We know what you’re thinking: “What are the best places to stay in Cancun?”

Well, we’ve got some answers for you!

Cancun is a city that’s known as much for its nightlife as it is for its beaches. There are tons of hotels, hostels, and bungalows waiting to welcome you into their doors. But which one should you choose? We’ve done all the research for you so that you can make an informed decision on where to stay.

The first thing you need to know about Cancun is that it’s not just a beach town—it’s also a major international tourist destination. This means that there are plenty of hotels and other accommodations available at any price point. You can find everything from five-star resorts to hostels that offer shared rooms with beds crammed three or four high in each one (and no bathroom).

This article will give more details on Best places to stay in cancun, best places to stay in cancun for families, best place to stay in cancun for couples, and best places to stay in cancun all inclusive. Enjoy!

Best place to stay in cancun for couples

Here is a list of Best place to stay in cancun for couples;

1. Le Blanc Spa Resort

For couples wanting an adults-only getaway, Le Blanc Spa Resort may be just the ticket. This sexy Miami-style property is modern minimalist in its decor and sits right on a white-sand beach fronting a turquoise lagoon.

This all-inclusive property has a range of spacious, airy rooms and suites designed for romance, with balconies either fronting the sea or looking out over the manicured grounds, and Jacuzzi tubs built for two. Suites also come with private plunge pools and open-air living rooms and are perfect for a special occasion – like a destination wedding or honeymoon.

The food here is quite good, and there are four restaurants to choose from, including one that does gourmet Italian and another that features French fusion. There are also multiple swimming pools, a luxe spa, and a fitness center on-site.

Accommodation: Le Blanc Spa Resort

2. Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun

Adults-only and all-inclusive, Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun in the Hotel Zone is another popular pick for couples looking to be pampered in a luxury setting. It features swanky, modern rooms and suites with amenities like aromatherapy and artistic decor. Suites add extra space plus hydrotherapy whirlpools and large furnished balconies with stellar ocean views.

For dining there are seven different restaurants plus a café and sushi station. Make sure to check out MB Restaurant at least once. The contemporary bistro serves a menu designed by Miami celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein featuring global fare with a Mexican flair. It is open for dinner only.

There’s also an infinity pool, spa, and gym on-site. If you want to chill on the beach there are sun-loungers and comfy cabanas for guests to reserve.

Accommodation: Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun

3. Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun

On the Yucatan Peninsula, away from the chaos of the Hotel Zone, Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach is an all-suites, beachfront resort. The property is large with 602 units, but all come with expansive Caribbean Sea views from private balconies.

And while it is not adults-only, it does have features couples will enjoy. The food here is also very good and there are a number of restaurant choices, but couples will like Le Basilic, which does French-Mediterranean fare in an elegant setting. There is also a wonderfully relaxing spa, which offers a range of treatments, including hydrotherapy.

Accommodation: Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun

4. Secrets The Vine Cancun

Another favorite couples choice is Secrets The Vine Cancun, which is also an all-inclusive and adults-only property. In Cancun’s Hotel Zone, it sits on a beautiful white-sand beach and offers 497 chic rooms and suites, all of which have direct views of the sparkling turquoise sea. They also come with decadent touches like teak furniture and Italian porcelain floors.

On-site amenities include six restaurants serving everything from Argentinian to Asian fare. There is 24-hour dining available at the Vine Bazaar; The Cafe restaurant and room service is also an option. Should you prefer to have a private dinner on the beach, that can also be arranged.

Other amenities include a relaxing spa, and four beautiful swimming pools. Guests also have access to an 18-hole golf course next door.

Accommodation: Secrets The Vine Cancun

5. Beach Palace

The all-inclusive Beach Palace is a medium-sized property right in the Hotel Zone. It has 285 rooms and suites, which have a swanky, polished vibe. Couples will appreciate the marble bathrooms featuring double Jacuzzi tubs.

The property sits right on a white sandy beach and also has three pools to lounge around. There are four restaurants to choose from, as well as a luxe spa and a gym with sea views.

The property allows children; however, couples can still find space to escape, and the price-point can be appealing to more budget-conscious travelers.

