The mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya is only less than 30 minutes away form the Cancun International Airport. The hotel is a secluded resort amidst lush jungle and by the blue Caribbean, yet an easy drive to the archaeological sites. Art and architecture enhance the natural expanse of this tranquil 36-acre enclave, where emerald grass pyramids echo the local Mayan culture.

The hotel offers a total of 128 white-on-beige rooms that form a neutral backdrop for the lush vegetation surrounding them. The decor is a lesson in luxe minimalism, with bamboo floors, glassed-in showers, and sleek wood and rattan furnishings. On-site restaurants include the Mex-Asian Ambar, which rises like a UFO above a languid lagoon, and Aguamarina, a casual oceanfront seafood restaurant.

Average nightly rate starts at $500. This is the perfect resort for people looking for an ultraprivate getaway of their lifetime. Visit MandarinOriental.com.