4 Best Hotels in Mahahual, The Riviera Maya

Ocean breezes sweep through this pretty little hotel adorned with wicker-basket pendant lamps and mosquito-net-draped queen-size beds that swing from ropes. Rooms sleep up to three and have all the basic necessities including hot water, air-conditioning, TVs, and Wi-Fi. For an ocean view, request one of the four suites. Outside, a small stream winds through the open-air courtyard to a palapa bar and restaurant. The beach—and the hotel's adjacent beach club—are a stone's throw away.

One of only two fully green eco-hotels in the area, Almaplena Resort also happens to be the most luxurious, with large, rustic-chic rooms—in two-story white buildings—featuring textiles from Chiapas, rugs from Michoacan, wood from Yucatán, and iron from Jalisco, as well as stone floors, private balconies, and four-poster beds. Choose one on the ground level (with direct beach access) or move up a floor for better views. Rainwater is collected for daily use, and wind turbines produce the hotel's electricity. The remote location, halfway between Mahahual and Xcalak, means you fall asleep to the sound of waves. The restaurant and beach club are open to the public, often turning the isolated beach here into a crowded hot spot for cruise-ship passengers.

Ecologically sensitive Balamku, located 5 km (3 miles) south of town, sits on a stretch of pristine private beach where you can lose all track of time. Cool, spacious rooms are bright with Mexican tiles and textiles, and outdoor palapas are set up for the hotel's top activity—"hammocking." But it's not all about sleeping in the sun: a famously generous breakfast plus kayaking and snorkeling equipment are included in the rate. Canadian expat Carol Tumber runs an ecologically tight ship. In addition to generating power with solar panels and wind generators, the property uses water-saving toilets and composts all hotel waste. There's an outer reef for snorkeling and a platform where you can catch some rays after a swim. The restaurant serves only snacks, but there are two more robust restaurants five minutes down the beach road, one in each direction.

Since access is only via a walk along the beach, there isn't much standing in the way of you and the ocean at this stark-white property, which, as the tallest hotel in Mahahual, also offers spectacular views from its rooftop, where you'll find a small infinity pool and a rooftop bar (open 5 to 10 pm). Most rooms feature two double beds, and all of the rooms here have a hand-painted mural, air-conditioning, cable TV, and a mini-refrigerator; the four rooms facing the water have balconies. This hotel also features one handicap-accessible room on the ground floor with a bed and a futon.