Cancun - Where to Stay

wackojackouk

Hi ppl

Thinking of going to Mexico (Cancun) on a last minute deal in November this year.

Can anyone recommend somewhere to stay? - ie good beach/pool/food etc

Was thinking of going All Inclusive as well - wondering now if its worth looking at other Mexican resorts - any suggestions?

Have seen good and bad reviews for almost everywhere on the Trip Advisor site but thought I'd pick the brains of MSE'rs who know a good bargain

Cheers

WJUK

Dannybhoy

I have been to the area on 5 occasions previously.

The beaches in Cancun and the Riviera Maya are stunning and most hotels are located directly on the beach. Please ensure that any late deal is not for a lagoon side hotel in Cancun itself as many of the lower priced properties are.

If you want nightlife on your doorstep then Cancun is best for you. Fantastic (and pricey) nightclubs. Lots of nice restaurants and shopping is good also.

If you want a quieter break then try resorts such as Playacar which is fairly low key and hotel entertainment orientated. Plus you have the very close proximity to Playa Del Carmen for alternative restaurants shopping and clubbing if required. Puerto Aventuras is another area where many nice hotels are located but not much to do outwith.

If you like a mix of lively and relaxation the Riu, Barcelo and Iberostar chains are well geared up for both, if you want peace and quiet some of the Palace and Spa chains are more relaxing.

Always check Trip Advisor once you like the sound of a hotel/holiday offer. You tend to find that this area of Mexico has a lot of American tourists and they give bad mouth ratings for the slightest of reasons. "The beds weren't changed daily", "my partner stood on a sea urchin" (and it's the hotels fault!) and "the hotel manager doesn't smile" are not good enough reasons to blast a bad rating for anotherwise excellent hotel.

Good luck whatever you choose to do, and don't forget that you might have to pay a departure tax of anywhere between $40 and $60 when leaving Cancun Airport. It was around $45 when I was last there.

Dannybhoy

Jetset_House

Hi,

The hotel I recommend with confidence to all my clients looking for somewhere excellent to stay is the Karisma Hotels El Dorado Seaside Suites; it is adults only, very intimate, all A La Carte dining with superb quality food and choice of dining options (including dining on the beach), great spa facilities and is definitely much better value then the overrated and overpriced Moon Palace.

All rooms there feature a large Jacuzzi and hammocks on the balcony. You can also book swim up rooms.

I love selling this hotel to clients as you know they will have a great holiday! Take a look at it, it is absolutely superb!

If you where thinking of elsewhere in Mexico, perhaps try Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta for a more authentic Mexican flavour.

Jetset_House

Becles

I didn't like Cancun. The locals call it the American playground!

It's a long Las Vegas style strip of high rise hotels, with many Amercian chain restaurants and bars, and glitzy shopping malls.

The further south you go, the less touristy it is and the better the beaches are.

I loved Playa Del Carmen. There are no high rise hotel blocks there. The resort centre is a pedestrianised main street. It does have some chains, but it's mainly small independant shops, bars and restaurants. It's much more relaxed and laid back than Cancun, and has a much more Mexican feel to it. Playacar is close by and you can walk into Playa del Carmen.

I agree with taking Trip Advisor reports with a pinch of salt. I heard so many stupid complaints by Americans while we were in our hotel, such as it didn't serve Budweiser, but it did serve Mexican beers! Someone complained because there was mexican food on the menu, someone told my son who was helping himself to a seafood dish that it wasn't for children, and another lady was shouting at the beach barman because the wind blew sand in her face

Ali_UK

Unless you are twenty-something looking for rowdy fun then Cancun probably isn't your best choice.

Playacar is a hotel based resort but if you are willing to walk approx 25 mins or pay a few dollars for a taxi you can spend some days/evenings in Playa del Carmen which is a great little (but growing) town - best avoided on days the cruise ships are in but you should be able to see from your Playacar beach - or just ask hotel staff and they can tell you which days to avoid. Playa del Carmen is also great for dining out a few nights which is handy if like me you suffer from all-inclusive buffet fatigue!

Most hotel chains have a few hotels in Playacar and you can usually use the other hotel facilities within your chain (i.e. stay at the Riu Tequila and you can use the Riu Playacar and Riu Yucatan bars, lunch restaurant, snack bars - but you must have your dinner at your own hotel)

As Becles also pointed out you are in a good location to explore further south if you want to - there are two eco-parks xel-ha and xcaret, ruins, not to mention miles of sandy beaches!

You may be able to tell that I love the area a lot (have been three times, going elsewhere next year but all geared up to go back in 2009!) but I've been to plenty of other places, just never loved anywhere else as much to keep going back!

sparky61

I would definitely recommend the Riu Tequila, stayed there for 2 weeks AI 19/09 to 04/10 this year, had a fantastic time, the best holiday I've had.
Friendly people, great food, optics in the room as well as a mini bar with soft drinks, water and beer. There were also brilliant coffee machines that made the perfect cappuccino.

I fell in love with the racoons that come onto the complex to play, there are also Agouti, Lizards and monkeys, it's great to see them in their natural habitat.

Hope you have a great time wherever you decide to go
:beer:

wackojackouk

Cheers guys

The missus and her sister are also contemplating Montego Bay in Jamaica now so if anyone knows anything about that area would be good.

Is it quite safe to stroll around in Playacar during the day/evening? and are there any decent shops etc there or in Playa del Carmen?

Cheers

WJUK

trf1960

Oh I absolutely LOVE Mexico - had one of our best holidays there - and I totally agree with everything that has been said about Cancun itself. It is pretty much like staying around the International Drive area of Florida and depending on what time of year you go, you get the American kids on their college breaks - hell on earth in my opinion. :eek: Then again, if you want plenty of rowdy action, nightlife, burger bars and the like, then this could be the place for you.

We stayed in the Playacar region (at one of the Iberostar hotels which was fab) and also not far from a lot of the major tourist sites (Xcarat, Chichinitza (sp?) etc).

Beautiful beaches, fabulous weather, amazing 4/5* all inclusive hotels ..... ahhh, bliss.