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Travel + Leisure
22-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Adults-only All-inclusive Resort on Mexico's Isla Mujeres Is One of the Best New Hotels in the World
Marriott Luxury Collection's first all-inclusive resort was named to T+L's 2025 It List of the best new hotels of the year. A long list of activities allows guests to explore the island and learn about its ancient roots. Boga, the resort's main restaurant, serves elevated Mayan and Yucatecan flavors. The guest rooms and suites are spacious and airy, and feature private balconies and natural materials like tropical wood paneling and stonework. The hotel's location—along the island's tranquil southwest coast—brings a sense of serenity (a rarity in this part of the Yucatán) and excellent sunsets. I was in a downward dog position when I noticed the school of little silver fish darting beneath me in the water. This was the daily yoga class held at Almare's dock, and in the cracks between planks of wood, I could see the celadon shallows of the Caribbean Sea. I had arrived at the new resort on the island of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, a day earlier, having been dropped off at the same dock after a 25-minute ride from Cancun on the hotel's 42-foot catamaran. Eight miles away in the distance, the popular vacation metropolis was barely visible, its concrete towers and sprawling all-inclusives a grey smudge on the horizon. The two settings couldn't be more different, even in cosmic terms, as I learned from Enrique Solari, Almare's general manager. The coastline of Cancun and the Riviera Maya faces east; Almare, on Isla Mujeres's western side, faces towards the setting sun. 'The island Mayans were different from the earth Mayans from the rest of the peninsula,' Solari explained. 'Isla Mujeres stands looking at things the opposite way. It allows for many of our visitors, after experiencing the activities and the parties of the Riviera Maya, to come to a place where they can look more introspectively and actually spend time with more of the Mexican culture without leaving the Cancun area.' Opened in November, Almare, the first all-inclusive entry from Marriott's Luxury Collection in Mexico, offers a fresh approach to luxury vacations in this region: this is not the kind of all-inclusive where you bake all day on the beach and eat from a buffet at night. A daybreak walk arranged by the hotel takes guests to the rugged cliffs of Punta Sur, the island's southernmost point, steeped in Mayan history, where Mexico's first sunrise takes off from. Golf cart rentals—the preferred way to get around the island—are easy to book at reception, as are boat trips on various vessels. On a recent Friday, I splayed out on the netting of a sailing catamaran with a michelada in hand, before diving into the waters off of Playa Norte, the island's main white sand beach crowded with palm trees. While the island can be lively, with Corona and lime bars that are best enjoyed in small doses, Almare offers a respite. In pockets around the hotel—on a daybed along its private sliver of beach, dining on the rooftop as a local flutist performs, in the golden-lit lobby bar where I took a nightly digestif—the tranquility returns. On the dock, my yoga teacher Maru noticed it, too. 'I normally play music in class,' she told us one morning, 'but the sounds of the birds, the wind, and the water right here, I thought, were enough.' Keep reading for a full review of Almare, A Luxury Collection, All-Inclusive Resort on Isla Mujeres. Oceanfront views and balcony from inside a Grand Suite bedroom. Ione Green Productions/Courtesy of Almare, an All-inclusive Luxury Collection Almare's 109 guest rooms and suites are light-strewn and sand-toned, with modern decor that pulls influence from local techniques without feeling folksy. Many of the walls are plastered with chukum, a protective resin used by the ancient Mayans that adds a wispy texture to the concrete. 'It gives you this velvet sensation that I find very warm in the hotel,' Galo Rosas, a principal at Design Positif, an interior firm that collaborated on Almare's renovation, told Travel+Leisure. My second-floor room had a large whirlpool tub and beautiful travertine surfaces in the bathroom. Its broad balcony sat just above the beach club, with the water a stone's throw away. 'When you step out on the balcony, you feel almost like you're on a boat because you're so close to the sea and the contact is so direct,' Rosas said. Almare also has seven impressive duplex suites with private sea view plunge pools and the 1,485-square-foot presidential suite, which has an oversized marble bar and a tropical wood dining table perfect for entertaining. It was easy to forget that Almare is all-inclusive with its dining spread out over seven stylish spots, each offering à la carte service. I started my mornings at Botanik, the all-day cafe, for an espresso and a gluten-free cookie, before a full breakfast at the main lobby restaurant, Boga. The morning menu here is filled with Mayan-inspired dishes, like papadzules, a hand-pressed tortilla stuffed with lobster and poached eggs and drowned in green salsa. For lunch by the pool, I ordered from The