Images courtesy of Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection
If you can believe it, I recently took my very first visit to the Cancún/Riviera Maya area of Mexico. When you fly into Cancún on the northeast tip of the Yucatán peninsula, you can opt to stay in the city’s hotel zone, a fun spot for nightlife and entertainment, head north to the beautiful beaches of Playa Mujeres or explore the Riviera Maya, the region stretching south of the city that is known for its natural beauty, stunning beaches and great resorts. For this trip, I visited Maroma, Kanai and Playa del Carmen in Riviera Maya.
As a Fora Advisor, this was a long-overdue trip, as this area of Mexico is so easily accessible from the East Coast and Midwest (I am Indy-based) and is an exceedingly popular destination for a beach getaway.
Mexican beaches sometimes get a bad reputation for being murky or full of seaweed (see how the beaches compare in Cancún vs. Cabo). While that can be true in some spots, there are also some stunning beaches in this area with clear blue waters, soft white sand, beachfront pools and laid-back beach bars. I was wowed by the oceanfront spots I saw and am already planning a return trip to Mexico.
Here are my favorite beachfront resorts I visited in Cancún and Riviera Maya.
Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya
If you like to step out of your room and into the sand, you will love Belmond Maroma. The hotel is right on the beach, so you are never far from Maroma’s famous turquoise waters. I arrived early from the airport and sat down at Freddy’s beachfront bar for a perfectly balanced margarita and cochinita pibil (Yucatán-style barbecued pork tacos). With views of the blue, blue waters and my margarita in hand, I was immediately put in the vacation mindset.
Belmond is a quiet and tranquil spot that is perfect for true rest and relaxation. The property is lush and the design feels very much of place — I was obsessed with the gorgeous handpainted Mexican tile used throughout.
Their bar is one of the 50 best in the world, and dinner at Curtis Stone’s Woodend was excellent, but the true highlight for me was breakfast as Casa Mayor. Each morning you can enjoy handmade tortillas and quesadillas filled with unique local ingredients like zucchini blossom, chorizo and huitlacoche. Paired with their local coffee and Mexican hot chocolate, this was the perfect way to start the day.
Fora’s Belmond Bellini partner perks include $90 resort credit, welcome treats, daily breakfast and an upgrade whenever possible.
The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya
Without a doubt, the highlight of this Riviera Maya resort is its beach club. The beach itself is wide, with plenty of comfortable seating and fun options for enjoying the water, like see-through kayaks and paddleboards. Don’t like getting sandy feet on your beach chair? The St. Regis has foot baths by each lounger so you can rinse off the sand before settling in — genius!
There are two family pools and two adult pools at the beach club, with delicious food and beverage service at both: a margarita cart, grills sizzling with fresh carne asada and ice-cold paletas served poolside. At the beach club, you’ll also find a sports bar for watching big games, a Duryea’s pop-up restaurant serving lobster cobb salad à la Hamptons and a fantastic kids’ club with fun daily activities, all included for ages 4-11.
Beyond the beach club, The St. Regis Kanai offers its signature butler service, beautifully designed rooms and an amazing spa where you can craft your own aromatherapy and enjoy an indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy circuit. Don’t miss dinner at Toro, where Asian and Latin flavors come together in the most gorgeous setting, or the nightly Champagne sabrage at The St. Regis Bar.
Fora’s Marriott STARS partner perks include $100 resort credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai
Just open for one year, the Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai is such a fabulous and fun addition to this area. The design is truly breathtaking — I was wowed by the indoor-outdoor water features, greenery and plants, 50-foot ceilings in the bar and lobby and the minimalistic zen feeling of the guest rooms.
One thing I loved about the EDITION is that there are two different pool areas to enjoy. Steps from your room, there’s a gorgeous pool and pool bar accented by fun pops of pink, orange and red. Kick off your flip flops and wander further down the sandy path to the beach and you will find another pool at the So’ol Beach Club. Lunch here was one of my favorites of the trip, with the most delicious shrimp aguachile, tuna tataki and whole grilled fish. I am still thinking about the espuma colada, a unique spin on a piña colada with clarified pineapple and coconut foam.
