Cancun or Riviera Maya? And which resort?

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Timbo is here

Only ever passed through Cancun and so cannot really help with your comparison. I have however stayed in Puerta Aventura about an hours drive south of Cancun twice and both times at the same hotel.

Puerta Aventura - small village community with high quality housing, shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, marina, car hire, taxis and it is gated in that to get in you have to pass through a security checkpoint from the main road. The marina is where the swimming with dolphins happens and you can wander round and just watch if you do not want to do it yourself.

Catalonia Riviera Maya hotel - not large by the areas standards but big enough and shared with Yucatan hotel next door so good facilities. free bus to Playa del Carmen up the road if you want to get out for nightlife, shopping or a change of scenery. Good private beach and lagoon and 7 pools. Food and booze is good quality and available from 7am to 2 pm. What really makes it is the staff - i have stayed in 5 star hotels in London and the staff at the Cat could give them a lesson in how to do it right. we have been there twice and will be going again in 2010.

Some of the larger hotels are so big that they provide "road trains" to get you to and from some parts of them!

Have a look at the site link below for reviews. A few of the UK main tour operators use this hotel. We went first with Virgin and then with Thomson Holidays

gramof6

IF you stay in Cancun you will be on the Riviera Maya.That is what they call that area.Most all inclusive hotels are on the beach . Go to the web site for each hotel and read the reviews and decide from there.I have never stayed in a bad hotel with the exception of one on Cozumel ,the food and room was horrible..I can't remember the name though.

rhino72032

There's not much difference between Cancun and the Riviera Maya unless you want to hit all the clubs in Cancun (Dady O, Coco Bongo, Carlos'n Charlie's, Congo Bar, Senor Frog's, and Hard Rock Cafe), then the transportation from Playa del Carmen up to Cancun every night might get expensive.
The Bookit website has some good deals on resorts in Cancun and the rest of the coast. Check out the link below.

Raquel P

RIVIERA MAYA!!!!

go to Bahia Principe Tulum!!
is the bomb! whe n are you going?>
cause september is the best time cause theres not a lot of people!!!

it $700 per person
umm all inclusive, roundtrip trip!
if you have any more questions email me!

thecanadiantraveler

It depends on what you are looking for.

From my experience, Cancun would be great if you want excitement/people 24/7. Riviera Maya is a little more laid back, but still with all the conveniences/shopping/access to nightlife of Cancun. I'm not sure what the tourist numbers are like in October, but given that you are talking about the tail end of hurricane season there may not be so many people, thus Cancun may not be so packed in with vacationers.

However, I'd still recommend the Riviera Maya. The beaches are much larger and all beautiful. You'll have access to Playa del Carmen for shopping, etc. and access to lots of day trips. There are tours that head into Cancun for nights out at the clubs, and a few local bars/discos as well.

On our most recent trip to Mexico we stayed at the Barcelo Maya Colonial - in the Mayan Riviera, and I wouldn't dream of staying anywhere else.

It was great. They have a large pool with lots of space, a number of swim up bars and a great beach. The buffet food was way above average, and the rooms, staff, and service were all excellent.

As for price, it wasn't the cheapest around but if you book at the right times its pretty competitive. It is a part of a complex of five resorts, so there are lots of services that otherwise wouldn't be available, and you can usually get better rates at certain Barcelo Maya resorts than others, so it pays to have a look around.

Hope this helps. Check out the review I wrote for The Canadian Traveler in the sources below.

Secrets Representative

I think youâ€™re right on with doing an all-inclusive for that length of stay, that way you donâ€™t waste a lot of time with connections and extra costs on your short trip. I second what a lot of people are saying already: if you want to be close to nightlife and activity while being on the beach then stay close to Cancun. If you want big, beautiful beaches and a quieter atmosphere, then you might want to consider the Rivera Maya. A resort like Secrets Maroma, Secrets Capri, or Secrets Silversands, which are all-inclusive, adults only resorts in the Riviera Maya, could be a great fit for you. You will have the opportunity to kick back with other young couples and adults as well as get time to yourselves and relax! The link I provided you below will take you to the Secrets Special Offers page where you can compare packages, amenities, and properties. Let me know if I can be of more assistance!

Apple Representative

I would suggest you and your boyfriend check out some of the adults only, all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. Depending on the length of your stay and where you are departing from you can get great deals on full packages. If you check back to the applevacations.com page frequently, our deals of the week and last minute specials often feature these properties. You can also use the link below where you can type in your departure city and compare resort amenities and pricing in Mexico.

Juan L

Cancun its located in the Riviera Maya.

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