The Five Best Hotel Bars in Cancun

Cancun is the envy of resort destinations the planet over. Famed for its proliferation of high-class hotels and all-inclusive resorts, this cut-out corner of the Yucatan Peninsula also does well to live up to its reputation as a high-energy party destination. After dark, bars big and small exude an inescapable energy right up and down the 14-mile Hotel Zone strip, while there’s also a wealth of more refined and sophisticated drinking spots to discover amidst the fray.

Here’s a lowdown on the best hotel bars in all of Cancun, with a real cross-section of what the city’s resorts have to offer – from swim-up cocktail bars, to high-society lounges with champagne and a healthy offering of class.

See 7 tips, like when to book your ticket, from the Hopper research team that can save travelers hundreds on their flights to Cancun.

Dance and drink at the Rose Bar and Beach Club at the Me Cancun

Photo via their official FB page.

The dual bar-and-club setup of the ME all-inclusive resort has proven itself year on year as one of the most happening spots in all of Cancun. Expect live DJ sets and wild entertainments to dominate throughout the weekend nights, along with a hip crowd of super-stylish, party-hungry patrons. What’s more, visitors here can opt for VIP treatment at an extra cost, which includes a private booth done out in the styles of Indonesian Bali and all-night waiting service at the table!

Also take a look at Hopper's ranking of the five best all-inclusive beach resorts in Cancun

Living like a legend at the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun

Photo via their official FB page.

No drinking jaunt through Cancun’s Hotel Zone could be complete without at least one tipple in the iconic Hard Rock Hotel. While the resort boasts no less than six individual bars in total, including a number of cool swim-up imbibing spots, the serious drinkers among us would do well to head straight for the aptly named Smash Bar. Here, old rock and roll paraphernalia adorns the walls and queues are kept to a minimum by the island-style service. Nice.

The epic nightlife is the number 2 reason to visit Cancun according to our top 10 reasons to visit Cancun article

Amidst the Moroccan riads and Mediterranean apses of the Hotel Riu

Photo via their official FB page.

Decorated in a curiously Mediterranean style, the domed pool bars and adobe architecture of the Hotel Riu also exudes something of a North African-come-Mesoamerican flavor, while the extensive range of tequila cocktails is enough to do Mexico proud. Be sure to explore the swim-up bars of the inner pools, where a collection of rounded Moroccan roof styles mimic the old medinas of Casablanca and Fez. Hotel Riu is located on the northern tip of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, just a stone’s throw from the Hard Rock Cafe.

See which hotels made it onto Hopper's ranking of the five best hotel pools in Cancun

Trying Mexico's favorite tipple at the Presidente's Tequila Collection Bar & Terrace in the InterContinental Presidente

Photo via their official FB page.

If you’re eager to sample the fabled Tequila of Cancun, then there can be no better spot than the Tequila Collection Bar & Terrace in the city’s luxurious InterContinental Presidente. It’s one of the few bars around dedicated to serving Mexico’s most potent of alcoholic exports, and the only one in all of Cancun to have been awarded official recognition by the country’s Tequila Regulatory Council! Don’t be afraid to quiz the barmen on their knowledge of cocktails and shots either, because it’s nothing short of encyclopedic.

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Suave sophistication at the Ritz-Carlton's Lobby Lounge

Photo via their official FB page.

Regally upholstered furniture clusters under the shimmering haze of art deco chandeliers, while pink, blue and transparent cocktail glasses rub shoulders with bubbling champagne. Such is the stylish sophistication of the Ritz-Carlton’s Lobby Lounge in Cancun, where refined tastes and luxury seekers gather for their evening tipples, or to puff on hand-rolled Cuban cigars in the corner. If you’re interested in discovering the flavors of real Mexican tequila, be sure to request one of the regular 6pm tasting sessions from the bar!

On the fence between vacationing in Mexico or Jamaica? See Hopper's Destination Battle: Mexico vs Jamaica