Best Family Friendly Hotels in Mexico

A resort by Hilton, Conrad Punta Mita is found within the Litibú gated community. It offers a private stretch of beach, three outdoor pools, a spa, a 24-hour fitness suite, tennis and basketball courts and plunge pool suites. The dining options are many, with beach barbecues, an open-air beachside grill, a seafood-forward Aztec-themed eatery, a pool lunch spot and a very child-friendly Mexican restaurant. Plus there’s a coffee house and an artisanal cocktail bar. Connecting rooms and large, modern suites with living areas, make this a good choice for families.

With not one, but two stretches of beach along its perimeter, this is the top choice for water babies – or those wishing to lounge beside the ocean, being served tequila cocktails upon a wicker framed cabana. Waiters will also attend those in the infinity pool (yes, in the pool), bringing drinks to your precise spot. After all, with views this epic and temperatures so warm, you won’t want to budge. Indeed, the service throughout the Four Seasons is five-star attentive, with guests’ every micro-need met. Book a treatment at the Apuana Spa, play some sports, charter a yacht, dine on Las Cuevas beach at Bahía, eat Japanese-Mex dishes at Aramara, snack at the Shack or taco stand… the choice is yours.

A top-tier Marriott resort, The St Regis is large, but calm. Guests are ferried around the grounds in golf carts and provided with the brand’s signature butler service. 120 bedrooms are housed in a number of casitas, with decor that’s neutral upscale rustic and airy, outdoor showers and modern beamed ceilings. Multiple pools ensure every type of traveller – from families to honeymooning couples – can find their perfect sunbathing corner. Lush, manicured gardens lead onto the white sandy beach, where guests can take a seat on a cushioned teak lounger. The St Regis has five restaurants, several bars, a fitness room, tennis courts and a kids’ club.

Peek across to the island of Cozumel from this immaculate resort in Playa del Carmen. Grand Velas has 531 rooms, six themed restaurants, two gyms and seven bars. Expect manicured lawns, high-end boutiques, perfectly tended sands and gleaming marble surfaces. The decor by Melín Castro Ardavín, is neutral, with mahogany furnishings, expansive walk-in showers and large terraces overlooking the ocean. Whether travelling as a family, or in need of some child-free time, it’s all possible here. There’s a kids’ club, but also a whole area of the resort reserved for over 18s, and a serene spa for some much-needed r&r.

Coming from one of the world’s leading luxury hotel groups, this contemporary, large and stylish resort is connected by lagoons and waterways. 129 rooms and 11 residences appear to float on water and have been crafted using indigenous materials, in a minimalist, calming design. The Forbes-rated spa even has its own island, Sense, offering a huge range of Mayan healing practises and treatments and a Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf course El Camaleón. Kids are well catered for at Rosewood Explorers’ children’s club and for some adult-only time, chill out at Aquí Me Quedo, where three plunge pools are sunken into the sand beside the sea. There are five dining options, as well as a delectable bakery, weekly themed meals and several bars.

Spread across 45 acres, the 401 suite Fairmont boasts its own golf course, spa and cooking school. It’s just 15 minutes drive from the bright lights of Playa del Carmen, but with so much to do and see here, you won’t want to leave. It’s a great place to wildlife spot, surrounded by ocean, mangroves and jungle on each side. Dinner at La Laguna (beside the lagoon) is a real highlight, not only because of its romantic setting but also for its fantastic Mexican cuisine. Guests can also eat seafood beachside at Brisas, and The Lobby Lounge’s balcony is the perfect spot for an after-dinner margarita or three. The style is contemporary with some traditional Yutucan elements and an earthy colour scheme. Book a beachfront casita for a private rooftop pool, tons of space and butler service.

If you’d prefer to stay in a large scale all-inclusive resort from a huge international hotel group, with tons of amenities, the Barcelo Maya Palace is a winner. Located in Xpu-Ha, it has 756 rooms, three tennis courts, three pools, a private beach, six restaurants, five bars, theme nights, tour services, access to a water park, a games room, nightclub, playground, children’s’ club, fitness centre, hammam and a full-service spa. Activities include snorkelling, canoeing, windsurfing, golf, football, tennis, volleyball, aerobics, as well as dance, language and cooking classes. And with theme parks and historic sites nearby, it’s safe to say you’ll never be short of something to do here.

Located in Mayakoba, between Playa del Carmen and Cancun (around 15 minutes to the lively hotspots), the Banyan Tree is spread across jungle, lagoon and beachside areas. Enter through the AAA Five-Diamond resort’s pagoda, a first taste of the Asian – Mayan design fusion. Made up of unique villas complemented by handcrafted Mexican furniture, guests enjoy private pools, outdoor bathtubs and a dedicated butler. Experience hydrothermal wellness at the award-winning spa with ‘The Rainforest’ hydrotherapy circuit. Take a romantic mangrove boat tour, bike ride (up to two are available per villa) and enjoy meals in eight different locations. It’s a great option for families, with a kids’ club, babysitting service, nursery and kids’ pool.

ound in the same property as the adults-only TRS Coral Hotel, the new 673-room family-friendly Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa is an upscale resort for families, groups of friends and couples. It’s on the Costa Mujeres beach, a natural area on the Mexican Caribbean, about half an hour’s drive from the town of Cancún. For families looking for a truly premium experience, there is ‘The Family Selection’ service, with access to the best sports facilities, fine-dining restaurants and an upgraded all-inclusive offering.  The resort village has a range of leisure, dining, entertainment and shopping options that ensure both children and adults are having their best holiday.  The property’s facilities feature nine restaurants, four swimming pools, one of them exclusive for children, as well as a convention centre with capacity for 1380 people. In addition, the resort offers world-class spa facilities with the Zentropia Spa & Wellness centre; and also, exceptional tennis facilities with The Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre Costa Mujeres, set to be one of Mexico’s most comprehensive tennis facilities, offering tennis programmes developed by Nadal and his technical team for all levels and ages, suitable for both hotel guests and local residents. There are eight clay tennis courts, a football pitch, one paddle court, a gym for warming-up, stretches and basic training, a Rafa Nadal exhibition area, a shop with exclusive premium sports products, and a bar/cafeteria.