These Are the 10 Best Hotels in Mexico for Families, According to Parents

Green jungles, ancient ruins, vibrant cities, and spectacular sandy stretches along nearly 5,800 miles of coastline make Mexico a veritable playground for families, with so much to offer travelers of all ages. The latest installment of Afar’s Hotels We Love series is dedicated to the 10 best family-friendly hotels and resorts in Mexico. It was curated by three globe-trotting parents, who ensured that every property on this list will deliver an idyllic vacation for the whole brood.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba

Courtesy of Banyan Tree Mayakoba

• Location: Riviera Maya
• Why we love it: An all-suite and villas resort with private pools
• Loyalty program: Accor Live Limitless
• Book now

The all-suite and villa Banyan Tree Mayakoba on Playa del Carmen has 160 spacious accommodations, each with a private pool, polished wood floors and ceilings, and plenty of outdoor lounging areas. The Rangers Club is the resort’s beach-side kids club, which offers complimentary programming that aims to immerse children in the region’s natural beauty and cultural richness. Activities include making piñatas, face painting, cooking classes, interactive greenhouse classes, paper-making workshops, and kayak tours.

Kids can also take golf lessons at the Jim McLean Golf School through the Rangers Club while parents hit the greens. Other family-friendly resort amenities include a wading pool for babies and toddlers, kid-size bicycles, kids menus available across all restaurants, and certified babysitting services. Later this year, the resort will finish a renovation on two- and three-bedroom Family Residences. From $503

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City

Courtesy of Christian Horan/Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City

• Location: Mexico City
• Why we love it: An urban oasis with a central location and all the gear and services you need
• Book now

Set along the grand boulevard that is Paseo de la Reforma, the hacienda-style Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City is a calm oasis in the city’s center. A beautifully manicured inner courtyard is a peaceful spot for catching your breath or having a drink at the award-winning Fifty Mils bar after the kids have gone to sleep. The 240 individually decorated guest rooms feature dark wood furnishings and splashes of red upholstery and carpeting; the 40 spacious suites work well for larger families.

Guests can request that rooms be child-proofed, while age-appropriate toys and games are available on arrival. The Four Seasons is a short walk from the large Bosque de Chapultepec park and the charming restaurant- and shop-filled neighborhoods of Condesa and Polanco. Rely on the concierge for arranging everything from babysitters for a night on the town to a churro-making experience with a neighborhood baker. From $410

Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

• Location: Punta Mita
• Why we love it: Family-friendly casita-style lodgings, plus a standout Kids for All Seasons Program
• Book now

Located 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, the 52-acre Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita offers that perfect mix of natural beauty—rich rain forests combined with sandy beaches—and top-notch services, including a serene spa, several upscale restaurants, three pools (there’s also an adult-only option), and the newly opened Mez Bar with its massive mezcal collection. Families can book a recently renovated casita-style guest room or private villa or one of three freshly overhauled beach homes.

In 2021, the resort infused a new KidsWell element into its Kids for All Seasons program that focuses on kids’ mental health and well-being. (For kids ages 5 to 12, it’s open between 9:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. daily.) In addition to doing cultural activities that showcase the region’s Huichol community, such as making spiritual symbols known as Ojos de Dios (God’s Eyes) and creating a Mexican Catrina doll, kids participate in practices that focus on reducing stress. That includes breathwork, journaling, meditation, watercolor classes, and nature and wildlife encounters. From $2,074.

Related: Read Afar’s full story on the world’s best family-friendly hotels and resorts.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

Courtesy of Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

• Location: Nuevo Vallarta
• Why we love it: A luxurious all-inclusive option with an array of kid-friendly activities
• Loyalty program: I Prefer (Preferred Hotels & Resorts)
• Book now

The many benefits of an all-inclusive resort for families cannot be overstated, but they’re not all created equally. The 267-suite Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit sets a new bar with standout amenities and programming for younger guests. Take the 3,272-square-foot, indoor-outdoor kids club (there’s a separate teens club, too). It was recently reimagined and now features a climbing wall, an illuminated dance floor, a crafts area, and baby hammocks on the beach, located between the Pacific Ocean and Sierra Madre mountain range.

The spa has treatments for guests of all ages, with such offerings as a baby’s first haircut. The resort’s dedicated Baby Concierge can arrange that and can also procure strollers and infant-friendly bath amenities, arrange baby yoga, and more. Other crowd pleasers for littles include poolside paletas (fruit ices), Mexican folk art painting workshops, and tiny bathrobes and slippers in the rooms. From $476

Hyatt Ziva Cancun

Courtesy of Hyatt Ziva Cancun

• Location: Cancun
• Why we love it: Caribbean Sea panoramas from every room and a long list of activities
• Loyalty program: World of Hyatt
• Book now

A microbrewery for the adults. Kids and teens clubs for the younger generation. A fleet of water sports equipment. Hyatt Ziva Cancun, a sprawling all-inclusive resort with close to a dozen dining venues and seven bars and lounges, is a destination well suited for delivering on the desires of every family member, down to the pool cabanas large enough to accommodate parents and their kids.

The 547 contemporary feeling guest rooms and suites have pops of color from vibrant artwork, but the unobstructed Caribbean Sea views outside floor-to-ceiling windows make the strongest impression. The resort’s ample activities—which include dance classes, aquatic adventures, a mini water park, and acrobatics performances—ensure no one will get bored. From $290

Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort

Courtesy of Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort

• Location: Cabo San Lucas
• Why we love it: Chic accommodations, personalized hospitality, and plenty of fun
• Book now

The monogrammed pillowcases kids might find in their beds at Las Ventanas al Paraiso are just one way this Cabo San Lucas resort aims to make every guest, regardless of age, feel like a VIP. All the 56 suites, 15 villas, and 74 residences (plus a beachfront Ty Warner Mansion villa that starts at $35,000 per night) exude calm, with their wood beam ceilings, cool stone floors, and outdoor lounge areas. En suite telescopes let guests star gaze or watch for whales without leaving their rooms.

