Traveler Background

Mid-20’s couple; first time exploring Cancun
However, in 2006 we stayed at the Mayan Palace in Riviera Maya and enjoyed our stay.

Resort - General

On a scale of 1-10, we would grade this resort a 7. The grounds were clean and staff was pleasant. The cost per night was exceptional for the location and accommodations. The guests were cordial. When we arrived to the resort, the outside guard attendant alerted the front desk that we had arrived. The front door attendants greeted us by name (which of course is a nice extra). Concierge greeted us with cool hand towels and a refreshing beverage. I asked that our room not face construction and our request was granted. I’m so glad we made that request because when we went to view the tennis court there were some hotel rooms facing construction and the tennis court – what a bummer. The gym had all new equipment, towels at each station, and purified water available. We noticed that it can be crowded in the early morning (which is expected).

Hotel Room

Nice and clean, interior design is lacking and dated. The bathroom was nice, however the daily room attendant reluctantly left us enough face towels. We had to hide additional face towel (for future use) or consistently request additional face towels (which are located inside the wood paneling near the elevators on your floor - we caught sight of this one day). The mini bar amenities are ridiculously expensive. I encourage anyone to either bring snacks from their hometown or visit a nearby convenient store for snacks for your stay.

Transportation – from/to Airport

Concierge advised us to make reservations for roundtrip transportation in advance from Grayline Transportation. We purchased roundtrip tickets online before departing. Online we were quoted $23.00 per person (roundtrip) for a shared shuttle which means there will be other travelers in the shuttle that may be dropped off before your destination. If you’re unable to purchase in advance, Grayline shuttles are available at the airport, however, I’m unsure of the cost.

Be aware of the salesmen that come off as helpful locals. They will try to lure you in by asking questions about your vacation and/or transportation. If you don’t want to waste your precious vacation time, smile and keep going out to the main entrance where the Grayline shuttles and taxis are located.

Transportation – Activities

We opted for the cheap and safe way to get around town which is the .65 (USD) public bus. I felt safe knowing that there were several people (travelers and locals) on the bus and that we weren’t alone with one person. The R-1 or R-2 bus located on the main street takes you along the Hotel Zone where you can find several shopping malls and restaurants. We also took the R-1 to the major bus station (ADO) which links up to a bus that takes you Playa Del Carmen (6.50 USD per person roundtrip)

Meals

The on-site restaurants are nice and convenient but that comes at price. Despite the mixed reviews, we tried out the breakfast buffet at Alioi. It was very pricey – $26.00 per person. The food was okay, the omelets were delicious, pastries were okay. The pancakes were disappointing. I wish the resort had more affordable breakfast options. The breakfast room service options were pricey as well.

For dinner, the concierge recommended Palomas Bonitas. The food was delicious and the staff was AWESOME. I would strongly recommend this restaurant if you desire an authentic meal and quiet ambience. You can take the R-1 or R-2 bus to the Forum and then walk to its location (ask Concierge (Georgian was AWESOME) for a detailed map and directions).

Playa del Carmen has several affordable authentic restaurants available and great shops.

Activities

There are several shopping centers: Isla Mall (similar stores found back at home); Kukulcan Plaza (expensive shops); Forum by the Sea (Flea Market; the owners of shops will harass you to no end. So if you’re not in the mood for shopping, AVOID).

We purchased an activities package from Aquaworld located on-site. We experienced parasailing which was fun. We also took advantage of the jungle tour and snorkeling. The jungle tour was nice and snorkeling was brief but nice as well. The total package was $231 USD (including tax) for a couple.

Miscellaneous

Bring several single dollar bills for tips and bus fare.

Bring bug repellant for the bugs (perhaps mosquitoes) that attack your ankles and feet.

On our first trip to Mexico we spent 6 nights at the Le Meridien in Cancun. We rented a car and after an easy drive from the airport we were greeted in the lobby with moist scented towels and cool mango drinks. We upgraded to the 6th floor which included breakfast and happy hour and the best part; the entire floor was non-smoking. The room overlooked the pools and provided a great view of the beach and ocean. The bed was extremely comfortable, the room was very clean and maid service was three times daily. Most evenings included champagne and finger food followed by a dip in the pool/hot tub and a nighcap at the poolside restaurant/bar. The staff invariably greeted us with a cheerful Ola! and asked if there was anything they could do to make our stay more pleasant. We have stayed at high-end hotels such as the Fairmont Orchid and Ritz Carlton Kaplua but this hotel exceeded both in ameniteies and customer service. We will definitely stay here again.

I just returned yesterday from a 3 night stay at Le Meridien in Cancun. I went with 3 of my girlfriends for a weekend getaway. We had such a fabulous time and all 4 of us loved our hotel choice.

We booked superior rooms through Travelocity, but were upgraded at check-in. The rooms were lovely and well appointed. We especially liked the bathrooms, as they were very spacious.

The service was the best part of the stay. Everyone was attentive, very nice and very helpful. We sat on the beach the entire time and the service was excellent.

This is my second time staying at Le Meridien and this time was even better than the last. You definitely can't go wrong booking at this property.

We stayed here for our honeymoon and I must say that it was a hreat experiance. The serverice was first class and the Concierge assisted us with finding things to do while we were there. I recommend this hotel to all that want a romantic vacation for two.