Accommodation: Beach Palace

6. Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas

Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas is another all-inclusive pick about 15 minutes from downtown Cancun. It sits on a gorgeous beach, and the grounds feature lovely gardens complete with fountains and palm trees.

The decor in the 372 suites is regal and opulent, with red and gold hues throughout, and most come with stunning sea views from private balconies.

This resort is a great pick for couples seeking less of a party atmosphere as it has a quieter and more relaxed vibe – one of the two swimming pools is even designated as a quiet pool.

Accommodation: Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas

7. Excellence Playa Mujeres

The adults-only, all-inclusive Excellence Playa Mujeres is perfect for couples who are looking for a luxury retreat in a secluded environment. Set about 30 minutes’ drive from the Hotel Zone on a quiet white-sand beach with views of Isla Mujeres, the 450 rooms here are posh and come with Jacuzzi tubs and balconies. Some also have swim-up access or private plunge pools.

Away from the rooms, you’ll find nine restaurants, a fabulous spa with a hydrotherapy pool, saunas and steam rooms, and a 24-hour gym.

Accommodation: Excellence Playa Mujeres

Best places to stay in cancun

Cancun is one of the most popular destinations for travelers to Mexico, and it’s easy to see why. With its tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and vibrant nightlife, Cancun has something for everyone.

If you’re looking for a place to stay in Cancun, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our list of the best places to stay in Cancun:

1. Zona Hotelera

Every resort community will have a tourist area. That area is referred to as Zona Hotelera in Cancun. Although these areas are frequently derided for being manufactured and costly, there are still many benefits to settling in at Zona Hotelera when visiting.

As the name might suggest, Zona Hotelera is overflowing with hotels. The whole neighborhood is a hive buzzing with activity 24 hours a day, and it’s one of the most readily accessible and best places to stay in Cancun if you’re looking to be pampered through your entire trip.

Because while the area itself may be artificially tailored to tourists, that means that everything from the architectural design of the buildings to the staff at the restaurants and hotels is catered to providing you with the best experience possible (and recommending their spots to your friends).

All of the hotels offer rooms overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and while the neighborhood itself is largely bereft of major cultural landmarks, most hotels can connect you with readily accessible tour companies that can take you out into the wild.

Whether you’re looking to explore the islands or venture into forgotten ruins, getting there is always as simple as just asking.

It’s really the amenities in this neighborhood that are more appealing than the culture or the landmarks.

You’ll find yourself surrounded by American, European, and Canadian travelers, but you’ll also have easy access to beaches, pools, and a thriving nightlife. There’s never a lack of things to do in Zona Hotelera.

Shopping malls are available in abundance, while the Scenic Tower offers stunning views of much of the city. The standout attraction here is Underwater Museum of Art, which is essentially an aquarium museum that pairs underwater sculptures with living sea life.

Of course, the level of attention you’ll get in Zona Hotelera comes at a price. The Hotel Zone offers some of the best and most luxurious hotels in the entire city, but they also tend to be the most expensive.

If you’re backpacking your way through Mexico, this probably isn’t going to be one of the best areas to stay in Cancun.

But if you’re simply looking to kick back and relax without having to plan an itinerary or you’re visiting on a honeymoon or with kids, it’s potentially the most low stress area to pick for your stay.

2. Downtown Cancun

Downtown Cancun, or “El Centro”, is one of the best areas to stay in Cancun if you want have easy access to the more popular beaches but also have some variety around your hotel that goes beyond sand, surf, and beachside bars and souvenir shops.

While you can’t walk to the more well regarded beaches from most of El Centro, most of them can be reached directly by public transit buses.

There’s a greater sense of authenticity in El Centro than you’ll find in parts of town that are right on the beach, and it’s easier to get the essentials you need without having to pay exorbitant tourist prices for them.

El Centro gives you a taste of the real Cancun, and there are a number of spots worth checking out if that’s the sort of flavor you’re looking for. Mercado 28 is an open air market, and well it contains a decent amount of souvenir shops, there’s a lot of great things to find here as well.

Even the souvenirs tend to be more hand-made, personalized, and cheaper than what you’ll find in neighborhoods with a higher concentration of tourists.

Food stalls are available in abundance in Mercado 28, and the district is also brimming with a ton of standalone restaurants featuring reach and genuine local specialties.

