Comparison
Updated October 2026
By the Riviera Maya Haciendas team

Mexico or the Caribbean islands for a large group?

For 30 guests or more in one place, Mexico’s Caribbean coast. In our October 2026 count the islands’ largest beachfront houses sleep about 20 to 38, and the only place we found with three or more 10-bedroom houses side by side is Puerto Aventuras, where four Haciendas sleep 126. The islands win on other things: Grace Bay, the French chic of St Barts, a private island to yourselves.

Below: ten island and Costa Rica choices next to Mexico, what each does best, which works for your group’s size, and every one-to-one comparison we have written.

Group of 30 or more? See the four Haciendas

The four beachfront Haciendas in Puerto Aventuras at dusk, from above — Four houses side by side, Puerto Aventuras

Side by side

Mexico and the islands, side by side

Mexico’s Caribbean coast compared with Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, St Barts, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, the Virgin Islands and Costa Rica: getting there, the sea, the largest beachfront house and room for 40 or more
Place	Getting there	The sea	Largest beachfront house we found	40 or more together
Mexico’s Caribbean coast	Cancun (CUN), nonstop from most large US and Canadian cities	Warm, mostly calm, the reef offshore	15 suites (Hacienda Del Mar)	Yes: four houses of 10 to 15 suites side by side, 126 guests
Turks and Caicos	Providenciales (PLS), nonstop from Miami, Atlanta, New York and more	Grace Bay, calm behind a reef about a mile out	17 bedrooms, about 34 guests	A compound of three villas, about 46 to 56
The Bahamas	Nassau (NAS), with US preclearance; the Out Islands by small plane and boat	Pink sand on Harbour Island; the Exumas by boat	9 bedrooms on the sand that we could confirm	Private islands, about 24 to 30
St Barts	No nonstop from North America: via St Maarten, then 10 minutes by air or about an hour by ferry	Hundreds of villas on the hillsides, few on the sand	7 to 8 bedrooms, about 14 to 16 guests	No
Jamaica	Montego Bay (MBJ), with flights from many US cities	Negril’s Seven Mile Beach; Dunn’s River Falls inland	12 to 15 bedrooms, about 24 to 30 guests	No
Dominican Republic	Punta Cana (PUJ), the Caribbean’s second-busiest airport	Shallow, behind a reef of nearly 30 km off Punta Cana	19 bedrooms on the north coast, about 38 guests; about 10 in Cap Cana	No
Barbados	Bridgetown (BGI), with flights from several US cities	Calm on the sheltered west coast; big Atlantic surf on the east	12 bedrooms, about 30 guests	No
Anguilla	Via St Maarten and a 20 to 30 minute boat; a small nonstop from Miami	Shoal Bay, its best-known beach	11 bedrooms, about 22 guests	Two big houses side by side, about 40
Cayman Islands	Grand Cayman (GCM), nonstop from many US cities	Seven Mile Beach; Stingray City by boat	11 bedrooms, about 24 to 28 guests	A beachfront compound of three buildings, up to 88 with bunk rooms
US and British Virgin Islands	St Thomas, nonstop from several US cities, no passport for US citizens; the BVI by ferry or via San Juan	Trunk Bay on St John; sailing between the islands	9 bedrooms on the sand (US islands)	Private islands in the BVI, about 40 to 48
Costa Rica (Guanacaste)	Liberia (LIR), with flights from about 20 US cities, some seasonal	The Pacific: surf, and strong currents in places	No single house of 10 bedrooms; a pair of villas, about 20 to 27	No

Largest beachfront houses: our count of beachfront houses with 10 or more bedrooms on villa broker and agency lists, October 3 and 19, 2026. It is a floor, not a census: houses rented only by their owners are missing, and a few figures come from one source. Private islands and resorts are bought out whole, so they are not counted as houses. Mexico’s coast also has compounds of small villas for up to about 60.

