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Guide

Where to Stay in the Riviera Maya

From Playacar to Tulum's beach road, here is which stretch of coast suits which traveller, and the hotels worth putting on a shortlist.

Andrew LoveseyOctober 19, 202613 min read

Checked at the source27 sources, linkedFacts checked 19 Oct 2026

The short answer: book Mayakoba for a gated, all-amenities luxury resort stay; Playacar or Playa del Carmen if you want to walk to restaurants; Puerto Aventuras, Xpu-Ha and Akumal for quieter beaches and small, serious hotels; and Tulum for design hotels, wellness and a beach-road scene. Sian Ka’an is for a night or two at the end of the road, not a base.

This guide covers the coast from Playa del Carmen south to Tulum along Highway 307. Cancún’s hotel zone, Costa Mujeres and Playa Mujeres are covered in our separate Cancún, Costa Mujeres and Playa Mujeres guide. For the wider country picture, start at our Mexico destination hub.

The Riviera Maya at a glance

Highway 307 runs the length of this coast, and hotels give their addresses as kilometre markers on it. Mayakoba, for example, lists its address as km 298 on the Chetumal–Puerto Juárez highway, while Hotel Esencia at Xpu-Ha is at km 265 on the Cancún–Tulum road. The further south you go, the lower the number and the quieter the coast.

Area	Best for	Setting	Standout stays
Playacar and Xcaret	Couples who want walkability plus a resort; theme-park families	Gated resort district just south of town; Xcaret parks next door	Royal Hideaway Playacar, Hotel Xcaret Arte, Hotel Xcaret México
Playa del Carmen (town and Xcalacoco)	First-timers, food lovers, villa seekers	Fifth Avenue in town; quieter beach coves to the north	Viceroy Riviera Maya, The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, Ocean Maya Royale
Mayakoba	Luxury families, golfers, honeymooners wanting space	595 gated acres of lagoon, mangrove and about a mile of beach	Rosewood, Fairmont, Banyan Tree, Alila
Puerto Aventuras and Xpu-Ha	Food-and-spa travellers, adults-only all-inclusive	Marina town, an undeveloped bay and the coast just south	Hotel Esencia, UNICO 20°87°
Akumal	Snorkellers, multi-generational groups, villa renters	Small bays and a low-rise village	Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya, Bahia Principe Explore Akumal
Tulum	Design and wellness travellers, couples, social scenes	Jungle-backed beach road plus the town	Be Tulum, Casa Malca, Nômade Tulum
Sian Ka’an	Nature-first travellers, anglers, birders	UNESCO biosphere reserve south of Tulum	Small lodges; one or two nights only

Playacar and Xcaret

Who it suits: couples who want a proper resort but still like the option of walking into Playa del Carmen for dinner, and families who plan to spend days at the Xcaret parks.

Playacar is a gated resort and residential district on Playa del Carmen’s southern edge, with its own golf course. Just beyond it are the Xcaret parks and the three hotels run by Grupo Xcaret.

Royal Hideaway Playacar. Barceló’s adults-only, five-star all-inclusive sits on Chac Halal Beach in Playacar. The resort lists 201 rooms spread across villas, including two-storey villas, with a concierge assigned to each villa and 24-hour room service. There are six restaurants (Ventanas, Spices, Palazzo, Azia Avant Thai, The Grill and The Deck), plus a Mesa del Chef tasting menu at extra cost. Barceló puts the Playacar Golf Course 383 yards from the hotel.

Hotel Xcaret Arte. This is the adults-only member of the Xcaret family; the hotel’s FAQ sets the minimum age at 16. Its pull is the “All-Fun Inclusive” model: stays include unlimited access to Grupo Xcaret’s parks and tours (the hotel cites seven, including Xcaret Park, Xplor, Xel-Há and the Xenotes tour), plus round-trip airport and park transport. Dining includes Kibi-Kibi, led by Michelin-starred chef Roberto Solís.

Hotel Xcaret México. The family-friendly sister property lists 900 suites plus 63 suites overlooking the Caribbean, with the same park access and transfers. Grupo Xcaret also runs La Casa de la Playa, which it describes as an adults-only boutique hotel, for travellers who want the Xcaret access at a smaller scale.

If you are planning park days without staying at Xcaret, tickets can be booked separately:

Playa del Carmen: town and Xcalacoco

Who it suits: first-time visitors, travellers who want to eat out every night, and couples or groups who prefer villas and residences to a big resort.

