I'm just back from three nights in Cancun. Some tidbits that you should know about follow:
Beaches: Extensive wave action has swept away a good part of the $20 million spent to restore the hotel zone coastline following hurricane Wilma in October 2006. There are areas in the center/north part of the hotel zone that have no beach and water now laps the retaining walls that front many hotels.
Beaches in the southern part of the zone appear fine, though not as wide as a year ago when the restoration was undertaken. Bahia de Mujeres beaches (top of the "7") remain fine.
New Terminal: The gorgeous new international terminal is fully operation and certainly the BEST in all of Mexico and the Caribbean. Shopping is first-rate (Pineda Covelin, Cinco Soles, others), sit-down and fast food dining is abundant, a full-service massage/spa center and very efficient security screening (you can even keep you shoes on!). Tell your luxury clients about the new business lounge (located next to the spa. Guests from the Ritz-Carlton and Maroma can enter for free (more hotels are being added soon). Just show your hotel bill and your clients are in for free!
New Hotels: The long-awaited reopening of Aqua is now a reality, giving Cancun yet another world-class luxury resort. Just up the beach is the sparkling new Beach Palace -- rebuilt from the ground up and now home to a conference center and probably the biggest outdoor movie screen in all of Latin America. Gourmet dining an an extensive imported wine cellar set this resort apart for other AI options.
Dining: Looking for a taste of Oaxaca in Cancun? A fantastic new restaurant - Calenda Oaxaca - has opened in front of the Cancun Center. There's even a Guelaguetza Ballet Folklorico show (Th-Sa), and genuine Oaxacan cuisine. Fried grasshoppers anyone? Try a salt and chile rimmed cocktail with mezcal and tamarindo to kick off your meal. Open for lunch and dinner. If you've ever enjoyed a fine meal at either Puerto Madero or Cambalache (both known for their mouthwatering Argentine beef and seafood), check out their equally delicious (but much more affordable) Bandoneon, located next to Plaza America in Cancun City. Beef, seafood and Italian specialties await hungry diners.