The beach was calm and clear with plenty of comfortable seating. For something special, you can reserve cabanas on the pier, complete with an overwater net perfect for sunbathing.
Fora’s Marriott STARS partner perks include $100 resort credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection
Etéreo, a beachfront resort that’s part of Auberge, is located in Kanai, the luxury resort destination that is also home to The St. Regis and the EDITION. Etéreo sets itself apart with its beautiful design inspired by nature and Mayan culture. When you enter the resort, you meet a Mayan shaman who performs a cleansing ritual that sets the stage for your experience.
The beach at Etéreo is calm and perfect for kids to splash around (it's one of the best hotels for families in Cancún and the surrounding region). There’s the cutest beach stand where you can grab ceviche, beer and tacos. I preferred the beautiful pools here, though. There’s a gorgeous pool bar next to the adult pool, a nearby family pool, fire pits and a kids’ club with its own wading pool and splash pad.
Dinner at Itzam is delicious and not to be missed. When you enter, you’ll see a local chef preparing handmade tortillas — I knew immediately I was in for a treat. I enjoyed a tasting menu here with delicious Mexican wine pairings. The highlight was the plantain tamal with pork belly confit and roasted habanero sauce.
Also don’t miss the boutique at Etéreo. Of all the resort shops I visited, I enjoyed this sweet boutique the most. The products here are all locally sourced and created by artisans. I came home with two beautiful treasures that will be reminders of my first trip to Cancún and Riviera Maya.
Fora Reserve perks include $100 resort credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Bonus: Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen and Impression Moxché by Secrets
Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen
Sometimes you just want the ease of an all-inclusive resort. Secrets Moxché and its upscale counterpart Impressions Moxché are adults-only resorts near Playa del Carmen. This complex is massive, with 14 pools that seem to stretch endlessly and offer everything from secluded nooks to swim-up bars. The beach itself is narrow and not really the emphasis here, but the ample pools offer plenty of places to swim and enjoy the sunshine. The rooftop infinity pool at Impressions is the star. I loved how the blue pool tiles so perfectly reflected the blues of the water — you couldn’t tell where the pool stopped and the ocean began.
Between the two resorts, there are 14 dining options, a theater, a hidden speakeasy, a spa with an amazing hydrotherapy circuit, a sports club with a golf simulator, live music nightly and so much more. You can easily hop from here to shopping and dining options on Fifth Avenue in Playa del Carmen, which is just 10 minutes away. Secrets Moxché and Impression Moxché would be a fun spot with a group of girlfriends or a kid-free couples getaway for people who enjoy buzzy resorts with lots of activities and many dining options. Although the resorts are beachfront, I would recommend this for people who prefer pools, not those looking for pristine beaches.
Fora’s Hyatt Privé partner perks include $100 resort credit, a welcome amenity, hydrotherapy access and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Bonus: Chablé Maroma
Tucked off the beaten path in Riviera Maya, down a long and bumpy dirt road, you will find Chablé Maroma, a Mexican-owned gem of a resort. The rooms here are not oceanfront, but rather tucked into the jungle for the ultimate private escape. Each luxurious suite has its own pool and outdoor living space, including the coolest indoor-outdoor showers surrounded by lush greenery.
Continue down the path toward the ocean and you will find one of the best beaches in Cancún or Riviera Maya. Chablé Maroma’s beach is expansive and the water is stunningly blue. You can snorkel out to the nearby coral reef or hop on the resort’s catamaran. Nearby there is the perfect beach bar and a pool with the most gorgeous tile. It would be hard not to enjoy a day lounging here, margarita and book in hand.
The highlight of my visit to Chablé was dinner at Bu’ul, a Michelin-Starred restaurant with an incredible wine list and master sommelier, beautiful design and some of the most delicious food I experienced in Mexico. The star of my meal: a chocolate tamale with blue-corn ice cream.
Fora Reserve perks include $100 resort credit, daily breakfast, an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
