tannema

Heading down to Cancun in early October for a week. Have not been there before.

Can anyone recommend either Le Meridien or Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach hotels? I'm finding it hard to choose between the two.

Any other recommendations for restaurants or what do do would be appreciated.

thanks

Little_Man

If it was up to me, I'd choose LeMeridien...It's in a nicer location, a more scenic stretch of beach. The FA Grand is in a more crowded section w/lots of bar and restaurants. (Which is good if you like to visit the bars a lot !
The only advantage I see to the FA Grand is that the ocean is often much calmer and more protected in that location.
The LeMeridien is a newer hotel; after the JW Marriott it would be my 2nd choice in Cancun...

atlcity

Frankie: I've been told that the Ritz Carlton is the top hotel in Cancun.We booked it for november.We were in Cancun approx. 12 years ago and it was clear to me then that the F/A Grand Coral Beach was the top hotel.

Little_Man

For what it's worth, Conde Nast Traveler mag. rated the LeMeridien as the top hotel in Cancun in 2004...

The FA Grand was not mentioned at all.

For me, the top hotel in Cancun right now is the JW Marriott, for it's gorgeous pools, excellent rooms, great service and a more casual ambience than the Ritz.
Some have complained that the
LeMeridien suffers from "cold service"!
Well, it is owned by the French, after all !

atlcity

Thanks for your input.Zagats rates R/C #1 in cancun and having seen LeMeridien hotels around the world I've never seen one that is as nice as a R/C.

atlcity

The same goes for any Marriott.They have always been at least 1 notch below R/C.

Little_Man

altcity,
please give us your review of the Ritz Carlton when you return! Hope you have a wonderful time. Tripadvisor.com also rates it as the top hotel in Cancun...
(by the way, I know most Marriotts are just Marriotts, but the JW is nicer than any Marriott I've ever seen before )!

atlcity

Thanks Frankie,I'll let you know.I think the J.W. might be close to R/C. Is that so?

Little_Man

yes, I think only a couple of hotels between them...

Maggy

I stayed at the Meridien last year and it is indeed a beautiful hotel. It's smaller than some of the other mega resorts. One thing I did not like though, was the lack of a 'mexican feel' to the hotel. When I'm in Mexico I like to feel like I'm in Mexico. It's perfect for a person who wants a luxury hotel as a getaway beach destination but not necessarily trying to soak in the flavors of Mexico. The margarita I ordered was not a typical Mexican margarita, with fresh juices like you usually get in Mexico which was a shame; I saw them put in a prepackaged mix. Most people don't mind this, I realize. I've also stayed at the Grand Coral Beach and it is much much larger. It has a 'convention' resort feel to it but the location can be good if you want to be close to nightlife. The room I had at the Fiesta Americana was very large and it felt luxurious. For a beach destination that feels more like Mexico I still love the Presidente hotel in Cozumel the best.