Thompson vs SLS Ocean Beach in Puerto Cancún: what each one includes

In pesos, Thompson costs about a third more per square meter than SLS Ocean Beach; both towers are in Puerto Cancún. SLS quotes in dollars, but its contract, according to the developer, is signed in pesos at 16.50 per dollar. The gap changes with the floor: for a 3-bedroom on a low floor, they are close.

Both towers are in pre-sale, and neither allows vacation rentals. We compared the price per square meter of the available units at SLS Ocean Beach and at Thompson Puerto Cancún, and how it changes by floor.

Thompson quotes in Mexican pesos, so we converted its prices at Banxico's FIX rate, the Bank of Mexico's official reference rate: 18.6525 pesos per dollar on October 27, 2026, published in the DOF, Mexico's official gazette, on October 28, 2026.

Which costs more per sq m, Thompson or SLS Ocean Beach?

In pesos, Thompson Private Residences costs about a third more per square meter than SLS Ocean Beach. The gap is not even: on the low floors, Thompson sits close to SLS; on the high ones, well above it.

Why does Thompson cost more per sq m?

Thompson costs more per sq m because its price climbs with height much faster than SLS Ocean Beach's. In each tower we compared condos with the same floor plan on different floors:

• Thompson: the price per sq m of the same floor plan rises with height more than at SLS.
• SLS Ocean Beach: the price per sq m barely changes with height.

That is why “about a third” sums up the whole tower: it is not what you pay on every floor.

Beyond the price, here is what comes with each one:

• Thompson Puerto Cancún: a branded residence by Thompson Hotels (Hyatt), which runs the services for residents; the building does not operate as a hotel. A private direct elevator to each residence, more than 3,500 sq m (about 37,700 sq ft) of amenities across four levels, a private pick-up and drop-off dock on the canal, and 24/7 services such as concierge and an in-residence chef. Developed by Azul Hospitality & Real Estate Group.
• SLS Ocean Beach Residences: residences under the SLS brand (part of Ennismore, in which Accor holds the majority stake), facing the marina. Ownership includes access to the SLS Cancun Beach Club, with food and drinks billed separately, and every residence comes with staff quarters, two parking spaces and a storage unit. Presented by Related Group with U-Calli and Inmobilia, all three as brand licensors; the developer of record is Banco Invex Trust 3792.

Puerto Cancún's 18-hole golf course and its beach club both depend on a Club Puerto Cancún membership share, and Nautilus has not confirmed with either developer that the purchase includes one; details below. The Thompson tower has a golf simulator.

How does the comparison change by floor?

For a 3-bedroom on a low floor, Thompson and SLS Ocean Beach are close in pesos. Higher up, Thompson pulls away, because its price per sq m rises more with each floor than SLS's, which barely changes with height.

We compared the 3-bedroom because it is the layout both towers offer at almost the same size. If height is not your priority, start with Thompson's lower floors. If you want a high floor, SLS charges you less for going up.

How close is the beach, and what can you see from each tower?

SLS Ocean Beach is closer to the beach and comes with beach club access; Thompson is a little farther from the sand, but what stands in front of it is much lower than the tower. We measured on OpenStreetMap and Google Maps from the approximate location of each construction site, since neither tower has its footprint on the maps yet.

SLS Ocean Beach: the closest beach, a view through a corridor

From SLS Ocean Beach, the sea view runs between towers of about its own height. To the northeast stand two towers of about 20 floors, roughly 160 and 230 m away; to the east-southeast, about 180 m away, is the Grand Hyatt Cancun Beach Resort, which Hyatt expects to open in December 2026. Between them are two open windows: one toward Isla Mujeres and one toward the open sea south of the island. The brochure itself warns that the developer does not guarantee any view and that future construction may limit it (p. 54).

Its advantage is the beach club. Access to SLS Cancún Beach Club is included with ownership (brochure, p. 15), and it is less than half a kilometer away on foot. It is not a residents-only club: the hotel sells day passes to visitors (ResortPass, checked on October 29, 2026).

Thompson: farther from the sand, with little in front

Thompson rises 23 floors, and what stands in front of it is low: Port Marina (5 floors), Allure (8) and Riva (7), all within 120 m, with 2- and 3-story houses behind them. From the middle of the tower up, the view toward the sea, toward Isla Mujeres (about 11 km, or 7 miles, to the east-northeast) and toward the Hotel Zone (Punta Cancún, about 7 km, or 4.3 miles, to the east-southeast) clears those buildings; on the lower floors, Riva and Allure sit inside the view. The developer's floor plans (December 2024) label some residences “Isla Mujeres View.” This is our own estimate using OpenStreetMap heights: confirm the view of each unit with its floor plan and orientation.

