Readers' Choice Awards - Best Riviera Maya Resort

Travelers will discover few more breathtaking destinations in the world than Riviera Maya. Pre-Columbian Mayan archaeological sites and eco-parks fill this stretch of paradise situated along Mexico's Caribbean coast on the Yucatán Peninsula. Whether your idea of a top vacation means splitting time between beachside lounging and spa-side rejuvenation, snorkeling in the world's second-largest barrier reef, or taking a boat ride down an otherworldly underground river, you'll find it in Riviera Maya.

Visitors can delight in the glittering white sand beaches, warm turquoise waters, and abundance of marine life from one of the region's many luxurious accommodations. As an authority in the travel space with decades of history evaluating tropical destinations, Islands has identified the top 15 Riviera Maya resorts. Each of these 4- and 5-star Mexican retreats consistently scores high with travelers thanks to elements like thoughtful design, excellent service, gorgeous scenery, and memorable experiences.

To determine the best of the best when it comes to Riviera Maya resorts, Islands now looks to you in its first Readers' Choice Awards. Settle in with a margarita or aguas frescas and peruse the nominees. After a refreshing swim through your own memories of Mexico, vote for the standout pick using the poll below. From adults-only havens to the ultimate wellness getaway, you'll find plenty of inspiration for your next escape to Riviera Maya along the way.

Many Riviera Maya travelers love the versatility and thoughtfulness that make Ocean Riviera Paradise tick. With some of the best amenities at one of the best price points in the region, the all-inclusive resort strikes the right balance between experience and affordability. It also has a little something for everyone, including family vacationers and poolside partiers.

From the moment guests step into the spacious sunlit lobby at Ocean Riviera Paradise, they encounter an inviting and energetic atmosphere. Patrons can indulge in quality cuisine from a wide range of buffet and à la carte dining options, including Italian spot La Locanda, barbecue joint Route 66, Japanese teppanyaki restaurant Sakura, and the romantic, adults-only French cuisine eatery Bluemoon. They'll also find plenty of onsite shopping, a spa and wellness center, laser tag, an escape room, an arcade, a bowling alley, and a theater with night shows.

Parents will appreciate the child-friendly pool and play area with its brightly-colored tube slides and water features, family-oriented performances and nightlife, kids' club, and teen hangout. There's also the much more secluded adults-only El Beso experience, which has its own pool and even comes with the option to book a swim-up junior suite.

Looking for a low-key vacation sans kids with high-energy party vibes? You can't go wrong with Barceló Maya Riviera – Adults Only. The grownups-exclusive resort in the massive six-property Barceló Maya Grand Resort megacomplex offers access to everything the Grand Resort has to offer with the tranquility of a child-free experience in a 5-star resort with a clean, minimalist aesthetic.

Each of the 850 rooms features a decadent hydromassage tub and a terrace; more than half come with a view of the ocean, while the others peer out onto the verdant gardens. To make your stay a little more extra, consider booking one of the resort's rooms with a private pool. 

In addition to the wider campus's all-inclusive buffet offerings, the adults-only resort features four à la carte restaurants: the Japanese-Peruvian fusion Sapporo Nikkei Experience, cozy Italian Dolce Vita, charming and elegant French spot La Comedie, and Mexican El Agave. The pool and beach areas — which include plenty of pergolas, hammocks, and a swim-up bar — have a livelier atmosphere interspersed with plenty of serene spots, including the largest infinity pool in Riviera Maya. Located in the shopping center of the larger complex, guests can pass the time with a casino, bowling alley, arcade, and other activities. 

One of the posher zones in another massive family-friendly resort, Bahia Principe Luxury Akumal is miles ahead of resorts in its class when it comes to ambiance. Unlike many of Riviera Maya's other all-inclusives, Luxury Akumal's design feels more inspired by its Akumal Beach setting thanks to subtly-woven elements reminiscent of the surrounding jungle and the area's pre-Columbian heritage without indulging in Disneyfication. The more naturalistic aesthetic of the landscaping and beach also feel refreshing.

Luxury Akumal boasts gorgeous rooms, blending modern design with touches that evoke local artisanship. Villas seem nestled in the jungle, and resort guests often enjoy animal encounters, crossing paths with the likes of iguanas, raccoons, and coatis (the raccoon's cousin).

While lots of all-inclusive resorts serve up a good time but fairly mid meal options, Luxury Akumal has earned a reputation for its excellent buffet food. As part of the larger resort system, it also offers a fairly long list of sumptuous à la carte restaurants to choose from, like a Japanese restaurant, Japanese-Peruvian fusion, Italian, Mediterranean, modernist gourmet, and more. Likewise, guests tend to love the nightly shows, which could include a Cirque Du Soleil-style performance one evening and a tribute band the next. Kids' activities, a spa, and plenty of onsite experiences round out the adventure.

