3 Best Hotels in Xpu-Há, The Riviera Maya

Situated on 50 acres of jungle, this sprawling estate—once the home of an Italian duchess—has been converted into one of the Riviera Maya's most luxurious hotels. Nestled within the gardens are two-story cottages featuring private pools, enormous living rooms, wooden pavilions with outdoor dining areas, and high-tech entertainment rooms; villa rooms, tastefully decorated with hardwood furnishings and white linens, include a surplus of amenities like a Sub-Zero bottle refrigerator (stocked), and a satellite TV. Not a single detail has been overlooked, so expect everything from double rain-shower heads and Molton Brown bath products to 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. The service is exceptional, as is the food.

On the powdery shores of Xpu-Há, this boutique inn has four chic rooms named after the four elements, all with hardwood floors, thatched roofs, and beds draped in white curtains. Rooms on the top floor have unobstructed ocean views, while those on the ground floor have private plunge pools; the two-story villas have their own infinity pool and are the only category that allows children. Patios with two-person hammocks face the sea, but if you want to get closer, head to the tiny palapas in the sand where silk curtains hang over thatched umbrellas for added privacy. Since a car is needed to reach restaurants in Playa del Carmen, most guests opt for the half-board package, which includes breakfast, dinner, a bottle of wine, and a couples' massage.

This lavish, adults-only resort was designed around the surrounding jungle and has a great beach, nonstop activities, and terrific food for a resort in its price range. Activities like snorkeling, diving, kayaking, aqua aerobics, water polo, and pool volleyball can keep you occupied for the duration of your stay. The marble-floor lobby has bamboo furniture and a central waterfall underneath a giant palapa roof. Rooms have pleasant wood furniture and private terraces with views of the lush foliage. Three large pools, separated from the outdoor hot tubs by an island of palm trees, look out onto the spectacular beach. The food is exceptional and varied, with everything from Spanish tapas to fruit smoothies.