Looking for a weekend getaway? Want it to be at a warm destination with ocean views but on a budget? Look no more. Let’s go to Cancun, Mexico.
My husband’s maternal grandfather is Mexican. Those Mexican roots are fully engrained in him. He shows his ancestral background by being obsessed with all things spicy and tacos. Choosing Mexico as a travel destination is always a yes.
Flights and Hotel
One day, I was browsing on google flights explore and noticed that flights to Cancun, Mexico from our airport in Orlando, FL were $150 roundtrip per person on many dates in May. Before booking the flights, I searched for hotel deals. I found a great deal staying at Iberostar Paraiso del Mar. This hotel is all-inclusive. It was $252 per night for two adults. I considered this to be a great deal considering it was all-inclusive.
And so that’s how we booked our stay. I considered using IHG points instead of cash. Each night there was 70,000 points. For points bookings the fourth night is free. However, we did not have enough points for the booking. Alternatively, you could consider opening the hotel brand partner card of Iberostar and obtain the welcome offer of 140,000 points to stay two nights for almost free and maybe pay the cash price for any additional nights you might want to add.
Transportation
Once you get to Cancun you’ll have to arrange transportation from the airport to the hotel. It is about 40 minutes away. You could arrange transportation directly with the hotel or rent a vehicle. The rental cost for four days was $83 in total. We have primary car rental insurance through our favorite credit card, so we always waive that additional cost at the counter. If you want to know more about which card I’m referring to, please send me a message with your email. Alternatively, you could book a private transfer through a third-party website or directly with the hotel. The hotel was charging $100 per person one way. To decrease cost we opted for car rental.
Once you leave the airport it is a straight shot to the hotel. You will see the hotel on your left side and it will be hard to miss.
Things to do
Since we had a car rental, on our last day in Cancun, we decided to drive 30 minutes to explore the Cenote Chaak Tun which is 30 minutes away from the hotel. The entrance fee is $50 for adults and $32 for kids. You’ll get a 20% discount if you book at least three days in advance. Don’t forget to wear a bathing suit and bring a towel. They will provide all the gear for the experience: flashlights, life vest, water shoes, etc. The only thing that I didn’t like was that you can’t take pictures or video. They have a photographer on site that will take pictures and sell them to you at the end of the excursion. The cost of the pictures was $50.
The hotel has concierge services for day trip bookings. We were tempted to book a day trip to Chichen Itza, one of the wonders of the world. We liked the fact that they picked you up at the hotel, took you to your destination and drove you back. We really wanted to maximize our relaxation time, so we did not book any other excursions.
During our stay we did all the activities the hotel had to offer like: beach zumba, target shooting, aqua aerobics and evening shows.
Every two nights you’ll get access to a reservation-only restaurant. We did our reservation at the Japanese restaurant which was hibachi style. They had sushi as appetizers. My husband does not eat seafood, but they accommodated his preferences and brought him other sushi variations.
We had a great time at the hotel and can’t wait to go back.