Breeze's menu, which has the kind of snacking plates you want while reading a magazine: guacamole, ceviche, or a poke bowl. The day I was at sea on a charter boat, the hotel packed a box lunch with a chicken baguette from Botanik, fruit, and a chocolate oblea, a delicate Mexican wafer treat. The beachfront AlPaso food truck serves up bites, bowls, and smoothies. Courtesy of Almare, an All-inclusive Luxury Collection During my visit, I enjoyed dinner at Seasalt, the rooftop restaurant with a more relaxed menu, and downstairs at Boga. Both have great service and are the kind of places where you'll linger long enough to get hungry again. My favorite dish was a tender short rib chilmole, a regional sauce blackened with charred tortillas, that I had at Boga. There's also AlVento, the palapa bar on the beach with a signature dark rum cocktail; AlPaso, a beachside food truck; and the intimate lobby bar, perfect for a nightcap. Guests can spend some time in the ocean in one of the resorts available kayaks. Courtesy of Almare, an All-inclusive Luxury Collection The hotel offers a full schedule of daily activities listed in their app. They range from wholesome—coconut painting on the beach—to emboldening—new friends were made at the mezcal tasting. A sunset barbecue, usually held weekly, was especially memorable. On a westward-facing table set up on the beach, chef Carlos from Boga passed out the ingredients to prepare tikin xic , the island's signature fish dish: fresh filets of mero, a local grouper, along with spices, sliced vegetables, and achiote paste, a peppery blend of dried seeds that looks like wet clay. With gloved hands—the achiote can stain—we dusted the fish with salt, pepper, and garlic, and coated it with the paste. After a quick pass on the grill, the earthy tikin xic was returned to our table as dinner, just as the sun dipped below the horizon. Excursions, including to the incredible Underwater Museum of Art just off shore and the nearby uninhabited island of Isla Contoy, a national park, are available to book on-site. The hotel also has a well-equipped fitness center, a spa, and two pools—one on the rooftop and one just off the beach, complete with a swim-up bar. A relaxation area at the ALMA Spa. Ione Green Productions/Courtesy of Almare, an All-inclusive Luxury Collection Almare has a large spa with an extensive list of services, including a 50-minute shaman consultation. There is also a full hydrotherapy circuit—steam room, sauna, whirlpool, and cold plunge —along with a set of soft cocoon chairs with warm water running through them meant to simulate the sensation of being in the womb. I had a 60-minute detox and lift facial with volcanic glass and activated charcoal that left my skin looking 'movie star' good (my boyfriend's words, not mine). There is one ADA-certified room at the hotel. Almare's renovation was conducted with sustainability in mind. The beams around the resort were made from recycled materials, the lighting is LED, and a special HVAC system was designed to reduce water use. Drinking water is provided in Tetra Pack cartons, and guests are gifted an Almare-branded water bottle to refill at fountains throughout the resort. Lounge chairs lay around the Seasalt Roof Top Pool. Courtesy of Almare, an All-inclusive Luxury Collection Almare is located near the less-touristy southwest side of Isla Mujeres, resulting in exquisite sunsets. It's next door to La Casa del Tikinxic, a beachfront grill rumored to have popularized the island's signature tikin xic fish dish. A 10-minute drive—or a 30-minute walk—will take you to Punta Sur, the island's southernmost lookout with a sculpture park that honors local history. Playa Norte, a lively public beach, and Calle Miguel Hidalgo, a hub for the island's nightlife, are about a 15-minute drive. Taxis are available for hire, though many people rent golf carts. Cancun's international airport is the closest to Isla Mujeres. From there, I took a car service arranged by the hotel to the Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun. At the Renaissance, I was escorted to the slip where Almare's private twin-engine boat was waiting to whisk me and other guests to the hotel. Almare is part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, so members can book a stay with points and receive special rates, as well as room upgrades, late checkout when available, and free spa services for guests at certain status tiers. Nightly rates at Almare, A Luxury Collection, All-Inclusive Resort, start from $774. Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Forbes
05-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Inside Look: Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres Review