Also worthy of note is Parque Las Palapas. This park is a favorite spot of locals, and it gets pretty crowded in the evenings and on the weekends.

It’s a great place to mix and mingle with the real residents of Cancun and even get some suggestions for restaurants, bars, and attractions.

If you’re looking to shop for more brand name items, the outlet mall known as Las Plazas Outlet offers a ton of well known names at very low prices.

El Centro is one of the best places to stay in Cancun if you’re looking for a mix of authentic living and the beautiful tourist beaches, but it’s a practical choice as well.

Hotels, restaurants, and stores all tend to be more affordably priced than they are in other neighborhoods that tailor their interests more directly to tourists.

That makes this a popular spot to stay for younger travelers: both backpackers trying to get by on a shoestring budget and revelers looking to unleash their inner party animal on the streets of Cancun.

3. Puerto Juarez

Aside from the fact that both areas of Cancun occupy a privileged position along beachfront property, Puerto Juarez and Zona Hotelera are like night and day in terms of personality.

The latter is built exclusively to cater to the whims of vacationers, while the former is a sleepy and local seaside community.

Located about a mile and a half north of the city center, this neighborhood wasn’t even incorporated as a part of Cancun until 1990.

That makes this community quieter and less rife with top shelf restaurants, shopping, and nightlife than the other areas on our list, but it’s also a great choice if you’re just looking to immerse yourself in the lives of local Cancun residents and get away from the tourist crowds.

In large part, this is due to the nature of the beaches. While there’s abundant shorefront property in Puerto Juarez, it’s not crystal clear like those in Zona Hotelera.

But that said, it’s a virtual heaven for travelers who like to go boating. If you’re looking to regularly go out on fishing expeditions, this is where to stay in Cancun.

The other major advantage is that it’s the primary ferry point for access to Isla Mujeres. If this high value destination is out of your price range, Puerto Juarez can be a great compromise: giving the access you need without breaking your budget.

The people here are friendly and welcoming but aren’t trained to cater to your whims like the staff in Zona Hotelera, and a number of great hole in the wall restaurants occupy the coastal road winding through the region.

If you want to meet the real locals of Cancun without their customer service masks on, it’s a promising place to stay.

Also nearby is El Meca, a small but beautiful Mayan ruin that isn’t as crowded or commercialized as some of the larger sites around Cancun.

If you’re on a tight budget and you’re looking to avoid the tourist crowds of Zona Hotelera, Puerto Juarez can be an ideal choice.

But you may have to hunt around a bit for lodgings. Renting a condo from locals, potentially on an app like Airbnb is a promising start.

Puerto Juarez may not be tailored specifically to the needs of travelers, but the cheap and anonymous nature of the neighborhood makes it a welcoming option if you’re looking to stay in Cancun for an extended period of tie.

4. Playa Mujeres

Costa Mujeres, or Playa Mujeres, is like the younger and sometimes overlooked kid sibling of Zona Hotelera. Both areas are designed with the tourist set in mind, but Playa Mujeres doesn’t get nearly as much traffic as Zona Hotelera.

And while the Hotel Zone is centrally located to offer easy access to much of the city and surrounding areas, Playa Mujeres is a little more isolated.

If you decide to stay here, you can expect to rely mostly on the amenities that the resorts on site have to offer. That said, the resorts that cover almost the entirety of this region are absolutely loaded down with events catered towards foreign travelers.

The beaches here are the most obvious selling point. While they might not be quite as blue or crystal clear as those in Zona Hotelera, they’re still undoubtedly beautiful, and they tend to be calmer and less crowded as well.

This is a region that can offer you a level of privacy that you often can’t find in some of the more populated areas of Cancun.

And while Playa Mujeres offers direct connections to Isla Mujeres, there’s plenty to do out in the Caribbean without having to venture out that far. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and yachting excursions are available in abundance, and you can even venture out onto the waters to meet dolphins.

It’s also home to an 18 hole, 72 par golf course. And just like in Zona Hotelera, most of the hotels and resorts offer excursions to all of the important sites throughout Cancun and the surrounding countryside.

Playa Mujeres is going to appeal to the same time of travelers as Zona Hotelera with some caveats. Almost all of the activities available in this neighborhood are going to be centralized around the resorts themselves.

