Where to Stay in Cancún, Mexico

Located downtown, Hotel Kavia keeps things simple, with 62 spotless rooms of coconut-white bedding, relaxing shaded patios and breeze-cooled rooftop views. Still, this is one of the best places to stay in Cancun. You’re within towel-shaking distance of the local beachgoers’ favorite, sandy Playa Tortugas – and you could take a ferry out to Isla Mujeres. But many guests get nowhere close, dipping between Kavia’s inky-blue pool and nautical-stripe sunbeds. After nightfall, local taco joints beckon, before a late tequila or two.

To enter this awesome glass-and-concrete seafront new build involves pressing the bell to Puerta del Mar’s gated community. Inside it’s a triumph: 232 sleek rooms with wide-angle Caribbean views and monsoon showers. Family fun is the focus, but hold hands: it’s easy to get lost among all the pools and surf machines, the water park, climbing wall and scuba classes. The best Mexican moments are sunset tequila tastings before a spicy dinner at Mi Lucrecia.

Set on a sheltered beach on Cancún’s quieter north shore, the Royal Cancún has panoramic views across to the Isla Mujeres, a serene escape for snorkeling and scuba diving. Each suite sleeps five with furnished balconies for sunbathing or snacking from your own kitchen. Make time for neighboring Torre Escenica, the 260-foot (80m) observation platform and tallest structure in Cancún, for some local history as well as snap-happy views.

Townhouse-style living in the city center means easy access to the best-loved beaches – Tortuga, Langosta and Mujeres – at the tip of the Zona Hotelera. The unfussy, apartment-style rooms are a great jumping-off point to explore the local, maze-like Mercado 28. Haggle over edible treats to enjoy in the garden picnic spot or snap up artisan souvenirs – from silver jewelry to hand-painted skulls – to surprise friends when you get home.

Live like a local at this downtown collection of simply styled villas with cool outside spaces, towering palm trees and deep pink bursts of bougainvillea. Cozy rooms include petite kitchens and pool or garden views. Combine coastal fun with culture – head to nearby El Rey, a small archaeological Mayan temple, followed by the Ventura beachfront theme park, a heady combination of adrenaline-fueled activities and – huge fun for young ones – dolphin encounters.

It’s quality over quantity at this intimate guest house-with-pool on a quiet side street, south of central Cancún. The seven light-filled suites are each named after ancient Mexican civilizations. Breakfast is a distinctly local affair, featuring traditional Mexican sweet bread – ask the owner to help you whip up your own in the guest kitchen. Our top day-trip tip? A spin south along the shores of the Riviera Maya, speckled with ruins and cenotes and cloaked in mysterious jungle.