Morning Sun

We left London, Ontario at 1:30 am heading for the Toronto Airport to catch our 6:55am Air Transat flight 626 to Cancun.

When going through customs at Cancun airport you will be required to push a button  that will activate a "Green Pass' light or a "Red Inspect Your Luggage" light. We got the green light and so did everyone ahead of us.
 

We arrived at our hotel at Midnight.  The El Pueblito is a nice hotel, rated a 4 Star. It has under gone renovation but I don't think its complete yet.  No welcome drink or any welcome at all for that matter. More of a "what kept you" attitude.
The entertainment committee kept everyone busy in the day time and put on some great shows in the evening. The resort is located on one of the best beach areas.
I have never seen sand so white and water so clear. The ocean was warmer than the pool.

The food was great. Pretty much anything you wanted. There are 3 restaurants  and two bars. The dinner location changed each night and all except one night was buffet style.  The breakfast and lunch location stayed the same and were also buffet. There is no room service. There is laundry service, a beauty parlor and gift shops. American Express, Visa and Master Card welcome.
You can also arrange a wedding while in Cancun.

There is nightly entertainment at the hotel. Afterwards a bus and members of the entertainment staff  take you to a different night club each night just 10 minutes away.  There is a flat fee for an open bar.

There is a Kid's Club from 10:00 am to 4 pm. for ages 2 - 12.

You can rent a safety deposit box in your room for $2.00 a day.

If you get a room location you don't like (and you will) they want $25.00 U.S. a night to move you.

We got put in a crappie location, if I went out on our balcony and stood on a chair, I could see the ocean.
I have read where they have done this to others too.

We got stuck in room 4622 - a bad location. The three of us would have upgraded but we were told it was 25.00 per person - per night. I even confirmed this twice to make sure. A few nights later we learned it was a flat 25.00 a night.
 

When I refused to pay, I was told that there were no rooms coming available. Yet a large sign at the front desk advertised "Ask us about our room upgrades with ocean views". It's sad they do this to people who have planned their vacation for
months only to learn when they get there they are ripped off to get a decent view. When I questioned the "Front Desk
Manager" about this he rudely turned away and went into his office. It's quite the little "scam" they got going, I had never seen it done anywhere else. The front desk staff were about as friendly as rattle snakes. And why do they hire people to work the front desk that don't speak English, or at least pretend not to?  The tension felt when dealing with the front desk staff was very evident. A sure sign of  the management's attitude. This was also expressed to us by an older couple who had just spent 3 weeks there.

The room upgrade did not mean a better room, but a room with a view other that the construction that was going on next door.

I asked our representative (World of Vacations) to speak to the management about a better room location. We got the same response from a note that she slipped under our door one night. No rooms available, but on the other hand, if we wanted to pay the extra...

We rented a Jeep that was due back at 8 A.M. but we were being picked up at 7:15 A.M. by a van heading to Chichen Itza. The auto rental is right next to the front desk. Since the rental guy wasn't in until 8 A.M.  he told me the night before to just leave the key at the front desk for him. When I tried to they refused to accept it with out making a big deal out of it.

This hotel is rated in most travel books as a * * * * star.

From someone who actually stayed there, as well as many other resorts, I very kindly give it a * * + .

The hotel, although acceptable, is ruined by the bad attitude of the people who run it.

I took some time to go around and record the best room numbers.

These rooms have a nice ocean/pool view.

Taxco 3
Rooms
2311-2312-2314-2331-2332-2333

Taxco 5
2511-2512-2514-2521-2522-2523-2531-2532-2533

Sanmiguel 1
1211-1212-1214-1221-1222-1223-1231-1232-1233

Sanmiguel 2
1111-1112-1114-1121-1122-1123-1131-1132-1133

Sanmiguel 3
S311-S312-S314-S321-S322-S323

Sanmiguel 4
1411-1412-1414-1421-1422-1423-1431-1432-1433

Sanmiguel 5
1511-1512-1514-1512-1522-1523-1531-1532-1533

Guanajanto 1
4111-4112-4114-4121-4122-4123-4131-4132-4133

Guanajanto 2
4211-4212-4214-4221-4222-4223-4231-4232-4233

Guanajanto 3
4311-4312-4314-4321-4322-4323-4331-4332-4333

Guanajanto 4
4411-4412-4414-4421-4422-4423-4431-4432-4433

I tried to email ahead 3 times in two weeks asking about an ocean front room but never received a reply. Now I know why.

