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Vacation rentals are another popular option and can be particularly handy when traveling with a multigenerational group. With a range of apartments and villas, Loco Gringo stands out for its

deep local knowledge and concierge service. HomeAway, VRBO and Airbnb all offer rentals, too. Other areas to consider include: THE RIVIERA MAYA. South of Cancún, the Riviera Maya has its

share of huge beachfront all-inclusives strung between towns, as well as boutique hotels, simple inns and vacation rentals. PUERTO MORELOS. The guardian of the region’s most pristine stretch

of coral reef is still a traditional small town with friendly, modest hotels such as Casa El Moro, just two blocks from the water. South of town, Mayakoba is a luxury master-planned resort

with four hotels and a championship golf course united around an ecological mission. PLAYA DEL CARMEN. Once a sleepy seaside village, Playa del Carmen is home to busy pedestrian-only Fifth

Avenue and now rivals Cancún not only for size and lodging capacity but also for noise, raucous clubs and traffic. While modest boutique hotels, such as the intimate Hotel Lunata, built

Playa’s reputation, northern Fifth Avenue has sprouted stylish upscale hotels including La Semilla and Hotel Cacao. The appealing location of La Pasión, a few blocks off the beach, makes it

a good bargain. AKUMAL. Farther south, Akumal, “Place of the Turtles” in Mayan, is a small, ecologically minded diving and snorkeling haven where you can swim with sea turtles. It has a

smattering of hotels and abundant vacation rentals. Mellow, boho-chic Tulum boasts that famous Maya temple overlooking the Caribbean and has become incredibly popular with partying

millennials and Gen Z. Lodging options are divided between a string of pricey, semi-rustic palapa (palm thatch-roofed) hotels on the long white beach — Cabañas Tulum is among the best — and

the hostels, B&Bs and affordable hotels such as Don Diego de la Selva and Posada Luna del Sur in El Pueblo, the funky city on the highway. WAYS TO SAVE: Save on accommodations just prior

to Christmas, from mid-January until Presidents’ Day and in low season, when rates fall by 20 to 30 percent. The region’s abundant air-hotel packages can also save hundreds of dollars on a

week’s vacation.