Decisions, decisions: after a day sunning on a sparsely populated white-sand beach, does one opt for a rejuvenating chaya herb salt scrub, sundowner tequila tasting, or quiet sail around a lagoon on a traditional lancha fishing boat, watching egrets flutter into the mangroves to roost? If you’re staying at the Rosewood Mayakoba, Mexico’s best beach resort, the answer is yes—to all of it.
Spoilt for choice is one way to describe the winners of our 18th-annual World’s Best Awards survey. Voraciously vetted is another. Given that our sunny, southern neighbor is America’s favorite tourist destination (according to the U.S. National Tourism Office), we knew Travel + Leisure readers would have a lot to say on everything from rooms to restaurants to romantic possibilities.
Location is a huge factor—not one of the properties on our list offers anything less than jaw-dropping scenery—as was next-level amenities and intuitive, warm service, something the butlers at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort (No. 3) provide in spades.
Mexico’s famous cuisine, acknowledged by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, also proved a big lure for travelers. Knockout all-inclusive resorts like the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit (No. 10) demonstrate just how far that much-maligned category has come, with restaurants celebrating cuisine both modern (veal osso bucco with mole) and classic (just-caught octopus ceviche). Esperanza resort (No. 4) in Los Cabos just plain celebrates, with a weekly music and fireworks show.
From Riviera Maya’s swaying palms and crystal-clear Caribbean waters to the dramatic desert climes of Baja, Mexico’s best beach resorts are calling. Time to answer.
