Ruth Jarvis

Nature created expansive white sands, swaying palms and coral seas; the Mayans topped them with a picturesque city; and boutique bohemians turned it into a fashion phenomenon we know as Tulum. Just south of Cancún (by around 90 minutes), Tulum is really two towns: the beachside strip threaded with low-rise hotels, bars and restaurants and the 'Pueblo' inland, where real life happens. No prizes for guessing where hotel tariffs are higher, though the smart money is now booking into hipster Pueblo digs in central Tulum and shuttling to the beach by bike or taxi. But wherever you choose to stay from our list of Tulum’s best hotels, you’ll find a winning mix of options that take in jungle gardens, urban Pueblos, outdoor film screenings and solar-powered beach huts. Updated March 2025: As Tulum tourism thrives, we thought it would be a good idea to add some extra properties to this one-stop-shop list of places to stay in Tulum. Look out for the Riad-style hotel where everything is worthy of a photo and the yoga-focused wellbeing resort. RECOMMENDED: 🛏️ The best hotels in Cancún Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

The dramatic Niagara Falls, which straddles the US/Canada border, is undoubtedly a natural spectacle, but this is far from a wilderness either. Both banks have developed as resorts, so there is plenty of things to do here other than look at loads of rapidly falling water too. From throwing cash at casinos to vicariously being a piece of water on the Falls by sliding down slides at the water parks. There are also the 1,400 LED lights twinkling behind the cascades nightly to go and awe at. Visitors can eat their way through a fine farm-to-table restaurant scene, complemented by a menu of local Ontario wines too. Yup, Canada has good wine game. The Canadian side is closer to the most dramatic torrents but also the more commercialized. Of course, given the huge attraction, hotels dominate the landscape, largely of the chain variety (for more characterful lodgings, try pretty Niagara-on-the-Lake, half an hour away). The sheer number of rooms makes for keen competition and off-season deals, but watch for inflated overheads. Either way, here’s our pick of the best hotels in and around Niagara Falls. And no we don't mean in the literal waterfall, that would spoil the view.  Updated September 2024: Just to sweeten the deal we've added two new hotels we think you'll love; Cambria hotel offering affordable luxury rooms, and five-star Voco- The Cadence with comfy rooms right in the heart of Niagara Falls State Park. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel fea

Ah, the glamour of travel. ‘Priority boarding’ queues, sad sarnies and hand-luggage Nazis – it surely doesn’t come from flying anymore. Fortunately, London’s best design hotels have stepped up to the mark. As we tire of cookie-cutter guest rooms (often pre-fabricated, natch), no self-respecting newcomer to the scene opens without the services of a designer or two to bring some style and individuality to your stay. It’s no longer enough to deploy a Le Corbusier copy or a glass wall or two: for real designer bang, look for innovative new-builds, refurbs of historic buildings, artsy goings-on and digs in private members’ clubs. The shock of the new is (mainly) out; a more subtle interplay with the past is the designer order of the day, with a pleasingly luxe, louche vibe. Let our list of the best design hotels in London help you sort the chic from the sheep. Looking for more options? Check out London’s best Airbnbs

Just a two-hour drive from San Diego, Ensenada is a great place to dip south of the border. As the first beach resort you hit as you drive into Baha California, it offers the usual drugstores, cantinas and tourist tat, but beyond the nodding armadillo gewgaws it’s a confident port and college town with a burgeoning Baha-Med gastro scene and fish tacos even Mexicans travel for. The choice of hotels here is limited and they’re generally average in price, style and amenities; classier and cooler digs such as La Villa del Valle can be found in the Guadalupe Valley wine area an easy hour’s drive north-east (or en route from the USA), which is fast becoming a destination in its own right. There are also a couple of local curiosities, such as Horsepower Ranch. Here are our picks of the best hotels in Ensenada and its environs.

The 100km of shoreline running south from Cancun along Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is known as the Riviera Maya for good reason. The palm-fringed beaches, emerald seas and dusting of glamour are indeed reminiscent of the French original, with Playa del Carmen and the neighbouring Mayakoba resort cluster providing the sophistication. Sadly for fans of the ramshackle boho charm the coast could once boast, it’s increasingly being swallowed up by large all-inclusive and high-end operations, making it harder and harder to find anything budget, boho, genuinely eco or even particularly Mexican. (To support local businesses look a few blocks inland.) Our selection of the best hotels in the Riviera Maya includes a sampling of old-school hippy charm in Pamuul plus the standouts among the new wave, such as the Banyan Tree and Unico. Want Japanese bubbles, peacocks wandering the grounds, outdoor film screenings or free bottles of tequila? Read on.