UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya

UNICO 20°87° is in the Jet & Swim directory because it occupies a distinct position in the Riviera Maya market: genuinely adults-only, all-inclusive, with a boutique-hotel sensibility that most properties in this region don’t attempt. We haven’t stayed here personally; the inclusion is an editorial call based on the design approach, the cultural specificity of the dining program, and the consistently strong reviews.

UNICO sits on the Caribbean coast roughly halfway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum — about an hour from Cancún International Airport. The location is quieter than the Hotel Zone without being remote, and the property’s 448 rooms are spread across enough acreage that it doesn’t feel like a conventional all-inclusive block.

The room design is the first thing that sets UNICO apart. Every room is individually furnished with a mix of modern luxury and hacienda-inspired elements — local wood, cultural artwork, handmade accents — and the standard amenities are genuinely good: minibars stocked to guest preference, aromatherapy, pillow menus, JBL Bluetooth systems, and heated floors. Balconies and terraces are standard. Each guest is assigned a personal anfitrión — essentially a dedicated host who handles reservations, logistics, and daily programming.

For travelers who want pool access from the room, the Alcoba Swim-up Pool — King Bed category opens onto a shared pool directly from the patio.

The dining program has more range than most all-inclusives at this price point. Mi Carisa is the wood-fired Italian restaurant; Cueva Siete focuses on Yucatán and Mayan cuisine; Mura House handles Japanese; Café Inez covers coffee and lighter fare. The cultural specificity — locally sourced ingredients, Mayan culinary traditions, regionally inflected cocktails — gives the food program an identity most all-inclusives lack.

Three pools range from active and social to serene, with dedicated drink service at each. The Esencia Wellness spa is full-service. An adjacent golf course is accessible. The wildlife on the property — coatis, tropical birds — is a recurring detail in reviews, for better or worse.

For Jet & Swim readers: UNICO is the Riviera Maya option for travelers who want all-inclusive convenience without the all-inclusive atmosphere. The anfitrión model, the cultural design approach, and the food program make it the most editorially interesting property in its category in this region.

Gallery