Riviera Maya

[sbfrench]

How far is the Riviera Maya from downtown Cancun. The Mayan Palace is available for rental but it's on the Riviera Maya and I have a feeling that's too far out of town. When we went to Cancun about 10 years ago we enjoyed taking the bus right outside our timeshare to the downtown area.


Also, has anyone stayed in a hotel unit at Fiesta Americana, that's available for rental but I'm wondering how this timeshare is compare to others.

 

[Rene McDaniel]

It's not close at all. We drove there from Mayan Riviera Maya and it was more like a DAYTRIP, not somewhere you would want to commute to and from on a daily basis for meals. Playa del Carmen is much closer, and there are a lot of great restaurants and diversions there. They have a resort shuttle ($3/each) that runs back & forth to 5th Avenue area in Playa del Carmen. It stops right in front of the enormous Mega supermarket which is great, and you can walk easily from the bus stop to restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. It's a pretty happening place now that so many cruise ships stop there. But if you are out late a taxi back from Playa to the resort would set you back about $20. (Which would also be true in Cancun also as taxi fares are higher in Mexican resort areas than they are in NYC !!)

Anyways, if you are looking for Cancun nightlife, you need to forgo the whole Riviera Maya area. The resorts are all quite a long travelling distance from either downtown or the Cancun hotel zone. A late night cab fare from Cancun back to Riviera Maya could possibly set you back some serious bucks.

---- Rene McDaniel

 

[alfie]

There are 4 different Fiesta Americanas in Cancun. The Coral Beach is the largest and is a convention center. The Condesa is on the main and longest beach and is the one I like the best. In any event they are all very upscale. All have great facilities, but you are getting a hotel room, not a 2 bedroom timeshare with a kitchen etc. The Mayan Rivera begins south of the airport down highway 307 and continues down the coast for many miles. Most of the hotel properties are off the highway a mile or two,( like the Mayan Palace), so it is difficult to catch a ADO bus (inter city) into Cancun proper, you have to take a taxi, there are no direct local city buses into Cancun that operate down that far south.

 

[sbfrench]

We're not looking for night life. We just want a nice resort with ocean view but we enjoyed last time taking the bus and getting off different places. We thought that was fun, that's why I want to make sure we're on the bus route.

Actually it's Imperial Fiesta that's available for rental through RCI is #1386.

 

[alfie]

I think the Imperial Fiesta is the new name for the Casa Maya hotel. It is located on the calm side of the beach, and directly on the bus route. Some of the rooms face the highway (Kukulcan Blvd) so try to get a room on the ocean side.

 

[pianodinosaur]

We have stayed in Cancun at the Fiesta Americana Time Share and have stayed at the Grand Mayan Rivieria Maya. Playa del Carmen is right on the Riviera Maya and has a vibrant night life all of its own. Therefore, if you want to stay at the Grand Mayan or Mayan Palace Riviera Maya for peace and quiet, you can very easily go to either Playa del Carmen or Cancun. We had great times at both locations.

If you are interested in history, nature, and archeology schedule trips to Chichen Itza, Tulum, Xcaret, and Xel Ha.