Nizuc Resort & Spa

To anyone who’s offended by the occasional mention of the C-word, we apologize unreservedly. In fact we’ve gone over ten years without mentioning Cancún, simply because its particularly rampant brand of overdevelopment rarely leaves space for unique hotel experiences, to say nothing of human-scale hospitality. But we’re making an exception for Nizuc Resort & Spa.

It’s not that it’s your typical funky little back-street boutique — with 274 suites and an address in Cancún’s Zona Hotelera, it couldn’t be — but nor is it at all your typical Cancún resort. This corner of the coast is actually pretty spectacular, and it’s ever so slightly removed from the string of resorts lining the shore just to the north. Indeed Punta Nizuc, a mangrove-shaded piece of land that juts out into the Caribbean, faces one of the world’s largest barrier reefs, and reportedly served as a favorite stargazing spot for ancient Mayan astronomers. With a little concentration it’s possible to feel more like you’re on a private island than on an extension of Mexico’s megaresort zone.

Still, there are standard resort features aplenty, from a state-of-the-art spa to two private beaches and a series of sparkling swimming pools, some reserved for adults only. Suites and private villas come with the works: Egyptian cotton sheets, 47-inch flat-screen televisions, spacious bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and rainfall shower heads, in-room espresso machines, iPod docking stations, and private balconies. With carved wooden screens, striking framed artwork, and plenty of greenery, they’re several steps up, style-wise, from the generic Cancún resort aesthetic. The Ocean Suites are downright spectacular, featuring wide-open views over the sea, while Garden Pool Villas trade off the gorgeous vistas for private patios with infinity pools.

Six restaurants represent a range of world cuisines, including gourmet Mexican, Peruvian, and Italian. But perhaps the most memorable dining experience at Nizuc, if you can swing it, is a private table for two at the foot of the resort’s lovely pier. Downtown Cancún is only a few miles away, and the hordes of resort-goers less than a mile in the other direction, but as you dine under the stars you’d be hard pressed to remember the existence of either one.