Bad sign when the lady ahead of you at check-in is literally sobing about the condition and location of her room at the hotel. She had planned her entire vacation around this property and my heart just ached for her. But I soon came to understand why she was so upset.

Really my biggest issue was the room, which felt a lot more like a cheap timeshare than a luxury suite. The way the hotel and its' suites are situated you either have a front ocean view suite or a rear side view suite, and there are relatively few ocean fronts. We had the latter and had to deal with a construction view, the never ending hum of industrial airconditioning units below us and street noise. The patio area was pathetic beyond description, well OK, think dormatory.

The room itself was large, probably 1100 sf, but decorated in 1990's Pottery Barn style and felt really worn, just really a let down for a property of this supposed category. Our room had just gotten a new mattress, which was fine and from what I read earlier, very much needed. (they were replacing all the mattresses on our entire floor, which I know because all of the old ones were piled in the hallways when we arrived) The bathroom however was actually very nice.

I cannot speak to the ocean front rooms, they may provide a very different experience. Clearly the view and noise issues that frustrated me would not be an issue.

The positives were the spa (really superb), gym, pool areas and the staff was fine, although not exceptional.

My other experiences in Cancun were the Ritz, which is really RC at its' best and in a class by itself and the JW Marriot, which is clearly a significant step above this property in every category except spa.

I have had limited experiences with Le Meridien properties but from what I have heard this location does not live up to their standards. On the other hand a friend who was a big fan at one time lamented that the properties have been "Starwooded" of late. I think I now understand what he means.

If you are expecting something in the same categoy of RC, Four Seasons or Fairmont, this hotel is a huge miss.

Let me start by stating that I definitely recommend this hotel to everyone!

Rooms - We had a deluxe oceanview room with a balcony.
Hotel rooms are a good size and beautiful bathrooms with all marble. The beds were very comfortable.
Everything was VERY CLEAN.
Our room faced the pools and a sideways view of the ocean. There is construction on this side of the hotel but it didn't bother us at all.

Royal Club - The club was a nice addition to our stay but I must say it is not as grand as the Club Level at the Ritz.. The selection is very minimal in comparision.

Pool - There are 3 pools. The pool service was great, the staff was sooo attentive. They were constantly making sure we had everything we needed - drinks, food, towels, etc. We rented cabanas everyday and we recommend it if you want to be super comfortable.

Beach - The beach water was warm and clear. It is not rocky and there was no seaweed. However, there were big waves. And everyday there was a red flag warning us of the currents.

Location - The hotel is located between the Ritz-Carlton and the JW hotel. It is not near anything walkable like shops and restaurants. The closest shops are a 15-20 minute walk from the hotel. Of course you can cab it instead.

Above all, the staff is terrific.
They really make you feel welcomed and they make your stay here very personal. There are too many employees to mention but Gina and Sandra were remarkable. They setup our excursions to the Ruins and made many recommendations to us.

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.