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The Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Cancun

A visit to Cancún wont break the bank when you stay at one of these top budget-friendly hotels
A visit to Cancún won't break the bank when you stay at one of these top budget-friendly hotels | © Allen Brown / Alamy Stock Photo

Beautiful, beachy Cancun is a formidable sun-seeker’s destination: the white-sand beaches and azure waters are perfect if you want an enviable tan. Not that sunbathing is your only option here – if you fancy a more lively vacation there’s a whole spectrum of activities including watersports, nightlife, and ancient Maya ruins just down the Yucatan coast. Since Cancun is a major tourist hotspot, it can be difficult to choose which neighborhood to stay in. To help, here are the most beautiful.

Punta Cancun

At the north end of the Hotel Zone, Punta Cancun offers exhilarating entertainment. The neighborhood that never sleeps is known for its 24/7 happy-holiday atmosphere. The white sands are the ideal place for bronzers, and the crystal waters beckon you to paddle a kayak or windsurf. There are more than 15 reefs for snorkeling and scuba diving. Two good shopping centers are in the area: Plaza Forum and Plaza Caracol. Find some of the best-known nightclubs in Cancun here too: The City, Señor Frog’s, Hard Rock Café and Coco Bongo.

Hit up Punta Cancun to enjoy a lively nightlife

Where to stay in Punta Cancun

Le Blanc Spa Resort

Resort, Chain Hotel, Spa Hotel

A neutral-coloured hotel room at Le Blanc Spa Resort with a double bed, seating area and Caribbean Sea views
Courtesy of Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun / Booking.com

Here’s a robust choice for sun-worshippers who want to avoid the many families on vacation in Cancun – Le Blanc is unrepentantly for adults only. Expect a haute version of the classic all-inclusive resort, with top-shelf drinks included, 24-hour in-room dining, and personal butlers to make your stay super-smooth. Rooms are spacious, bright, and with ocean views. Step out from your room and you won’t be bored. Le Blanc has six bars, and peddles particularly well-rounded spa services.

Sunset Royal Beach Resort

Resort

Thatched parasols cover lime-green sun loungers on the white-sand beach at Sunset Royal Beach Resort
Courtesy of Sunset Royal Beach Resort / Booking.com

Sunset Royal is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort with a sprawling beachfront. Expect classic resort-style rooms in calming shades of white and brown, most with space to sleep four. If you’re the active type, this is the place for you – there’s a host of activities from yoga to beach volleyball and cooking classes. Best of all is the room rate – it’s remarkably low given everything on offer here.

Punta Nizuc

South of the Hotel Zone, this is a hugely popular – and peaceful – beach and marine park, home to the second-biggest coral reef in the world. In the crystal waters, manatees, turtles and 230 species of seaweed flicker and twirl. On the seabed there’s a statue from the underwater museum MUSA called The Gardener of Hope, which depicts a young man lying in a coral garden. Also here is the San Miguelito archaeological zone, an important Maya city. If you want to try snorkeling, start with MUSA or, if you prefer, take a boat trip through Nichupté Lagoon.

Stay in Punta Nizuc to experience the natural beauty of Cancun

Where to stay in Punta Nizuc

The Westin Resort & Spa

Resort, Chain Hotel

A sea-view room at The Westin Resort & Spa with a double bed facing the ocean and a beach-side balcony
Courtesy of The Westin Resort & Spa Cancun / Booking.com

This Hotel Zone resort keeps things simple – as a result it is one of the most affordable beachfront options in town. There’s a mix of beachy-casual rooms for two to four guests, plus funky villas (studio, one- and two-bedroom options are available) with full kitchens and spacious sleeping spaces. There are three restaurants serving an array of international cuisine – go for deli bites and wine at Palmar Market, and pizza and steaks at Sea & Stones. Then relax at the pools or on the long, white shores. It’s a solid bet for an easy, breezy vacation under the Yucatan sun.