Thompson has no beach club of its own. To use the Puerto Cancún Beach Club you need to own a Club Puerto Cancún membership share (an “Acción”), priced at USD 110,000, and pay an annual plan of MXN 107,400 to 195,000 in 2026 (about USD 5,760 to 10,450; puertocancun.com, page updated May 8, 2026). The SLS brochure also mentions access to that club without saying whether the share is included: get both points in writing.

What is the starting price at each tower?

Thompson starts at about $783,077 USD at the October 27, 2026 FIX ($14.61 million MXN), for a 2-bedroom condo. SLS Ocean Beach starts with 3 bedrooms: from $1,610,725 USD, which under its peso contract at 16.50 (terms the developer communicated on September 28, 2026) comes to $26,576,963 MXN.

In pesos, the SLS entry price is 82% higher than Thompson's; comparing prices in dollars, it is a little more than double. Part of the reason: SLS has no 2-bedroom condos.

At the top, prices go up to about $10.2 million USD at the FIX ($191 million MXN) at Thompson and to $7,357,294 USD at SLS. Both top prices are penthouses, which we leave out of the per-sq-m comparison.

The payment schedule matches: 20% at signing, 30% in interest-free monthly installments and 50% on delivery. At Thompson, it is the schedule the developer communicated, with installments through July 2028. At SLS, it is part of the terms the developer communicated to Nautilus on September 28, 2026; under SLS's reservation terms as of September 2026, a deposit of about $13,400 USD (250,000 MXN, converted at the FIX) holds a residence for ten business days.

What changes when SLS is signed in pesos?

SLS Ocean Beach quotes its prices in US dollars. The contract, however, is signed in Mexican pesos, at 16.50 pesos for each dollar of the USD price. Those are the terms the developer communicated to Nautilus on September 28, 2026, not a guaranteed price: before you reserve, confirm they still apply and get them in writing.

With Banxico's FIX at 18.6525 (October 27, 2026), signing at 16.50 means paying about 11.5% fewer dollars than the USD price shows. That is why the gap depends on how you measure it:

• In pesos, with Thompson at its peso price and SLS at 16.50: Thompson costs about a third more per sq m. This compares what you pay; converted to dollars at a single exchange rate, the gap is the same.
• Comparing prices in dollars (Thompson converted at the FIX): the gap narrows, because SLS's dollar price shows more than what you pay under the 16.50 peso contract.

That 11.5% is not a guaranteed saving. If you buy with dollars, you convert each peso payment (at signing, the monthly installments and the payment on delivery) at that day's exchange rate: if the peso strengthens, you need more dollars; if it weakens, fewer. The same happens at Thompson, because it is priced in pesos. If you buy with pesos, you pay what the contract says.

Can you rent Thompson or SLS Ocean Beach by the night?

Neither Thompson nor SLS Ocean Beach works for nightly rentals. As confirmed to Nautilus in September 2026, neither accepts vacation rentals, whether on Airbnb or other platforms: they are for owner use or long-term leases, with the minimum term set by each condominium's bylaws.

At Thompson, the brand services are for owners and long-term tenants, not for short stays; at SLS, the brochure describes no rental program. Nautilus does not publish expected rental income. If short-term rental is part of your plan, message us and we will go over which developments in Puerto Cancún allow it.

Which one is right for you?

Neither Thompson nor SLS Ocean Beach wins on everything: it depends on the floor, the number of bedrooms and your budget.

• Smaller budget or 2 bedrooms: Thompson. It is the only one of the two with 2-bedroom condos, and the SLS entry price is 82% higher in pesos.
• 3 bedrooms on a low floor: compare both. In pesos they are close.
• A high floor without a steep premium per floor: SLS. Its price per sq m barely changes with height; Thompson's rises more with each floor.
• A walk to the beach and beach club access: SLS. It is about 430 m from the sand and includes access to SLS Cancún Beach Club.
• An open view from a high floor: Thompson. What stands in front of it is 5 to 8 stories; at SLS, the sea view runs between towers of similar height.
• 5 bedrooms or a private garden: SLS, with its 5-bedroom Ocean House residences and its garden houses.
• Delivery date: for Thompson, we use August 2028, per the payment schedule the developer communicated (its factsheet prints “Q4 2027”); for SLS, an estimated December 2028, not yet confirmed in writing.

Both are in Benito Juárez, the municipality that includes Cancún, so the property transfer tax (ISAI) and closing costs are calculated the same way: estimate them with our closing costs calculator. Puerto Cancún is in Mexico's restricted zone, within 50 km (31 miles) of the coast, so a foreign buyer holds the property through a fideicomiso, a bank trust.

If you are comparing more brands, our Riviera Maya branded residences comparison puts Thompson, SLS and the rest side by side; if you are torn between areas, read Costa Mujeres vs Puerto Cancún. See also other developments in Puerto Cancún.

If you would like a quote for Thompson or SLS Ocean Beach, message us on WhatsApp.