located on Playa San Francisco. It has 300 rooms accommodated in thatched two-level villa blocks. An alternative would be the sister hotel the Occidental Grande ,which is very similar in style.
Presidente InterContinental - a perfectly placed resort, acomodation which is spread out along the coastline makes the most of its natural beach surroundings. As well as providing good snorkeling and diving opportunities the resort also has access to a golf course.