Dreams Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort

Resort, Spa Hotel, Hotel

A double room at Dreams Vista Cancun Resort with a sliding door opening to a dipping pool
Courtesy of Dreams Vista Cancun Resort / Expedia

Dreams Vista is an all-inclusive beach-side resort inside a gated community: the whole thing centers around a bold modernist building with a rooftop pool. Inside are more than 400 striking, angular rooms geared towards couples and families. It has an exceptional array of activities, from spa treatments to a kids club. Dining is a highlight, with 15 restaurants and bars turning out a world of dishes, from sushi to pizza and Mexican.

Puerto Juárez

Only 2km (1.2mi) beyond the Hotel Zone, Puerto Juárez is another prospect altogether with peaceful beaches. There are excellent hotels and restaurants by the shore with amazing views over the Caribbean waters. This area is a hit among international tourists, who arrive at the central ferry pier to be transported to Isla Mujeres. It’s 20 minutes from El Meco archaeological zone, a small but significant Maya site with a pyramid.

Puerto Juárez is a great base if you want to visit Isla Mujeres

Where to stay in Puerto Juárez

Suites Malecon Cancun

Hotel

A double bed at Suites Malecon Cancun with a butterfly-print throw cushions and bed-side lamps
Courtesy of Suites Malecon Cancun / Booking.com

Make serious savings by avoiding the beachfront resorts and opting for something closer to Cancun proper — and Suites Malecon is one of the best choices. There are affordable standard rooms, plus one- to three-bedroom suites with private terraces and full kitchens, alongside handy amenities including a gym and an infinity pool. While it may not have beach access, it’s great if you’re an independent solo traveler wanting to explore the Riviera Maya: it’s right by major roads with connections to surrounding towns, while the Plaza Las Americas mall is in the same complex for all your day-to-day necessities.

Grand City Hotel

Hotel

A simple family-friendly guestroom at Grand City Hotel with two double beds and a modern work of art above them
Courtesy of Grand City Hotel Cancun / Booking.com

If you’re into a resort-style stay, Grand City Hotel is a relaxing option right in the city center, within walking distance of the popular Mercado 28 flea market. The air-conditioned rooms are simple yet comfortable, with splashes of color, and the hotel is walled off from the busy streets, with a tranquil outdoor pool surrounded by tropical plants. There’s a restaurant, but you’ll want to explore the surrounding streets, home to plenty of cheap joints serving moreish dishes.

Downtown

A stronghold of Mexican traditions, downtown Cancun combines the beauty of nature with nightlife. Kabah Park is where people exercise amid extravagant foliage, but you can also learn the story of the city here by checking out the permanent photo gallery. Visit El Ceviche roundabout, a monument placed in the midst of the main avenues and an important meeting point for the neighborhood. Restaurants, malls, bars and nightclubs are along three main avenues: Nader, Yaxchilan and Tulum.

Avenida Tulum is one of the main thoroughfares in downtown Cancun

Where to stay in downtown Cancun

Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro

Chain Hotel

There’s appealing urban sophistication in this downtown hotel, where city-view rooms have smart striped walls and pale timber underfoot. The vibe, though, is Caribbean-coastal, as you’d expect this close to the sands. Want to buy beach accessories? With a downtown location on buzzy Avenida Tulum, the hotel is handy for Plaza la Roca and the Kukulkan mall, both less than 2km (1.2mi) away. A little light culture? Head to the El Rey Maya ruins in the Hotel Zone and get your fill of local history – and iguanas. Now treat yourself to a sleep-inducing massage at the spa before sundowners by the inky-blue outside pool. This is bliss.

Kabah Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotel

On a tree-lined boulevard, this little beauty is popular for its rooms – sleeping two and four – prettily tricked out in emerald green or shimmering gold. Balconies are perfect for sunset-gazing each balmy evening. They may be hard to leave, but you should, with beauty spots close by including Kabah Park, home to crocodiles, ducks, spider monkeys, turtles and iguanas plus a large population of the racoon-like coati. Back at the hotel, take a swim in the rooftop pool before sipping a margarita from a chilled glass.

Mónica Ramírez López contributed additional reporting.

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