Hotel Zone

Zona Hotelera – or Hotel Zone – is Cancun as you know the city from the photos. A long strip of land with the Caribbean Sea and fantastic sandy beaches on one side and the Nichupté Lagoon on the other. This is where most tourists stay, and for many the Hotel Zone is Cancun itself. What is the Cancun Hotel Zone? The Hotel Zone lies along Boulevard Kukulcán and stretches in a characteristic 7-shape along the coast. Along the area are some of Cancun's largest hotels and resorts. But the Hotel Zone also includes beaches, restaurants, shops, malls, Mayan ruins, a museum and nightlife.

The different parts of the Hotel Zone

A common mistake is to treat the entire Hotel Zone as one area. There are significant differences.

The northern part

Here the hotels are located along the upper part of the 7-shape. The beaches can be more sheltered, and the area is closer to Downtown.

Punta Cancún

Here the Hotel Zone bends southward. This is the liveliest area with much of Cancun's well-known nightlife, restaurants and shops.

The east-facing hotel strip

Here the really long Caribbean beaches begin. The views can be spectacular, but the sea can also have larger waves and stronger currents than the more sheltered beaches.

Southern Hotel Zone

The further south you go, the farther you are from Punta Cancún and Downtown. In return you are closer to the airport.

The beaches

For many, the beach is the most important reason to choose the Hotel Zone. Among the public beaches you find Playa Delfines, Playa Marlin, Playa Tortugas and Playa Langosta. But beach conditions vary. Families with children in particular should therefore check the beach at the specific hotel they are considering – not just look at the pool pictures.

Restaurants

You don't have to choose All Inclusive to stay in the Hotel Zone. There is a large selection of restaurants along Boulevard Kukulcán. However, the price level is generally higher than Downtown. If food is an important part of the holiday, a location near more restaurants can be more valuable than you might first think.

Shopping

The Hotel Zone has several shopping options. La Isla is among the best known and combines shops, restaurants and entertainment in a large open area by the lagoon.

Nightlife

Punta Cancún is the center for the most famous nightlife. This is also the area most affected by Spring Break. If nightlife is uninteresting and you want a quiet family holiday, you don't need to stay here. How to get around? Boulevard Kukulcán runs through the entire Hotel Zone. Local buses make it relatively easy and inexpensive to move between hotels, beaches and Downtown. Taxis are also readily available, but agree on or check the price in advance.

Hotel Zone with children

Yes – the Hotel Zone can be very suitable for families. But choose a hotel based on beach conditions, room layout and facilities, not just stars. With small children, a hotel by calmer waters can be far more valuable than a more luxurious hotel by a beach where the waves make swimming difficult. Is the Hotel Zone expensive? Compared with many other parts of Mexico: yes. This is Cancun's main tourist area, and the prices reflect that. This applies especially to:

• hotels
• restaurants
• cocktails
• beach clubs
• certain shops

You can reduce costs significantly by eating some meals Downtown. Should you stay in the Hotel Zone? For first-time visitors: usually yes. If the image you have in your head of Cancun is turquoise sea, a beach right outside the hotel, a pool and palm trees, it's probably the Hotel Zone you are imagining. But if you want a quieter resort holiday, you should also compare with Playa Mujeres and Costa Mujeres.