2 Best Hotels in Akumal, The Riviera Maya

Each small room in the main building of this bright, colorful seaside hotel has an ocean view and a private terrace, and next door are more expensive condos with Spanish colonial touches. The spacious one-, two-, and three-bedroom units have full kitchens, living and dining rooms, and oceanfront balconies. Decor is simple and beachy. Guests can rent golf carts, bikes, snorkeling equipment, and kayaks by the hour, day, or week on a first-come-first-served basis.

Back in the 1960s, Pablo Bush Romero established this resort as a place for his diving buddies to crash, and it still offers pleasant accommodations and a congenial staff. The ocean view trumps the room decor, which is simple and functional. Multi-unit bungalows are surrounded by gardens and standard rooms in the three-story building have pool or bay views. There are also two restaurants and a large swimming pool here.