With its warm Mexican hacienda design and the tagline "Infinite excellence, for adults only," Excellence Riviera Cancun offers a sophisticated, almost stately atmosphere for folks looking to avoid the kids-and-family vibe on their Yucatán Peninsula escape. But it's hardly stuffy — on the contrary, Excellence Riviera presents opportunities for a range of experiences, whether you want a lively party atmosphere or more tranquil feels.

A fair selection of lagoon-like pools featuring plenty of poolside seating can make the resort seem less crowded even with a large amount of guests on the property. These include bustling poolside bars for those looking to socialize (or at least feel social), secluded spots, and everything in between. Additionally, the resort offers some of the best swim-up rooms in the tropics.

The long list of activities at Excellence Riviera Cancun really shines — think bike tours, air rifle shooting, arts and crafts, archery, cooking classes, dance lessons, tennis, beach volleyball, and so much more. The resort also provides plenty of quality shows and live music featuring everything from solo musicians to cultural shows and a circus performance. Top-notch food, well-appointed rooms, and a memorably good coffee bar also number among guest highlights.

Riviera Maya vacationers who crave the opportunity to feel immersed in nature while enjoying the convenience of a versatile, all-inclusive experience with a focus on attention to detail will be nothing short of smitten with Hotel Xcaret México. The stunning resort with a more authentic Mexican vibe feels like something out of a fairy tale with its integration of biophilic design and landscaping principles that harmoniously integrate the vibrancy of living plants throughout its structure.

Shuttles from the airport come standard for Xcaret México guests. The property features multiple swimming opportunities, including a kids' pool with an octopus slide right next to an ice cream shop, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, and a manufactured white sand beach to splash around in. Xcaret México's tastefully decorated accommodations also blow other resorts in its class out of the water. Each room has a terrace with its own hammock, luxurious bedding, and a hydromassage tub.

The resort's impressive culinary team includes Michelin Star Chef Carlos Gaytán and a handful of other accomplished figures. Guests also get access to the resort's many eco-park adventures — think zipline courses, underground cave systems, animal encounters, snorkeling, and even a backwards town. To basically have a personal photographer at Xcaret México, add the photo pass to document your excursions.

Travelers looking for a serene and tranquil Riviera Maya escape with an eclectic, spirited aesthetic will find a breezy haven in the adults-only JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar. The resort's elegant architecture, which encompasses domed ceilings, colorful murals, columns, and a wealth of chandeliers, certainly adds to the ambiance. In addition to specialty dinners, nightclub service, and a daily restocked minibar, guests can enjoy a show each evening, free access to the spa's hydrotherapy lounge, and an hour of non-motorized water activities every day (windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, etc.). The best part? The beach waits just a short walk from many JOAI Paraíso suites.

Individualized experiences serve as a major selling point for JOIA Paraíso — reservations for some rooms come with a personalized butler who tends to details far beyond mere room service and dinner reservations. Recalling the time their butler took their party by golf cart to get up close and personal with a local family of coatis, one Tripadvisor reviewer wrote, "At Grand Paraiso, they make you feel so welcome. The magic comes from the staff, not just the resort."

If you're traveling with children and the idea of a family-centric, theme park-vibe resort gives you the wrong kind of goosebumps, you want Grand Velas Riviera Maya. The property offers all the family-friendly amenities you'd get with a tourist magnet resort, like airport transportation, plenty of culinary options, and ample kid-focused activities and spaces. As one Tripadvisor reviewer put it, "This is an excellent resort for parents used to visiting smaller, adult-only resorts prior to having children. It really gives you the best of both worlds."

Luxury is so much more than just a buzzword at Grand Velas, where you can soak in the view from a personal plunge pool mere steps away from a tranquil beach or kick back in a spacious, over 1,000-square-foot suite. If you'd prefer to commune with local wildlife over people watching, Grand Velas also has jungle view suites. When not immersing themselves in nature, guests can rejuvenate their minds and spirits through recreational activities like yoga, meditation, tai chi classes, and perusing art.

Everywhere on site, Grand Velas resort staff are right there to tend to guests' needs. A personal concierge can help with everything from reservations to natural aloe vera for sunburns, and guests also get pool and beach butler service for nary a moment without individualized care. No wonder fans of the all-inclusive resort can't stop raving about the many reasons Grand Velas Riviera Maya makes for a perfect all-season destination.

