Destination Weddings Discussions

NWR: Cancun - A Few Questions

I figured I'd ask this here since this board seems to be the most relevant.

My friend is getting married in Cancun this fall and has reserved a block of rooms at a resort. The resort is kind of spendy, so they also suggested a few other places that are close to the ceremony location.

Some resorts are all-inclusive, and some resorts have the "European Plan" (which is basically room-only with no drinks/meals covered).

I've never stayed somewhere that's all-inclusive. Is it worth the money? I figured I'd calculate how much I'd spend on food/drinks over the weekend and compare it to the cost. I think the convenience of paying one lump sum for everything would be nice, but it also restricts me in that I'd feel like I had to eat every meal at my hotel instead of trying other restaurants.

Also, if you've been to Cancun, do you have any hotel recommendations? The wedding is in the middle of the "hotel zone", so as long as I'm in that vicinity, I figure it's an easy Uber ride or walk.

Other general tips appreciated as well. :) I'm traveling alone, which doesn't bother me since I'll know a ton of people at the wedding, but I've never been to Mexico. My Spanish is passable, so I should be able to read most signs/menus and talk to the hotel staff and Uber drivers.

Re: NWR: Cancun - A Few Questions

  • We stayed at the Grand Oasis Cancun last year, and we LOVED it! It is a great resort and very tourist friendly with lots of daily activities on the beach for guests. It's an all inclusive which was great for our vacation because we just wanted to relax and not worry about opening our wallet for the whole trip. 

    I will say that if you don't plan on spending much time at your resort, then the all inclusive probably isn't worth it. 
  • One thing to ask about- does the resort where the wedding is held let outside guests attend, and if so, is there a day pass fee they charge? Some all inclusives, particularly adults only properties, sometimes restrict who can come onto the property and charge a fee for it. I'm sure the couple would know the restrictions and if there are any, they'd foot the bill for the fee, but just don't want you to get stuck paying anything extra to attend. 

    I've stayed at a few places along the strip. Most recently, I stayed at the Westin Lagunamar. It's EP, but they have kitchens in the room, so we walked to the grocery store and ate a few meals in our room. I've also stayed at the Sandos Cancun, but before it was the Sandos. The beach in front of the resort was very nice. 

    It sounds like you are adventurous, so EP may work in your favor. If you wanted to do nothing but sit by the pool and eat/drink, all inclusive would be a great option. 


     







  • wrigleyvillewrigleyville member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    edited April 2017
    One thing to ask about- does the resort where the wedding is held let outside guests attend, and if so, is there a day pass fee they charge? 

    I should have been more specific in my post. The resort where the wedding is being held is not the same as the resort where the room block is reserved. My friend mentioned they chose to reserve the room block at the neighboring resort because it's much cheaper (it's not AI). The two resorts are really close to each other, though, maybe a five-minute walk. So I imagine outside guests are allowed for the wedding and no fees are charged, but I will double-check with my friend.

    Since I'm only going for the wedding and not taking any additional time to be a tourist, I might go for a place with an AI plan. I like the idea of relaxing by the beautiful ocean with a drink in one hand and a book in the other. I'm planning to fly in Thursday afternoon or evening and leave Sunday afternoon. The wedding is Saturday evening.

    Either my friend reads TK, or she's an etiquette goddess, because the entire thing has been planned with the guests' comfort in mind. I'm really impressed. :) 
  • One thing to ask about- does the resort where the wedding is held let outside guests attend, and if so, is there a day pass fee they charge? 

    I should have been more specific in my post. The resort where the wedding is being held is not the same as the resort where the room block is reserved. My friend mentioned they chose to reserve the room block at the neighboring resort because it's much cheaper (it's not AI). The two resorts are really close to each other, though, maybe a five-minute walk. So I imagine outside guests are allowed for the wedding and no fees are charged, but I will double-check with my friend.

    Since I'm only going for the wedding and not taking any additional time to be a tourist, I might go for a place with an AI plan. I like the idea of relaxing by the beautiful ocean with a drink in one hand and a book in the other. I'm planning to fly in Thursday afternoon or evening and leave Sunday afternoon. The wedding is Saturday evening.

    Either my friend reads TK, or she's an etiquette goddess, because the entire thing has been planned with the guests' comfort in mind. I'm really impressed. :) 


    SITB

    Seems to be a rarity these days, but it sounds like a great trip!

     







  • Hey wrigley! Hope all is going well with you. 

    AI vs. EP kind of depends on the resort and your habits. If you like to indulge on vacation or you're a "drink all day" kind of person, an AI package might be worth it. If you're ok with simple meals and just having a drink or two with dinner, the EP package might make more sense financially. 

    For example, when I was in my 20s and liked to drink by the pool all day and not worry about splitting bills with friends, AI packages made LOTS of sense. Now that I'm an OMH vacationing with my family who likes to play during the day (read: not drink) and who has a waistline to watch, the EP package usually makes more sense. 

    Also, you might get lucky with Groupon. They often have pretty good deals on Cancun resorts where AI packages are so cheap, you may as well just do that and not worry about it.
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  • I forgot about Groupon. Thanks! I'll bookmark Cancun right now.
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