Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Mexico / Playa del Carmen / Rosewood Mayakoba
Rosewood Mayakoba
Playa del Carmen, Mexico · Rosewood · Grand Luxury
Opened in December 2007 as Mayakoba's second hotel, Rosewood Mayakoba pioneered overwater lagoon suites — private-pool villas poised above the freshwater canals on stilts, a typology rarely found outside Southeast Asia — and after a $20 million Bando x Seidel Meersseman renovation in 2019 holds both Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond status, ranking 95th in the World's 50 Best Hotels 2025.
- 129 rooms
- Opened 2008
- Neighborhood: Q.R.
- Architect: Jose Luis Moreno
- Interiors: Bando x Seidel Meersseman
About Rosewood Mayakoba
- La Liste ranked it the world's #1 hotel in 2025.
- Condé Nast Traveller's readers placed it #1 worldwide that same year.
History
Rosewood Mayakoba opened in 2008 within the eco-conscious 620-acre Mayakoba enclave in Riviera Maya, structured around lagoons, mangroves, and a pristine beachfront while adhering to high environmental standards like Rainforest Alliance Certification. It debuted with AAA Five Diamond recognition and quickly earned Forbes Five-Star status. A major $20 million renovation in 2019 transformed all 129 suites under Bando x Seidel Meersseman, incorporating Mayan artisan crafts, local materials, and wellness-focused designs inspired by anthropology and nature.
The setting
Rosewood Mayakoba lies at Federal Highway Kilometre 298 within the Mayakoba community on Mexico's Riviera Maya, about 30 minutes south of Cancún International Airport. Opening in December 2007 as Mayakoba's second hotel, Rosewood helped establish the enclave as one of Latin America's most decorated resort destinations—a 595-acre estate preserving 62 percent as natural habitat, its freshwater canals and cenotes threading through mangrove forest to a mile of Caribbean beach. Signature overwater lagoon suites poised above the interior waterways offer ecological intimacy rarely found outside Southeast Asia, while El Camaleón Golf Course—Latin America's first PGA Tour venue—stands as the community's shared landmark. 7 km from Gran Coyote Golf. 12 km from Riviera Art Gallery.
Restaurants and bars
- Agave Azul — Restaurant · Seafood · Chef Edgar Chávez
- Aquí Me Quedo — Poolside · Street food and fare from Mexico's Caribbean coast · Jessica García
- Zapote Bar — Bar · Cocktail bar with food made from local ingredients · Juan Pablo Loza
- La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen — Restaurant · Mayan-inspired
- Casa del Lago — Restaurant · Tropical breakfast in the traditional style of Central Mexic
- Punta Bonita — Restaurant · Mexican
- La Fondita — Restaurant · Mexico City neighborhood cantina style
- Pan Dulce — Café · Panadería: sweet and savory bakery
Experiences
- Mayakoba Golf — El Camaleón, an 18-hole PGA championship course winding through tropical jungle and oceanfront landscape.
- Chef's Garden Dinner — A weekly shared feast of local bounty beneath the sacred Ceiba tree, where sustainability and tradition come together tableside.
- Mayakoba Dive & Water Sports Center — Access to the Caribbean Sea and the world's second-largest barrier reef through the dive and water sports centre.
- Lagoon swims — Swims in aquamarine waters within the Mayakoba lagoons.
- Wildlife encounters — Encounters with native herons and curious turtles around the lagoons and suites.
- Destination Experiences — Experiences exploring Mayakoba that blend natural beauty and cultural insight.
Amenities
- Private plunge pools
- Sense Spa (Five-Star)
- Greg Norman golf
- Infinity beachfront pool
- Butler service
- Kids Explorers club
- Infinity pool
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Tennis
- Water sports
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- AAA Five Diamond (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (2025)
- La Liste World's Best Hotels (2025)
- Mexico & Central America's Leading Beach Resort 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Mexico's Leading Hotel Suite 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards (2025)
Open Rosewood Mayakoba in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More Rosewood hotels
- Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort — Los Cabos, Mexico · Apex Luxury
- Rosewood Mandarina — El Monteón, Mexico · Grand Luxury
- Rosewood San Miguel de Allende — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico · Grand Luxury
- Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel — Montalcino, Italy · Apex Luxury
- Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel — Paris, France · Apex Luxury
- Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort — Kailua-Kona, United States · Apex Luxury
More hotels in Playa del Carmen
- Banyan Tree Mayakoba — Banyan Tree · Grand Luxury
- Etéreo — Auberge Resorts · Grand Luxury
- Grand Velas Riviera Maya — Velas · Grand Luxury
- La Casa de la Playa by Xcaret — Hotel Xcaret · Grand Luxury
- Palmaïa - The House of AïA — Independent · Grand Luxury
- Alila Mayakoba — Alila · High Luxury
Rosewood in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.