Rosewood Mayakoba embodies the aesthetic philosophy of "barefoot luxury," a concept that encapsulates the highly curated sophistication of high-end resorts with a focus on sustainability, simplicity, authenticity, and a general rejection of all things pretentious in favor of a more understated vibe. The approach trades in high-energy, bass-thumping drink fests for artisanal cocktails from a mixologist in a watering hole that highlights the local community's culture and art, emphasizes healing journeys surrounded by mangroves in a symphony of green, and provides unforgettable dining by private lagoons.

The intimate destination, which draws inspiration from nature and the spirit of Mexican hospitality, shares an idyllic enclave with its three high-tier Rosewood sibling resorts. While there's nothing wrong with an old-fashioned beautifully landscaped hotel property, Mayakoba's lush landscaping and naturalistic design evoke the uncanny sense of an Eden that somehow spontaneously sprang out of the Earth, beautiful overwater bungalows and all.

For all its elegance, Mayakoba still manages to serve up some of the best — if not most educational — kids' pastimes of any Riviera resort with Spanish and Mayan lessons, Mayan storytime, themed nights ranging from Mayan fiestas to pirate parties, yoga classes, cooking classes, eco-bingo, and scavenger hunts. Guests can even take an eco-tour led by a biologist with expertise in the local wildlife.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba fuses Southeast Asian elegance, luxury, service, and wellness with a Thai-Mayan aesthetic and Mexican hospitality. Immersed in nature right down to the emerald canal system and verdant nature trails, it feels more like an escapist dreamscape than a resort.

A secluded and intimate 162-unitretreat with two Michelin Keys, Banyan Tree Mayakoba simply doesn't have a bad room on the property. The suites and villas range from a "modest" 1,679 square feet to a stunning 5,511. The rooms emphasize open-air spaces and bear a sleek, minimalist contemporary aesthetic that encircles guests in the warmth of wood and understated Southeast Asian details. Each comes with private water access ranging from balcony plunge pools to unreal rooftop solarium pools — the private villas put anything in "White Lotus" to shame.

The resort also houses the world-renowned 18-hole Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón Golf Course. Meanwhile, Banyan Tree's spa highlights Asian wellness traditions and offers guests a chance to experience the shaman-led deep cleansing and healing tradition of the Temazcal. Cooking classes, eco-tours, sunset cruises, archery, and kayaking are just a sample of the diversions patrons can enjoy between well-deserved spa treatments.

A sister resort to Hotel Xcaret México, La Casa de la Playa is an adults-only boutique hotel with just 63 suites altogether. The Xcaret offering is the vision of Mexican architect Miguel Quintana Pali, who collaborated with Oscar, Marcos and Carlos Constandse to create a sustainable eco-resort that celebrates Mexico's beauty after discovering underground rivers and cenotes (sinkholes filled with groundwater) on his property. Following in his father's footsteps, David Quintana became an architect and went on to design the living work of art that is La Casa de la Playa.

The younger Quintana envisioned La Casa as an experience, an integration of Mexican culture, nature, and art — something guests could become immersed in that was more home than hotel. "Within them, each guest can find comfort, art, and contemporary design combined in interiors that replicate Mexican art, such as carved wooden artwork, furniture designed in-house, and even embroidery crafted by artisans from different Indigenous communities," Quintana told Lideres Mexicanos.

Each room comes with butler service, a private pool, a steam room, and a volcanic stone bathtub and features beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces by Mexican artists. Like its sister properties, La Casa de la Playa lets guests access all of the Group Xcaret eco-parks.

Riviera Maya vacationers in search of a spirit-centric nature connection or just quiet luxury at a lower price point than some Riviera resorts will appreciate Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection, an oceanfront Two Michelin Key property built on and surrounded by mangrove forest. One of the best things about the resort is the trail that winds through the trees where guests can see iguanas and other local critters while immersed in the natural splendor of the Yucatán.

The word "etéreo" means ethereal, a word that captures the resort's delicate beauty well. Guests looking for a unique spa experience will love the wellness center, SANA. Besides its Mayan cenote cleanse, SANA features a handful of indulgent signature treatments, including an energy ritual from a local botanist that incorporates feathering, light touch, exfoliation, aromatherapy, and oils and a healing energy ritual using Mayan elements, smudge smoke, and massage.

The resort's dining options are also innovative: picture elevated Mexican gastronomy and Mexican-Japanese fusion. And there's plenty to do, with activities like cold clay or drink and draw with the resort's resident artist, spiritual jewelry making with the resort's shaman, Mayan calendar reading, culinary experiences and workshops, a Mayan cacao ritual, an elemental candle workshop, and more.

