Cancún resorts? We’ve slept in 10 and we’ll help you choose

  • 10 resorts in a month
  • Scored out of 10
  • Hosted stays marked
Riding the FlowRider wave pool at Planet Hollywood CancúnOn the way to the beach at Planet Hollywood Cancún
Riding the FlowRider wave pool at Planet Hollywood Cancún
DiscoveringStays

Where to stay in Cancún

After a month at 10 resorts, from Costa Mujeres to Playa del Carmen.

Read the guide

Start with how you travel

Each guide is built from our own stays.

Couples and friends · 7 resorts

Adults-only resorts

RIU Caribe is the liveliest, with its party in a separate area so whoever wants peace doesn’t notice it. Temptation is the most party-oriented and daring hotel in Cancún, and the average age there is around 40.

  • Best for:
  • Couples
  • Friends
  • 35+
See the adults-only guide
Families and couples · 10 resorts

Which area to stay in

Couples or chill mode: Costa Mujeres or the South Hotel Zone. Solo or with friends: the North Hotel Zone or Downtown. Playa del Carmen has more affordable prices and suits couples and families.

Costa Mujeres is the one for kids: brand-new, very quiet and less crowded than the Hotel Zone, but it collects more sargassum and costs more.

  • Best for:
  • Families
  • Couples
  • First trip
Where to stay in Cancún
Before you go

Tips and scams

Our Uber driver accepted the trip and left without us. A taxi from downtown to the Hotel Zone costs around 180 MXN, and the calmest beaches are in the North Hotel Zone: Langosta, Tortugas and Caracol.

See the tips

Full resort reviews

Our score out of 10, from the stay itself.

Who’s behind this

Two of us, a month, 10 resorts

Javier Sobrino and Víctor Redondo spent a month in Cancún and the Riviera Maya, from September to October 2025, changing resort and area as they went. Three resorts invited us, and every page that mentions them says so. How we work.

Javier Sobrino on the beach path at Planet Hollywood Cancún
Costa Mujeres, Cancún
Where to stay in Cancún

Need a hand?

We've stayed here ourselves and experienced it firsthand. If you have any questions, leave a comment below and avoid the typical first-timer mistakes.

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