1 Day Too Many In Cancun!

After departing Chichen Itzá on day 12 of our journey, our Gate 1 tour group made a pitstop for lunch on the way to our last destination, Cancun.

 

 

Hacienda Selva Maya

Located just outside the city of Valladolid is the Hacienda Selva Maya. This was our lunch stop on the way to Cancun.

 

Hacienda Selva Maya

Carretera Federal. Valladolid-Merida, Km. 3.5

97780, Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico

 

As we were on a tour, all of the details of our day were already taken care of, so some of the information provided was based on reviews and social media from other travelers.

The hacienda has beautiful gardens, shopping, a buffet lunch, and the option to swim in a cenote.

Our group’s package had the option to swim in Saamal Cenote, located a few steps from the buffet dining area where we would have lunch.

 

 

A Note For Michael Phelps!

We chose not to swim in the cenote as living in the Yucatan; it’s something we do often. We wanted to relax and enjoy lunch. With a short visit, we didn’t really want to change, shower, swim, shower, change again, and travel with wet swimsuits.

 

 

Swimming in the cenote is about 150 pesos per person, including lockers, showers, and lifejackets. 

Yes, everyone must wear a lifejacket – Even if you are Michael Phelps! And the sign says so!

 

 

Lunch Buffet

We relaxed and enjoyed their lunch buffet. They serve Yucatecan specialties with lots of options. From what we have read, they serve from 12:00 to 5:00 daily for about 350 pesos.

There were plenty of options. The food was good – although we’re hard critics as we live in a Yucatecan neighborhood with many regional options. The dining area was big and clean, and the staff was friendly and attentive.

Overall, it looks like a great place to visit when you have time to explore and have lunch.

 

Occidental Costa Cancún 

After lunch, we drove several hours to Cancun and the Costa Occidental.

 

Occidental Costa Cancun – All Inclusive

Boulevard Kukulcan, Km. 4,5

77500 Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

 

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a fairly hectic check-in as the lobby was still full of luggage, and many people had checked out and were waiting to head to the airport.

We had chosen to add an extra day to our tour package. We thought it would be a great way to chill out, enjoy the beach, and spend time with friends who were also on the tour.

This may be the ONE decision regarding this trip that we regret.

The hotel rooms were comfortable but nothing special. The balcony overlooking the pool had great views but was VERY loud all day and most of the night. A stage for musical performances was set up directly under our balcony.

 

The beach is on a small inlet with large tour boats going in and out. While the beach was clean and had loungers, it was very crowded.

 

Dining at Occidental Costa

Arriving late in the day, we were too late to make reservations for their specialty restaurants and were told we could arrive early for dinner and take our chances. We were also informed that the dress code for men, while casual, required slacks and closed-toe shoes – something neither of us was traveling with. 

So, our first dinner was at the buffet restaurant, which was okay. Nothing special.

The following day, Mark headed to the concierge early, hoping to get a reservation for dinner in the seafood restaurant. However, their reservation system was a complete disaster. You are only able to make reservations for that day. The time the reservations opened was after many people had left for day trips, but the lines were still challenging.

We said lines because each restaurant had its own line. Standing in line for the seafood restaurant, Mark listened to people in other lines who found that requested times were not available and that they now needed to wait in a different line, hoping something there was available. 

Fortunately, we made a reservation with our friends. We will say the concierge working that line was the least helpful person we’d dealt with in 13 days.

 

Dinner Was a Mess

Arriving at the appointed time, we ran into two other diners from our group who asked if they could join our party of four. With an empty restaurant and tipping the host, it was still a struggle.

Dinner was very odd… Mark ordered a Baked Oyster dish and was served three Clam Shells with Chopped Clams and Bay Scallops in a Broth – this was not even on the menu and was very overcooked. Chuck ordered a Cesar Salad Appetizer and got a few leaves of Romaine, with overcooked Chicken Breast, lots of Dressing and Cheese, and a piece of Toast in place of the Croutons.

 

We honestly can’t tell you about the entrees as we were overwhelmed and stopped taking photos.

We nearly lost it when they seated a table of six next to us in tank tops, swimsuits, and flip-flops!

 

Skip The Spa!

The following day, we went to the buffet for breakfast. It was actually the highlight of our stay. The buffet was well stocked, with plenty of Fresh Fruit and breakfast options.

With time to kill before our checkout and taking the bus back to Merida, Mark headed to the spa. The resort touts a Turkish Bath and Sauna Free of Charge.

The men’s changing room was clean and empty when Mark arrived. It had plenty of lockers and towels available. Unfortunately, it seems that many of the female attendants randomly walk into the locker room unannounced.

The hot tub was not even half full, and what we thought was a cold plunge was completely empty. Mark told the spa’s front desk hostesses that this was very dangerous as someone could easily fall in. They didn’t seem to be at all concerned.

 

 

Hasta Luego!

This was definitely not the Cancun all-inclusive experience we thought we’d have. And obviously, adding on an additional night was not the best idea. 

We did, however, notice that the Gate 1 Travel itinerary for recent and upcoming trips changed hotels in Cancun. But it also seems to be a different Costa property.

Hopefully, its location toward Cancun’s main strip will have better amenities and service.

 

ADO Platinum

We booked our return to Merida on ADO’s Platinum Bus. ADO is a bus company offering multiple travel options across Mexico.

We’d heard great things about the buses, especially their Platinum option between Merida and Cancun. 

After a short Uber ride from the resort to Cancun’s Central bus station, we were directed to the Platinum waiting area. It was a separate area in the terminal with air conditioning, luggage storage, club chairs, and bathrooms.

About fifteen minutes before departure, we were called to check in luggage and were offered bottled water and headsets. The bus was pretty impressive, with large, comfortable seats that reclined. Each had its own overhead light and flatscreen with plenty of movie options -in Spanish.

A few hours after an on-time departure, we arrived at the Paseo 60 terminal in Merida, about a ten-minute Uber ride from home.

The bus was clean, very comfortable, and cost us just under $50 US for the three-and-a-half-hour trip. We recommend this when traveling in the region and advise you to bring a sweatshirt as the AC is COLD!

 

 

RECAP

Overall, we loved our Gate 1 Travel – 13 Day Mexico’s Mayan and Aztec Illuminations tour. It allowed us to see other parts of Mexico to decide where we wanted to explore further. 

The insight into Mayan, Aztec, and Olmec cultures was fantastic. We had some incredible food and stayed at some remarkable hotels. 

We would highly recommend this tour if you want to see what Mexico is really like, as we visited eight different cities in nearly as many states.

And now, on to our next adventure!