The knock against some big luxury hotels is that they isolate you too much from their setting. But in places like Cancún, whose entire raison d’être is tourism, a little seclusion is often just what you want — and to wall yourself inside the Intercontinental Presidente Cancún is to surround yourself with extravagant comforts in a setting where everything is oriented towards a spectacular white-sand beach. Its 300 rooms and suites make very few stylistic concessions to tropical themes aside from their nature-inspired color palette, opting instead for a clean-lined and contemporary look that’s not far off from what you’d find in an urban luxury hotel. They’re provided with all the typical high-end comforts, including extravagant spa-like bathrooms, and many have views of the ocean or the lagoon. Its restaurants include the self-explanatory El Caribeño, the Le Cap beach club, and, for light fare, Café Urbano. They’re joined by a couple of bars, an IKAL spa, and a capacious fitness center, as well as a wide array of water-sports offerings — and excursions range from cenote or reef tours to Maya archaeological sites or a round of golf at one of the region’s many courses.