The 16 Best Luxury Hotels in Cancún

Plenty of water by the beach: At JW Marriott Cancun Resort, a snaking infinity pool with bridges and small hot tubs winds through the grounds; there are four pools in all, including one for PADI dive lessons. Kempinski Cancun has two pools and a whirlpool on a deck above the sea, and beach cabanas can be reserved.JW Marriott Cancun Resort · Zona HoteleraYour own pool outside the door: 29 villas at NIZUC Resort Cancun have a private infinity pool, and many suites a plunge pool. At Haven Riviera Cancun, you step from 114 swim-out suites straight into heated water. At Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya, many rooms and suites have swim-up pool access, and two infinity pools with a pool concierge sit right by the beach.

At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.

Rooftop pools and lap lanes: From the rooftop infinity pool at Hotel Mousai Cancun, you look out over Costa Mujeres from a Bali bed. If you like to swim laps, Hyatt Zilara Cancun adds a 50-meter pool to its beachfront infinity pool, plus a heated indoor pool at the Sky Gym. A pool is almost always part of a 5-star hotel in Cancún; what matters is whether you want buzz or calm by the water.

Hydrotherapy with Maya rituals: The spa at NIZUC Resort Cancun is run by ESPA. Its Four Elements circuit leads through aromatic steam, sauna, ice fountain and vitality pool into the cold plunge, and the signature treatment is a Maya-style cacao massage; guests must be 16 or older. At the Sens-yah Spa at JW Marriott Cancun Resort, whirlpools, steam rooms and saunas are part of the experience, with treatments drawing on Maya traditions.NIZUC Resort Cancun · Zona HoteleraTemazcal and water journey: At the MySenses Spa at Haven Riviera Cancun, a water circuit takes you through a hammam, steam room, sensation showers and cold plunge, alongside Maya healing therapies and a temazcal, the traditional sweat lodge. The spa at Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya has more than 21 indoor and outdoor treatment rooms and a circuit with sauna, steam room and ice fountain. At Kempinski Cancun, treatments at KAYANTA Spa are inspired by the Maya.

Prices start at 161 € at SLS Cancun and go up to 744 € at Hotel Mousai Cancun. In the Zona Hotelera, InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort starts at 203 € and NIZUC Resort Cancun at 452 €. Compare the meal plan as well: many resorts are all-inclusive, others charge for room and breakfast only. You will find every hotel with the current price for your dates in the hotel list below.

Included with suitespot: At most hotels, breakfast for two is included daily, at Kempinski Cancun in the Café Mexicano. At Hyatt Zilara Cancun, SLS Playa Mujeres and Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe, all-inclusive dining for two is even part of the deal. Almost everywhere you also get an upgrade subject to availability, early check-in or late check-out, and hotel credit, usually 100 US dollars.

Special extras: Paradisus Cancún adds a 50-minute massage for two, Hyatt Zilara Cancun free parking and evenings of live music. At Hilton Cancún All-Inclusive Resort, the credit is split into 50 US dollars for the spa and 50 US dollars for food and drink. Kempinski Cancun gives 100 US dollars for food and drink, plus another 100 US dollars for the spa from the Club Level Ocean View Suite with stays of two nights or more.InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort · Zona HoteleraMinimum stay: At 14 of the 16 hotels, the benefits apply from the first night. SLS Cancun requires two nights, Hyatt Zilara Cancun three.

Points and status: Almost all luxury hotels in Cancún belong to a loyalty program. I Prefer covers four hotels, including NIZUC Resort Cancun, and Marriott Bonvoy three, such as JW Marriott Cancun Resort. ALL (Accor) applies at both SLS hotels, Hilton Honors at the two Hilton resorts and at Waldorf Astoria Riviera Maya, where booking through suitespot even earns double points. World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards and GHA Discovery each have one hotel.

When to go: Cancún is a beach destination all year round. From December to April the air is drier and the evenings are mild, and in summer the sea is especially warm. Around Christmas, Easter and school vacations, the resorts book up early.

How long to stay: For a 5-star hotel in Cancún, we recommend at least five nights, so that alongside beach and pool there is a day for Isla Mujeres or the Maya site of El Meco. If you want to combine two areas, start in the Zona Hotelera and then move on to Costa Mujeres.