The Best Luxury Hotels in Tulum, Mexico

A luxury cocoon in downtown Tulum, aparthotel Mudra shelters guests in 12 chic apartments. Playing on Tulum’s love of the natural, the suites are decorated in muted tones with dark wood, wicker and stone accents. Guests enjoy luxe hotel-like amenities – in-room spa treatments, a cocktail bar and yoga terrace – but with the comfort of a private apartment. When it’s time to escape, all guests have exclusive access to the Balinese beds and lounge chairs of Mudra’s private beach club.

Scattered between tropical jungle and Caribbean sands, Be Hotel showcases Tulum’s past, present and future. The design-led luxury boutique hotel, decorated with natural wood, bamboo and stone elements, instantly harmonizes guests with their surroundings. Spend an afternoon at the Yäan spa and book a healer-led temazcal ceremony for a never-forgotten holistic cleanse. For an extra-special evening, make a reservation at Ocumare, where a shared-dining menu has been curated by Argentinian-born, French-trained chef Mauricio Giovanini, the man behind Messina in Marbella.

Epitomizing Tulum’s boho chic vibe, the Beach Hotel brings sandy-footed elegance to the shores of Quintana Roo. As the name might suggest, each of its 28 suites overlook the sand and sea. Views are best enjoyed from your bed or bathtub. Muted suites come with private plunge pools and swaying hammocks, and guests can also join free daily yoga sessions in the pitch-roofed palapa studio. For a little extra, try sipping (not shooting) Mexico’s famous spirits, tequila and mezcal, in expert-led tasting sessions.

Twenty minutes’ drive from Tulum’s backpacker-busy center, Jashita sits on five acres (2ha) of private land. Here, exclusivity is everything. Its private beach is protected by the Great Maya Reef, the world’s second-largest coral reef. For families, there’s a shallow pool close to the sands. But, for all other guests at this luxury hotel in Tulum, there’s the ThousandandOne Pool Bar. Sip margaritas while gazing over the tropical forests to the waters of Soliman Bay and beyond. The in-house restaurant, Pandano, combines Italian-Mexican cuisine with stretching views over the waters.

Embracing a less-is-much-more attitude, Era Hotel & Spa in Tulum is a minimalist dream of Mediterranean architecture built from local materials. Neutral walls, macramé lighting, handcrafted wooden furniture and hand-woven chairs give bedrooms a simple, sophisticated feel. And if this luxury hotel’s elegant construction is its body, the Ritual Spa is undoubtedly its soul. Book a Mayan ritual massage for a purifying treatment centered on ancient knowledge and therapeutic herbs.

At TAGO, a day begins with sliding open your floor-to-ceiling wooden doors and taking a dip in your private balcony pool. Feel the moment is missing a soundtrack? This luxury hotel in Tulum offers a Vinyl À La Carte experience that brings guests a record player and selection of mood-setting tunes curated by Hermosillo-native and music-industry vet Eduardo Elias Fleets. For the rest of the day, drift dreamily from the swings of the beach club, then head over to the Mexican-inspired TAGO Restaurant with a final stop via the shaman-led wellness center.

Elephant in the room: some luxury boutiques take themselves way too seriously. Not Coco Limited. Putting the play back in playa, this quirky beachside luxury hotel in Tulum has 26 rooms that draw on natural materials and let Tulum’s beauty speak for itself. Spend your days at Limited, its private beach club, where squishy poufs and sinkable loungers lie under palapa-style parasols. Yes, there are beach tunes and craft cocktails. Just don’t expect the thumping, bone-jangling reggaeton found further up the coast.

The shiniest star in Náay Tulum’s galaxy of delights is its rooftop. Here sits a glassy dipping pool and the Ki’Kil Restaurant, which sends out Mexican and international treats. During the day, relax under a thatched cabana overlooking the seemingly endless Aldea Zama jungle. As evening creeps in, get your camera ready: the hotel prides itself on superlative sunset views. Rooms come with lush linens, rain showers and fit-for-a-king toiletries.