Tell me about Cancun AI : nice or full of drunks?

[KeithLeMonde]

We have been looking at Mexico for a summer holiday - like the combination of culture, food, history and beachy relaxation :)

We've seen a lot of AI deals in Cancun which would be ideal with two constantly snacking teenage boys. However, some of the TripAdvisor reviews seem to suggest that Cancun is mainly a party "spring break" location (I know summer holidays isn't spring break! But that sort of vibe) and that the AIs are full of people who are drunk by lunchtime.

Has anyone been and can you let me know what it was like?

And does anyone have any alternative recommendations for Mexico? We definitely want a beach hotel.

If you do Cancun you will have much more choice especially if you have teens
If you stay there I would personally reccomend the Rui Peninsula or thr Caribe They are away from the party zone
The Rui Palace and Rui Cancun are both within mins walk of it so more noise

If your in Cancun you can get over to Isla Murjes on the catamaran and hire a golf buggy to nip around the island

You have la Isla shopping mall which is lovely with a marina lots of shops and restaurant. It has a mixture of high end shops Gucci Rolex Channel and then H&am and lots of little independent shops and the amazing Thai Lounge with the pet crocodile 😂 that lives under the pontoons

It’s 10 pesos on the bus to go up and down the strip as far as you want and the buses run 24 hrs if you wait more than 2 mins you wonder what’s wrong
Riveria Maya while nice is fine if you don’t want to go anywhere unless it’s on organised trips and I found it boring - no where to walk about

Although I stayed at the Bahia Principe years ago and you could get to Tulum and akumel by bus but for me it’s to far out and nothing really there apart from the hotels

Playa Del Carmen is nice more family oriented I stayed in a big gated complex ( but anyone can walk in ) with numerous hotels on it inc Rui Palace and it has a golf course
it’s next to 5th Ave where you have loads of bars shops and restaurants to wander around and it’s lively at night but very chilled out - it’s not crazy like the party zone is in Cancun
You can also get the ferry from here to Cozumel

In Cancun I’ve stayed at the Rui Peninsula, Rui Caribe Beach Palace, Sun Palace Hard Rock Hotel Le Blanc and Live Aqua and Temptations ( in my wild youth 😂)

Rui Palace In Playa Del Carmen
and the Bahia Principe In Riviera Maya

Rui & Palace hotels are great because if you stay in the top ones you have acces to all the other ones for free inc the ones on Isla Murjes

Out of all of them my fav for the money is the Rui Caribe ( best beach ) all rooms have sea views and the Wi-fi is excellent 😂
Le Blanc and Live Aqua have battled it out being number one hotel for a long time but I wasn’t overly impressed at either of them

There is also a small purpose built resort further down from tulum on Riveria maya that’s has a few hotels, marina condos restaurants and a dolphin arena
I think one of the hotels is called Sandos

Def go to Riviera Maya. We've been 4 times - twice to Grand Palladium Kantenah and twice to Luxury Bahia Grand Principe. Looking at going a 5th time next April (prob Palladium).

Have friends that have stayed at Grand Sirenis and loved it but DH says it looks too modern (ie/not traditional Mexican)!

We've done Xelha (Lazy River is fab) and XSenses last year which is fairly new and also great.

My friend did Sirenis and palladium white sands, both gorgeous, sirenis has just had a refurb. We did Occidental which was a gorgeous location but not beachy.

We stayed in playa del Carmen last year but the seaweed really affected my enjoyment- I love the beach. Everything else was perfect though. This year we are staying at the Hyatt Ziva in Cancun- chosen for the large beach in the hope that is doesn't all get covered in seaweed!!