A giant lazy river winds through the 5,000-square-foot infinity-edge Oasis swimming pool, while the whole family can appreciate the swim-up bar and underwater speakers pumping tunes from the resident DJ. Casual bites like street tacos and rolled ice cream balance out elevated dining in the resort’s four restaurants. There’s plenty of excitement to be had during school holidays, when complimentary kids activities include sombrero decoration, pickleball lessons, and magic shows. From $995

One&Only Mandarina

Courtesy of One&Only Mandarina

• Location: Nayarit
• Why we love it: A jungle-meets-ocean retreat where kids can revel in beautiful play spaces while adults have their own fun
• Book now

Looking for one of the most impressive kids clubs in the world? You’ll find it at One&Only Mandarina in the form of a 42,000-square-foot jungle playground designed by Brigitte Broch, the Academy Award–winning art director and production designer for Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. At KidsOnly, children enjoy a rotating weekly program of supervised activities like discovering nature on a scavenger hunt, throwing a piñata party, creating art inspired by the local Huichol people, and exploring the bug life cycle at the on-site Insectary and Butterfly Farm.

Everyone in the family, not just the kids, is well taken care of at this five-star resort. Tucked inside the exclusive Mandarina community on the Pacific Nayarit coast, there are 105 expansive villas (many with plunge pools) featuring Mexican artisan design details and a large number of rooms for multiple family members. There are also 40 lofty tree houses amid the rainforest canopy with private decks and infinity pools (although these are not as ideal for smaller children). Guests can keep busy with activities ranging from horseback riding and ziplining to hiking and biking. A beautiful beach with calm waters periodically hosts turtle releases, and water activities range from snorkeling to surfing. From $1,290

St. Regis Kanai

Courtesy of St. Regis Kanai Resort

• Location: Riviera Maya
• Why we love it: A sleek, eco-friendly design amid green mangroves
• Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
• Book now

The sleek St. Regis Kanai, about 40 minutes from the Cancun airport in the gated Kanai community, is an open-air architectural marvel. The overlapping circular design was inspired by the constellation Pleiades, which has significance in Mayan culture, and it hovers over green mangroves to achieve a minimal footprint. The mangroves connect to the adjacent 620-acre Sian Ka’an Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and great care was taken in their conservation during construction. The 143 spacious rooms and suites, many of which can be connected, have massive bathrooms and closets; some have private plunge pools. All guests have access to the famous St. Regis 24-hour butlers.

In addition to two miles of white-sand beach at the front of the property, there are eight bars and restaurants serving a variety of cuisines besides Mexican (many with children’s menus), a dedicated family pool (plus two others), and the sunlit La Tortuga kids club, which offers activities for kids and has its own pool. A spa with a hydrotherapy circuit is an enticing hideaway for parents while the kids are occupied. From $749

Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection

Courtesy of Susurros del Corazón

• Location: Punta de Mita
• Why we love it: All-ages activities and standout culinary experiences
• Book now

Tucked away on a secluded powder sand beach, the 59-room Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection is set apart from Punta de Mita’s other resorts, lending a true sense of privacy. Local artisans are featured in the bungalow-style rooms and suites, all featuring patios or balconies, and excellent on-site Mexican restaurants like Casamilpa and La Boquita honor the bounty from local farmers and fishermen.

Everyone will keep busy at the three-tiered pool or on the beach, while there are also adult-focused activities led by mostly local purveyors, including daily fitness classes, sound baths, drum sessions, a surf safari, and a hat decorating workshop. The Morritos Kids Club entertains younger guests with locally inspired activities like a tidal pool visit, Huichol beadwork workshops, and a concha (Mexican sweet bread) baking class. There’s also a three-day surfing camp for kids and teens who want to hang 10. From $999

Waldorf Astoria Cancun

Photo by Victor Elias/Victor Elias/Victor Elias Photography

• Location: Cancun
• Why we love it: True luxury in easy-to-access Cancun
• Loyalty program: Hilton Honors
• Book now

Just 20 minutes from the Cancun International Airport is a luxurious new place to stay. Opened in 2022, the Waldorf Astoria Cancun has 173 plush rooms and suites, all featuring private balconies with plunge pools and ocean views. The property’s 34 neutral-toned suites, decorated with the work of local artists, are perfect for families, with living and dining areas and connecting rooms.

Family members can spend their days on the resort’s 100 acres of beaches, kayaking or paddleboarding, taking Mexican and Mayan cooking classes, and relaxing at one of the two infinity pools. The younger set can take advantage of classes and events that include painting, storytelling, cultural crafts, treasure hunts, sand art, and making cookies. For a fuller kid-focused experience, Waldorf Astoria guests can get a family day pass to the adjacent Hilton Cancun to play in its splash pool and use the kids and teens clubs.

The Waldorf Astoria Cancun has five food and beverage venues, including the seafood-focused, live-fire Malpeque and the Mexican cantina-style Ja’o with fantastic tacos and churros for dessert. For the parents, there’s a 40,000-square-foot spa with 21 indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, an extensive thermal area, and an outdoor spa pool and garden, while those interested in cocktails can try the margarita-making class. From $616