Top Hotels & Resorts In Mexico
- Nick, Editor
- Nov 13
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 14
Ten of the best luxury 5-Star hotels & resorts in Mexico.
Article summary>>
In this article, we take a look at 10 of our top recommended hotels & resorts in Mexico.
Waldorf Astoria, Los Cabos
Four Seasons Costa Palmas
One&Only Mandarina
Four Seasons Punta Mita
St Regis Punta Mita
Naviva
Rosewood Mayakoba
Banyan Tree Mayakoba
Etereo, Auberge Resort
Hotel Esencia, Playa del Carmen
Waldorf Astoria Pedregal.
Pedregal: You arrive through Mexico’s only private resort tunnel, emerging to Pacific blue and cliffs combed by wind and light. Suites and casitas cascade down the granite, each with a private plunge pool, terrace and fire pit; interiors are sun-washed, hand-hewn woods, woven textiles, stone underfoot and bathrooms with deep tubs made for after-sun rituals. Sunset arrives with the house tradition: fresh guacamole, chips and something chilled at the door.
Days find an easy rhythm between the beachfront infinity pools (adults-only and family), cabanas with butler service, and the Luna y Mar Spa, where treatments nod to lunar cycles and a serene saltwater pool glows like a grotto. There’s a sleek gym, tennis access, kids’ club, tequila tastings, and off-property sailing and desert adventures arranged with enviable finesse. Dining crescendos at El Farallón, a cliff-hugging seafood market lit by lanterns and surf; all-day venues manage Baja brightness, citrus, chiles, and grilled fish, without losing polish.
The vibe is cinematic and low-key luxe: honeymooners in linen, multi-gen celebrants, discreet repeat guests, held by service that’s intuitive and unruffled, from personal concierges to poolside whisperers.
Location: on the Pacific edge of Cabo San Lucas, an oceanfront world of dramatic, often unswimmable surf, yet a stroll through the tunnel to the marina and town, privacy with Cabo’s buzz on call.
Four Seasons Costa Palmas.
Four Seasons Costa Palmas: On Baja’s untamed East Cape, the resort spreads low and light along a golden, swimmable beach, pale woods, travertine, and floor-to-ceiling glass framing water that shifts from turquoise to molten silver at dusk. Rooms feel beach-house serene: cloud-soft beds, indoor-outdoor living spaces, stone-cool bathrooms; many suites and residences add private plunge pools and rooftops that make sunrise a private event.
Days take their cue from the water. There are multiple oceanfront pools, a calm swimmable bay, and a private marina for yacht charters, snorkelling runs and legendary sport fishing; kitesurfing livens winter trade winds, while nearby Cabo Pulmo tempts with reef dives. The spa unfurls hydrotherapy, desert-botanical rituals and al fresco treatment cabanas; the gym is athlete-serious, with tennis and a Robert Trent Jones II course rolling between dunes and a mountain backdrop. Families get a creative kids’ club and teen lounge; guides lead desert hikes when the sea naps.
Dining is destination-grade: Estiatorio Milos for pristine seafood and lemon-bright simplicity; breezy beach grills, a Baja-Mediterranean all-day spot, and a stylish bar that turns golden hour into ritual.
The vibe is polished, barefoot, quietly glamorous, design lovers, families, low-key celebrants, held by service that’s intuitive and unhurried.
Location: about an hour from the airport, worlds from Cabo’s bustle, Baja raw and radiant, with the Sea of Cortez as your front garden.
One&Only Mandarina.
One&Only Mandarina: North of Puerto Vallarta on a wild swath of Riviera Nayarit coastline, the property hides treehouses and clifftop villas in lush jungle, each with a private plunge pool, outdoor living spaces, and floor-to-ceiling glass that frames the Pacific like a moving fresco. Interiors are all tactile, calm, hand-hewn woods, stone, woven fibres paired with marble-bright bathrooms and alfresco showers that turn sunrise into ritual.
Days slip between canopy and sea. Follow leaf-dappled paths to the Jetty Beach Club for calm swims and ceviche, then climb back to hilltop pools where the horizon goes silver. The spa cocoons in the forest with temazcal-style heat, herbal rituals, and treatment pavilions strung among palms; there’s tennis, pickleball, guided hikes and horseback rides from the equestrian and polo grounds, plus surfing, sailing and seasonal whale-watching offshore. Families decamp to an ambitious kids’ club carved into the landscape; trainers keep the gym and sunrise yoga honest.
Dining is destination-grade: Carao, from Enrique Olvera, glows at golden hour with inventive, Mexico-forward plates; Alma leans Mediterranean-tropical and breezy; beachside grills keep things citrus-bright and barefoot.
The vibe is barefoot, design-literate, and quietly glamorous, honeymooners and multi-gen celebrants folded into intuitive, unhurried service.
Location: on a secluded headland near San Pancho and Sayulita, about an hour from PVR, where jungle meets Pacific in cinematic layers of green and blue.
Four Seasons, Punta Mita.
