Weddingbee

Cancun has certainly been my vacation destination of choice. I’ve been there… let me count…7 times!

Because I have been fortunate enough to stay at many great hotels in Cancun, I already have an idea of what it would be like to have my wedding there.

First off, it is helpful to point out that Cancun, Mexico is shaped like the number 7.

click to enlarge

(via cancun-map.com)

There is the Laguna Nichupte aka Nichupte Lagoon to the bottom and left of the 7 and the Mar Caribe aka Caribbean Sea to the top and right of the 7. For your reference, “spring break central” (what I like to call it because it is where all the big clubs are) is located in the corner where the two lines of the 7 meet.

Here’s the breakdown of my visits and some info at the hotels I’ve stayed at:

1. The first time I visited Cancun was with my dad, best friend and a family friend in the Summer of 1999, the summer between my junior and senior year of high school and we stayed at the Le Meridien.

(via starwoodhotels.com)

If this place looks familiar, it’s because it was the site of honeylicious’s wedding. If you want to see pictures of a gorgeous beach wedding, her site is the one to visit! Shout out to Jennifer!!

Here are some of my favorites:

Currently #15 on Tripadvisor. Although I haven’t stayed at all the hotels in Cancun, I would definitely rate it within the top 10. I remember being greeted with fresh juice and a chilled towel the moment we stepped foot into the hotel, and the hotel and its service was flawless. It actually felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. This hotel is also great for people who want to avoid spring breakers since it is on the higher end of the hotel zone (towards the bottom of the 7)

2. The second time I went was during the Winter of 1999 with my mom, dad, and brother, and we stayed at the Fiesta American Grand Coral Beach Cancun.

(via priceline.com)

Currently #12 on Tripadvisor. My dad has been to Cancun almost as many times as I have, and of all the hotels he has stayed at, this is at the top of his list, mainly because of its beach. This is not as exclusive as the Le Meridien, but I never felt it was ever “too crowded”. It was probably due to the fact that this hotel is much bigger than the Le Meridien and was in a more popular location. What stands out in my mind is its huge lobby and beautiful glass elevators. It sits right in the corner where the two lines of the 7 meet, but closer to the top side. This hotel is actually right next to my venue!

The beach to the top of the 7 is very different from the beach to the right of the 7 in terms of waves. Because of its positioning, the waves at this beach are very small and you can walk out a longer distance into the ocean before it even comes close to reaching your head. It is also in a prime location for restaurants, shops, convenience stores and nightly entertainment. Although it is situated very close to “spring break central,” I don’t remember ever feeling it impacted the great ambiance of the hotel. At night, it was just as quiet as the Le Meridien (which was 4 km away). Of course that would be a different story if you stepped outside into the street. I had a wonderful stay there and would go back in a heartbeat.

(image via elizabethmedina.com)

3. The third time I visited Cancun was for my senior spring break trip in April 2000. I want to say there were about 300 kids from my high school that went. We stayed at Cancun Plaza and pretty much took up the whole hotel. Since then, the hotel has been converted into a condo.

(via cancun-condos.com)

Currently #92 on Tripadvisor. Our group had booked with STS travel and it was your typical spring break hotel. High school kids on spring break are not picky. It is towards the very bottom of the 7. We were usually the last ones off the bus that runs along the hotel zone. This is the only hotel, of all the ones I have stayed at in Cancun, that I would not consider holding my wedding at. But since this hotel has been converted into a condo, it’s a moot point. All in all, I enjoyed my time there as a spring breaker.

4. The fourth time I visited Cancun was during my first year in law school. My law school friend, Hannah, and I decided to go on a last minute trip booked through priceline.com the night before we departed. It was during March 2005 and we stayed at the Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun.

(via priceline.com)

Currently ranked #21 on Tripadvisor. This trip reawakened my love for Cancun after a long hiatus. The amenities were great and the maids were always cleaning. Even though we went when it was spring break, you wouldn’t have known staying at this hotel. Actually, the hotel seemed pretty secluded. The security would ask people who had wrist bands on (a classic sign of a spring breaker) what room they were in to make sure they were actually staying at the hotel. One of the pools had a basketball hoop set up and we played a few games. There was also jet skiing available right in front of the hotel. The Game and his entourage was actually staying at the hotel while we were there - he was also nice enough to pose for pictures with us.

The location of this hotel was near the Le Meridien towards the lower end of the 7. It was a great hotel and we had a wonderful stay. I’ve heard people had a great experience with having their wedding at this hotel.

5. The fifth time I visited Cancun was on a last minute trip in September 2005. Mr. Lovebird and I went with two of our friends on a spontaneous long weekend trip and we stayed at the JW Marriott.

(via expedia.com)

Currently ranked #3 on Tripadvisor. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous. The rooms were also very spacious with big balconies. What I loved most about the rooms were the huge bathrooms; it was almost as large as the bedroom. The JW Marriott also has a Lobster and Prime Rib Buffet on certain days which is very good. Room service was also very prompt. Their nachos were to die for! Their pools were also stellar. I hear they have a beautiful gazebo are for weddings and I know they have beautiful ballrooms.

(image via soltamargo.com)

Pictures I took…

backside of hotel facing ocean

view from room of storm coming in

I heart infinity pools

view from room at dusk

6. The sixth time I went to Cancun deserves its own post. That’s when Mr. Lovebird proposed!

7. The seventh and most recent time I went to Cancun was April of this year. I went with Mr. Lovebird, my father, brother, brother’s girlfriend, uncle and two cousins. We stayed at the ME by Melia.

I felt that this hotel had a very “European” vibe to it. It was newly renovated and includes such amenities as flat screen TV’s in each room. There was constantly techno music playing and is home to the “Maxim” Beach. I would say it caters to the younger crowd of Cancun visitors. The lobby and rooms are very trendy looking with abstract sculptures and posh furniture. If you stay at this hotel, I reccommend going on their website and signing up for their rewards cards. It gets you 2 for 1 breakfasts!

to be continued…

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