Taking off Travel blog

This is the second and final part of my account of a recent trip to Cancun, Mexico.

The hotel also had a well equipped gym (priced at $11 per day, though according to the hotel’s own literature it was supposed to be free). I made it in there for a workout one day, opting to swim instead on the other days. Other facilities included a spa, a few shops and an excellent restaurant. Food was included in the conference package, so I was able to breakfast on smoked salmon, scrambled egg and mini croissants every morning, with a selection of delicacies for lunch and dinner.

Mexican Special

The first night, before the conference started, we went to a place called La Destileria, where we sampled a range of Mexican dishes (the jalapenos are really hot) and drank some wine while listening to a mariachi band. Very touristy but still enjoyable. Then it was back to the hotel bar to sample tequila and sangrita – served in two shot glasses and drunk together – before heading to bed. Read more »

The Caribbean Sea in Cancun, Mexico, is more of a lion than a pussycat, at least at the edge of the hotel where I stayed. This can be something of a shock to those used to the placid waters where the same sea laps against the shores of Caribbean islands. In contrast, this water releases a constant roar and pounds against the large, flat rocks at the shoreline. During my four day visit, there was no possibility of swimming, though I did dip my toes in the water just because it was there before returning to the safety of the spacious pool at the Cancun Hilton.

Cancun Hilton View

Tourism Experts

Cancun impressed me from the moment I landed. Many travel experiences feature bleary eyed voyagers whose faces fall at the prospect of another long queue (can anyone say Miami International?) but this was different. I’d filled out my forms on the plane and as I entered the bright, well-signposted airport, I was directed to a bank of security desks where the people on duty quickly scanned the form and let me pass. The whole process took less than 10 minutes from la nding to luggage collection, and passing through customs was equally smooth.

Once into the main airport, there were people everywhere directing travelers to the best mode of transport. It took only another five minutes to buy my shuttle ticket and get a seat on a bus for the hotel zone. I’ve never seen an operation quite as slick, and unlike many airports where you can look for officials in vain, there were help desks all around. Read more »