With Cancun being one of the top tourist destinations in Mexico and one of the biggest resorts in the Caribbean, it can be hard to decide what to do and where to stay. The selection of enormous resorts lining the hotel zone can be overwhelming, especially when so many offer unrivalled facilities. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of staying at the incredible Beach Palace Cancun and can tell you it was one of the most memorable stays I’ve had in my travelling career.
Having stayed in 5 star resorts spanning 3 continents over the past 12 months, from Thailand and Sri Lanka to South Africa and Switzerland, Beach Palace Cancun is definitely up there with the best. Here are 9 great reasons to book a stay there on your next trip to Cancun.
If you’re wondering whether to stay in Cancun or Cabo, it’s Cancun all the way!
Looking to escape? Why not spend a few days on the island of Cozumel? There’s also a Palace Resort located there and the views are to die for! On a budget? One of these top hostels might suit you better.
Rooftop Pools
While the main pool overlooking the beach was pretty spectacular, and loved watching the entertainment staff organise a variety of fun activities each morning, escaping to the two roof-top pools to catch the late afternoon sun was a real blessing. While families and young kids preferred the large ground floor swimming pool, the rooftop was reserved for those seeking a more chilled out atmosphere, complete with snack bar and attentive waiters who offered a free serving of comedy alongside their top-notch cocktails. Emily and I has so much fun lounging on Alberto The Swan, watching the sunset while sipping on prosecco and catching a glimpse of a shark in the waters below…all from the safety and comfort of the 14th floor!
A selection of hot tubs
Can you honestly think of anything better than a private hot tub inside your bedroom? A hot tub big enough for you and your bestie, accompanied with a bottle of bubbly that has been brought to your room by the thoughtful staff along with some delicious after dinner treats! The in-room hot tub was definitely one of the best aspects of the rooms in the Beach Palaces, along side the his and hers sinks, styling accessories such as a hairdryer and hair straightens and some high quality conditioner that was just was my hair needs after a day at the beach! If your own personal hot tub isn’t enough, or you prefer to be outside for as many hours as the sun is present, there are two additional hot tubs to be found on the roof – and with a bar nearby your hands will never be empty and your mouth will never be dry!
Friendly Staff (with sweet treats!)
I’ve stayed in some incredible and seriously impressive 5-star resorts around the world over the past two years, but the staff in the Beach Palace will remain the most memorable. Everyone seemed to know our names from day one, and they get to know you very fast always leaving extra treats in your bedroom and making your cocktail just the way you like it. The bar men were super fun on the night of my birthday, making Emily and I some special cocktails and unusual shots to try out. The best thing about staying at an All-inclusive is you can try all the interesting food and drinks put in front of you without ever having to worry about a hefty bill at the end!
Swim-up bar
Oh how I do love a swim up bar. This one was located next to the main pool, with perfect beach views and, as always, some killer cocktails. The Strawberry Daiquiri was definitely my favourite – the perfect drink to cool you down after a long, stressful day of doing nothing!
Panoramic beach views
I could not get over the views from the Beach Palace Hotel. Our first glimpse of Cancun’s 15km long, powder-white sand was when we pulled open the curtains in our room, stepped out on to the balcony and said “wow” at about the same time. The view from the pool is also beautiful, but nothing beats the view from the rooftop of the hotel. One floor up from the rooftop pool, what looks like a helicopter pad is definitely one of the top photo spots of the strip. Look left out on to the lagoon to watch the sunset in the distance or look right down onto the beach as the water reflects the setting sun and turns a crazy shade of pink and purple.
Endless food choices
While we can never really get enough delicious Mexican food, it is always nice to have some alternative choices. My favourite restaurant in the Beach Palace was actually the Asian Wok, which serves up some of the tastiest Asian dishes outside of the continent. The teriyaki beach was to die for, and the sushi rolls served as the chefs special were a great way to start the meal. This place was so good we went back twice and I would stay at the Beach Palace again in an instant just to eat at this restaurant! Other foodie highlights included the steak sandwich served by the pool, the smoked salmon bagel and ice coffees available from their Ice-Cream Bar and the sticky chicken served at the rooftop pool.
Personal touches
While most hotels along the main strip in Cancun offer similar facilities and great all-inclusive prices, the personal touches to be experiences at the Beach Palace set it apart from the rest. Even though the hotel only discovered it was my birthday when we were checking in, I was delighted to find a delicious birthday cake and bottle of Champagne in my room when we got there. We also had lots of personalised treats left for us, everyone knew our name (and seemingly everyone else’s) and nothing seemed too much trouble.
In room mini bar
I will forever dream of that mini bar. By far one of the best stocked mini bars I’ve ever come across, the room came with every drink combination you could dream of and you can make your own cocktails with the large bottles of liquor which was refilled every day and easily accessible in a sliding drawer. The room service menu was also extensive, with all items displayed on the flat screen TV in the room. Missing anything? Just ring room service and you will be sure to have your favourite tipple in an instant!
Balcony with a view
I’ll let the photo do the talking here….
How to get to from the airport to Cancun
When you arrive in Cancun airport, there are lots of ways to get to your hotel or hostel. if you don’t want to take the bus (they aren’t as regular as they should be so you could be waiting over an hour!) your best option is to book a private shuttle. I actually used a private shuttle service both to get to the airport and to get to Cancun and the service was amazing. They even waited over half an hour when my friends flight was delayed and gave us both a bottle of water for the short journey – much needed refreshment when the Mexican heat greets you on arrival!!