What each place does best

Where each place wins

Providenciales airport
Turks and Caicos
Good for A beach-first trip for a group of up to about 30, from the US East.
Grace Bay is the reason to go: a reef about a mile offshore keeps it calm, and the water is easy for swimming, snorkeling and diving. Providenciales has nonstop flights from Miami, Atlanta, New York, Newark, Charlotte, Washington and Houston.
Worth knowing The days revolve around the beach: there are no Mayan ruins or cenotes. In our count the largest single beachfront house had 17 bedrooms, for about 34.
Nassau or the Out Islands
The Bahamas
Good for A short hop from Florida, and private islands for a group that can take one whole.
Nassau’s airport is the country’s largest and has US border preclearance. Beyond it, the Out Islands are another world: the pink sand of Harbour Island, reached by a flight to North Eleuthera and a short water taxi, and the cays of the Exumas.
Worth knowing The largest single house on the sand we could confirm had 9 bedrooms; above that, the answer is a private island for about 24 to 30.
Via St Maarten
St Barts
Good for Couples and small groups who want French style, food and a famous name.
Very French and very chic, with the euro as its currency and hundreds of villas terraced into the hillsides. There is no nonstop flight from North America: you connect in St Maarten, then take a 10-minute flight in a small plane or a ferry of about an hour.
Worth knowing The houses are small for a big group: on the sand, the largest we found had 7 to 8 bedrooms. The bigger estates sit on the hillsides.
Montego Bay airport
Jamaica
Good for Groups who want music, a strong local culture and the classic days out.
Montego Bay is the larger of Jamaica’s international airports, with flights from many US cities. Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios and Negril’s Seven Mile Beach are the classic days out, and Bob Marley’s music is part of the draw.
Worth knowing The largest beachfront houses we found had 12 to 15 bedrooms, for about 24 to 30.
Punta Cana airport
Dominican Republic
Good for An all-inclusive week, golf, and a very short airport ride.
Punta Cana’s airport is the second-busiest in the Caribbean, and Cap Cana is about 15 minutes from it. A reef of nearly 30 km keeps much of the water shallow, with natural pools; Saona Island is a catamaran day out.
Worth knowing Most stays are resorts. In our count the largest beachfront house had 19 bedrooms, for about 38, on the north coast; in Cap Cana about 10.
Bridgetown airport
Barbados
Good for Families who want a calm west-coast beach, and polo from January to May.
The sheltered west coast is the island’s family beach side; the east coast takes the Atlantic surf. Polo runs from January to May, and Bridgetown has flights from several US cities.
Worth knowing The largest beachfront house we found had 12 bedrooms, for about 30.
Via St Maarten, or a small nonstop from Miami
Anguilla
Good for A quiet island of long beaches, for a group of up to about 40.
Most visitors fly to St Maarten and take a boat of 20 to 30 minutes. Shoal Bay is the beach people come for.
Worth knowing Anguilla has the only pair of beachfront houses with 10 or more bedrooms side by side we found outside Mexico: together, about 40 guests.
Grand Cayman airport
Cayman Islands
Good for Divers and snorkelers, and an easy flight from many US cities.
Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman’s west coast is one of the Caribbean’s best known, and the trip to Stingray City is the island’s famous excursion.
Worth knowing The largest single beachfront house we found had 11 bedrooms. A beachfront compound of three buildings takes up to 88, bunk rooms included.
St Thomas, or Tortola via San Juan
US and British Virgin Islands
Good for Sailing, national-park beaches, and US citizens who would rather not need a passport.
St Thomas has nonstop flights from several US cities and needs no passport for US citizens. St John is mostly national park, with Trunk Bay. The British islands, by ferry or via San Juan, are the Caribbean’s sailing centre.
Worth knowing On the US islands, the largest house on the sand we found had 9 bedrooms. In the BVI, the big groups go to private islands, for about 40 to 48.
Liberia airport, Guanacaste
Costa Rica
Good for Nature, wildlife, volcanoes and surf, more than one shared house.
Liberia’s airport, the gateway to the Guanacaste beaches, has flights from about 20 US cities, some seasonal. December to April is the dry season, and hurricanes are rare: Otto in 2016 was the first on record to cross the country.
Worth knowing The coast is the Pacific: good surf, and strong currents in places. In our count we found no single beachfront house there with 10 or more bedrooms; the largest option was a pair of villas for about 20 to 27.
Mexico’s Caribbean coast · Cancun or Tulum airport
Mexico’s Caribbean coast
Good for Families and groups of 30 to 126, mixed ages, and anyone flying from across the US and Canada.
Cancun airport has nonstop flights from most large US and Canadian cities, and the sea is the Caribbean, warm and mostly calm, with the world’s second-longest reef offshore. Inland are cenotes and Mayan ruins.
In Puerto Aventuras, about 1 hour from the airport, four Haciendas of 10 to 15 suites stand side by side on one beach, each with its own chef and butlers: one house for 27 to 36, two for 60 to 66, all four for 126.
Worth knowing June to November is hurricane season here too, as everywhere in the Caribbean. Sargassum seaweed can reach the beaches between spring and late summer; it reaches other Caribbean coasts too, Punta Cana among them.

Where a big group stays

Four Haciendas, side by side on one beach

In Puerto Aventuras, between Cancun and Tulum: 10 to 15 suites each, and a chef, butlers and a concierge in every house. Take one, or several next to each other.

Check dates for your group Compare the four

Nº 01
Hacienda Jaguar
12 suites · sleeps up to 30
Nº 02
Hacienda Mágica
14 suites · sleeps up to 36
Nº 03
Hacienda Corazón
10 suites · sleeps up to 27
Nº 04
Hacienda Del Mar
15 suites · sleeps up to 33

By the size of your group

What changes as your group grows

The Mayan ruins of Tulum on the cliff above the Caribbean — The Tulum ruins above the Caribbean

Up to about 20, almost any island works. Above 30, the choice narrows quickly, because so few houses on the sand are that big.

