Best Boutique Hotels in Cancun

The ultra-luxe Beloved, on a white-sand beach, features 109 suites with super sexy decor. They're all-white, with spacious, sleek marble bathrooms and Jacuzzi tubs, and have the vibe of a luxurious New York City hotel room -- except they're about four times the size and feature private balconies, many with ocean views. The expansive spa and fitness center are great, and the two pools with food and drink service are large and attractive. There are four restaurants, but most of them are not open all hours and service can be slow. Another downside is that the beach is often strewn with seaweed, and many guests have complained that the pool water is much too cold. The Beloved Hotel and Excellence Playa Mujeres have a very similar vibe and level of luxury, so travelers may want to compare prices before booking.

The Hotel Villa Rolandi is a romantic, 35-room boutique that fully embraces the "less hectic than Cancun" vibe of Isla Mujeres. Two big draws are the secluded location on a small white-sand beach and the "no children under 13" policy. All rooms are spacious suites (the smallest starts at 498 square feet) that offer flat-screen TVs, large balconies with private Jacuzzis, and Italian marble floors. Great perks include a free continental breakfast delivered to rooms at no extra charge, and a 42-foot yacht that provides free transportation to and from Cancun.

This 62-room all-inclusive, couples-only boutique hotel is located on a white-sand beach in the southern part of Isla Mujeres. It features all the standards of larger resorts -- a nice pool with a swim-up bar, non-motorized water sports, balconies with ocean views -- but on a smaller scale and with a more intimate vibe. Airy rooms are luxurious and elegant with Jacuzzis for two, furnished balconies, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. There is one restaurant here with a somewhat limited menu. Perks at this hotel include a lack of crowds -- no fighting for pool chairs here -- along with a nice fitness center, spa with four treatment rooms, and quiet beach.

The 27-room Mia Cancun sits on the white-sand beach of the Hotel Zone. The terracotta and wood-beamed roomsare pretty typical -- most feature old tube TVs, furniture is sparse, and the only "flair" is thin floral comforters on the hard beds. But aside from some street noise in street-facing rooms, the hotel is a relaxing alternative to the mega-hotels that line the beach; the beachfront pristine pool with ocean views is not teeming with kids or underage partiers and the restaurants serve up nice affordable meals.