Hotels in Cancún, Mexico

Best time to visit Cancun

Cancun summers from May – August are hot and humid, with average temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall months from September – November are prone to severe storms and hurricanes which can disrupt travel plans, but this is also the time when hotels offer attractive deals and discounts to encourage more visitors. The best time for a Cancun trip is during the winter months from December – April which is also the peak tourist season. However, the near-perfect weather more than makes up for the large crowds, as long as you avoid the spring-break weekends from mid-March – early April. If you book your accommodation in advance, you will be able to lock-in reasonable room rates for your winter visit.

Getting around Cancun

Most Cancun resorts are either directly on the beachfront or just a short walk away, making it easy to explore the nearest beach areas on foot. To get around other parts of town, rely on the excellent and economical bus service which runs along Boulevard Kukulcan and within the downtown area. One-way fares are 8.50 pesos. Bus One, which is the only air-conditioned bus operating in the Hotel Zone, charges 11.00 pesos per ride. You can hail a taxi anywhere in Cancun. Fares are set by zones traveled. Check with the driver and agree on a rate before you start your journey. Remember that taxis from outside your hotel or restaurant are more expensive than ones you hail in the streets. If you are visiting Isla Mujeres, you can take a ferry from Punta Sam, Puerto Juarez or Gran Puerto. Ferries leave every 20 – 30 minutes and cost approximately 35.00 pesos from Puerto Juarez or 70.00 pesos from Gran Puerto.

Best places to stay in Cancun

If you have never been to Cancun, picture a long, narrow, land mass surrounded by water, dedicated almost exclusively to tourism. One side of the street is packed with hotels, traditional resorts and massive all-inclusive resorts, while across the street are hundreds of chain restaurants, shopping centers, attractions and nightclubs. Most Cancun hotels are concentrated in just a couple of large neighborhoods, making it quite easy to choose where to stay.

Downtown Cancun (El Centro)

Downtown Cancun is a uniquely Mexican and budget-friendly locality with moderately priced hotels and several open-air markets. This area also offers a vibrant nightlife and restaurant scene. The beaches are about a 20-minute bus or taxi ride from downtown. Consider the Krystal Urban Cancun Hotel, set in a modern high-rise, just a minute’s walk from Plaza de Toro’s bullfighting arena, and less than a kilometer away from the Malecón Tajamar boardwalk. Check out the Mayan-themed Xbalamqué Cancun Downtown Hotel & Spa that features individually decorated rooms and suites, just a 5-minute drive from the Hotel Zone entrance. In the heart of downtown, you have Adhara Hacienda Cancún Hotel, a hacienda-style accommodation with colonial architecture, bright, airy rooms, and a host of complimentary extras.

Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera)

Hotel Zone’s most prominent palm-lined street, Boulevard Kukulcan is where you will find most of the luxurious hotels, massive amenities-laden resorts and a host of up-scale shopping options. Popular beaches in this area include Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas in the north, Playa Gaviota and Playa Chacmool in the middle of the strip, and Playa Delfines on the southeastern side. For families traveling with kids, check out the various all-inclusive beachfront properties offered by Palace Resorts or Club Med. For an uber-cool and vibrant ambience, consider the Hard-Rock Hotel Cancun or the Melia hotel, Paradisus Cancun. Indulge in ultra-luxurious, amenity-rich properties, such as The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun that features an exclusive private beach, or Le Blanc Spa Resort, an all-inclusive, adult-only property. You can also look at Hyatt Ziva Cancun that is surrounded by the glorious Caribbean Sea on 3 sides, or Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun located in the heart of the Hotel Zone close to popular nightlife venues. Both are luxurious, all-inclusive, beachfront properties where you can experience excellent amenities and extraordinary service.

Cheap hotels in Cancun

With over 150 hotels and resorts, Cancun caters to a wide range of budgets. For the most part, pocket-friendly properties will translate into fewer in-room amenities or fewer on-site restaurants and facilities. You will still be able to enjoy good beachfront locations and proximity to shopping, dining and entertainment. Check out the casual, all-inclusive, beachfront property of Hotel Imperial Las Perlas on Las Perlas Beach, just 10 minutes from Downtown Cancun. Midway between downtown and the Hotel Zone, you have the family-friendly Dos Playas Beach House Hotel by Faranda. In the heart of the Hotel Zone, consider the more compact, beachfront hotels such as Flamingo Cancun Resort or Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas. For absolute rock-bottom rates, especially for young students on a back-packing trip, stay in Hostel Ka’beh, a Hola Hostels property in Downtown Cancun.

The massive, all-inclusive beachfront resorts of Cancun offer many on-site facilities, and entertainment for all ages. Most travelers are content with lounging on the beaches with their cool tropical drinks, and spending the entire duration of their trip within the resort complex. For others who are interested in stepping out of the hotel, there are several options to choose from, including water parks and activities, cruise parties, archaeological ruins, adventure parks, and organized tours to other islands close by.

• Hop on a ferry to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) to visit Hacienda Mundaca, the ruined mansion of a 19th-century slave trader, and spot sea turtles at the local tortugranja (turtle farm).
• Plan a day trip to Chichén Itzá, to explore the spectacular ruins at this large Mayan archaeological site. It has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is of the most recognized landmarks in Yucatán, Mexico.
• Get up close with iguanas at the El Rey Ruins in the Hotel Zone.
• Check out a large collection of Mayan archaeological artifacts in the sleek design setting at the Mayan Museum of Cancun in the Hotel Zone.
• Visit Dreams Cancún Hotel in the Hotel Zone, and book a Delphinus Dreams Cancún tour for an opportunity to swim with Dolphins.
• Explore local marine life and meet several underwater creatures at the Interactive Aquarium.
• Shop for leather, silver, pottery, glassware, artwork, and traditional Mexican handicrafts at Market 28, a one-stop retail destination in Downtown Cancun.
• Try jet skiing, waterskiing, boating, and kayaking as part of your all-inclusive resort facilities, or head to Nichupte Lagoon Cancun, spread over 3,000 hectares and featuring 7 lakes with water fun activities.
• Book a cenote tour that is offered by several local tour operators. As part of these tours, you can explore the world’s largest range of underwater caves and cavern systems, snorkel through pristine waters, ride zip lines over rainforest canopies, go off-roading, quad biking, scuba diving, or simply swim in a cenote.
• Go clubbing or pub-hopping at the several nightlife venues in the Hotel Zone. Don’t miss a stop at Coco Bongo Cancun to witness non-stop performances of acrobats, conga lines, live bands, and musician impersonators.