What do you get when you combine white sand beaches, water sports activities, a unique, extensive Mayan history, and some of the best all-inclusive resorts in the world? Well, you get a dreamy vacation destination, of course—one that appeals to a wide range of travelers!
Cancun, Mexico, is known for being one of the most popular locations for a spring break getaway. But it is also a haven for families with year-round warm weather, plenty of activities, and child-friendly stretches of sand that boast crystal-clear waters and beachside cabanas.
With so many incredible resorts dotted throughout the Yucatán Peninsula city, it can be challenging to decide the right resort for you. So, to help make your vacation planning that little bit easier, we’ve curated a list of 12 of the best Cancun resorts for families, many of which provide all-inclusive packages, sprawling oasis swimming pools, and access to nearby beaches so you’ll never be short of things to do.
Topping our list is the Wyndham Grand Cancun All-Inclusive Resort & Villas, with its plethora of onsite amenities. However, coming in a close second is the Iberostar Selection Cancun because of its ten swimming pools, kids’ club, and nightly theater shows.
Top 12 Best Cancun Resorts for Families
- Wyndham Grand Cancun All Inclusive Resort & Villas (Best Overall)Â
- Grand Residences Riviera Cancun, a Registry Collection Hotel (Best Kids’ Club)
- Beach Palace – All Inclusive (Best Onsite Waterslides)
- Wyndham Alltra Cancun All-Inclusive Resort (Best Beach Access)
- Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe All-Inclusive Resort (Best Interior Decor)Â
- Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort (Best Onsite Restaurants)
- The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa Cancun (Best Budget-Friendly Resort)
- Iberostar Selection Cancun (Best Indoor Play Area)
- JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa (Best for Beach Views)
- Riu Palace Costa Mujeres – All Inclusive (Best Evening Entertainment)
- Moon Palace Cancun All-Inclusive (Best for Golf)
- Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun – All-Inclusive (Best Spa)
Best Family-Friendly Cancun Resorts
1. Best Overall – Wyndham Grand Cancun All Inclusive Resort & Villas
The Wyndham Grand Cancun Resort—also known as the Omni Cancun Hotel—is a five-star beachfront all-inclusive resort in the Cancun hotel zone. Putting you just steps away from various shopping and dining options, the Wyndham is up there as one of the best-located hotels in Cancun. However, with the amount of onsite facilities at the property, you really won’t ever want to leave.
Featuring a zero-grade entry pool, as well as a shallow kids pool with a small waterslide and water features, both adults and children can soak up the sun with views of the palm-lined beachfront.
In addition to the pools, the Wyndham also offers guests a 35-person hot tub, a swim-up bar, onsite restaurants, access to the beach, basketball courts, and a spa—it really does supply you with everything you could need all in one place!
With spacious sea and lagoon view rooms, each equipped with large beds, air conditioning, and private, relaxing balconies, there really is no faulting the Wyndham as a suitable Cancun family resort.
For families who enjoy additional space, the Wyndham even has three-bedroom villas with kitchenettes and immaculate ocean views.
2. Best Kids’ Club – Grand Residences Riviera Cancun, a Registry Collection Hotel
Sometimes, on a family vacation, you just need a break from your kids, and the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun allows you to do just that.
The five-star all-inclusive resort’s kids club, along with its attentive, fully trained staff, entertain little ones with age-appropriate activities all throughout the day. So yes, Mom and Dad, that means you can enjoy a trip to the spa, a soak in the hot tub, or a well-deserved cocktail at one of the onsite bars.
Situated within walking distance of Cancun’s world-class marina, hotel guests can take a stroll down the beach and participate in snorkeling, fishing, and diving, all before retreating to their sea-view balcony rooms, each with a kitchenette for their convenience.
Whether you choose to splash about in the hotel’s two pools or treat your taste buds to a gourmet Mexican feast, the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun has you covered making it one of the best resorts in Cancun for families with little ones in tow.
