The Best Hotels to Book in Isla Holbox, Mexico

You wouldn’t mind being a castaway for a while at Punta Caliza. Most of the hotel was constructed from western red cedar – directly from the family’s own plantation – and the thatched roofs, or palapas, are in the style typical of traditional Mexican coastal properties. The elegant, minimalist rooms each have their own pool, which connect to form the hotel’s larger shared pool in a beautiful moat-like system. The restaurant showcases Mexican flavors and dishes, all freshly and locally sourced, like the juicy lobster and zesty octopus ceviche. The hotel has its own beach club and offers yoga, mezcal tours and more, if you can peel yourself away from the sand.

Adults-only La Palapa has 24 glamorous rooms, all decorated in traditional Caribbean style with pops of vibrant color, wood-beamed ceilings and cooling tiled floors. The traditional-style, thatched-roofed hotel sits right on the beach, beside sugary sands where you can grab a fresh margarita while glimpsing Gulf of Mexico views. Hammocks are also on hand, plus a spa with an outdoor terrace and a jacuzzi overlooking the island’s jungly interior. Tours ticking off cenotes and birdlife are offered, as well as whale-shark expeditions.

In the flamingo-beloved Yum Balam Nature Reserve, this hotel combines sand, sea and cool ocean breeze in a lavish beachfront setting. Opulent bungalows and suites look out over the neighboring sandbank and shallow, always-warm waters. There are also sizable circular plunge pools, separating the rooms from the beach, for an alternate bathing option with a difference. Head out for paddle boarding or pedal around the car-free island on one of the hotel’s bikes to immerse yourself in local life. The sea-facing, sunset-ready Mangle restaurant, run by chef Santiago Cutz Pool, is couples’ catnip.

If you’re after a more burnished, less boho stay, Mystique Holbox is a reliable, run-by-Royalton retreat that ticks the resort boxes. Rooms are contemporary and minimalist, with blue and turquoise hues throughout. If you can pry yourself away from your beach lounger, immaculate ocean views continue in the two restaurants: more-relaxed Fresco Bar and Grill, serving fresh seafood tacos and burgers, and upscale Fresco Artful Cuisine for lobster-and-steak surf and turf.

Hotel Casa Palapas del Sol lies on a pristine strip of beach, a short stroll from the island’s central pueblo. The palatial rooms have neutral palettes, save for hints of Mexican color in the vibrant throw cushions. There’s a wooden three-story lookout tower right on the beachfront for surveying the Caribbean waters and a lagoon-shaped pool, tucked in between the hotel’s rainbow-colored buildings, for a non-salty seafront dip .

Villas Caracol is another beachfront spot – this time with only 15 rooms, so you’re guaranteed intimacy and no more than a handful of other guests. The understated yet glamorous suites include local Tzalam wood and luxurious marble bathrooms. Tuck into the moreish waffles and fresh fruits for breakfast, and plan your activity for the day – kayaking perhaps, then lounging at the beach club or swimming in bioluminescent waters after dark. Golf cart and bike rentals are also available if you want to explore at your own pace.

Aldea means village in Spanish and this boutique hotel sets itself up as such, with private beach bungalows and everything you need to live your best island life. Each room is adorned with macramé wall hangings, Nespresso coffee machines and carved stone bathtubs. Wellbeing is high on the agenda, with a kids’ club to carve the way for alone time, a kitted-out gym and spa for holistic massages. No need for grocery shopping in this village: beachside Kukatch does modern Mexican dishes by day and smart La Malix is your spot come evening.

Soho Boutique Holbox is bursting with tropical color, from its azure pool to the rainbow-painted bungalows and patterned throw cushions. It sits on the beach, a short stroll from the town center, but far enough away to guarantee tranquility from the pueblo’s hustle and bustle. Enjoy a croissant, fresh OJ and revitalizing cup of coffee before heading out paddleboarding or simply sitting in the shallow, bath-like ocean waters right outside.

Ser Casasandra is a peaceful sanctuary full of art and artisan crafts. There are no TVs, alarm clocks or radios in sight so this is really a place to switch off and tune out to nothing but the sea. Acclaimed Mexican chef, Roberto Solís – of Mérida’s Nectar and the “New Yucatecan Cuisine” movement – designed the exquisite menu at the Restaurant Ser Esencia, which includes Yucatan-inspired recipes of local seafood, fruits and vegetables. Only Mexican wines are stocked in the cellar to further lure locavores.