Going to Cancun on a quick hotel points trip next week. Staying at the Inter-Continnental. Are their any restaurants and or shops within walking distance of the hotel. We will not have a car and will probably taxi or bus into downtown. Any recommendations for food or shopping would be appreciated. Finally, airport van to hotel appears to be around $30 for the 2 of us, does that seem right? Is this the only option? Thanks for your help. Go USA Hockey!!

Sounds like you will be at the Presidente Inter Conintal, which is right at the hub of the Cancun Hotel Zone. $30.00 for airport transfers sounds about right. You will be within spitting (and walking) distance of the plenty of restaurants and clubs in that part of the Hotel Zone - everything from Argentinian steak-houses to high end mexican. For a little more local flavor I'd take a cab into the centro - for example La Habichuela, or head south in the Hotel Zone for La Destileria. The La Isla shopping area is also just south - probably a more enjoyable walking experience than right around the Presidente (high traffic and lots of bus fumes), has some OK restaurants, enjoyable high end stores. The Plaza Kulkulkan is all enclosed and really upper end shopping (also Rith Chris, and similar eateries).

If you want to really get a more mexican / "come into my store, gringo," tourist mix, go to Mercado Vienteocho (Market 28) - you can overdose on all varieties of disgusting T-shorts, almost reasonable priced tourist stuff, and a pretty good selection of local food (in the food court at the center of the mercado).

If I'm recalling properly, the reason for the high price of the airport transfer is that a few years ago, the taxi drivers got together and lobbied to standardize the price of rides from the airport. I think that once you're in Cancún itself, you'll find that short cab rides are much cheaper. It may even cost you less to <i>return</i> to the airport at the end of your trip. But that doesn't mean that you were cheated on the trip in. That's just the standard from-the-airport rate that everyone has to charge.

My year-old, short trip report on our stay at the Club Med in Cancún is at:

http://www.fodors.com/community/mexi...b-md-cancn.cfm

- Larry

Gracias, Does anyone know if the buses run late into the night? I mean until midnight, not two or three. Hopefully, we'll take the bus into downtown for dinner and taxi or bus back to the hotel. With winter here in the Rockies I really need some sunshine and warmth. Hasta...

Hello, you have gotten some great advice, but let me add some more info. Yes, the buses in the HZ run 24/7

The best way for you to travel in and out of the HZ is as follows. Use the bus inside the hotel zone, and to get out of the hotel zone. Once outside the HZ get off the bus and flag a taxi down. The regular rate for taxis outside the hotel zone is about 20 to 25 pesos for the spots you would want to go to.

To get back, you would flag a taxi down, and have him drop you off at the Chedraui supermarket right outside the hotel zone. There you can catch a bus back into the hz.

Minimum rate inside the HZ is 80 pesos, and it quickly adds up. Using taxis in DT helps you out, cause you can keep asking drivers if they know the location you want to go to, and if they do, you go with them that simple.

Mercado 28 is not what it used to be. Just another tourist trap for cheap souvenirs. If you want to see a regular mexican market, make your way to Mercado 23 instead.

You wont have problems finding different spots to eat near your hotel, but usually the food in the hotel zone is a bit overpriced, and the flavors feel more american than mexican.

For good eats, places were us locals go to munch for cheap, i would recommend, Pescaditos on yaxchilan street, Las Quekas de la Costa on La Costa Avenue, Porkys taco stand on Yaxchilan street. La parilla on yaxchilan street offers good food, they cater a bit more to the toursits, but do have good flavor. If you want to try more creative food, you might try a torta ahogada from "Los de Guanatos" outside the bull fight ring.

Airport transfers do start at around $30 to Cancun. You can find it as low as $25 per van load.