The Best Hotels in Huatulco, Mexico

Casa Mauna is a boutique hotel best-suited to courting couples, a short walk from the sand of Salchi beach. There are only six luxurious suites here so you’ll be guaranteed attentive service and a stay away from the crowds. The beautiful, minimalist rooms all have views out over the ocean, as does the infinity pool and its luxurious loungers. The restaurant offers uniquely plant-based, vegan dishes bursting with flavors, like potato curry samosas and cucumber pineapple ceviche.

Hotel Princess Mayev looks out onto the white sand and blue water of Chahué Bay. The bright and airy rooms, veiled in crisp, white sheets, are the perfect place to wake up before a day of exploring. Choose from a golf session or a more rigorous expedition of white-water rafting, quad biking or horseback riding on the beach, before kicking back by the pool to wind down on return. The hotel’s tour desk is on hand for trips to spy turtles and dolphins, waterfalls and coffee farms.

Camino Real Zaashila Huatulco sits on its own private beach within the Tangolunda Bay. Built by renowned Mexican architect, Javier Sordo Madaleno, its whitewashed village-style setup features a series of arches and alcoves popping with just the right amount of tropical color. An active stay is on the cards here, whether it’s knocking a ball about on the tennis court, doing laps of the 120m (394ft) pool or hitting the on-site gym. For afters, wind down in the poolside loungers and look out at the Pacific’s blue waters.

Barceló Huatulco is a reliable all-inclusive resort with 351 rooms that looks out onto the ocean at Tangolunda Bay. With six restaurants, two buffet-style and four with gourmet à la carte offerings, like the Kyoto Sushi Bar, you’re never likely to go hungry. It’s also the only hotel in the area with its own water park, ideal for families seeking slide-side fun.

Quinta Real Huatulco is a beautiful fusion of Mexican and Moroccan-inspired architecture, sitting oceanfront at Tangolunda Bay. There are only 28 suites, all decorated with hand-painted, locally crafted furniture, marble bathrooms and individual balconies with supreme bay views. La Cuija Beach Club is a swanky place to relax poolside by day and by night, you’ll want to head to the Sky Lounge Bar, set around a picturesque fig tree, adorned with twinkling lights.

Hotel Quinta Bella sits in exquisite Chahué Bay, right on the beach. The classic, spacious rooms all have their own balconies and petite private pools so you can soak up the ocean breeze while taking a dip. Foodies, this is the place for you – since there are five restaurants offering deluxe cuisine from salmon tartare at the Terrazza del Mar to marinated meats on Japanese Shinpo grills at the Asian-inspired Restaurante Uno.

Dreams Huatulco is a luxurious all-inclusive resort, ideal for a family vacation. With kids’ pools, adult pools and two infinity pools, it’s safe to say you won’t be without bathing options. There are plenty of excursions to try, too, like kayaking, exploring the nearby Sierra Madre waterfalls or even chartering your own private boat to see more of the coastline. When you want to wind down, there’s the beautiful Dreams Spa by Pevonia where you can treat yourself to treatments like a Swedish massage or a seaweed body wrap.

Villas Fa-Sol Huatulco comprises 17 oceanfront suites, all decorated in bright whites with soft wooden furnishings for that ultimate beach-villa feel. With private access to two of Huatulco’s scenic beaches (there are over 30 in total), you can enjoy simply sunbathing on the beach or snorkeling to see some of the Pacific Coast’s underwater creatures. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch sight of dolphins, turtles and pelicans along the way.

If big resorts aren’t your thing, head to the more intimate, adults-only Agua Azul La Villa, set up as a bed and breakfast with traditional palapa palm-thatched roofs. The charming and cozy rooms are named after local wildlife, from the orca to the marlin, and the virgin beach of Punta Arena is a short stroll away – best seen at daybreak. An abundant continental breakfast is served each morning and includes freshly squeezed juices, granola, baked goods and locally grown Oaxacan coffee.