Four Seasons Punta Mita: Spread across a lush 400-acre peninsula on the Riviera Nayarit, the property drifts from palm-shaded paths to crescent beaches, villas and casitas tucked into bougainvillaea and hibiscus. Rooms feel breezy and residential, natural woods, woven textures, local art, cloud-soft beds, and many add private plunge pools or terraces angled to sunsets that light the Islas Marietas in molten gold. Marble bathrooms turn after-sun rituals into a ceremony.
Days find an easy rhythm between two signature beaches, one calm and swimmable, the other a surfer’s flirtation and a trio of photogenic pools, including the dramatic Nuna infinity edge and the adults-only refuge. The Apuane Spa folds in Mexican botanicals and beachside cabanas; tennis, pickleball and a Jack Nicklaus golf duo (hello, tail-shaped “Tail of the Whale” hole) keep energy high. Families disappear into a standout Kids for All Seasons program and nature-led adventures; tequila tastings, mezcal classes and Huichol craft sessions nod to place.
Dining ranges from ceviche-and-aguachile breezy to refined, ocean-forward evenings beneath lanterns; beach butlers anticipate cravings before you do.
The vibe is polished, barefoot, quietly glamorous, honeymooners, multi-gen celebrants, repeat devotees.
Location: 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, yet wonderfully secluded, jungle, sea and sky arranged in perfect balance.
St Regis, Punta Mita.
The St. Regis Punta Mita: Draped across a palm-laced swath of the Riviera Nayarit peninsula, it’s all bougainvillaea paths, tiled courtyards and casitas that open to Pacific light. Rooms and suites feel beach-house refined, with hand-hewn wood, woven textures, local art, cloud-soft beds, and many add private terraces with plunge pools angled to sunsets that gild the Islas Marietas. Marble bathrooms turn after-sun rituals into a ceremony, while the brand’s 24-hour butler service makes life pleasantly frictionless.
Days find a salt-kissed rhythm between three infinity pools (including an adults-only refuge), calm crescent beaches and a sea-view spa where treatments fold in Mexican botanicals. Tennis and pickleball keep the tempo lively; golfers tee off at the neighbouring Pacífico and Bahía Jack Nicklaus courses (yes, the “Tail of the Whale”). Families disappear into an excellent kids club and nature outings; winter brings whales just offshore. Come evening, the St. Regis rituals surface: a sabering at sunset, a house take on the Bloody Mary, and dinner that arcs from ceviche-bright and barefoot to Carolina’s polished, contemporary Mexican. Don’t miss Mita Mary, the beloved “boat on the sand,” for tacos under lanterns.
The vibe is polished and barefoot, honeymooners, multi-gen celebrants, discreet regulars held by service that’s warm, anticipatory, unshowy.
Location: inside the gated Punta Mita community, about 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, with jungle, ocean and sky arranged in effortless balance.
Naviva, Four Seasons.
Naviva: Hidden in 48 acres of Pacific jungle on a headland north of Punta Mita, this intimate, adults-only tented resort (just fifteen luxury tents) feels like a modern sanctuary woven into the trees. Suites are lofty, canvas-and-timber pavilions with broad decks, private plunge pools, outdoor showers, and daybeds angled to the surf; interiors lean tactile and serene, with hand-carved wood, woven palm, stone under bare feet, so the soundtrack of cicadas and waves becomes part of the design.
The stay is gloriously unscripted. There are no formal menus at the open-air kitchen; chefs cook what the day brings, line-caught fish, fire-charred vegetables, tortillas puffed to order, and set you where the light is best. Wellness hides in nature: cocooned spa tents, a cliffside temazcal, breathwork at sunrise, starlit soaks, forest paths for meditative runs. A petite cove handles saltwater resets; kayaks and paddleboards skim the swells; guides lead foraging walks and artisan encounters with mezcal tastings around the fire.
The vibe is barefoot, design-literate, and deeply personal, more house party than hotel, held by hosts who anticipate with quiet grace.
Location: on a jungled point near Punta Mita, about 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, sharing the peninsula’s beaches and broader Four Seasons muscle, yet feeling blissfully apart, Pacific wildness, edited to essentials.
Rosewood Mayakoba.
Rosewood Mayakoba: Threaded through mangroves and jade waterways north of Playa del Carmen, this low-slung sanctuary glides between jungle and Caribbean, stone, wood, and glass opening to decks where herons skim past at breakfast. Suites are private pavilions reached by launch or leafy path, most with plunge pools, outdoor showers, and terraces hovering over water or tucked into dune-green; interiors are tactile and serene, with palapa ceilings, woven textures, cloud-soft beds, and marble bathrooms that make after-sun rituals feel ceremonial.
The Sense Spa, on its own island, is a hush of limestone and orchids, hydrotherapy circuits, herb-forward treatments drawn from Mayan botanicals, and a shaded pool that steals hours. Days drift between a calm, swimmable beach, family and adults-only pools, and a roster of gentle adventures: cenote swims, reef snorkelling, bikes on palm-lined paths, mangrove birding at dawn. Golfers slip to the Greg Norman–designed El Camaleón; families decamp to the thoughtful kids’ club; tequila tastings and ceviche classes tilt evenings pleasantly local.
