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Hi all, off to Mexico next month on a solo trip for a week. Staying in the hotel strip in Cancun although need to book hotel.
1. Looking at the JW Marriott Cancun, they have a resort fee, little information as to what that covers. Has anyone stayed there and any tips for staying here etc?
2. Given I will be alone (female) it’s more about R & R but would like to go to Cancun centre and also a day trip to Chichen Itza and Isle Mujeres (have done solo trips before and am careful, not out at night walking etc). Does anyone have any tips here? Is Isla Mujeres worthwhile doing?
3. I also don’t want to to be tied down to the JW Marriott on site restaurants so any options near there for food anyone can recommend (I dont drink and not a massive meat eater).
4. Best way to get from airport to hotel (and vice versa) that is not extortionate.
Thank you!
20 years ago now, but we had an idyllic day on Isla Mujeres – took the public ferry from Cancun. I would have happily done it alone. Great snorkelling and a small ruined temple to wander around.
You might want to stay nearer the town for a bigger choice of restaurants, and supermarkets if you want to buy snacks and drinks not at hotel prices.
Resort fees are usually a total rip off and “cover” things you would actually expect in a resort, like sun loungers and towels! Lots of travel blogs talk about them these days, e.g.
https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/hotels/jw-marriott-cancun-resort-spa-review/One thing you might want to research is whether the area is affected by sargassum at the moment, and if so, look for hotels which guarantee to clear it from their stretch of beach.
*I’ve just read that article properly, and you could probably get value from the resort fee if you avail yourself of everything on it! Everything it covers is for 2 people though, so I would insist on double benefits if I were you.
Hi NorthernLass – thanks for the above. Yes read that article on resort fees and plan was to ask instead of the wine tasting e.g. to have free breakfast on a day or two and same with the spa treatment (to have them twice on separate days etc). I have status with Marriott with my Plat card.
Also been researching sargassum and from what I have read difficult to predict that unless it’s a day in advance and from what I have read, JW Marriott should be on top of removing it.
As for food/snacks from what I have read there is a bus service that’s runs along the hotel stretch so could go to malls etc. Looks like there is a marina section at the top of the hotel zone that has restaurants etc so may be could do that (if bus goes there).
With only a week I wouldn’t waste a day on Mujeres personally. Valladolid or Tulum ruins would be much better.
The few times I’ve been to cancun I’ve used USA transfers (see below website) never had a problem with them, always waiting at CUN, and always turn up on time at hotel, I always stay at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara properties at the end of the main hotel zone, and also in the opposite direction, in Riviera Maya.
I would recommend COCO BONGOS in cancun for shows, but it is loud and manic, not sure being a solo traveler it would be for you, but worth a look.
The new bridge linking the airport and hotel zone should be complete now, making the journey quicker.
I stayed downtown, roughly 5 minutes from the main bus station. A bus to the airport was fairly frequent, from memory one every thirty minutes, with advance booking of your ticket recommended.
There are regular buses to the hotel strip which loosely resembled riding one of those rickety old wooden roller coasters, but they did the job!Downtown, El Tigre y El Toro was a very pleasant place to have dinner. You might also like The Surfin Burrito just a walk south of the Hotel Zone.
Thanks all for your comments. @cin3 I will take a look at doing a day trip to Valladolid or Tulum ruins – I thought they were some distance away from Cancun.
Should I be looking at exchanging some money in the UK before I get to Mexico or is it easy to exchange money/use card in Cancun? Thank you!
Should I be looking at exchanging some money in the UK before I get to Mexico or is it easy to exchange money/use card in Cancun? Thank you!
In a lot of countries you get a better rate if you exchange when there, or use a card like curensea, with a a low FX rate, we have only used USD in Mexico and Cancun, as it’s widely accepted.
If you want to buy foreign currency before you travel, your best rates are with online companies, TorFX, TravelFX for example.Timely post, @Gordon! I have 300 USD on my Revolut card and am wondering whether to change them to MEX pesos now or after the US election. Any tips – I’m not an FX watcher so no idea?!
For the sake of $300, I’d not bother to change to pesos, below is a link to some decent foreign currency exchange companies.
I’ve used a few of these over the years, without a problem, as with all of these companies, most are registered with the FSA, but that may not mean much, look at the collapse of crown currency exchange back in 2010, leaving thousands of people out of pocket. I’ve actually used them before!
Always opt for the closest delivery date for your currency ( around 2 to 3 days from placing an order) don’t let them have it for any longer than necessary.
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