Whether you prefer an all-inclusive resort or a traditional property with lots to do nearby, these resorts in the Mexican Caribbean are kid-friendly and parent-approved
Cancún is a vacation destination that has it all: clear turquoise waters and white sand beaches that rival the most exclusive tropical islands, delicious cuisine by top chefs from around the world, and a bevy of resorts—across price points, too—offering the types of accommodations, entertainment, and amenities you dream about for the ultimate family getaway. Thanks to their ideal locations, impressive kids’ clubs, and reliable service, these are some of our favorite resorts in Cancún to bring our families to.
Planet Hollywood Cancún, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort
If you’ve got an active kid who won’t sit still, a standard beach vacation may not cut it on the stimulation front. Enter Planet Hollywood, so full of nonstop activity that the words “I’m bored” will evaporate from their saucy vocabulary. Nice beaches, pools, and entertainment are all a given; what’s special here are their exclusive activities like learning to surf (or practicing your moves) in the FlowRider® Surf Pool, designing your own movie sets and costumes at the appropriately themed Stars Kids Club, or catching a flick (with unlimited popcorn and soda, of course) at the on-site cinema. Find guaranteed fun for everyone in the family at the lazy river: while kids zoom down a wicked waterslide, parents can float up to a bar inside a cave.
Kids will love: basking in a roaring round of applause, just for them. The entire resort lobby (staff, guests, costumed superheroes, etc.) pauses the action to cheer loudly for each guest when they first arrive
Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancún – All Inclusive
The waves can get a little rough in some parts of Cancún, but not here; Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach is located on the calmest strip of beach in the Hotel Zone, making it the perfect base for families with little ones or avid swimmers. It’s also a quieter, more private area, meaning limited interruptions from vendors who walk the beach. The resort recently spent a cool $2 million refreshing its Coral KidZ Club for the Gen Z audience; cutting-edge technology and more than 40 indoor and outdoor activities rank it one of the top kids’ clubs in all of Latin America.
Kids will love: the 5,166-sq-ft outdoor play area, which features a climbable “Mayan temple,” a “spray ground” with a wading pool and water guns, and a giant sandbox
Grand Hotel Cancún by Kempinski
One of Cancún’s most iconic resorts, the Ritz-Carlton, was recently taken over and rebranded by Kempinski, a European luxury hotel brand. All the best traits have so far stayed the same: incomparable service, renowned dining, and completely customizable children’s programming, led by the property’s 10-year kids’ club veteran, Karla Rubio Chi. Karla will greet your family at check-in and schedule activities for your little ones around your family’s schedule. Crafting is usually a big hit (entertained kids + a creative souvenir to remember their vacation by? Yes please!), as well as nature walks and scavenger hunts around the grounds. Mini adventurers love to scout for iguanas, binoculars in hand, and upon finding their nest, feed the critters bananas!
Kids will love: meeting new friends from across the United States, Mexico, and now Europe. The property has long been popular with families from across North America, who tend to return annually. Kempinski’s goal is to introduce a completely new geographic demographic—the European market—to the beauty of Cancún
Royal Uno All-Inclusive Resort & Spa
Royal Resorts is one of only a few hotel brands that has been in Cancún since the destination’s founding; so much of what Cancún is today is because of the example they set (and continue to) with hospitality and amenities. Their newest property, Royal Uno, just opened last year on what might be Mexico’s most desirable stretch of beach and is the picture-perfect image of what a family-friendly all-inclusive should be. Children will spend hours of fun at the Uno Kids club, sliding into and splashing around the pools, and frolicking along the white sand. The restaurants offer gourmet cuisine while remaining approachable to picky eaters; an entertaining (and delicious) Teppanyaki dinner at Aora is a must.
Kids will love: staying in a ground-floor suite, which has a grassy yard beyond your terrace to play on, and direct access to the beach and ocean for easy comings and goings. Some of the rooms even have Murphy beds!
Related: Everything We Love about Cancún’s Newest All-Inclusive: Royal Uno®
JW Marriott Cancun Resort
As convenient as all-inclusives can be, one of the top reasons not to stay in one is so you have the opportunity to properly indulge in (and expose your kids to) Cancún’s outstanding dining scene. JW Marriott Cancun is located within walking distance from some of the best restaurants in town, and has plenty of knockouts on the property itself: Hana, the first and only Polynesian restaurant in the Mexican Caribbean, and Sacbé Beach Shack, located on the sand with swinging chairs and great tacos, are two not to miss. Every guest room at the JW has a private balcony and ocean view, and interestingly enough, it is the only resort in Latin America with a certified PADI diving pool: 18 feet deep and decorated with an artificial coral reef, it’s the perfect way to introduce youngins in a safe and convenient way to the magic of snorkeling and scuba diving
Kids will love: running between the JW and its connecting sister property, the Marriott Cancún Resort. Guests at the JW can access both resorts: double the pools = double the fun
NIZUC Resort & Spa
Regularly voted one of the most beautiful resorts in the world, NIZUC falls into the rare category of offering high luxury while being truly family-friendly (rather than family-tolerating, like some other swanky resorts). Their location, right off the Punta Nizuc reef, is exclusive, private, and stunning. The snorkeling is some of the best in all of Mexico and will inspire the next generation of marine biologists. Winik’s Kids Club entertains with curated activities like easy cooking classes and piñata making, and there’s also a kids’ tennis clinic, where they can work on their skills alongside a professional coach.
Kids will love: paddling out to sea on a paddleboard or kayak. The ocean tide is calm and teeming with fish!
Canopy by Hilton Cancun La Isla
As much as we love the beach, staying at the oceanfront isn’t the only way to do Cancún. Across the street at the lagoon-facing Canopy by Hilton, guests have a variety of other exciting attractions at their doorstep, like an aquarium, wax museum, giant Ferris wheel, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, as well as plenty of shops and restaurants. Most exciting is the hotel’s kid-friendly rooftop pool, which features gorgeous views of the setting sun. The property is pet-friendly, too, meaning Fido can join in on the family fun.
Kids will love: the pirate experience located outside the hotel’s back entrance where they can float in gondolas down the waterways that run through La Isla while a group of scallywags puts on a show