Cancun: Airport to Hotel
 

What's the deal on transportation from airport to hotel? We are staying at Club International. Just read a post by someone saying when they got to CUN, it was "caos" and that he "didn't know who to trust". What are we to watch out for? From my experience, you agree on a price prior to taking a cab...anything else we should know?

It can be chaos after leaving customs--you just have to ignore the guys trying to get your attention and walk right on out the front door!
Since the taxi union tries to control everything in the airport, there is no agreeing to price here. Just give your destination at the booth in the bag claim area, buy a ticket to present in front of the airport and you will be on your way (this is usually in a shared van service but you can pay for an individual taxi)
I owned timeshares at Club Internacional for years and loved the place. It is the orginal timeshare in Cancun and very well maintained and operated!
Enjoy!

When you leave the baggage area and get through the "red light/green light" security area, all the time share and tour operators will be waiting for you. Do not stop and talk to any of them. Just say "no thank you" and keep walking until you reach outside.

Once outside there will be shuttle buses and cabs. I've always purchased a package so transportation to and from the airport where included.

Your condo is at the other end of the Hotel Zone from the airport. If you take the $9 van you will likely make stops on the way. For a direct and private trip check out Cancunvalet.com for one way pricing. It's worth the $ in my opinion.

In general, agree with dougout´s comments however several times the van I took went directly to the hotels in the area where my condo (Club Internacional) was located and it was a very fast trip.
Just depends on what you want to spend since their are even cheaper ways of doing the transfer.

Club International is a timeshare, part of the Royal Resorts. The Royal Resorts have their own "travel agency" of sorts, called Thomas More, who provide airport/resort transportation (amongst other tours) in a shared van, about $8.00 US one way. The cost is billed directly to your club bill; return transportation is booked right there at the resort. Go to the royalresorts website and look for links for Thomas More travel. You can reserve over the internet or over the phone. When you arrive in Cancun, go thru customs, collect your baggage, try your luck at the "red light/green light" inspection table (you'll see what I mean) then head directly outside avoiding all people with pitches and look for the Thomas More insignia. They will have your name, will take your luggage, then take you to VCI. Cancun airport is rather chaotic but has gotten better over the years. We own at the Royal Sands, have been to Cancun many times, and always have taken the Thomas More transfer without any problems. Enjoy Cancun!

We too always stay at the Royal Resorts and use Thomas More transport; one year we took a cab--big mistake. Dee is right on; book now through the website. And everyone is right about going past all the "special" deals.

Good information from Dee. I have been going to Cancun more than 20 years and owned at both Club Internacional and Royal Mayan. I sold both because no longer found the pace of Cancun to be something I enjoyed. I never used the Thomas More option--always preferred to make my own arrangements but am sure it is a good one!
Never worried about the chaos at the Cancun airport--it is much worse at many world airports. As I did yesterday, I just ignore the sales people and walk right out the door.
I am sure whatever the choice, you will enjoy the vacation

We did Cancunvalet.com as a previous poster mentioned. They were suggested to us by another Fodorite. Loved them. They were at the airport waiting for us. Took us straight to our hotel. Same thing for the return.
The airport is chaos if you're not used to it. Once you start heading towards the exit, there are dozens and dozens of people trying to get your attention for whatever business.

Thanks to all for the info. We ended up taking a van on the way to hotel; cost us $10/pp: total $40; made 2 stops. On the way back to the airport, took a cab for $18 for the four of us...no stops...much better deal.

P.S. We loved the stay at Club International...$58 a night for a 2BR Villa with full kitchen on the beach...how can you beat it? We also really enjoyed our 1st visit to Cancun. Since we did not stay in the midst of the hotel zone, I think we had a surprisingly better experience. We liked Cancun much better than previous trips to Bahamas, Jamaica & Grand Cayman.

Only one comment to make regarding the transportion which might be helpful. The $18 taxi ride TO the airport is a good deal--however, this is not available FROM the airport since all prices are tightly controlled by the very powerful taxi union in both directions.