4 Best Hotels in Sonora, Mexico

One of the first hotels in Puerto Peñasco, Playa Bonita is beginning to show its age, though rooms are clean and comfortable. Ask for one facing the hotel's broad, sandy beach. An RV park provides 300 hookups at $17–$20 a day. As the name of the Puesta del Sol restaurant ("setting of the sun") implies, this is a perfect place to see the sun set. Don't miss the divine margaritas.

The oldest building in town, this 80-year-old stone villa is also the most winsome. Constructed by the current proprietor's grandfather, it has plenty of history. This is where gangster Al Capone hid out from the government in 1927, or so it's said. The rooms are small but expertly restored, with thick wooden doors and castlelike walls.

One of the first megacomplexes in Rocky Point, this massive pink resort operates much like a hotel, but it has one-, two-, and three-bedroom, fully furnished condominiums in place of standard rooms. The Sonoran Grill ($$–$$$) serves steaks and seafood, as well as a great spicy lasagna made with chipotle chilies. The beach in front is never crowded, and you can do plenty here without leaving the resort—a good thing, since it is a bit far from the center of town.

Overlooking the ocean, this tidy hotel is the kind of place where you want to admire the sweeping views. That would be a shame, as it is steps away from the shops and restaurants of the town's waterfront walk. Rooms here are bright but sparsely decorated; some are excellent places to take in the sunset, but most of them actually don't have views, so take a look around first.