When luxury travelers speak of the Caribbean and Latin America, the conversation often gravitates toward the usual suspects—Cancún, Punta Cana, San Juan. But there’s a quieter narrative unfolding beyond the spotlight. Marriott Bonvoy’s curated collection of properties across lesser-known destinations is inviting travelers to engage with a more grounded kind of luxury: one rooted in local culture, natural beauty, and the art of slowing down.
Here are seven under-the-radar destinations—each with a Marriott Bonvoy property—that pair refined hospitality with a sense of place that’s still refreshingly intact.
St. Thomas may be well-traveled, but Mermaid’s Chair—a narrow spit of sand where the Atlantic and Caribbean seas converge—feels like a private discovery. Reaching it requires a short hike, but the reward is solitude with sweeping sea views.
For a seamless transition between wilderness and indulgence, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas delivers an elevated coastal experience. Think: four beachfront restaurants, an award-winning spa, and a fleet-ready catamaran—all just minutes from Charlotte Amalie’s cultural core.
A ferry ride from Cancún drops you into the serene rhythms of Isla Mujeres, where sunrise over the Caribbean is a quiet ritual worth waking for. Beyond the island’s southern trails and sculpture park honoring the goddess Ixchel, Almare, a Luxury Collection Resort offers an adults-only all-inclusive experience that fuses Mayan culinary influences with understated elegance.
With beachfront suites, personalized service, and curated experiences designed for slower travel, Almare sets the tone for refined island immersion.
Guyana’s capital is a study in contrasts: timber-framed cathedrals, colonial gardens, and sprawling markets just a drive away from some of the most untouched rainforest on Earth. The Guyana Marriott Hotel Georgetown blends urban sophistication with access to national icons like St. George’s Cathedral and the Promenade Gardens.
Its standout restaurant, Terra Mare, is a 2025 nominee for Best Hotel Restaurant in Guyana, setting a new benchmark for culinary ambition in a city on the cusp of global recognition.
Beyond Sayulita and San Pancho lies Lo de Marcos, a tranquil village that offers golden beaches, unmarked trails, and clay deposits hidden among the trees. At Delta Hotels by Marriott Riviera Nayarit, guests trade traditional beach clubs for the Aqua Jungle and River experience, set against the Sierra Madre mountains.
With locally inspired menus, curated wellness excursions, and the Tonati Beach Club nearby, it’s a resort designed for those who value natural luxury over flash.
Tucked between mountains and sea, Miches is the Dominican Republic’s unsung hero of coastal travel. The Marriott Miches Beach All-Inclusive Resort offers the best of both worlds with separate adults-only and family sections, allowing tailored experiences along Playa Esmeralda’s unspoiled shores.
La Jalda Waterfall and Laguna Limón Reserve are within reach for eco-minded adventurers, while the on-property dining and wellness offerings cater to those who prefer to take in nature with a glass of wine in hand.
With a growing culinary scene, access to the Amboró National Park, and colonial legacies like the Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos, Santa Cruz de la Sierra is one of South America’s best-kept secrets. Marriott Santa Cruz places you in the city’s cultural heartbeat with rooftop city views and themed nights that spotlight Bolivian gastronomy and music.
Its location also positions travelers to explore both the historic and the wild, all while enjoying five-star comfort and high-touch hospitality.
Mazatlán’s growing popularity hasn’t yet touched Isla de la Piedra or Playa Cerritos, where wide sands and calm waters remain blissfully uncrowded. At Courtyard by Marriott Mazatlán Beach Resort, guests can enjoy bespoke culinary experiences at Don Joaquin, serving Sinaloan seafood with modern precision.
Exclusive tours to the Mazatlán Lighthouse and MUNBA Museum round out a coastal itinerary that’s equal parts heritage and horizon.
Marriott Bonvoy’s hidden gems across the Caribbean and Latin America offer a compelling counterpoint to overtourism, proving that luxury doesn’t have to mean overexposure. Whether it’s jungle immersion in Nayarit, colonial echoes in Georgetown, or morning light over Isla Mujeres, these properties invite travelers to explore the unfamiliar—without compromising on refinement.