Riviera Nayarit was just named one of the best destinations in the world to visit in 2026 by Forbes, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure, and almost nobody has covered it yet. In this ranking we mix luxury all-inclusive resorts with pure luxury boutique stays — from one that opened just a few months ago and is already the most talked-about in the area, to the one that closes the list, the most exclusive in the entire region. No sponsorships, no amenity lists: just what you need to know before you book, including what doesn't work at each one.
Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa · Nuevo Vallarta
Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa is built for families who don't want to nickel-and-dime every expense. It has four hundred twenty-two rooms, including ninety-five Family Selection suites with a jacuzzi, breakfast bar, and their own kitchenette. The dining lineup includes five à la carte restaurants — Italian, Asian, Mexican, and one exclusively for guests in the family suites — plus four international venues with live cooking stations, and nine bars spread across the property. The all-inclusive plan covers food, domestic and international drinks, kids' club, and private beach access. Before you book, know that the common areas get crowded during peak season, so if you're after total peace and quiet, this isn't the resort for you. For big families, it's still one of the best picks in Riviera Nayarit.
- 422 rooms, including 95 Family Selection suites
- 5 à la carte restaurants + 4 international venues
- 9 bars and kids' club included in the all-inclusive plan
- ⚠️ Common areas get crowded during peak season
Family Selection suites are the first to sell out during peak season — book several weeks ahead.
Book this hotel →The next one goes bigger without giving up all-inclusive.
Iberostar Selection Playa Mita · Punta Mita
This all-inclusive steps things up a notch, betting on size and variety over exclusivity. Iberostar Selection Playa Mita has four hundred fifty-two rooms across eight different suite categories, with views of the Pacific or the mountains, and a fully stocked minibar at no extra charge. On the dining side, it has five restaurants ranging from French cuisine to Asian teppanyaki, plus a steakhouse and a buffet with live cooking stations. It has a free-access water park and a golf course right next door, which is rare among all-inclusive resorts in the area. It's a solid choice for families with kids of any age thanks to the water park and its large-group-friendly layout, though if you're after something more intimate or adults-only, there are better fits later on this list.
- 452 rooms across 8 different suite categories
- 5 restaurants + free-access water park
- Golf course right next door
- ⚠️ Big, busy resort — not ideal if you want intimacy
The water park means school-holiday dates sell out first — confirm availability early.
Book this hotel →The next one is unlike anything else on this list: it's two resorts in one.
Secrets Bahía Mita and Dreams Bahía Mita · Punta Mita
Here the ranking takes a different approach: two sister resorts that share a beach and add up to a massive dining scene. Secrets Bahía Mita, an adults-only property, has two hundred seventy-eight suites with a balcony or terrace and ocean or mountain views, and guests get free access to Dreams Bahía Mita, the family-friendly resort right next door. Between the two properties, you get twelve restaurants and thirteen bars, most without reservations or set hours. It's the perfect pick for groups where some want adults-only quiet and others are traveling with kids, without sacrificing closeness between the two parties. To be honest, since these are two connected properties, guest traffic between them can feel less intimate than a single-tower resort during peak season.
- 278 adults-only suites (Secrets) + free access to Dreams (family-friendly)
- 12 restaurants and 13 bars between both properties
- No reservations or set hours at almost all restaurants
- ⚠️ Two connected properties — feels less intimate during peak season
Since these are two connected properties, Secrets' ocean-view suites sell out before Dreams' — book those first.
Book this hotel →Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a new resort on these lists.
Excursions near Riviera Nayarit
Riviera Nayarit goes way beyond the resort. Hidden Beach on the Marietas Islands, tucked inside a natural cavern, is one of the most photographed excursions in Mexico and can only be reached on an authorized tour. There's also humpback whale watching in season (December through March), snorkeling at Los Arcos, and cultural tours to the magical towns of Sayulita and San Pancho.
Verified tours with hotel pickup and free cancellation.
From here on, the ranking steps up to a whole new level.
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit · Nuevo Vallarta
Now the level jumps up noticeably. Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit doesn't do standard rooms: all two hundred sixty-seven units are suites, with the smallest one over nine hundred fifty square feet and views of the infinity pool or Banderas Bay. The dining lineup brings together six signature restaurants, including an Asian spot and a fine French dining venue, plus an oceanfront bar where service is also part of the all-inclusive plan. Here, premium drinks, twenty-four-hour room service, and a daily-restocked minibar are all included, no fine print. This isn't a resort for anyone trying to save money — it's one of the most luxurious on this ranking. In exchange, it delivers one of the most consistent levels of service in all of Riviera Nayarit, ideal for couples or travelers who want luxury without giving up all-inclusive.
- 267 suites, all over 950 square feet
- 6 signature restaurants, including a French and an Asian venue
- Premium drinks and daily-restocked minibar included
- ⚠️ One of the priciest all-inclusive resorts on this list
Bay-view suites have limited availability — book several weeks ahead.
Book this hotel →The next resort changes categories completely: there's no all-inclusive here.
Conrad Punta de Mita · Punta de Mita
The format changes completely at number five: this is one of the few resorts on this list that isn't all-inclusive, and it makes up for it with one of the strongest dining scenes in the region. Conrad Punta de Mita has three hundred twenty-four rooms with a balcony and ocean views, plus seven restaurants and two bars, including Codex, which carries a Michelin recommendation, along with two other highly rated dining spots. Since food and drinks aren't included in the rate, it's worth budgeting extra for restaurants, something not every traveler accounts for when booking. It's a great pick for anyone who prioritizes dining quality over the convenience of having everything prepaid, and who doesn't mind covering the rest of the experience on their own.