3. Best Onsite Waterslides – Beach Palace – All Inclusive
As a child, is there anything more exciting than a water park at your hotel? The answer is of course, no, which is why the Beach Palace All Inclusive is one of the best resorts in Cancun for families.
With that being said, although the water slides are the real star of the show, the Beach Palace also provides guests with three swimming pools, four onsite restaurants, and daily and nightly entertainment that the whole family will love.
Plus, as the hotel is located in Cancun’s hotel zone, just moments away from popular area attractions, the Beach Palace puts you in the midst of all the city has to offer. So, days out couldn’t be any easier!
Finally, to top the Beach Palace off, the resort’s superior governor suites with in-room hot tubs, separate living areas, and expansive ocean-view balconies give families the space and privacy they need to unwind at the end of each and every day.
4. Best Beach Access – Wyndham Alltra Cancun All-Inclusive Resort
If you’re a family of beach lovers, then look no further than the Wyndham Alltra Cancun Resort. This stunning four-star resort in Cancun is surrounded on all sides by a beautiful white sand beach, meaning trips to the sand couldn’t be more convenient.Â
Boasting uninterrupted Caribbean Sea views, the Wynham Alltra and its mini golf course, kids clubs, two swimming pools, and toddler-friendly water park is nothing short of a kids’ paradise, which, understandably, has resulted in it being one of Cancun’s top family-friendly properties.
Offering guests modern, commodious rooms—some even with swim-up infinity pools—and additional recreational activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, and bike riding, a stay at the Wyndham Alltra is one you won’t ever forget.
5. Best Interior Decor – Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe All-Inclusive Resort
Another of the best family Cancun hotels is the all-inclusive Hilton Cancun, which welcomes guests with a restaurant, a kids club, a child-friendly water park, and a sizable swimming pool that overlooks the ocean.Â
Featuring bright, contemporary balcony rooms—all with enough space for families to spread out—the Hilton is an excellent hotel choice for those with kids of all ages. You’ll also find that the hotel’s common areas further reflect the property’s up-to-date decor as the lounges, terraces, and restaurants are all styled with immaculate earthy-toned furnishings, leaving you awe-struck from the moment you enter its doors.
6. Best Onsite Restaurants – Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort
Tranquility, sleek furnishings, and luxurious, world-class amenities are waiting for you at the elegant Marriott Cancun All-Inclusive Hotel. Situated directly on the beach—giving your kids the space they need to burn off some steam—the Marriott Cancun and its outdoor pool is one of the best family friendly resorts in the area.Â
However, although its pool and nearby beach are two major selling points of this property, its restaurants are what really set this resort apart from the rest. Home to not one, not two, but eight gourmet restaurants, the Marriott Cancun is a true foodie’s paradise that will tantalize your taste buds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Add on the fact that the hotel has a variety of children’s programs, a playground, water recreational activities, and opulent ultramodern rooms, and it probably comes as no surprise that the Marriott Cancun is favored by families who enjoy a little bit of luxury.
7. Best Budget-Friendly Resort – The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa Cancun
As far as budget-friendly Cancun family hotels go, the Westin Laguna Mar Ocean is definitely one worth mentioning.
Positioned in Cancun’s hotel zone, the five-star resort with private beach access, four outdoor pools, and a variety of activities—including mini golf, tennis, and water sports—supplies you with plenty of onsite entertainment without breaking the bank.
Granted, the resort doesn’t offer all-inclusive packages like others on our list. But its studios, one-bed, and two-bed villas all come with well-equipped kitchens, meaning you can whip up meals as and when you please.
8. Best for Watersports – Iberostar Selection Cancun
If you’re traveling to Cancun with slightly older kids, then you’ll want to consider the Iberostar Cancun. This family-friendly resort not only features a private beach, an onsite water park, and ten (yes, ten!) swimming pools, but it also has enticing water sports facilities.
What’s more is that the Iberostar Cancun has nightly theater shows, a kids’ club, six bars, and five restaurants. So whether you fancy Japanese hibachi, classic French cuisine, or authentic Mexican dishes, they’re never more than a short walk away.