Playa del Carmen proper centres on Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), a long pedestrian street of shops and restaurants. North of town, Playa Xcalacoco and the surrounding coves are quieter, with several high-end resorts set back in the jungle.

Viceroy Riviera Maya. On Playa Xcalacoco, Viceroy has 41 residential-style villas, each with its own completely private plunge pool, sun deck and outdoor shower. The resort describes itself as an adults-only beachfront villa resort. It has the Wayak Spa, with treatments drawn from Maya traditions, and two restaurants, Coral and La Marea. This is the pick for couples who want privacy close to town.

The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences. The Fives offers one-, two- and three-bedroom suites on an “à la carte all-inclusive” plan, about 40 minutes south of Cancún International Airport and 10 minutes from downtown, according to the hotel. Its multi-bedroom layouts make it a practical choice for families and groups. Its downtown sibling, The Fives Downtown Hotel & Residences (part of Hilton’s Curio Collection), is near Quinta Avenida, has a rooftop infinity pool and lists a AAA Four Diamond rating.

Ocean Maya Royale. Ocean Signature Resorts’ adults-only (18 and over) all-inclusive sits on the beach at Punta Maroma, north of Playa del Carmen, with 320 rooms, according to Sunwing’s hotel page. It has six restaurants, including the Italian La Dolce Vita and the Japanese Yookoso. Privilege rooms add a private ocean-view terrace, butler service, 24-hour room service, a beach area with Bali beds and the Privilege-only Fusion restaurant. The Despacio Spa Centre has a hot and cold Jacuzzi and sauna, with some services at extra cost. As of October 2026, Sunwing notes the La Hacienda buffet is closed for renovation until 7 November 2026, with the buffet moved to El Charro. It suits couples who want a fully inclusive adults-only stay at a lower price point than the villa resorts above.

Mayakoba

Who it suits: luxury families, golfers, honeymooners and anyone who wants resort-level space and service without leaving a single gated estate.

Mayakoba is a gated development of about 595 acres, with roughly a mile of beach and lagoons and waterways that connect its four hotels: Alila Mayakoba, Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Fairmont Mayakoba and Rosewood Mayakoba. The El Camaleón 18-hole championship course, designed by Greg Norman, runs through the estate, and Mayakoba hosts the LPGA México Riviera Maya Open, scheduled for late April into early May. Expect higher demand and rates during tournament week.

Fairmont Mayakoba. The largest of the four, with 401 rooms and suites. It is the most family-focused, with two kids’ clubs (Coati and B’alam), connecting-room options and a Kids Stay and Eat Free package. An optional all-inclusive package covers meals and drinks at participating outlets, but excludes bottled wine and spirits, most Brisas breakfasts and golf at El Camaleón. Guests can snorkel on the Mesoamerican Reef from the beach area.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba. The resort describes itself as an all-private-pool villa resort, with Serenity Pool Villas and two- and three-bedroom family residences. It works for both couples and families: the Rangers Club is for ages 5 to 12, and the spa runs yoga and forest-bathing classes. Saffron serves the brand’s signature Thai cuisine.

Rosewood Mayakoba. An all-suite resort set between the estate’s lagoons, mangrove jungle and the Caribbean. Rosewood lists Lagoon, Oceanview and Beachfront Suites, Lagoon and Beachfront Villas, and Signature Suites including two Presidential Suites of three to six bedrooms. There are eight restaurants and bars, among them Agave Azul, Casa del Lago and La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen, plus Sense, A Rosewood Spa.

Alila Mayakoba. Hyatt opened Alila Mayakoba in February 2026 on the site formerly occupied by Andaz Mayakoba, according to Hyatt’s newsroom. It is the brand’s first resort in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 182 rooms, suites and villas (nearly 40% of them suites) on 60 acres of beach, lagoon and jungle. Dining runs across six venues, including the 12-seat Chef’s Atelier El Huerto, and Spa Alila offers temazcal sessions. Ask about family policies when booking, as these differ noticeably across the four hotels.

Puerto Aventuras and Xpu-Ha

Who it suits: travellers who put food, spa and a calm beach ahead of nightlife, and couples looking for an adults-only all-inclusive with more personality than the big chains.

Puerto Aventuras is a marina-based resort town. A few kilometres south, Xpu-Ha is one of the last lightly developed bays on this coast.

