If the news coming up from south of the border has had you crossing Mexico off your destinations list the last few years, it’s time to reconsider. Hotels are putting their money where their mouth is and constructing new properties to satisfy every aspect of your vacationing needs, and many of them are opening just in time for a winter getaway. Here are the four newest:
The Boutique
The village of Playa Del Carmen opened is located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, about 40 miles south of Cancun, and its white powder beaches and charming, lively downtown have long been a day trip for resort escapees. Until recently, though, there have been no luxury hotels available to cater to those wishing to have the small-town, authentic feel throughout their destination. On the heels of the Morgan Hotel Group’s Las Palapas, Desires Hotels has opened Acanto, 21 spacious suites with modern wood-lined interiors and hammock-bedecked outdoor space. All guests have pool access, fully-stocked kitchens, and a prime location just a block from the beach and half a block from 5th Avenue, the main attraction packed with shopping, restaurants, and bars.
The Behemoth
Melia Hotels International, proprietors of several major resorts in Mexico including Melia Cabo Real and Gran Melia Cancun, has brought two its all-inclusive Paradisus concepts to Mexico. The Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda and the Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla are both in the Riviera Maya, Mexico’s hottest new resort area. The Esmerelda is family-oriented, with a special concierge for family activities and a milk-and-cookie turn-down service, while the 394-suite La Perla is adults only, with butler service, and an exclusive pool, bar and restaurant, in addition to access to the common area, El Zocalo, where 10 restaurants and bars, an activities center, a theater, a ballroom and meeting space, a spa and health club, and a beach club are located.
The Baller
Iberostar is no stranger to these shores—their new oceanfront location, the Iberostar Cancun in the former Hilton Cancun, is their ninth in Mexico. While they maximize the advantages of their location (all 426 rooms have ocean views, and the hotel has a significant slice of beachfront in addition to seven pools and four restaurants) this isn’t a resort where you’ll want to lie around and do nothing. There’s ample opportunity to exercise your athletic instincts, with cycling, table tennis, and yoga classes offered every day. Additionally, two tennis courts, a full-size professional soccer field, a spa and gym facility, and Cancun’s only 18-hole golf course allow you plenty of opportunities to get active on your own.
The Big Kids
As you might expect of a resort named Secrets, the AMResorts property is adults-only, with a casual all-inclusive style (no wristbands, we promise) that gives you plenty of freedom to roam. Located in Huatulco, on the Pacific Coast, the 399 suites overlook Conejos Bay, including the swim-up suites and those with a terrace Jacuzzi—a nice touch for winter visitors. There are eight reservation-free restaurants and six bars and lounges, all designed to help you kick back and relax—we’d suggest going off campus to try out the nearby Tangolunda golf course and the Copalita Eco-Archaeological Park, and then come back to indulge at the Pevonia signature spa, featuring the botanical-rich skincare line.