Along with its plethora of entertainment and its variety of cuisines, the Iberostar Cancun boasts 426 rooms—many of which have ocean views—as well as 82 villas if you prefer a bit more space. All rooms come with free wifi, open balconies, and air conditioning.
9. Best for Beach Views – JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa
Beach views are in an abundance at the JW Marriott, as guests can enjoy sights of the Caribbean Sea the second they open their eyes. Along with private balconies, the rooms at the Marriott are furnished with flat-screen TVs, lavish bedding, and coffee-making facilities—all with different bed configurations to suit families of up to four people.Â
Unfortunately, the JW Marriott doesn’t offer its guests all-inclusive packages. However, the resort does have numerous onsite restaurants which serve a range of cuisines to suit all palettes. You’ll also be bang smack in the middle of Cancun’s hotel zone, so off-site restaurants, as well as activities and shopping opportunities are only a short walk away.
With additional amenities including an inviting pool, an exclusive Mayan-inspired spa, and a fitness center with a tennis court, the JW Marriott is up there as one of the best—and more affordable—resorts in all of Cancun.
10. Best Evening Entertainment – Riu Palace Costa Mujeres – All Inclusive
The Riu Palace Costa Mujeres is yet another kid-friendly resort in Cancun with a wide selection of activities for little ones to get involved with.
From the hotel’s five swimming pools and its kids’ club to its playground and snorkeling opportunities down on the beach, kids of all ages will be thoroughly entertained throughout the duration of their stay.
Once the sun begins to set, you’ll be invited to watch the resort’s evening entertainment, where both kids and adults can immerse themselves in the excitement. Then, when the evening comes to a close, your spacious hotel room that is fitted with a bath, a large double bed, and a separate seating area will entice you in for some much-needed R and R.
11. Best for Golf – Moon Palace Cancun All-Inclusive
The Moon Palace Cancun is a spectacular family resort that supplies guests with all-inclusive opulence and several onsite amenities.
Kids will be thrilled to know that the Moon Palace boasts a grand swimming pool, a double wave simulator, a cutting-edge playroom, and, of course, an onsite kids club. And adults will be pleased with the hotel’s 27-hole golf course, spa, and nightclub.
Room configurations at the Moon Palace Cancun vary from deluxe garden rooms with two double beds to two-bedroom presidential suites that are the epitome of luxury.
12. Best Spa – Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun – All-Inclusive
Vacations with kids don’t need to be go, go, go every single day of your trip, which is why booking a resort with a spa is something you’ll thank yourself for later.
The Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun has a whopping 40,000-square-foot spa that offers full-body treatments, hydrotherapy, and other beauty services—the perfect afternoon activity for a stressed-out parent.
As you may be able to tell from the sheer size of the spa alone, the Grand Fiesta is an enormous resort with 602 suites—all with balconies that overlook the Caribbean Sea, and the lagoon shaped pool.
To feed and entertain all of its guests, the Grand Fiesta Americana has nine fine dining restaurants, including a AAA Five Diamond French dining experience, a kids’ club, and a selection of water sports activities that take place down on the beach.
What to Look for When Choosing Family Resorts in Cancun
Traveling with kids adds a whole new layer of stress. So, finding the right resort can ultimately make or break your vacation. When choosing a family-friendly Cancun resort, keep these five important factors in mind, as they’ll help create a stress-free, fun-filled getaway that the entire family will love.
Activities and Entertainment
One of the most important things to consider when booking a resort with kids in tow is the activities and entertainment that the property offers. Sure, a swimming pool will keep kids entertained for a day or two, but if you have kids who get bored easily, then you may need additional activities to keep them entertained.
As Cancun is home to plenty of world-class resorts, you can expect to find hotels that offer more than just standard amenities. Some resorts have on-site water parks, for example, while others give you access to private beachfronts.
When deciding on your Cancun resort, think about the things your kids love doing while away, and opt for a hotel with these facilities on site.
Want to learn more about traveling in the Yucatan Peninsula? Check out our guide to the key differences between Cancun Vs. Riviera Maya.
