Finest Playa Mujeres

Finest Playa Mujeres opened in 2015, so unlike some all-inclusive resorts in the Cancun area, the design is chic, upscale, and fresh. The hotel’s style is modern and minimalist with a heavy emphasis on straight lines. The blocky white buildings are complemented by square green lawns filled with bushes and palm trees, and pools with sharp edges. Inside, the luxe lobby has gray glossy floors, gray and white seating, and a hanging red petal-like art display. A grand staircase leads to a lobby lounge with a copper-toned bar. The restaurants are trendy, and all are fairly casual in terms of atmosphere. Though the upscale and chic design throughout is more befitting of an adult-only property, Finest Playa Mujeres has a lot of family-friendly amenities and therefore has a top clientele of families, with couples close behind. This tends to make for a loud, crowded, and busy atmosphere. The Excellence Club section of the hotel is the only adult-only area, but guests report that as it’s not completely separate from the property, so it’s still subject to children and families visiting the hotel.

Finest Playa Mujeres sits 25 minutes north of Cancun on a lovely stretch of beach. Like most resorts in the area, there’s really nothing to walk to in the immediate neighborhood besides other hotels. It’s a seven-minute drive to the ferry that takes visitors to Isla Mujeres, which is about a 40-minute boat ride. For those who want to explore the surrounding area, Xel-Ha Park is about a two-hour drive away. Coba, an ancient Mayan city, takes two-and-a-half hours to reach by car. The underwater museum known as MUSA, is a 35-minute drive away. It’s a 40-minute drive to the Cancun International Airport.

The 450 rooms at Finest Playa Mujeres are contemporary and stylish, with an almost IKEA-esque quality to them. They have a predominantly taupe color scheme with white bedding, tiled floors, gray couches and chairs, streamlined furnishings, and little in the way of decorative wall art. The units are well-lit with lovely furnished balconies and have topnotch amenities like flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, espresso makers, air-conditioning, safes, and free minibars with Coke products, local and imported beers, wine, candy bars, and nuts. Many suites have pullout couches. Some upper-level suites include private pools (not heated) or direct access to pools separated by hammocks hanging above the water. Others have rooftop terraces with hot tubs and trendy seating. Bathrooms are appealing and modern with two-person sinks, glass showers with waterfall showerheads, separate deep tubs with jets, a large selection of toiletries, and hairdryers. Nightly turndown service and a pillow menu are luxurious touches. Those who book rooms in the adult-only Excellence Club have perks like private check-in and check-out, special concierge, Bvlgari toiletries, and private access to adult-only areas like a restaurant, section of the beach, and pool bar.Note that there have been reports of musty or damp-smelling rooms (common in Mexico) and maintenance issues.

The features at Finest Playa Mujeres are the biggest pull for guests. Along with the beachfront location with loungers, umbrellas, and a beach bar, there are an impressive 10 pools on-site, four of which are heated and one that has a swim-up bar. The pools are complemented by 13 hot tubs. The pools are generally the most crowded area. Other relaxation amenities include a spa with a hydrotherapy pool, ice treatment room, cold-plunge pool, sauna, steam room, massages, beauty treatments, and a hair salon. The fully-equipped gym has Lifecycle cardio and weight equipment, ocean views, and aerobics classes daily. For outdoor physical activity, the hotel provides tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, beach volleyball, and water rentals.  Business travelers are well taken care of here in terms of amenities. Business travelers can take advantage of a business center, 15 indoor and outdoor fully-equipped meeting spaces, and free Wi-Fi throughout. Children’s perks range from a children’s pool with slides and a playground to kids’ clubs for different ages, a game room, kids’ theater, daycare center, mini-disco, and kids’ spa areas. As for entertainment for all guests, there’s live music, nightly shows, and adult activities throughout the day.

The hotel's all-inclusive rates include 12 international cuisine restaurants, 16 bars, and 24-hour room service, though the food quality is often a source of complaint among guests. There have also been reports that not all restaurants are open at the same time and a strict dress code is enforced for dinner. Still, the all-inclusive rates include coverage of premium beers, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. The hot breakfast buffet is generally well-liked and offers plenty of vegetarian options and fresh fruit. Food and drink service is available at the pools and on the beach, which means guests can order straight from their lounge chairs. Other noteworthy dining facilities include La Cocinita Food Truck for fast burgers, tacos, and nachos; Duke's Lobster & Seafood for ceviche and shellfish; Shoji for sushi; Las Dunas Beach House for Mexican and Caribbean; and Lizo for Tex Mex. Drink options range from a freshly squeezed juice at a tropical juice bar to a cigar lounge to a piano bar. There are also swim-up bars and bars on the beach.