The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Vibe
Raised wooden walkways thread above the canopy between breezy poolside bars and Plaza de la Ceiba, where butlers tend quiet beachfront cabanas.
“Celestial mangrove redoubt”
Interlocking circular pavilions float above coastal mangroves, accented by carved walnut screens and custom ceramic pendants.
Round-the-clock dedicated butler service, oceanfront plunge-pool suites, and private beachfront cabana service elevate the stay.
Five swimming pools, a private two-mile beachfront, eight dining venues, and water expeditions across the Caribbean.
Inside the 620-acre Kanai reserve, elevated over coastal mangroves along a private stretch of Riviera Maya beach.
“Perched like a retrofuturist spacecraft over and among mangrove wetlands, St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya embraces the ecological abundance…”
Rooms
Carved walnut headboards and green marble vanities accent ocean-facing balconies, while ground-floor accommodations add private plunge pools.
“Its unique architecture, which consists of three circular shapes floating above a wild red mangrove as a reflection of the Pleiades constellation…”
Wellness
The spa features Mayan botanical journeys alongside thermal steam circuits, an Athletic Club, and outdoor Moon Bath hydrotherapy pools.
“innovative architecture by Edmonds International—inspired by the constellation Pleiades—with curvaceous buildings that literally hover above a seemingly endless sea of lush green mangroves.”
Backstory
Architect Michael Edmonds shaped the suspended circular layout to mirror the Pleiades constellation, leaving the underlying mangrove reserve undisturbed.
“The overlapping circular design was inspired by the constellation Pleiades, which has significance in Mayan culture, and it hovers over green mangroves…”
Eat & drink
Toro pairs Latin dishes with Mexican agave spirits, while The St. Regis Bar mixes chili-infused Kanai Marys beneath celestial murals.
The neighborhood
Set within the secluded Kanai reserve, the property borders coastal wetlands and white-sand beaches neighboring the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.
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The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.