BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey guys. I'm thinking about doing a trip to the Yucatan/Chichen Itza with my Mom and Sis. Since I won't be hosteling/backpacking this one, I wanted to know if anybody had any resort/hotel recommendations. Just an overall nice relaxation which might have side excursions. All-inclusive might be a nice cherry on top. Thanks!

All inclusive in Cancun with a side trip to Chichen Itza and area is likely the most cost effective. Getting it as a last minute trip would be even better. Buy the side trip from one of the many agents downtown Cancun as opossed to the hotel agents and save your money.

If you go with Mom and Sis, you need to be careful of one thing. Check out the resorts very carefully. Some of them are young people partying hangouts, and Mom may not appreciate that at all, especially when the parties go on all night long.

If Mom is older, you may need to find a place that has ramp and elevator access. Make sure to specify this need. Some of the cheaper resorts have a lot of stairs, and when my mom went with a weight handicapped person, it was a serious issue(They had moved them to a different hotel, so it wasn't what she had ordered at all)

I'm sure with all the places in Cancun, you can find a good relatively quiet one with a pool, maybe beach access, and yes, you can take your chichen Itza trip


Ps. I don't believe I'm saying this, as I'm strictly a backpacker type, BUT my mother has taught me the other point of view quite well.

Playa del Carmen is a lot more sophisticated than Cancún, if you´re looking for a resortish type thing with the family.

I just came back from Chichen Itza and found it disappointing compared to my visit 20 years ago. Traveler_2007 gives good advice. There are plenty of inclusive hotels, but mayaland bungalows has its own entrance to the park. You can get an early start and beat the rush.

I recommend Uxmal as an alternative to Chichen Itza.

Thanks for the tips!

Felix, do you have any resorts to recommend in Playa del Carmen?

quote:

Originally posted by LatinoHeat:
Thanks for the tips!

Felix, do you have any resorts to recommend in Playa del Carmen?

Sorry, I´ve never stayed in any of them. I´ve always been at the lower end of the budget range. Playa is chock-full of boutique hotels though. The resorts tend to be just outside of town. You might want to consider nearby Akumal too - it is quite self-contained.

Many of the 'party' hotels in Cancun are closer to the city center. If you stay in the Hotel zone along the beach and not at the 'point' you'll have less young people and more hotels looking to sell you a time share.

Just about all the hotels offer inclusive tours (lunch, AC transport) to various points along the Yucatan. For example a tour Chichen Itza for ~105-150. Tulum is a little less, and Balam is a little more.

You may want to contact either Sor Raimunda or Ayun who both went to Playa del Carmen fairly recently.

Good Luck on your trip

I suggest not buying a package and splitting your trip between the coast and the ruins. Staying for a night or two near Chichen-Itza at a place like Mayaland, Hacienda Chichen, or even a bungalow at Ik-Kil or a room at Dolores Alba is an experience in and off itself. Staying there you can also see the light show the night before you visit the ruins.

If you don't want to stay right in the jungle, there is also Valladolid with the excellent El Meson del Marquis hotel and restaurant.

As far as the coast goes, I liked staying in Tulum. There is also Akumal and Playa del Carmen. Tulum is not a party place, but the beach is beautiful and the star gazing at night is phenomenal.

Thanks for the tips. I've decided to skip the resort and instead travel around a bit. Visit different ruins and see I can come across any other activities.

I figure the best way to accomplish this is to have my own car. So my question is, how do most people rent cars? Use a large chain like Hertz or National or some local joint? I've got some rewards stocked up under National and wouldn't mind using that but I'm getting quoted $110+ per day. Any recommendations?

Finally, anything else I should know about driving in Mexico? Generally safe? Do I need special insurance? Thanks!

Rent in Mérida instead of Cancún, as prices are generally about half the price.

How would I get to Merida if I plan on flying into Cancun? It's a much cheaper option to fly directly into Cancun. How much would a domestic flight from Cancun to Merida?

I don´t know if there are any flights from Mérida to Cancún - it´s only 4-5 hours by bus. Mérida is my favorite city in that part of Mexico, and a good base for excursions in the western Yucatán.

Take the bus.
ADO line is air conditioned.

There are some direct lines.

Or you could take a bus from Cancun to Chichen Itza direct at 9am and then take the afternoon bus (~2:30pm from Chichen Itza to Merida which only has 1 stop).

I recommend bus travel in The Yucatan and rent a car on the days you want to go out exploring.

I just find the thought of driving anywhere in Mexico to be more hassle than it's worth. Although, I'm not speaking from experience as I actually have never rented a car on any of my travels.

But, fwiw:

Renting cars is usually cheaper in country rather than from home before the trip.

Take photos of the car before you leave the lot, in case there are any questions when you return it.

Watch out for the topes. These are speed bumps and can be in any number of forms from the familiar to the bizarre. Look out for anything on the road, the usual speed bump, a line of very thick rope across the road, rocks, metal grids, just about anything short of something that can give you a flat tire, but can give a good bump on the head.

Don't drive after dark.

Beware of the gas scam. Hand the guy at the pump a 200 pesos note and he'll swear you gave him 20 pesos.

You won't want to drive in Merida. It's insane.

Just a side note - if you do book a tour to Chichen Itza from Cancun, if you pay more than $50 USD you're getting ripped off. I did one of those from the city, it cost me about $43 USD, and after I got picked up the bus went from the city with me on it right out to the hotel zone and picked up the "all inclusive crowd" who certainly paid more than I did for the exact same thing (lunch included). Good luck!

BTW: It's not worth going all the way to Merida if you are flying into Cancun just to rent a car. Yes, everything inland is cheaper than on the coast, but if Merida is not in your plan then just get a car in Cancun.

Or, just take the bus around.