Cancun is a famous Mexican destination, known for beautiful beaches, clear water and luxurious all-inclusive resorts, and for many people it is the vacation spot of their dreams.
But with so many hotels to choose from in Cancun, it is hard to know where to start. This article sorts out the hotel zones and the hotels worth considering, to help you get up to speed quickly.
The Cancun Hotel Zones
Cancun has three fairly large hotel zones: the Hotel Zone (the "7"-shaped strip), Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya. Each of the three has its own character:
The "7"-Shaped Hotel Zone:
Cancun's "7"-shaped Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) is a famous Mexican resort area, known for its distinctive 7-shaped strip. The area runs along the Caribbean coast and offers a large number of luxury hotels and resorts, an ideal place to enjoy sun, sand and sea.
Zone Highlights
- Location: the Hotel Zone is in the north of Cancun, right on the Caribbean Sea, with beautiful beaches and clear water. Most hotels here offer all-inclusive service, including food and drink, entertainment and some water activities.
- Luxury facilities: the zone typically offers high-end facilities such as private beach access, luxury spas, multiple pools and upscale restaurants.
- Family friendly: many hotels and resorts offer family-oriented facilities such as water parks, kids' clubs and family-friendly rooms.
- Nightlife: the Hotel Zone is also the center of Cancun's nightlife, with plenty of bars, clubs and live shows.
Layout of the Zone
- North: the head of the 7, known for lively nightlife and busy shopping centers. The beaches in the north are good, but the surf can be rough.
- Middle: the vertical stroke of the 7, home to Cancun's most luxurious hotels and resorts, with excellent beaches but relatively high prices.
- South: the tail of the 7, offering better-value accommodation close to Mayan ruins and other attractions, with calmer surf on the beaches.
Riviera Maya:
- Mexico's Caribbean tourist region, including Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, Akumal and more, very close to Cancún.
- It has more than 100 kilometers of beaches and over 400 world-class hotels, plus stunning cenotes and nature reserves.
- It offers travel products for different tastes and budgets, including beautiful beaches, magnificent archaeological sites, incredible food and one-of-a-kind cenotes.
- There are several theme parks, such as Xcaret, Xplor, Rio Secreto, Aktunchen, Kantun Chi, Xavage, Xenses and Chikin Há.
Playa del Carmen:
- A lively seaside town offering everything from wellness retreats to party nights to dining.
- With walkable streets, easy-to-reach beaches and proximity to Mayan ruins, coral reefs and cenotes, it is a favorite of digital nomads and sun-seeking families.
- It has rich food, especially the many Mexican dishes built on the tortilla.
- It has many sights and activities, such as Punta Esmeralda beach, several cenotes, the small city of Valladolid and the Xcaret Park theme park.
- Internet and office facilities are well developed, suitable for remote workers.
Each of these areas has its own character, and whether you are after a cultural experience, a nature adventure or luxurious relaxation, travelers can find the right place.
Searching for Cancun All-Inclusive Resorts
You can use the major online booking platforms such as Expedia and Booking. For flight-plus-all-inclusive-hotel packages, you can also go directly to Luxavoy' Package Prices.
For detailed stay experiences at two of the hotels, see:
Hilton Cancun All-Inclusive Resort
Hotel experience – Hilton Cancun All-Inclusive Resort, the best Hilton all-inclusive in Cancun
Hyatt Ziva all-inclusive
Cancun travelogue + Hyatt Ziva all-inclusive hotel experience
Recommended Hotels and Price Ranges
We keep getting requests to recommend Cancun all-inclusive resorts. First, Cancun is a highly commercialized place, so you get what you pay for, and bargains are very rare.
On the other hand, precisely because information is transparent and competition is intense, there are also quite a few chances of getting burned. Here are several quite good hotels across different price ranges. Of the hotels in the table below, apart from WYNDHAM ALLTRA PLAYA DEL CARMEN ADULTS, which is adults-only, all the others suit the whole family.
| Hotel | Stars | Location | |
| 1 | Seadust Cancun Family Resort | 4 | Cancun |
| 2 | Wyndham Alltra Cancun | 4 | Cancun |
| 3 | Iberostar Selection Cancun | 5 | Cancun |
| 4 | Hyatt Ziva Cancun | 5 | Cancun |
| 5 | Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun | 5 | Riviera Maya |
| 6 | Hilton Cancun An All Inclusive Resort | 5 | Riviera Maya |
| 7 | Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun | 5 | Riviera Maya |
| 8 | Hotel Xcaret Mexico | 5 | Riviera Maya |
| 9 | WYNDHAM ALLTRA PLAYA DEL CARMEN ADULTS | 4 | Playa Del Carmen |
For the latest prices at each hotel, see Luxavoy' Package Prices.
Airport Transfers
Note that not every hotel or flight-plus-hotel package includes an airport transfer. If you need one, you can consider this company:
- Canada Transfers, a Cancun airport transfer company that is both reliable and not so reliable
Conclusion
If Cancun all-inclusive resorts interest you, start with our Package Prices, or fill in the form to inquire and book.
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