Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

The Pacific equivalent of the Riviera Maya flagship — same three-zone Ambassador/Grand Class/Family split, same Grand Velas kitchen, and a beach that's actually swimmable in winter, which the Cabos side isn't always. Score is 96 at $11,340 a week, which prices a hair below Riviera Maya for what's arguably the more consistent product.

Nuevo Vallarta sits north of Puerto Vallarta and gets a different demographic mix than the Riviera Maya — fewer European package tourists, more West Coast US, a calmer beach club row, and a microclimate that runs warm and dry from November through April. The trade-off is the destination weight: the Riviera Nayarit doesn't have Tulum or Mayakoba's day-trip ecosystem, and travelers who want excursions beyond the property will find the options thinner.

What you're paying for: the Grand Velas family-friendly configuration on the cheaper coast, with a swimmable Pacific beach and a quieter destination. For families on the Pacific side who want luxury without the Cabos winter wind, this beats the Boutique. For travelers who specifically want the Riviera Maya excursion menu, book Riviera Maya instead.