A micro-sized 22-room boutique hotel, La Valise Tulum might seem like a welcome respite from some of the crowded all-inclusives on the peninsula to folks looking for a true escape from reality. As YouTuber Don's Swank Guide put it, "I feel like I'm staying in somebody's house who just happens to have a great architect and interior designer." Tucked away in Tulum's tranquil south side, La Valise offers secluded accommodations in an intimate setting surrounded by either jungle or ocean.

Each suite or villa is a work of art curated to create an unforgettable experience. Take the resort's breathtaking open-air suites that feature rolling beds installed on tracks so they can slide out onto roomy private terraces where guests can fall asleep under the stars. Then there are the jungle suites where guests have complete privacy in their hidden abodes and those adjacent to cenotes.

The resort's Michelin Guide-recognized NÜ Tulum features beautifully crafted meals using locally-sourced organic foods, and the spa offers a range of treatments like a chakra harmonizing ceremony, Akashic records reading, lunar ceremony, cacao ceremony, and mud ritual. Guests can also sign on for local adventures such as exploring an underground river, paddleboarding through an aquatic sanctuary, or communing with spider and howler monkeys among Mayan ruins.

An adults-only World of Hyatt offering, Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya is a surprisingly affordable and highly-rated all-inclusive known for its top-notch service and giving resort-goers the option to snorkel with sea turtles. The property's many suites are tastefully outfitted with bold pops of color, gold accents, and warm wood details, and guests can choose from a tropical view, partial ocean view, ocean view, or swim-out room.

Unlike some all-inclusive resorts that tend to focus more on serving higher-tier guests, Secrets Akumal is known for ensuring all patrons, no matter their nightly rate, get the same level of attention. For example, every pool and beach area comes equipped with concierge service happy to help with everything from umbrella adjustments to pool floatie inflation. Each building also features a concierge who connects with guests via WhatsApp. These folks are known for going above and beyond the call of duty — even staying past the end of their shift when needed — to make guests' vacation dreams come true, whether that means decorating a room for a special celebration, drawing a bubble bath, or simply fetching a needed item.

Travelers who want an impressive, roomy suite for their large party without sacrificing the luxury experience that includes everything and the kitchen sink will love Grand Residences Riviera Cancun. The truly comprehensive all-inclusive covers all the bases for a complete resort experience. And this package comes loaded with freebies that make sure you get more than your money's worth.

Built on a sheltered Puerto Morelos beach near a fishing village, Grand Residences offers simple, classic rooms designed with comfort in mind that are perfect for larger travel parties with features like kitchenettes, Murphy beds, and washing machines in some cases. Round trip shuttle transport from the airport makes getting there easy, and staff even welcome the adults in the party with margaritas (kiddos get juice so they won't feel left out).

Every guest room boasts a welcome gift basket loaded with snacks and goodies like chocolate, olives, chips, and a bottle of mezcal or tequila. And the treats keep arriving each day with fruit baskets and other edible items to stave off the hanger. Little touches like artisan soap, personalized pastries, chilled Evian spritzers, an artisanal handbag, high-end toiletries, bug spray, and straw hats make sure guests are spoiled from arrival to checkout. There are also plenty of activities to keep the whole crew busy, from cooking and mixology classes to afternoon teas and guided bike rides.

Travelers heading to the Peninsula for a physical reset in the dreamiest all-inclusive space on the Riviera Maya want Palmaïa – The House of AïA. The idyllic, holistic wellness resort rooted in Mayan traditions features a vegan-first menu with a limited selection of animal proteins. Many of Palmaïa's 234 suites face the ocean, integrating an airy, tranquil design accented by bright wood, soothing pops of sapphire and emerald, and textured Boho details. Some of the rooms include deep oval soaking tubs that offer a welcoming space to begin the healing process with a good book and a glass of pinot or cup of chamomile tea.

A stay at Palmaïa centers on self-care and healing. The resort's many wellness opportunities span mind, movement, and rituals, with activities ranging from watercolor painting and drawing to geometry of power or a sacred women's circle. Curated musical events round out the Palmaïa experience.

The resort's culinary philosophy focuses on resetting the body's biome. Less than 10% of Palmaïa's food is processed or packaged (it ultimately strives to hit 100%). It also eschews refined seed oils, replaces refined sugars with natural alternatives like cane and date sugar, and uses natural unbleached flours and sourdough fermented bread starters.

An abundance of history and natural beauty have made Mexico's Riviera Maya a world-renowned destination. As a result, travelers have dozens of accommodations of varying quality levels to choose from for their beach getaways. Islands has narrowed down the top 15 resorts in the region based on outstanding design, service, amenities, and experiences, according to guest feedback. But which rises above the rest? Cast your vote for the best Riviera Maya resort to help answer that question. 

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