- 324 rooms with a balcony and ocean views
- 7 restaurants + 2 bars, including Codex (Michelin recommended)
- Not all-inclusive — traditional luxury resort
- ⚠️ Food and drinks billed separately from the room rate
Current promotions change by season — it's worth booking as soon as you find a rate you like.
Book this hotel →The next one is so new that almost nobody's discovered it yet.
Comparing packages with flights included can be significantly cheaper than booking separately. Real-time prices.
UNICO 20°105° · Nuevo Vallarta
Coming in at number four is one of the newest resorts on the entire list. UNICO 20°105° is adults-only, opened in September 2025, and goes for a boutique format: just one hundred forty-one rooms, all with Pacific views, a king bed, and a private soaking tub on the balcony, with complimentary drinks restocked daily. On the dining side, it has three signature restaurants: an Italian spot, one with Asian-inspired flavors, and a Mexican restaurant built around local ingredients, all included in the all-inclusive plan. Being a small, recent resort, it doesn't have the same name recognition as others on this list yet, but guests who've already stayed there rave about the personalized service. It's not the right pick if you're after activities for kids, since it's built entirely around couples or solo adults. For anyone after something intimate and still under the radar, this is one of the best finds in Riviera Nayarit.
- 141 rooms, adults-only boutique format
- Opened in September 2025
- 3 signature restaurants included in the all-inclusive plan
- ⚠️ Not suited for families with kids
Being a boutique resort with just 141 rooms, availability sells out fast, especially during peak season.
Book this hotel →The next one proves that service alone can steal the show.
St. Regis Punta Mita · Punta Mita
Number three steps things up a notch. St. Regis Punta Mita has one hundred twenty rooms and suites with tile flooring, a private outdoor shower, and butler service included in the rate, something very few resorts on this list offer. Its dining lineup includes six restaurants and bars, including Carolina, its five-diamond flagship restaurant, plus a floating bar serving ceviche and fish tacos off a boat anchored on the beach. It's not an all-inclusive resort, so you'll need to budget for food on top of the room rate. It sits on its own private peninsula, with beaches on both sides, something few resorts in the region can offer. It's the pick for anyone after classic luxury, with impeccable protocol and service, more than the convenience of having everything prepaid upfront.
- 120 rooms and suites with butler service included
- Flagship restaurant Carolina, five-diamond rated
- Sits on a private peninsula, beaches on both sides
- ⚠️ Not all-inclusive
It sits on a private peninsula with limited capacity — ocean-view suites book up months in advance.
Book this hotel →We're one step from number one, and here history outweighs novelty.
With your own car you explore Riviera Nayarit and its surroundings on your own schedule. Booking ahead locks in the best rate.
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita · Punta Mita
We're already at number two, and here we've got one of the resorts with the most history in the entire region. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita has been running for more than two decades and remains the benchmark for luxury in the area, with casitas, suites, and villas surrounded by meticulously kept gardens. It has four restaurants with ocean views, including an à la carte Mexican spot and a seafood restaurant helmed by a well-known chef, plus ten tennis courts, three pools, and two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses. It's not all-inclusive, so food and activities are billed separately from the room, which is worth budgeting for ahead of time. It's one of the most consistent resorts on this list when it comes to service, and its standing among luxury travelers remains intact after all these years, though its style is more classic than innovative compared to the area's newer openings, which might matter if you're after something different.
- Running for more than two decades, a landmark in the area
- 4 restaurants, 10 tennis courts, 2 Jack Nicklaus golf courses
- 3 pools and meticulously kept gardens
- ⚠️ Not all-inclusive — more classic than innovative in style
The two golf courses mean golf-season dates sell out first — confirm availability early.
Book this hotel →And that brings us to the resort everyone's talking about in Riviera Nayarit.
Rosewood Mandarina · El Monteón
We're closing out with the resort everyone's buzzing about right now in Riviera Nayarit. Rosewood Mandarina opened in May 2025 on a cliff between the jungle and the sea, with one hundred thirty-four ultra-luxury accommodations, including two standalone villas with a private pool, designed alongside local artisans. Its dining lineup includes a restaurant blending Mexican and Japanese cuisine suspended over the valley with ocean views, a beach cabana serving a Spanish coastal menu, and a mixology bar tucked into a cliffside. It's not all-inclusive, and it's not the most affordable resort on this list, so it's built for anyone after an exclusive experience who's willing to pay for it. It's, so far, the most talked-about opening in all of Riviera Nayarit, and a perfect example of why this destination earned a spot among the best in the world to visit in 2026.
- 134 ultra-luxury accommodations, including 2 private villas
- Opened in May 2025 on a cliff between the jungle and the sea
- Signature restaurant with valley and ocean views
- The most talked-about opening in all of Riviera Nayarit
- ⚠️ Not all-inclusive and the most exclusive resort on this list
With only 134 accommodations and being the destination's most talked-about opening, peak-season dates sell out months in advance.
Book this hotel →Peak season prices change week to week. Booking in advance can make a difference of hundreds of dollars per person.
Discover the next ranking
Recommended Video
Riviera Nayarit doesn't have its own channel video yet — here's our ranking of the 9 best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean.
The 9 BEST All-Inclusive Resorts in 2026 in Mexico & Caribbean
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