Author Topic: Cancun, Mexico Master Thread (Read 1072132 times)

shiframeir · « **Reply #440 on:** January 07, 2015, 10:39:44 PM »

Quote from: tziporaht on January 07, 2015, 02:32:32 PM

Hi
We have a time share in Hotel casa maya in cancun! We have been going for years, never had any problems as far as safety. We love it.
Not sure why someone had a cheese issue-you can't bring in meat. Poultry and dairy is fine.

Anyone know of any other minyan besides the westin and the kosherlexus? My husband would love to have someplace to daven for shabbos and we are about a 15 minute drive to kosherluxus, on the other end of the hotel strip.

We will be in cancun shabbos January 24th.
Any leads appreciated!

u never met the chabad rabbi? they have shabbos minyanim usually during winter break, see here: http://www.jewishcancun.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/503758/jewish/Synagogue.htm

tziporaht · « **Reply #441 on:** January 07, 2015, 11:43:02 PM »

Yes, we speak to him almost every year to find out what's new. I see on the map across the road from chabad is a Casa Maya Playa. That's not us. We are Hotel Casa Maya-about two and a half miles down the road.
Never even knew there was another Casa Maya till I just looked at the chabad map now!
Thanks though !

moe3615 · « **Reply #442 on:** January 10, 2015, 09:39:05 PM »

My wife and I are landing in Cancun this Motzei Shabbos at 11pm. We're booked at Hyatt Zilara from Sunday-Thursday w/ points but we didn't book for Motzei Shabbos because it seemed like a waste of 25k pts since we're landing so late. Does anyone know of a decent $100-$150 a night hotel within walking distance to the Hyatt where we can spend the night and then walk to the Hyatt Sunday to check in?

fruppy10 · « **Reply #443 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:28:35 PM »

Heading to Cancun from Feb 1 -5 with a 3 & 5 year olds. Staying at the Westin Laguinia. Anybody else with kids heading there too?

stmark · « **Reply #444 on:** January 12, 2015, 09:10:29 AM »

When flying into Cancun what is the best option to get to Playa del Carmen, book cab in advance, get a cab at the airport, shuttle with others?
TIA

MDU · « **Reply #445 on:** January 12, 2015, 12:56:09 PM »

Staying at the Westin Lagunamar this Sun (Jan 18th) thru Thurs.
1st of all has anyone had any success confirming a nice room (nice location/view if not upgrade) in advance? If yes, how/with whom?
Also my flight is Thurs evening and it sounds like the 10am checkout is not very flexible... if I reserve thurs night (5th night free!) will I have any issues checking out thurs evening?
Thanks

shiframeir · « **Reply #446 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:53:59 PM »

Quote from: MDU on January 12, 2015, 12:56:09 PM

Staying at the Westin Lagunamar this Sun (Jan 18th) thru Thurs.
1st of all has anyone had any success confirming a nice room (nice location/view if not upgrade) in advance? If yes, how/with whom?
Also my flight is Thurs evening and it sounds like the 10am checkout is not very flexible... if I reserve thurs night (5th night free!) will I have any issues checking out thurs evening?
Thanks

views at lagunamar generally arent true oceanfront, more oceanview, and note that the rooms closest to the beach/water sometimes have obstructed views esp on lower floors due to trees. All the rooms are identical, so really all u should consider is location. We preferred rooms on the right side (facing ocean) because there is a quieter pool there and the minyan meets by that pool. But that is further from general reception, the mini market, kids club and fitness center (though closer to spa).
Can't see how u would have issue with leaving early. Just leave and do auto checkout with app or whatever.

alpicone · « **Reply #447 on:** January 12, 2015, 05:19:22 PM »

Quote from: MDU on January 12, 2015, 12:56:09 PM

Staying at the Westin Lagunamar this Sun (Jan 18th) thru Thurs.
1st of all has anyone had any success confirming a nice room (nice location/view if not upgrade) in advance? If yes, how/with whom?
Also my flight is Thurs evening and it sounds like the 10am checkout is not very flexible... if I reserve thurs night (5th night free!) will I have any issues checking out thurs evening?
Thanks

I was also there for 4 nights and booked the 5th night free to avoid having to deal with the early checkout. When I checked out the lady just said "you know you are leaving a day early" and that was it. Also got the extra night of credit towards the nights in case you are trying for status.

alpicone · « **Reply #448 on:** January 12, 2015, 05:24:36 PM »

Quote from: shiframeir on January 12, 2015, 01:53:59 PM

views at lagunamar generally arent true oceanfront, more oceanview, and note that the rooms closest to the beach/water sometimes have obstructed views esp on lower floors due to trees. All the rooms are identical, so really all u should consider is location. We preferred rooms on the right side (facing ocean) because there is a quieter pool there and the minyan meets by that pool. But that is further from general reception, the mini market, kids club and fitness center (though closer to spa).

I also got a room closer to the smaller pool in building 1300 (Link to Resort Map) which was okay because it didn't face the pool so was more private. All the other building face the pools. The thing that I wasn't happy with in that building is that it faces the next door building and you can hear their cooling towers (HVAC).

