Vibe: There’s an international crowd at the Eden Roc, fairly well-heeled, and relatively young. Because of the two hotels in one layout, you see all kinds—the scenesters checking into the Nobu and the business creatives and laid-back leisure crowd signing up for the Eden Roc’s cool brand of sophisticated swing: Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Nat King Cole—the hotel is steeped in entertainment history.

Rooms: There are two towers here, one from 1956 and the other built in 2006, both offering high-style Miami luxury. The older suites are small but chic, with sky-blue patterned carpeting and tall, white headboards; dark, minimal furniture. The new tower sports the same simplicity with each room having an ocean view. Find neutral tones and lighter wood here, with big TVs, a desk, a garment steamer (so handy and it worked!), a Bluetooth speaker, rainfall shower heads, a lighted mirror, a gourmet coffee machine and boxer-style bathrobes.

ROAD TRIP: THE FLORIDA KEYS

F&B: In 2016, the Eden Roc passed the management of its food and beverage facilities to Nobu Hospitality. The circular lobby lounge is an Art Deco dream, busy day and night, with still a bit of a scene after dark, even after all these years. Off the lobby, Nobu Restaurant still defines dramatic Japanese style and cuisine, mouthwatering if more than a little pricey. Poolside, Splash by Malibu Farms serves healthy organic fare throughout the day, including an à la carte breakfast.

Extras: Wind up or down at either the massive gym or the destination day spa, replete with steam room, sauna and hot tub. Borrow one of the hotel bikes for free and go for a spin along the boardwalk, rent a cabana poolside, or stretch out for full service at the beach.

Off-Site: Perfect spot, really: A 10-minute drive to Lincoln Road and the “city centre,” Lummus Park and the historic Art Deco District, and a 20-minute drive to downtown Miami, the Wynwood art district. The luxury shops of Bal Harbour are 20 minutes north. Miami International is 30 minutes away.

Rate: $$$

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Vibe: You know that bubbling-under house music soundtrack that sounds like nothing and never ends? That. The CHIC Punta Cana is rather a scene, but you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to. A big casino with Blackjack, Roulette and slot machines is open from noon until 3 a.m. This is balanced out with a Detox Oxygen Bar that serves recreational oxygen shots and healthy drinks.

Rooms: The 320 rooms at the CHIC Punta Cana are super modern, mostly all white with black trim and purple light. That sounds like the ’90s, but it’s actually fun; you feel like you’re starring in a Disaronno TV commercial.

F&B: The à la carte restaurants are an interesting mix: Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern and steak house, all lavishly decorated and trying really hard. There’s a giant round bar between the lobby and the casino and a sports bar cum nightclub combo that also has billiards. This is good if you want to escape the heat for a couple of hours and watch the game, whatever your game is.

Extras: The Diamond Club upgrade is worth the splurge, as they lay it on thick: butler service, better room-service menus, private check-in lounge, exclusive pool and beach areas, and a Club Lounge that you should not pooh-pooh, because this is where all the nicer booze is. But the Diamond Club kicker is access to the glass-walled, mosaic-tiled Mermaid Pool.

Off-Site: Try to make it over to the coast of Bavaro to soak up the surf vibe and hop on a catamaran for a few hours. You can snorkel in the Cortesito Reef and relax in the natural pools. These are party boats, so bring a fit liver.

Rate: $$$

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And just 40 minutes south from Cancun, the city of Playa del Carmen (population 150,000) sits near the middle of the Riviera, opposite the island of Cozumel. Calm, cool and collected, the vibe is assuredly unhurried. And whether you’re touring around, enjoying the water, hunting for souvenirs or just sitting in a chair, you’ll find great people, sublime scenery and amazing food.

Drag the main drag. Avenida Quinta (Fifth Avenue) is the main pedestrian strip, where you can get your shop on any time of the day or night. Hundreds of restaurants, bars and stores line this little main drag, catering to the daily influx of tourists popping off cruise ships for a poke around town. They dock near the south end of Fifth Avenue, making it more touristy; stick to the north end for some peace and quiet, plus a better quality of both shopping and dining.

Do a day trip. While sitting in a chair staring at the surf has it’s benefits, block off a day to rent a car for a drive to Tulum, and a visit to both the 13th-century ruins and the surrounding beaches. The only Mayan city built on a coastline, the Tulum pre-hispanic ruins are ringed by a limestone wall seven metres thick, with the prominent castle sitting at the top of the limestone bluffs. This is a very popular tourist site, so try to get there as close to opening time as possible (8 a.m.) to avoid the throngs and take advantage of the best sunlight of the day for your photos.

ALSO VISIT: COZUMEL

Check out the reef. Scuba diving put Playa del Carmen on the map. It was just a sleepy little fishing town until a ferry service began from there to the island of Cozumel, one of the best places to dive in the world. The Great Mesoamerican Reef, which stretches 725 kilometres from Cancun south to the Bay Islands of Honduras, is the world’s second largest reef. It marks the spot for surveying 150 varieties of reef fish and 100 species of coral.

Swim in a cave. Freshwater sinkholes, called cenotes, make for a fun afternoon of crystal-clear diving or snorkelling in and around caves where the visibility can reach up to 125 metres year-round.

Learn something. The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, at 1.3 million acres, is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean, and includes the 23 archeological sites of the Maya civilization. Promoting ecosystem conservation and the sustainability of natural resources, the Centro Ecológico champions low-impact tourist activities, while educating visitors about the region at the same time. Pasttimes include flyfishing, kayaking, “ponga” boat tours and more, and you can even stay at the centre in deluxe, eco-friendly cabins.

VISITMEXICO.COM

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