This All-inclusive Resort Was Just Voted Best in Mexico (Again)—and It Has Private Beach Dinners, a Catamaran, and Butler Service

Travel + Leisure

08-07-2025

As travelers continue to prize genuine hospitality and elevated experiences, they're drawn to hotels that deliver elevated-yet-warm service and immersive programming, along with food and design firmly rooted in a sense of place. All of these qualities are reflected in T+L readers' favorite resorts in Mexico for 2025. Though emerging destinations like Valle de Guadalupe, Puerto Escondido, and Costalegre have become more accessible thanks to new hotel openings and the completion of long-awaited infrastructure projects, major vacation hubs like Riviera Maya and Los Cabos continue to dominate in the World's Best Awards. 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. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
The Presidential Suite at La Casa de La Playa.
Two tried-and-true resort areas along Mexico's sun-soaked coasts once again have the most representation on this year's list of T+L reader favorites. In fact, only one property—No. 12 Banyan Tree Puebla—sits inland.
Riviera Maya, just south of Cancún on the Yucatán Peninsula, came through with nine spots, including two hotels set amid the verdant mangroves and emerald canals of the Mayakoba complex. That striking setting was just one of the reasons Fairmont Mayakoba secured its No. 17 spot. 'This is a magical place,' writes one reader of the 401-key property. 'The lushness of the jungle there is incredible, and the hotel is laid out beautifully with excellent suites nestled along pathways through the vibrant greens of the plants. Water is everywhere in lagoons, canals, streams, and the ocean. Pools are huge with plenty of lounges and well-stocked cabanas around them. But the crowning glory of this hotel is the service. Everyone is eager to please and will go out of their way to help in any way.'
...the crowning glory of this hotel is the service. Everyone is eager to please and will go out of their way to help in any way.
— T+L Reader
Over on the west coast, the biggest cluster of resorts can be found in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo in Baja California Sur. In this region, Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort (No. 6) typifies the superlative hospitality that distinguishes WBA-caliber hotels. 'The service at Las Ventanas is so over the top, I can't imagine staying anywhere else,' gushed one WBA voter of the 84 suites and villas. Another T+L reader, who calls the hotel a 'must,' had high praise for their experience: 'The team is beyond attentive and welcoming. The rooms are stunning, and the food is amazing!'
Another notable trend? The continued popularity of all-inclusive resorts, which appeal to a growing number of travelers for the myriad ways they streamline costs and planning. And, as the six on this list demonstrate, they've increasingly infused their activities and culinary programs with regional influences. Take Hotel Xcaret Arte (No. 9), one of Grupo Xcaret's three honorees. In addition to complimentary access to the company's ecoparks, guests of the 900-suite property can participate in creative pursuits like pottery and weaving.
With the trend on such an upswing, perhaps it's no surprise that T+L readers named one luxe option as their favorite resort in Mexico for 2025 for the second year in a row.
La Casa de la Playa: Playa del Carmen, Mexico The infinity pool at La Casa de la Playa.
With just 63 suites, this back-to-back No. 1 is the smallest all-inclusive to make this year's list of T+L's favorite resorts in Mexico. Each of the butler-attended accommodations measures more than 1,000 square feet and looks out to either the ocean or hotel gardens, allowing for plenty of privacy. The sense of refined luxury that won readers over also extends to activities such as a catamaran sail or a private dinner on the beach. Romance is also a draw at the adults-only escape, where couples can indulge in the wellness experiences at the Muluk Spa, including the rejuvenating hydrotherapy circuit.
1. La Casa de la Playa: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Reader Score: 99.40
2. Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection: Punta de Mita, Mexico
Reader Score: 99.36
3. The Cape, A Thompson Hotel: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Reader Score: 98.73
4. (tie) Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection: Punta Maroma, Mexico
Reader Score: 98.00
4. (tie) Hotel Xcaret Mexico: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Reader Score: 98.00
6. Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort: San José del Cabo, Mexico
Reader Score: 97.84
7. Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Reader Score: 97.23
8. Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Reader Score: 97.12
9. Hotel Xcaret Arte: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Reader Score: 97.12
10. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Reader Score: 96.50
11. Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo: Jalisco, Mexico
Reader Score: 96.22
12. Banyan Tree Puebla: Puebla, Mexico
Reader Score: 95.76
13. Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués: Acapulco, Mexico
Reader Score: 95.47
14. Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Reader Score: 94.93
15. Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas: La Ribera, Mexico
Reader Score: 94.89
16. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita: Punta Mita, Mexico
Reader Score: 94.84
17. Fairmont Mayakoba: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Reader Score: 94.18
18. Rosewood Mayakoba: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 94.08
19. Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort: Cancún, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.86
20. Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun: Solidaridad, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.74
21. Viceroy Los Cabos: San José del Cabo, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.69
22. Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta: Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.68
23. Le Blanc Spa Resort: Cancún, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.41
24. Vidanta Riviera Maya: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Reader Score: 93.15
25. Vidanta Los Cabos: San José del Cabo, Mexico
Reader Score: 92.95