If you are booking with points I feel like they stick you in the least desirable building which in my opinion would be 1300.

tdb · « **Reply #449 on:** January 12, 2015, 07:30:29 PM »

Quote from: shiframeir on January 12, 2015, 01:53:59 PM

views at lagunamar generally arent true oceanfront, more oceanview, and note that the rooms closest to the beach/water sometimes have obstructed views esp on lower floors due to trees. All the rooms are identical, so really all u should consider is location. We preferred rooms on the right side (facing ocean) because there is a quieter pool there and the minyan meets by that pool. But that is further from general reception, the mini market, kids club and fitness center (though closer to spa).
Can't see how u would have issue with leaving early. Just leave and do auto checkout with app or whatever.

we will be there form the 17th through the 22. where exactly does the minyan take place and what time

shiframeir · « **Reply #450 on:** January 12, 2015, 07:50:05 PM »

Quote from: tdb on January 12, 2015, 07:30:29 PM

we will be there form the 17th through the 22. where exactly does the minyan take place and what time

when I was there a couple years ago right hand gazebo by the small pool (right side of resort facing ocean) iirc was an early minyan like 7ish (maybe was 730/45) and then close to shkiah mincha maariv (anshlussen). Ask the Chabad rabbi if he has info, back when I went he was trying to arrange so there would be a room for a minyan but we didn't get it, perhaps location may change.

moe3615 · « **Reply #451 on:** January 14, 2015, 10:47:03 PM »

Trying to book 1 night at the Lagunamar for 10k pts but as of right now I only have 2200. Any suggestions on how to get the missing 7800 pts? I have a bunch of Chase points and Barclay points and as far as I know there's no way to transfer those into spg. Can someone with the spg points book the room for me?

MDU · « **Reply #452 on:** January 14, 2015, 11:49:06 PM »

Will be in Cancun next week... what is expected in terms of tipping for cabs, tour guides, etc.?

Dan · « **Reply #453 on:** January 15, 2015, 10:55:51 AM »

Anyone have any trip reports of Mayan ruins or Cenotes?

sruly · « **Reply #454 on:** January 15, 2015, 11:02:49 AM »

Quote from: moe3615 on January 14, 2015, 10:47:03 PM

Trying to book 1 night at the Lagunamar for 10k pts but as of right now I only have 2200. Any suggestions on how to get the missing 7800 pts? I have a bunch of Chase points and Barclay points and as far as I know there's no way to transfer those into spg. Can someone with the spg points book the room for me?

Go with 11500 points for the 1 bedroom suite

moe3615 · « **Reply #455 on:** January 15, 2015, 02:43:54 PM »

But how do I get the spg pts? Buying the missing points seems like a huge ripoff.

JamesIV · « **Reply #456 on:** January 15, 2015, 07:02:04 PM »

There are a bunch of small cenotes on the side of the highway between Playa and Tulum. You pay like 50 pesos to go in.
I spent an afternoon in one if them, really cool. It's like a lagoon you can jump in from 20ft, snorkel, dip your feet in and the fish nibble on them. Cool experience and doesn't cost much like the bigger theme parks..

moe3615 · « **Reply #457 on:** January 18, 2015, 01:14:26 AM »

Anyone know cheapest way to make local calls here? Want to call local restaurants but hotel charges $10 a local call and gd knows what Verizon charges on roaming...?

emineh17 · « **Reply #458 on:** January 18, 2015, 01:15:15 AM »

Quote from: moe3615 on January 18, 2015, 01:14:26 AM

Anyone know cheapest way to make local calls here? Want to call local restaurants but hotel charges $10 a local call and gd knows what Verizon charges on roaming...?

If u have WiFi u can use Google hangouts or skype

youG · « **Reply #459 on:** January 18, 2015, 02:04:49 AM »

Quote from: moe3615 on January 18, 2015, 01:14:26 AM

Anyone know cheapest way to make local calls here? Want to call local restaurants but hotel charges $10 a local call and gd knows what Verizon charges on roaming...?

for about $10 more a month you can add to your verizon plan 1000 minutes global roaming in Mexico and Canada

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To get a grasp of where you are, Cancun is located on the edge of Mexico that wraps around the Gulf of Mexico and separates it from the Caribbean Sea. As you can see here, Cancun is fairly close to Cuba and really not that far from Florida.		The greater Cancun area includes the Zona Hotelera (translation not needed) in the north, which is a strip of land separated from the mainland by a lagoon and packed with hotel after hotel in a similar fashion to Miami Beach. In this thread, when people refer to Cancun, they are usually referring to this area. A ferry ride away is the island of Isla Mujeres. Below Cancun on the map, you'll see the airport in red. The area south of Cancun is known as Riviera Maya which contains many resort areas including Playa del Carmen, and within Playa is Mayakoba. A ferry ride away is the island of Cozumel.

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Author Topic: Cancun, Mexico Master Thread (Read 1072132 times)