The 2018 World's Best Resorts in Mexico

As far as resort vacations go, it’s tough to find a trifecta more appealing than sun, sand, and immediate proximity to world-class tacos. And while there’s so much more to Mexico than beaches alone (for a glimpse, click over to our Top 5 Cities in Mexico list), there’s a reason American travelers have been flocking to the country’s coasts for the better part of a century. After so many decades in the hospitality game, Mexico’s seaside towns have perfected the art of the beach resort — and this list of the country’s top resort hotels is proof. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Hotels were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities. Related: The 2018 World's Best Awards This year, readers stuck to a few favorite locales. On the Yucatán Peninsula, Nizuc Resort & Spa, Rosewood Mayakoba, and Viceroy Riviera Maya all made appearances. Nizuc, a 29-acre property in Cancún, earned particular praise for its spa, thanks to its guided hydrotherapy circuit and Mayan-inspired treatments (“Nizuc Renewal” is a scrub and massage using healing stones and herbs). “The spa was the ultimate indulgence,” said one respondent. Across the country on the Pacific coast, readers raved about Cala de Mar Resort & Spa Ixtapa and Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués in Acapulco. And the ever-popular Baja Peninsula swept the list, with the remaining five properties all scattered on the southern tip between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. Of the perennial reader favorite One&Only Palmilla, one fan wrote, “You feel like one of the many Hollywood stars that grace the property.” Across the board, almost every hotel on this year’s list is less than an hour from a major airport, proving that you don’t have to go too far to get away from it all. For the full list — and the scoop on this year’s top pick — read on.

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10. One&Only Palmilla, San José del Cabo

Pool at the One&Only Palmilla — Courtesy of One&Only Resorts

Score: 93.35

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9. Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection, Cabo San Lucas

Room at the Esperanza, an Auberge Resort — Courtesy of Esperanza, an Auberge Resort

Score: 94.33

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8. Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen

Outdoor dining setup at the Rosewood Mayakoba resort — Courtesy of Rosewood

Score: 94.80

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7. Chileno Bay Resort, Auberge Resorts Collection, Cabo San Lucas

Villa pool at the Chileno Bay Resort — Courtesy of Chileno Bay Resort

Score: 94.82

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6. Nizuc Resort & Spa, Cancún

Looking into the Nizuc Resort & Spa — Courtesy of Nizuc Resort & Spa

Score: 95.00

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5. Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Acapulco

Infinity pool at the Banyan Tree Cabo Marques — Courtesy of Banyan Tree Cabo Marques

Score: 95.20

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4. Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort, San José del Cabo

Exterior view of Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort — Courtesy of Rosewood

Score: 95.60

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3. Resort at Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas

Room at the Resort at Pedregal — Courtesy of The Resort at Pedregal

Score: 96.00

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2. Cala de Mar Resort & Spa, Ixtapa

Aerial view of the Cala de Mar Ixtapa resort — Courtesy of Cala de Mar Ixtapa

Score: 96.11

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1. Viceroy Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen

View to the ocean from the Viceroy Riviera Maya resort — Courtesy of Viceroy Hotel Group

Score: 96.44

This dreamy adults-only beachfront resort is the ultimate getaway. Each of the 41 villas has a private plunge pool and a hammock where you can doze in the sun. The villas are palatial yet unfussy — there’s plenty of linen and wood, plus thatched-roof palapas outside — and the nearby beach is pristine. But it’s the minute attention to detail that really makes the place stand out. Attendants will offer up fruity paletas, wipe your sunnies clean, and adjust your umbrella before you’ve even registered the sun’s glare. Ask for a romantic dinner and they’ll set up a candlelit table for two on the overwater terrace. The resort offers a lengthy list of activities, from cenote diving lessons and horseback riding to exploring the ruins at Cobá, but once you set foot on the grounds, you may find that few adventures are thrilling enough to lure you away from paradise, even for a moment.

See all of our readers' favorite hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2018.

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