In 2017, “Go Big or Go Boutique” in Cancún

Cancún and Riviera Maya have always had all the elements of an upscale vacation destination: glittering white Caribbean beaches, thriving mega-cities, pre-Columbian ruins, world-class cuisine and an ever-expanding selection of excellent hotels.

Cancún is simply Mexico’s undisputed most famous vacation destination; flawless by design, the site was chosen and designed in the 1970s using computer models. Really.

Perfect white beaches, fantastic weather and cheap plane tickets from the United States have attracted a selection of five-star resorts unparalleled in Latin America.

The entire area is now swimming in great options. Isla Mujeres is a mellow island just offshore, and the Mayan Riviera is a seemingly endless strand of resorts and hotels stretching south, all the way to “trendy” Tulum.

Go big: The Ritz-Carlton Cancún

It’s hard to choose just one of Cancún’s many mega-resorts, but this classic beauty’s fine rooms, luxury spa and gorgeous beach stand out from the crowd.

The Ritz-Carlton Cancún; Retorno del Rey 36, Zona Hotelera, Cancun, Quintana Roo; +52 998 881 0808

Go boutique: Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya

Wrapped in wildlife and wilderness just 30 kilometers south of Cancún, this luxury property’s pretty beach bungalows and jungle ground front an almost undisturbed beach.

Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya; Carretera Chetumal-Cancún, Kilometer 328, Bahia Petempich, Benito Juárez, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo; +52 998 872 8300