Hotel Esencia. On the Xpu-Ha bay at km 265, Esencia was originally a private estate and sits on about 50 acres, with a semi-private white-sand beach bordered by private homes. The hotel protects sea turtle nests and alerts guests when eggs hatch. It has three restaurants, including a Japanese omakase, and an organic spa within its Spa & Health Club. The Michelin Guide lists Esencia with three Michelin Keys and 51 rooms. The hotel also says it is the only independent hotel in Mexico with Forbes Travel Guide Five Stars for five consecutive years (2022 to 2026), and that it was the only Riviera Maya hotel to receive Keys in 2026. The Presidential Bungalow has its own private beachfront.

UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya. An adults-only (18 and over) all-inclusive at km 260 on Federal Highway 307 in the municipality of Solidaridad, just south of Xpu-Ha, and about 1 hour 15 minutes south of Cancún airport, according to the resort. Inclusions listed by the hotel are five signature restaurants, premium drinks, a stocked minibar, 24-hour room service, a dedicated “Local Host”, on-site activities and water sports, and fitness experiences at the spa. Ask whether off-site excursions are included in your rate, as the site does not say so clearly.

Akumal

Who it suits: snorkellers, families who want shallow, sheltered bays, and groups renting villas.

Akumal is a small, low-rise beach community between Xpu-Ha and Tulum. Much of the upscale inventory here is private villas and condos rather than hotels, which suits multi-generational groups who want kitchens and space.

Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya. Hyatt Inclusive Collection’s adults-only all-inclusive on Akumal’s beach. The resort says restaurants require no reservations, bars pour unlimited top-shelf drinks, and its Preferred Club offers upgraded suites with extra privileges.

Bahia Principe Explore Akumal. A family-oriented all-inclusive that the brand positions around Maya culture and a Caribbean beach. It is upscale rather than luxury, but useful for larger families on a budget.

A cenote day fits naturally into an Akumal or Tulum stay:

Tulum

Who it suits: design-minded couples, wellness travellers and anyone who wants a social beach-club scene.

Tulum splits into the town, inland, and the beach road (Carretera Tulum–Boca Paila), which runs south toward Sian Ka’an. Hotels here are smaller and more design-led than the resorts further north.

Be Tulum. At km 10 on the Tulum–Boca Paila road, Be Tulum offers suites, premier suites and villas, some with private pools. Its Yäan Spa runs a well-being programme with daily yoga and meditation. Restaurants include Ocúmare and Mare’zia, which doubles as the beach club.

Casa Malca. A beachfront hotel filled with works from owner Lio Malca’s personal art collection, including a KAWS sculpture in the lobby. It has three pools, including the underground Grotto pool, a rooftop Calma Spa and restaurants including Philosophy, Ambrosia and the Head of a Madman beach club. Suites range from garden-view junior suites to a Family Village Suite.

Nômade Tulum. A wellness-led property with jungle treehouses and beachfront suites. Programming includes breathwork, ice baths, stargazing and yoga, plus a weekly music calendar. It has three restaurants: La Popular (seafood), Macondo (Middle Eastern) and the Japanese omakase Kuu Jū. Skip it for clients who want quiet.

Inland from the beach, Hilton has been expanding its big-brand all-inclusive presence around Tulum. See our report on Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria and Conrad all-inclusive plans for the Riviera Maya.

The clifftop Maya site is a short drive from the beach road:

Sian Ka’an

South of Tulum, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It covers about 528,000 hectares of tropical forest, mangroves, marshes, lagoons and beaches, plus a marine area of about 120,000 hectares that includes part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. UNESCO notes the name means “Origin of the Sky” in Maya.

Accommodation inside the reserve is limited. Treat it as a one- or two-night add-on at the end of a Tulum stay, or as a day trip, rather than a base.

Best for: quick picks

Best for families: Fairmont Mayakoba (two kids’ clubs, 401 rooms) or Hotel Xcaret México (park access included).
Best adults-only all-inclusive: Royal Hideaway Playacar, UNICO 20°87° or Secrets Akumal.
Best for food: Hotel Esencia.
Best for private-pool villas: Banyan Tree Mayakoba or Viceroy Riviera Maya.
Best for groups: The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences (up to three-bedroom suites).
Best for design and art: Casa Malca.
Best for wellness: Nômade Tulum or Be Tulum.

When to go

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, according to the US National Hurricane Center, with the statistical peak on 10 September and most activity between mid-August and mid-October. That makes the winter and spring months the most popular for this coast, and the most expensive. If you book in late summer or autumn, buy insurance that covers named storms and check the resort’s hurricane policy. For school-break timing from Canada, the US and the UK, see our school holidays planner.