Up to 20 guests
Anywhere on this page. Choose on the beach, the flight and the feel you want.
20 to 38 guests
One large house in Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Barbados, the Dominican Republic or Mexico. In our count these islands’ biggest beachfront houses sleep about 24 to 38; one Hacienda sleeps 27 to 36.
40 to 60 guests
Few places: a pair of houses in Anguilla, a three-villa compound in Turks and Caicos, a private island in the Bahamas or the BVI, or two Haciendas side by side for 60 to 66.
60 to 126 guests
A hotel buyout, or the four Haciendas in Puerto Aventuras: 51 suites for up to 126, each house with its own team.

Cabo or Cancun? The two coasts compared

Puerto Vallarta or Cancun? The two coasts compared

Punta Cana or Cancun? Compared for families and groups

Playa del Carmen or Cancun? Where to stay

Villas for large groups in Mexico: four regions compared

30 guests or more

For 30 guests or more: the Haciendas at a glance

Four Haciendas of 10 to 15 suites, side by side on one beach in Puerto Aventuras, each with its own team. One house sleeps 27 to 36, two side by side 60 to 66, all four 126.

Checked with our house team, October 2026

Mexico’s four regions compared for a large group

The Four-Hacienda Estate at a glance: place, houses, suites, guests, events, team, price and minimum stay
Where	Puerto Aventuras, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast (the Riviera Maya): four Haciendas side by side on the beach of Fatima Bay
Getting there	About 1 hour from Cancun airport (1 hour 15 from Tulum’s)
The houses	Hacienda Jaguar, Mágica, Corazón and Del Mar, south to north
Suites	51 in all: Jaguar 12, Mágica 14, Corazón 10, Del Mar 15
Sleeps	126 guests in all: Jaguar 30, Mágica 36, Corazón 27, Del Mar 33
Events	Up to 60 guests at one Hacienda, 80 to 100 with two, up to 150 with three or more
Team	In every Hacienda: a chef and sous-chef, two butlers, two stewards, housekeeping twice a day and a concierge. 75 people on our team in all
Whole estate	Rent one Hacienda, two, three or all four; houses you take together always sit next to each other
Price	From USD $2,860 a night for 4 suites, plus 22% tax; food and drink billed on top
Minimum stay	4 suites and 3 nights (4 at Jaguar); longer over the holidays
Run by	One family owns the four houses; our own team has run them for guests since 2009

What people ask

Questions about Mexico and the islands

Turks and Caicos or Mexico for a large family group?

Up to about 30, either: Turks and Caicos for Grace Bay and a beach-first week, Mexico for more to do and easier flights from across the US and Canada. Above that, Mexico: in our October 2026 count the largest single beachfront house in Turks and Caicos had 17 bedrooms, for about 34, while four Haciendas side by side in Puerto Aventuras sleep 126.

What is the best Caribbean destination for a group of 40?

For 40 under one roof, very few places work. In our October 2026 count, the only options on the sand were a pair of houses in Anguilla (about 40), a three-villa compound in Turks and Caicos (about 46 to 56), private islands in the Bahamas and the BVI, and, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, two Haciendas side by side in Puerto Aventuras (60 to 66).

Can 50 people rent one villa in the Caribbean?

Rarely. The largest single beachfront houses we found in the islands sleep about 30 to 38. Groups of 50 usually take a compound, a private island or a hotel. In Puerto Aventuras, two Haciendas side by side sleep 60 to 66, and all four 126.

Costa Rica or Mexico for a family reunion?

For a big family under one roof, Mexico: in our count Costa Rica had no single beachfront house with 10 or more bedrooms, so a large family there splits across villas or a hotel. Costa Rica wins on nature, wildlife, volcanoes and surf; Mexico’s Caribbean coast on a calm sea and keeping everyone together.

Bahamas or the Riviera Maya for a family reunion?

For a short flight from Florida or a private island, the Bahamas. For a large family in one house, the Riviera Maya: the largest single house on the sand we could confirm in the Bahamas had 9 bedrooms, while one Hacienda sleeps 27 to 36 and all four 126.

Is Turks and Caicos worth it compared with the Riviera Maya?

If the beach is the whole trip, Grace Bay is one of the best, and many feel it is worth it. If the group wants days out, cenotes, Mayan ruins, sea turtles, or needs room for more than about 34 in one house, the Riviera Maya gives more. Compare whole-house rates per bedroom for your dates, with taxes and staff included.

Is Cancun the same as the Riviera Maya?

Not quite. Cancun is the city and the airport at the top of Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The Riviera Maya is the coast south of it, through Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras to Tulum. Most people who “go to Cancun” fly into Cancun and stay somewhere on that coast.

Where can 30 to 126 guests stay together on the Riviera Maya?

At the Four-Hacienda Estate in Puerto Aventuras: four staffed Haciendas side by side on one beach. One house sleeps 27 to 36, two side by side 60 to 66, all four 126 in 51 suites. Each comes with a chef and sous-chef, two butlers, two stewards, housekeeping and a concierge. Every Hacienda rents from 4 suites, from USD $2,860 a night plus 22% tax, for 3 nights or more (4 at Jaguar); food and drink are billed on top.

How far are the Haciendas from the airport?

About 1 hour from Cancun airport (1 hour 15 from Tulum’s). Your concierge arranges the transfers, staggered to your group’s flights.

Every question and answer