A quieter and more intimate adults-only alternative to Cancun's traditional all-inclusive mega-resorts, Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort opened its doors on Isla Mujeres in November 2024. The resort is one of just a handful of large hotel brands that have planted a flag on the serene island, located only a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland. As a frequent visitor to Cancun, I was looking forward to experiencing the property, which joins several other new openings on the heels of rising demand for luxury-focused all-inclusive resorts. During a recent girls' getaway with my mom, I checked in to experience the boutique-leaning property firsthand. Read my full review below. divider Atrium at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres. Rafael Luhrs divider My journey to Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort began on a boat—a complimentary sea transfer, to be precise, from the Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun. After a 20-minute ride, I arrived at Almare's dock and was promptly greeted with a cold towel and a mocktail. Yoga practitioners were doing sun salutations under a thatched roof on the dock, while guests sunbathed on the private beachfront. Inside, an open-air lobby lined with ocher pillars, hanging wicker lamps and lush greenery provided a tropical feel. Main pool at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres. Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort Isla Mujeres The resort has two pools, the larger one located in front of the property's three connected buildings and featuring a swim-up bar, The Breeze. Neither pool is directly on the beach, but the rooftop infinity pool, located in front of Seasalt restaurant, offered more direct views of the ocean. An on-site fitness center was spacious and well-equipped with a wide variety of machines, and I was impressed by the Alma Spa, which came complete with a steam room, sauna, salt room and hydrotherapy pools. I booked a relaxing massage, which started off with a welcoming ceremony featuring a carved effigy of Ixchel, the ancient Mayan goddess associated with the island. divider With just 109 rooms, Almare skews closer to a boutique hotel than the average Cancun mega-resort. This is the general atmosphere of the hotel as well: Walking through the hallways, the property feels more like a beachy apartment complex. I stayed in a Deluxe Guest Room, which featured two double beds, a small sitting corner with a desk, a detached double vanity, a separate toilet and shower and a private terrace with views of the pool and ocean. Every room at the resort includes a private terrace—one of the benefits of a smaller property. Deluxe Guest Room at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres. Marriott At about 750 square feet, the area was spacious, but I found the room design to be a bit unusual: A whirlpool tub sits between one of the beds and the vanity. While there are standalone tubs in every room category (a nice touch), the positioning of the tub right next to the bed in the Standard and Deluxe room categories felt awkward. Much like the open-air lobby, the room featured the same resin-coated pillars as wall décor, but aside from that, there were few pieces of art or design elements; the most luxe aspect of the room was the collection of Byredo toiletries. divider Almare is home to six food and beverage outlets, and over the course of my stay, it became clear that food is the resort's strongest offering. Seasalt, the rooftop restaurant that sits underneath a beautiful thatched palapa, offers Mediterranean dishes alongside Mexican classics; I had a few great pasta dishes here as well as a very creative lobster pizza. In the evenings, performances by jazz singers and pianists add to the sophisticated atmosphere. Seasalt restaurant at Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres. Marriott My favorite dining outlet was Boga, which offered flavorful Mayan-influenced dishes from all parts of the country. At breakfast, I ordered eggs made with local chaya leaf, native to the Yucatan Peninsula, and at dinner, I enjoyed lobster papadzules with pumpkin seed sauce; I was also impressed by the wide variety of Mexican wines available, including many from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico's equivalent of Napa. The ceviches and poke bowls at The Breeze, the pool bar and restaurant, were fantastic, as was the tikin xic, a locally sourced grilled fish prepared Mayan-style with a variety of amazing sauces and a side of tortillas. The menus at Almare cater to a well-traveled crowd that isn't afraid to be adventurous at mealtime—a refreshing change from the many all-inclusives that have earned reputations for mediocre dishes. divider The resort offers plenty of activities for guests, including several wellness-focused excursions like morning runs and yoga classes on the dock. I enjoyed coffee-tasting and chocolate-making classes, both of which focused on Mexican-grown beans. While I did not have enough time to experience it during my stay, Isla Mujeres' most famous beach, Playa Norte, is about a 15-minute drive from the resort (guests can rent a buggy, as cars are generally not recommended for visitors on the island) and is a great option for a day trip. divider Almare, A Luxury Collection Resort is located on Isla Mujeres, which is a 20-minute boat ride from mainland Cancun. The property offers complimentary boat transfers to and from Renaissance Cancun Resort & Marina in Puerto Cancun (transfers run roughly every two hours), which is about a 30-minute drive from Cancun International Airport (CUN). Guests can book ground transportation to Renaissance via Almare or set up their own ground transportation independently.
