Cancun may be the most well-known and most popular Mexican Caribbean vacation destination, but it isn’t the only one worth visiting.
There are several destinations up and down the Mexican Caribbean coast that have luxury all-inclusives, beautiful beaches, and plenty to do.
One of those places is Playa del Carmen, and these Playa del Carmen resorts are stealing the spotlight right now after being rated some of the best in Mexico by travelers in the annual Travel & Leisure survey.
Travel & Leisure’s World Best Awards
A total of seven hotels and resorts in Playa del Carmen landed on Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards list for 2024.
One of them was even chosen as the best resort in all of Mexico.
Let’s examine which properties made the list and how travelers determined which ones should be on it.
Determining The Best Of The Best
Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards are released once a year and are based on readers’ opinions of hotels and resorts around the world.
They rate properties based on five criteria: rooms/facilities, location, service, food, and value.
For the 2024 awards survey, more than 180,000 travelers cast over 700,000 votes.
Read on to find out which Playa del Carmen properties landed in the top 25 hotels in Mexico.
The Best Resort In Mexico
The La Casa de la Playa, meaning “The Beach House,” came out on top as the number one resort in Mexico.
It’s an adult-only, all-inclusive boutique-style hotel facing the Caribbean Sea and surrounded by the jungle, with 63 suites.
Guests have four restaurants that highlight different Mexican regions to choose from, as well as access to 21 more restaurants at sister properties, Hotel Xcaret Mexico and Hotel Xcaret Arte.
Other Playa Del Carmen Hotels That Made The List
In addition to Casa de la Playa, six other Playa del Carmen hotels and resorts also landed on the top 25 list of the best hotels in Mexico.
Four more of them are among the top 10.
All of the Playa del Carmen properties that made the list, including their rankings, are:
- Hotel Xcaret Mexico – #3
- Viceroy Riviera Maya – #4
- Rosewood Mayakoba – #6
- Hotel Xcaret Arte – #7
- Grand Velas Riviera Maya – #24
- Fairmont Mayakoba – #25
Playa Del Carmen’s Location
Playa del Carmen is located just over 40 miles from Cancun.
This is just about an hour south of the tourism capital of the Mexican Caribbean.
If you’re planning a Mexican Caribbean vacation and you’re looking for other destinations to visit, Playa del Carmen is a fantastic option because it is so close to the airport.
Getting To Playa Del Carmen
The most convenient way to get to Playa del Carmen is by first flying into Cancun International Airport because it has such great connectivity with the United States and is directly connected to a total of 42 U.S. airports.
The Maya Train is another very affordable option for getting to Playa del Carmen.
It’s also the more scenic option and convenient because it departs directly from Cancun Airport.
Why Travelers Love Playa Del Carmen
Playa del Carmen has many of the same things to offer as Cancun but on a smaller scale.
There are also plenty of amazing beaches, hotels, and restaurants in the destination, as well as plenty to do in the area.
There are great Mayan ruins nearby, numerous cenotes to swim in, and one of the best adventure parks in the world just steps away.
If you’ll be visiting Playa del Carmen in the future, any one of these award-winning hotels will be a great addition to your vacation.
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