Zone Hotelera is a neighborhood where there are countless things happening at every hour of the day. Visitors to Playa Mujeres will want to create more curated trips.

If you want to spend your time in Cancun planning day trips between lazy afternoons in the pool or at the beach, it’s more than accommodating.

Resorts and hotels are more pricey than in less tourist-focused areas, but they’re also cheaper on average than in Zona Hotelera. Just keep in mind that if you want to check out what the rest of the city has to offer, you can expect to take a shuttle or car to get there.

5. Isla Mujeres

If you close your eyes and imagine a tropical paradise island, the image in your head will probably closely resemble Isla Mujeres.

Located eight miles off the city’s northern coast, the ocean surrounding this island paradise are some of the most gorgeous and immaculate around: clear enough to see the bottom, accompanied by meticulously white sands, and lined with palm trees.

It may be a little further afield than neighborhoods in Cancun proper, but the locals here have done a tremendous job of making sure that everything you could possibly need is always within arms reach.

A community in and of itself, the downtown district of Isla Mujeres is lined with quaint and charming shops. It’s a one stop location for all of your souvenir shopping as well as for fine dining and nightlife.

The center of town is also home to some truly gorgeous sea wall murals. Just because this is a tourist-focused community doesn’t mean there isn’t a sense of local color.

The zocalo – or city square – features live music and activities practically every day and night, and there’s a regular monthly art fair held there throughout the winter months.

Yoga, massage, and classes are all available without having to step foot off of the island, and the entire area can be easily explored on a bike or behind the wheel of a golf cart.

And since the island is situated right in the middle of the Caribbean, there are a countless variety of activities for the more adventurous set.

There’s a decent variety of ecological theme parks on the island proper, or you can venture out into the waters to engage in deep sea fishing, scuba diving, or snorkeling.

If you want to be pampered but find the crowds of Zona Hotelera or Playa Mujeres to be a bit too much for your tastes, Isla Mujeres is the place to stay in Cancun.

It’s isolated enough from the city of Cancun to feel like its own little world, and it tends to be less overrun with visitors than those other resort areas.

And rather than be dominated by major international hotel chains and expensive resorts, you’ll find a decent variety of options for lodgings that range from budget friendly options to chic and high class boutique hotels.

Best places to stay in cancun for families

Cancun is one of the best places to vacation with your family. It’s safe, beautiful, and full of activities for kids of all ages.

We have put together a list of the best places to stay in Cancun for families so that you can make the most out of your time here!

Hotel Riu Palace Las Americas

This hotel is located right on the beach, so it’s easy for kids to play in the sand or splash in the waves. There are two swimming pools on site, one with a water slide and another with a pirate ship themed splash zone. If you want to explore more of Cancun during your trip, they have shuttles that will take you into town so you don’t have to drive yourself. You can also rent bikes or scooters at this hotel if you want to see more of the area around it than just what’s nearby on foot or by shuttle bus service only.

Grand Oasis Sens

This hotel has an indoor pool with a water slide as well as an outdoor one where children can play in warmer weather months because it doesn’t close until sunset due to being located near jungle-like surroundings rather than other hotels nearby which have their pools.

The Westin Los Cabos Resort & Spa, a luxury hotel with an incredible kids’ club and a kid-friendly beach.
Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, which is all-inclusive, has an amazing kids’ program, and has lots of activities for kids.
Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa, which offers family suites and has great water park facilities.

If your family is big on the beach and having lots of fun together, we recommend checking out the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun or Barcelo Maya Caribe Beach. Both hotels are located right on the beach, so you can spend as much time there as possible. Both hotels also have great entertainment options that will keep everyone in your family entertained while they’re in Cancun.

If you’d prefer something more low-key and relaxing, we recommend staying somewhere like The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas. It’s just a short walk away from Playa del Carmen’s main strip—but far enough away that you’ll feel like you’re escaping all of the hustle and bustle of town life when you get back to your villa at night!

Best places to stay in cancun all inclusive

There are many hotels to choose from, but if you are looking for the best places to stay in Cancun all inclusive, look no further. The following is a list of the top hotels in Cancun that provide an all inclusive package: