SHAWN LYNN

Hi my wife and I are travelling to Cancun and will have an airline ticket return with hotel, no meals.
First of all do the hotel restaurants accept pesos
for meal purchases. What can two people expect to
pay for three meals per day, and do the hotels have
circus access atm machines. We are canadian and
can get a much better exchange to pesos than U.S.
dollars. Any comments or help will be greatly
welcomed, were are leaving around mid Feb this year
and have not yet selected the hotel.

DON / bOSTON

SAHWN: I HAVE VACATIONED IN CANCUN TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR. YOU WON'T HAVE PROBLEMS PAYING WITH PESOS. ATM AVAILABILITY SHOULD NOT BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS LONG AS YOU BELONG TO A GOOD ATM "NETWORK". MOST HOTELS DON'T HAVE ATM'S BUT MALLS AND BANKS DO BUT I DID HAVE SOME PROBLEMS USING ATM'S IN MEXICO AND I BELONG TO A HUGE ATM "NETWORK" (I WAS ABLE TO GET PLENTY OF MONEY BY GOING TO A BANK AND CHARGING MY CREDIT CARD). SO WHILE ATM'S ARE AVAILABLE IN MEXICO THEY CAN BE SOMEWHAT UNRELIABLE SO I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT SHOW UP WITH NO MONEY IN MY POCKET. HAVE AT LEAST CREDIT CARDS AS A BACKUP !! FOOD IS VERY REASONABLE IN MEXICO AND THEY HAVE TONS OF CHOICES RANGING FROM EXPENSIVE RESTAURANTS TO BURGER KINGS AND PIZZA HUTS SO UNLIKE MANY CARRIBEAN LOCATIONS YOU CAN REALLY CONTROL YOUR FOOD COSTS IF YOU WANT TO. THAT IS WHY I DON'T RECOMMEND "ALL INCLUSIVE" WHILE IN CANCUN BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET A HOTEL IN A GOOD LOCATION. I ALWAYS RECOMMEND PEOPLE GET INTO A HOTEL IN WHAT THEY CALL THEY "HOTEL ZONE". THAT GIVES YOU A GOOD BEACH, SHOPPING AND PLENTY OF FOOD OPTIONS. HOTELS I WOULD RECOMMEND (THESE ARE NICE HOTELS ) INCLUDE THE OMINI, MELIA CANCUN OR CAESAR PARK. A LESS EXPENSIVE CHOICE WOULD BE THE KRYSTAL CANCUN. EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTINS !!

ed

You will get a better exchange rate in Mexico than at home. DO NOT ECHANGE TO U.S. You will land up paying two exchange rates. They have exchanges shacks all over the city. They give the best rates over hotels or banks. Some stores/malls give better rates. I don't know about ATMs but most places take VISA, MASTERCARD, & AMEX. However if you plan to phone home, beware it is expensive, cost us over $100 for two short calls on my AMEX. Buy a phone card in Mexico.Good restaurants and cheap in the city core. They display the meal for you. When shopping in the flea markets, it's buyer beware. Look around first, you can get the same item at twice the price if you look like a sucker. The best idea is to walk out without buying they will always lower the price. They only make money for six months of the year so they are always hungry for cash. Enjoy yourself there is not much to do. Lots of hotels and a sandy beach, 30 miles in fact. Makes Daytona Beach look barren.

Jean E. Bowers

Also please remember that if you exchange more money than you need you can have it changed back to your own currency. However it will be at a lower rate than whenyou changed it into pesos. Also remember that if you make a credit card call from a hotel them will impose an $8-10 dollar ser charge per call. I used both credit cards and pesos. When the credit card bills came it was at a very good rate. At an exchange booth in the malls ask for an exchange card. That was at a glance you will be able to do the conversion at a glance. The quality of food here is great. I suggest you try Planet Hollywood, Captains Cove and Iguana Wanna. All three have excellent food and very reasonable prices. You can eat well on $50.00 U.S. a day without drinks. I know you will enjoy Cancun.

Sandy

We really love Cancun. We go twice a year(Nov and April). Some of our favorite places to eat are Captain's Cove, Maria Bonita, La Habichuela, and La Dolce Vita. Pick up some tourist booklets at the airport. They contain discount coupons for loads of places. If you haven't gotten a hotel room yet, check into WWW. RoyalResorts. They have Villas, Suites and hotel room for rent at terrific rates. Villas have two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, two baths and private balcony. Suites have 1BR/Bath, Living room kitchen and pvt balcony. Hotel room/bath has a little fridge. Have a wonderful time!

Dave

Re: Cancun We love a place called El Pescador which is downtown and a safe bus ride and walk. The best fish etc in Cancun. Lobster and Shrimp cocktail can't be beat @ about $40. US for two with drinks and good tip. Lots of atmosphere and pound and a half tails. US dollars and peso are accepted everywhere but watch the exchange rate. Take a credit card with you and USE IT. The daily exchange rate will be made by your bank. Worst exchange is in the hotel. The is a Ruth Chris steak house at one of the malls if you get home sick and want to pay full price...go native and enjoy.
Dave
PS. 23 degrees here today

Michelle Hayward

2 great restaurants in Cancun are Captain's Cove(on the lagoon and has outdoor seating, some of the best seafood ever had) and Casa Rolandi Ristorante in the Plaza Caracol Shopping Mall (Italian, the best gnocchi ever had in our lives, melted in the mouth!) enjoy!