Proximity to Restaurants and Popular Points of Interest
Although many Cancun resorts have everything you could possibly need onsite, it is always nice to venture out of the property and explore Cancun as a whole. If you do like to get out and about, then a resort’s location is definitely something to think about.
Resorts in Cancun’s hotel zone, for example, are in a perfect location as there are various restaurants, points of interest, and beaches nearby.
Hotels out of this zone, however, may require you to rely on shuttle buses or other forms of transportation—sometimes not ideal if you’re traveling with toddlers or young children.
Budget
Resorts in Cancun can range in price. So, your budget is one of the very first things to take into consideration.
Many hotels offer all-inclusive packages meaning you won’t need to pay out of pocket for meals. And not having to pay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, could mean that your accommodation budget raises significantly.
While determining your budget, think about all the additional extras that come with a trip to Cancun. Will you be out participating in off-site activities? Do you plan on going shopping or exploring the area’s eateries? All these things will ultimately affect your overall budget, so we highly recommend coming up with a brief plan before booking a hotel.
At the end of the day, you don’t want to spend the majority of your holiday budget on a hotel to then not have enough funds to enjoy all Cancun has to offer now, do you?
Room Types
The type of room you book can play a big part in the success of your vacation, as being cramped up in a tiny room with overactive kids doesn’t sound like anyone’s idea of fun.
Resorts in Cancun offer guests everything from simple double rooms to two-bedroom villas that are equipped with full kitchens. So, no matter what your preferences are, there is a room option to suit you.
If your hotel doesn’t have all-inclusive packages, then opt for a room with kitchen facilities. However, if you’re a small family who is taking advantage of an all-inclusive package, then a smaller, more simple room should be more than sufficient.
Dining Options and All-Inclusive Packages
Speaking of all-inclusive packages, the dining options a hotel provides could also influence your resort decision. When traveling with kids, having an all-inclusive package with numerous on-site restaurants to choose from can take the stress out of meal times—a common issue with young kids, especially.
Look for a hotel with a selection of restaurants that offer different cuisines. That way, you’ll never have to worry about where you’ll dine next, and your little ones will be fed and content throughout the entirety of your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are There Kid-Friendly Activities and Attractions in Cancun?
Cancun is a kid’s paradise as not only does it play host to some of the best all-inclusive family-friendly resorts in the world, but it also has a wide range of activities that the entire family will enjoy.
From white sand beaches and colorful water parks to aquariums, zoos, and adventure parks, there really is no shortage of activities to fill the entirety of your days.
What Cancun Accommodations Offer the Best Amenities for Families?
Some of the best Cancun accommodations for families in terms of amenities include the Wyndham Grand Cancun All-Inclusive Resort & Villas, the Beach Palace – All-Inclusive, and the Wyndham Alltra Cancun All-Inclusive Resort.
However, the Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort, The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa Cancun, and the Iberostar Selection Cancun are three other great options.
All of these hotels provide guests with swimming pools and onsite activities, while some also have beach access, kids’ clubs, and water parks.
Is Cancun Safe for Families?
Yes, Cancun is completely safe for families. The Yucatán Peninsula is one of the safest regions in Mexico. And with family-friendly resorts that particularly cater to those with children, you’ll never feel out of place or in any danger.
What are the Best Family-Friendly Beaches in Cancun?
There is no shortage of breathtaking beaches in Cancun. However, some of the best for families include Playa Delfines, Playa Tortugas, Playa Caracol, and Playa Langosta.
Conclusion
Cancun is one of those destinations that ticks all the boxes. It has excellent restaurants, pristine beaches, thrilling activities, a rich history, warm year-round weather, and world-class resorts—it’s understandable why families flock to the area all 12 months of the year.
Of all the family-friendly resorts in Cancun, however, our top pick goes to the Wyndham Grand Cancun All Inclusive Resort & Villas for its extensive onsite amenities, and its generous ocean-view rooms. Coming in second is the Iberostar Selection Cancun, and that’s largely thanks to its ten swimming pools—what kid doesn’t love swimming?