You want a resort with some heat. Somewhere with a topless pool, costume nights and a party that keeps going after dinner, where nobody minds if you let loose.
Two names come up straight away: Temptation Cancun and Desire Riviera Maya. The same company runs both and both are 21+, so they can sound interchangeable. One is playful and social, though, and the other is couples-only, clothing-optional and more intimate. Mix them up and you've booked the wrong trip.
Topless-optional vs clothing-optional: two different rules
- Topless-optional: tops can come off in set areas, usually the pools and the beach. Everywhere else, normal swimwear and clothes.
- Clothing-optional: full nudity is allowed in set areas. Clothes are still required in some places.
Who can book is a separate rule, so don't read a couples-only policy into the dress code. Our guide to clothing-optional or topless-optional goes through it in detail.
Temptation Cancun: the playful party resort
Temptation Cancun is a 430-room resort. It's 21+ and takes singles and couples, which gives it a mixed, social crowd.
It's topless-optional only. The areas the resort names are the Sexy Pool, the Quiet Pool, the outdoor jacuzzi and the beach. The mood is flirty and loud rather than explicit.
People go for the entertainment. There's a theme night every evening, and this is the resort's current official line-up:
| Night | Theme |
|---|---|
| Monday | Western Rush |
| Tuesday | Let's Get Wild (animal print) |
| Wednesday | Party Angels (lingerie for women; pants and accessories for men) |
| Thursday | Holographic Vibes |
| Friday | Retro Neon (80s) |
| Saturday | Velvet Rouge (red) |
| Sunday | Steampunk Pulse |
The pool parties come on top of that: a Fire Up Foam Party on Tuesday, the Naughty-Cal Pool Party on Thursday and a Peace & Love Foam Party on Saturday.
Themes change from year to year, and several websites still show old line-ups. Check the resort's current list before you buy a single costume.
See the Temptation Cancun weekly schedule, then read the packing guide.
First-timers tend to miss two rules:
- Keep your phone away in the topless-optional areas.
- Some restaurants have a dress code for men: long pants, closed-toe shoes and a collared shirt with sleeves.
Temptation Cancun suits you if you want costumes, foam parties and a resort that feels like a week-long celebration. Skip it if you want nudity or a couples-only crowd.
Desire Riviera Maya: the intimate, couples-only resort
Desire Riviera Maya sits south of Cancún on the Riviera Maya coast. It's 21+ and couples only. Its own house rules say it attracts open-minded heterosexual couples, while respecting all lifestyles.
It's clothing-optional. You can be nude at the pools, the beach, the Jacuzzi Lounge and the Private Couples' Lounge. In all restaurants, the disco and the lobby, clothes are required, and shoes are required everywhere.
The mood is intimate and sensual, and the house rules spell out how that works:
- The Playroom, the Jacuzzi Lounge and the Private Couples' Lounge are for couples only.
- Intimacy stays in your room, the Jacuzzi Lounge or the Playroom. Never the main pools or the beach.
- Photos and video are banned in all public areas.
- There's a strict "No means No" policy.
The theme nights are dressier: lingerie, masquerade and white nights.
Desire Riviera Maya suits you if you want a sensual, couples-only escape where clothing is optional, or if you're curious and want a relaxed place with clear rules to explore. If you're mainly after a big party and costume nights, Temptation is the better fit. For a quieter couples-only option in the same family, look at Desire Pearl.
Still weighing the two? Our Temptation Cancun vs Desire Riviera Maya comparison puts them head to head.
Temptation Cancun vs Desire Riviera Maya: the rules side by side
| Temptation Cancun | Desire Riviera Maya | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| Who can book | Singles and couples | Couples only |
| Dress code | Topless-optional | Clothing-optional |
| Where | Sexy Pool, Quiet Pool, outdoor jacuzzi, beach | Pools, beach, Jacuzzi Lounge, Private Couples' Lounge |
| Clothes required | Everywhere else; long pants in some restaurants | Restaurants, disco, lobby |
| Photos | Keep phones away in topless areas | Banned in all public areas |
| Vibe | Playful party | Intimate and sensual |
Two alternatives: Temptation Miches and Hedonism II
Temptation Miches, in the Dominican Republic, is the newer Temptation. It has the same playful, topless-optional style, with theme nights, pool parties and a social crowd. It has 382 rooms and is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Punta Cana airport, so it's a good pick if you want the Temptation mood somewhere other than Cancún.
Hedonism II in Negril, Jamaica, takes singles and couples. It has a clothing-optional "nude" side and a "prude" side, each with its own pool and bar, and the usual crowd is mostly couples in their 40s and 50s. It also runs signature weeks that change the crowd, and one runs from November 28 to December 5. Check the event calendar before you pick dates.
When to go in December
The first two weeks of December are the best-value window of the year at Temptation Cancun, and the theme nights still run every evening. The Caribbean Snow Pool Party on December 2 is a fun reason to arrive early in the month.
The holiday stretch has its own events:
- December 24: the Christmas pool party.
- December 31: the New Year's theme night.
December 24 to 31 is the most expensive week of the year. If you want the countdown party, book four to six months ahead, because New Year's sells out that early.
Ready to pick one?
If you're torn between the playful mood and the intimate one, see the offers.