How to get there from Canada, the US and the UK

Cancún International (CUN) is the main gateway for the whole coast. The Fives puts its Playa del Carmen resort about 40 minutes from the airport, while UNICO 20°87°, further south at km 260, quotes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Tulum’s beach hotels are further again.

Tulum’s own airport, Felipe Carrillo Puerto International (TQO), sits at km 201 on Highway 307 near Chunyaxché, south of Tulum. A federal agreement dated 29 November 2023 and published in Mexico’s Diario Oficial declared it an international airport, open to scheduled and private flights. It is worth checking for Tulum and Sian Ka’an stays, though schedules are more seasonal than at Cancún.

From Canada: Air Canada’s winter 2026–27 schedule includes Calgary to Cancún four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) from 11 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, subject to change. Check your own gateway’s winter sun schedule early, as seasonal routes sell out.
From the US: Compare Cancún against TQO for Tulum-area stays; a shorter final transfer can matter more than the flight itself.
From the UK: British Airways flies direct from London Gatwick to Cancún, with a listed flight time of about 10 hours 35 minutes and, as of October 2026, daily departures, subject to change.

Visitax: Quintana Roo charges a tourist fee that, according to the state’s official portal, must be paid by all foreign tourists visiting the state. The portal says there is no separate child rate and the fee applies however you leave the state, including from Cozumel. Pay only through visitax.gob.mx or providers authorised by the state tax authority (SATQ). The portal’s public pages do not state the amount, so check the current peso fee during payment before you travel.

What it costs

Rates move sharply by season. What changes the real cost is what each resort includes:

Fairmont Mayakoba’s all-inclusive package is optional and excludes bottled wine and spirits, most Brisas breakfasts and golf.
Royal Hideaway Playacar’s Mesa del Chef tasting menu costs extra.
Hotel Xcaret stays include park access and round-trip airport and park transport, which can offset a high nightly rate for families planning several park days.
UNICO 20°87° includes premium drinks, minibar and room service, but check whether excursions are included.
Villa resorts such as Viceroy and Banyan Tree: confirm the meal plan before quoting, and budget for dining if it is room-only.

Booking tips for advisors

Match the area first, then the hotel. A Tulum beach-road client and a Mayakoba client rarely want the same trip.
Check age policies carefully. Hotel Xcaret Arte admits guests from 16; UNICO 20°87° requires 18 and over.
Ask about renovations. See our tracker of Marriott Mexico and Caribbean renovations in 2026, and our new hotel openings page for what is coming.
Pair the hotel with a beach plan. For how Mexico’s beaches are rated by readers, see our Condé Nast Readers’ Choice 2026 Mexico beaches roundup.

FAQ

Is Playa del Carmen or Tulum better for a luxury stay?
Playa del Carmen and its nearby resorts (Playacar, Xcalacoco, Mayakoba) offer more full-service luxury resorts and a shorter airport transfer. Tulum offers smaller, design-led hotels and a beach-club scene.

Which Riviera Maya area is best for families?
Mayakoba, for Fairmont’s two kids’ clubs and Banyan Tree’s family residences, or the Xcaret area if the family wants park days included.

Is Mayakoba one resort?
No. It is a gated estate with four separate hotels (Alila, Banyan Tree, Fairmont and Rosewood) and a golf course.

Should I fly into Cancún or Tulum?
Cancún has far more routes and suits every area in this guide. Tulum’s airport, an international airport since late 2023, can make sense for Tulum and Sian Ka’an stays if a convenient flight exists.

When is hurricane season in the Riviera Maya?
From 1 June to 30 November, with the peak around 10 September, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Do I need to pay a tourist tax?
Yes. Quintana Roo’s Visitax applies to all foreign tourists, according to the state’s official portal. Pay it at visitax.gob.mx.

Sources

Where to stay near Tulum

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

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Andrew Lovesey Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Lovesey is Editor-in-Chief of Not An Atlas, and always on the hunt for the next big thing: where to go, where to stay and what's worth the photo. His first trip was to the family cottage in Prince Edward Island, all rolling hills, red sand cliffs and jellyfish drifting in the North Atlantic. He'll sit anywhere but the middle seat (no armrest wars), never flies without the adapter that lets his AirPods play the in-flight movie, and has eaten at a McDonald's in every country he's visited. Iceland gets a pass because it doesn't have one. He once learned to bead earrings from Aleqa Hammond, Greenland's first female premier, on a ship in the Northwest Passage, and will tell anyone who'll listen that Cincinnati is wildly underrated. Friends say charming, driven and loyal. His mum says persuasive. Next stop: Greece.

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