Top-5 Boutique Hotels in the Riviera Maya

Azul Blue - Tulum

With just 96 rooms, Azul Blue is much smaller than other all–inclusives but is the grandest address in Tulum. It emphasizes fine cuisine and attentive service with a more modern style than typical deluxe resorts. It has adopted many of the service details of high–end European–plan resorts, such as a pre–arrival questionnaire on which guests can note favorite wines, music, even scents, which will be placed in their rooms ahead of time. All rooms have iPods, DVD players, wireless Internet and a menu of pillows to choose from and even the standard suites are generous, with a sitting area, double whirlpool, and a capacious bathroom.

Casa de los Suenos - Isla Mujeres

Although this Casa does not front a beach, exclusivity is guaranteed with eight originally decorated rooms all with an ocean view terrace, plus a dream Villa with an atmosphere designed to heighten the senses and promote total well-being. Standards are rather small and shower-only. The most spacious and well–equipped room is the Serenity master suite, which features a large whirlpool tub with a fine view over the water while "The Villa" has its own pool. This is an atypical luxury property in this area, but it's a good choice for anyone who appreciates contemporary Mexican architecture and a comfortable, house–like environment..

Tides Riviera Maya

Just half an hour south of Cancun, The Tides Riviera Maya feels like it could be hidden deep in the emptiest quarters of tropical Mexico. The tiny property contains only 30 villas, all built of dark, fragrant native woods and topped with airy, palm-thatch roofs and splashed out with every expected modern convenience - and then some. Each one is so artfully hidden among banana, fig and guava trees that you could easily think yourself the only guest. On the second floor of a large palapa next to the pool, Azul restaurant serves Yucatecan specialties and more than ten varieties of ceviche. The beach here is a narrow one, but all these special touches and details combine to make The Tides Riviera Maya a great decadent, romantic hideaway

Escencia

The exclusive resort of Esencia is set on a beautiful bay between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Mostly surrounded by homes and inns rather than other resorts, it maintains an air of hip refinement yet this is one of the few luxury resorts in the area that welcomes children. Throughout, the unifying design scheme is soothing, high–gloss white plaster, finished with rounded edges and molded into bedside tables and other built–in nooks. The staff extends effortless hospitality without uniforms or nametags and whether you're chatting in the salon or settling into pool chair, someone invariably pops by to see what you require.

Paraiso de la Bonita - Puerto Morelos

The Paraiso de la Bonita experience begins at the airport, where guests are whisked into a plush Lincoln Navigator kitted out with chilled towels and an iPod they can program for the 20–minute drive south from Cancun. Check–in takes place in your suite, which is named for one of the owners' many favorite places around the globe, and decorated accordingly, but with a light touch that doesn't significantly alter the basic cream–stucco finish and stone floors. Paraiso de la Bonita has three excellent restaurants on the premises, with the romantic La Canoabest showing the strong influence of its French chef. This small, exclusive, and very personal beachfront property away from the Cancun strip expertly mixes local Maya culture with other international styles.

Timothy Scott is editor of Luxury Latin America [insert http://www.luxurylatinamerica.com], a guide to the best hotels and tours in Mexico, Central America, and South America. To see full reviews, go to the Mexico Luxury Hotels section [insert http://www.luxurylatinamerica.com/lux_mexico.html]