Dining flows from beach-bright ceviches to refined lagoon-side dinners, with mezcal-lit sunsets at the waterfront bar. Service is intuitive, gracious, unhurried.
Location: within gated Mayakoba, 40 minutes from Cancún airport, close to Xcaret, Tulum day trips, and reef boats, yet wrapped in jungle hush and Caribbean glitter.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba: North of Playa del Carmen, this villa-only sanctuary coils along jade canals and palms, its Thai-inflected serenity translated into Riviera Maya light. Each villa is a walled oasis with a heated private pool, shaded daybeds, and indoor-outdoor living rooms; interiors lean toward tactile, stone, timber, woven fibres, balanced by marble bathrooms and alfresco showers scented with sea breeze and frangipani. A butler’s quiet presence makes the whole thing feel frictionless.
Days drift between lagoon and sea. Paddle from your dock at sunrise, then trade the canals for a sugar-soft beach edged by loungers and gentle surf. The Banyan Tree Spa is a signature: temple-calm suites, herbal compresses, and therapists with a dancer’s precision; a hydrotherapy circuit and yoga pavilion keep the pulse low. Families orbit a thoughtful kids’ club; golfers slip to El Camaleón; bikes whisper along palm-lined paths.
Dining is a small constellation: Saffron for elegant Thai on overwater decks; Cello for Italian comfort; toes-in-sand seafood by day; tequila and mezcal rituals at dusk. Service is gracious, unhurried, and exact.
Location: inside gated Mayakoba, 40 minutes from Cancún airport, handy for cenotes and reef boats, yet wrapped in lagoon hush where herons skim past your breakfast table.
Etereo Auberge Resort.
Etéreo: Set within the protected Kanai enclave, wooden boardwalks thread mangroves to pale-sand coves where the Caribbean shifts from celadon to cobalt. Suites feel like modern sanctuaries, with textured limestone, warm timber, woven fibres, and most open to terraces with private plunge pools and daybeds angled to the sea. Marble-bright bathrooms invite unhurried rituals; sliding glass turns rooms into breezy pavilions.
Days move to a salt-and-copal rhythm. The SANA spa borrows from Mayan tradition, smoke cleanses, melipona honey, herbal bathing, alongside hydrotherapy, sound journeys, and quietly expert bodywork. Paddleboards skim reef-lapped shallows; guides lead cenote swims and sunrise meditations on the pier; families peel off to thoughtful nature workshops while the gym and beachside classes keep intentions honest. Loungers gather at an oceanfront infinity pool where service appears like a well-timed whisper.
Dining is destination-grade. Itzam celebrates Yucatán’s pantry over wood and flame; Che Che spins Latin–Japanese brightness; El Nicho handles coffee, pastries, and breezy bites. Mezcal sunsets unfurl at the beach bar as the reef goes silver.
The vibe is design-literate and barefoot, honeymooners, style-forward families, discreet celebrants, held by service that’s intuitive, warm, and unhurried.
Location: in Kanai between Cancún and Playa del Carmen (about 35–45 minutes from the airport), close to reef boats and cenotes, jungle hush, Caribbean glitter, perfectly balanced.
Hotel Esencia.
Hotel Esencia: Set on the sugar-soft sands of Xpu-Há, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, this former private estate feels like a secret: whitewashed haciendas scattered through palm groves, bougainvillaea spilling over paths, and the Caribbean arriving in gentle, classy waves.
Rooms and suites lean fresh and tactile, linen, wood, terra-cotta, handwoven rugs, with breezy terraces and hammocks that make late mornings inevitable. Several villas add private plunge pools and a whisper of seclusion.
Days adopt an unhurried rhythm. Two handsome swimming pools anchor the gardens, while the wide beach handles barefoot lazing, paddleboards, and snorkel dips over pale sand. The spa draws on local botanicals and Mayan ritual for quietly restorative treatments; sunrise yoga and a petite fitness room keep intentions honest.
Dining is bright and elemental, sea-fresh ceviches, wood-grilled fish, and market salads, paired with mezcal-laced cocktails that glow at golden hour. Service is warm, intuitive, and happily unfussy.
The vibe is barefoot-luxury with a creative streak: couples, design lovers, and low-key families sharing the same contented hush beneath palms and kites.
Location is a gift: on tranquil Xpu-Há Beach, about 75 minutes from Cancún airport, with cenotes, Sian Ka’an day trips, and Tulum’s restaurants within easy reach, Caribbean glitter tempered by garden calm.
Top Hotels & Resorts In Mexico, Top 10 - Article 2025
All hotels & resorts on The Five Star Edit are independently selected by our editors. However, as an affiliate partner, we may earn small commissions when you complete a booking made through our links. This is paid to us by the advertiser, not by you and does not affect the price of your booking in any way.
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