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Astrid Taran, Forbes Staff

Forbes Vetted

Playa Mujeres, located a few miles north of Cancun’s lively Hotel Zone, has been widely developed in the past decade by luxury-focused resorts that take advantage of its quieter stretch of sand. The latest of those resorts is the new SLS Playa Mujeres, which opened its doors in November 2024.

SLS is a lifestyle hotel brand known for its modern, design-forward properties in stylish destinations like Beverly Hills and Dubai. While it also has hotels in Cancun’s Hotel Zone and Baha Mar in the Bahamas, SLS Playa Mujeres is the brand’s very first all-inclusive resort. I was able to check in shortly after its opening to experience it firsthand. Read my full review below.

SLS Playa Mujeres

Who Will Love It: Groups of friends; couples; young parents
All-Star Amenities: Four pools, including a family pool with a splash park and an adults-only pool; Ciel Spa with thermal baths; screening room; two gyms; kids club; teens lounge; Ortigia Sicilia toiletries; 18 restaurants and bars, including a juice bar and a cigar lounge; resort-wide mocktail list
What Not To Miss: Privilege, the brand’s third adults-only pool lounge outside of Dubai and Baha Mar
Ages: All ages
Location: Playa Mujeres
Distance to Airport: 15 miles
Restaurant Reservations Required: Yes

All-Star Amenities

SLS Playa Mujeres has accepted the challenging task of providing a diverse array of amenities for families, children and trendy young travelers. Upon checking in, it was clear that the property understood the assignment. For adults, the hotel features a sleek adults-only pool with a swim-up bar as well as Privilege, an adults-only pool lounge (the third outside of SLS’ Dubai and Baha Mar properties). For families, modern kids and teens clubs can be found alongside a decked-out splash park with a waterslide as well as a screening room for movie nights. The children’s amenities are all cleverly located on the other side of the property, away from the adults-only pool and lounge.

There’s also a juice bar, a cigar lounge and access to stand-up paddleboards and other water sport activities at the beach; Jet Skis and other motorized rentals require an extra fee. Speaking of the beach, the resort has prime access to a large stretch of sand, with free cabanas and umbrellas. During my stay, I was also impressed by the Ciel Spa, which features a beautiful hydrotherapy circuit alongside a variety of different treatments (I booked a massage for an extra fee). Significantly, this property is the first SLS hotel to offer the brand’s new SLS Elite category: Rooms booked at this level offer benefits like butler service, premium spirits, private lounge access, preferred dining reservations and entry to an exclusive beach.

Rooms

Over the years, I’ve stayed at several SLS properties, the most recent being SLS Baha Mar. I’ve always found the brand’s entry-level rooms to be a bit snug—and my room at SLS Playa Mujeres was no different. I stayed in a Delight King, which is listed at 538 square feet—serviceable enough for one or two people who intend to spend most of their time outside of the room. Families staying at the property would best be served by booking a two- or three-bedroom suite (listed at 2,500 square feet and 6,000 square feet, respectively) through the SLS Elite category. There are also multiple swim-out room options available under the hotel’s Captivate category.

When I did come back to my room for a shower or to settle in for the evening, I was impressed by its elegant, modern design with pops of color found via embroidered pillows and coffee table books. The room’s atmosphere felt more like a stylish boutique hotel than a traditional all-inclusive resort—very aligned with the SLS brand. For an entry-level room, the bathroom was spacious, with plenty of closet space and incredible-smelling toiletries from Ortigia Sicilia. My mini fridge was promptly restocked each afternoon with soda, juice, water and Tecate beer, and a small variety of snacks, like chips and chocolates, were included. I also received increasingly creative sweet treats each evening (my favorite being a chocolate cactus).

Food And Beverage

SLS Playa Mujeres is home to 18 restaurants, including an Italian outlet, a steakhouse and Mexican, French and Japanese options. As is the case with most just-opened properties, not all of the restaurants were ready during my stay, with the majority set to be open by spring. My first meal at the Italian Fi’lia left a lot to be desired, but I was impressed by my meal at Union, a moody, atmospheric steakhouse with great steak and an extensive wine list. The wine cellar is particularly beautiful—and can be booked for a romantic dinner or event. The food was also excellent at beachfront Bungalow, which offered sandwiches, nachos and other casual fare, as well as at Twiggy, the poolside outlet by the adults-only pool where I enjoyed my fair share of spicy tuna rolls and shrimp tacos.

The star of the show, however, was Caracol, featuring authentic Mexican dishes inspired by the Puebla, Mexico hometown of its head chef, James Beard Award winner Hugo Ortega; I enjoyed the menu so much I returned for a Mexican breakfast the next morning. The buffet at The Market was closed for a private event during my stay but had an expansive menu, and the French outlet Brasserie Maxine, which is set to include kosher options, is scheduled to open in the spring. There were many vegetarian and vegan options scattered across the menus, making this resort particularly accommodating for those with dietary restrictions.

What Not To Miss

SLS Playa Mujeres successfully strikes a balance between having a number of child-centric activities for kids to enjoy while still being stylish and vibrant enough to feel like a resort geared toward young adults. While I did not see any large-scale entertainment listed on the daily activities roster during my stay (this is a resort for those who prefer bars to clubs), music is played every day at the pools for both children and adults, and family-friendly movie screenings are always on the schedule. The resort’s bars are particularly elegant as well: Like at all SLS properties, there’s an on-site Monkey Bar, as well as the beautiful Golden Hour, which serves coffee during the day and cocktails at night alongside panoramic oceanfront views. Karaoke is often on tap at Hudson Tavern, while Smoke & Mirrors, a speakeasy serving bespoke cocktails and cigars, features a beautiful rooftop that’s not to be missed during sunset.

How To Get There

SLS Playa Mujeres is located in Playa Mujeres, north of Cancun’s Hotel Zone. It’s about 15 miles, or a 35-minute drive, from Cancun International Airport (CUN).