If you want to give them a try...

The phone number is:  52-98-81-88-00
The fax number is:      52-98-85-20-66
Email El Pueblito Hotel

                            Going up Castillo                                                                           A steep climb down

Don't miss this trip. It is about two hours drive from Cancun. We took the van trip for $75.00 each verses the bus ($63.00) there are a maximum 12 people including your guide and driver. You stop at a few places along the way including an under ground river where you can swim, and still get back before the bus.  I heard somewhere that they may close the pyramid to climbers beginning the summer of 2000.  It is now the last structure still open to climbing.

Chichen Itza is the most visited archeological site in the peninsula of Yucatan, due to its extraordinary architecture beauty and it's geographical location.  It was founded in the year 514 by a priest Lakin Chan who was also called Itzamna.  This is why their people were called  Itzaes.

When the Spaniards arrived in Chichen Itza, it had been abandoned as a consequence of a civil war fought with Mayapan. Between 1196 & 1411 the final collapse of this culture took place in the north of the peninsula.

The conquerors found the buildings partially in ruins and their names and real use were unknown. This is why the present names are suppositions.

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ATV

We rode ATVs through the bush and along a private beach on our last day. The cost was $65.00 for a two hour ride.
This is available at the Rancho Loma Bonita. The same place that offers horse back riding.
The ranch is located about 50km from Cancun.  Book at the hotel or call 87-54-65  /  87-54-23

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Rent a Trakker
Just inside the front entrance to the hotel is the vehicle rental booth. The Trakker was $75.00 for 24 hours.  Tax, insurance, and unlimited mileage included. Gas extra. Other cars are available - same terms, lower price.

Shopping: If you want to purchase anything, don't leave it until you return to the airport. They are much more expensive.
However, purchasing your liquor is best at the duty free shop at the airport. We each purchased one 25 oz bottle of Tequila over our allowed limit and were honest enough to declare it and got stung back in Canada for a total of $50.00 tax.
It was not worth the risk to not declare it, but $17.00 a bottle is a little steep.

A word of Caution

 You will love the beach, but DO NOT go out too far in the water ( not past your shoulders). On my second day there I couldn't get back in, the water was just over my head by a few feet, I kept getting pulled out. I tried frantically and was getting very tired so I decided to dive under water and swim as hard as I could, if I didn't touch bottom when I came up, I was going to have to yell for help. My feet touched the bottom. I was never so tired in my life and could hardly walk through the water to the shore. I was white as a sheet for over an hour.  I now know what happens, and how it feels when people run into trouble in the water.

Two days later, 3 adult males were yelling for help and had to be rescued from not that far out in the water.
There was no real rescue equipment other than a small orange floatation devise. A hotel employee put flippers on and went out to help. It was tence for a while. Sea Doos were called in but arrived after it was over. One guy laid on the beach for 30 minutes and still needed the help of 2 others just to walk. I know how he felt.

Be careful. Don't think that it couldn't happen to you. I didn't.

If you venture too far out in the water and feel yourself being dragged out to sea, swim parallel to the beach until you reach an area where you can get in.

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*** Cancun Links ***

Cancun.com

Explore Cancun

Huatulco, Mexico

Mexico Information

The History of Tequila

 Cancun Weather Forecast

Bill in Tulsa's Message Board

 Cancun Hotline Message Board

 Yucatan Animal Rescue Foundation

 Information on Cancun and Puerto Vallarta

   For very detailed maps of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera visit cancunmap.com
 

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Safe Travel Information for Mexico

Mexico - Consular Information Sheet

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS TO MEXICO

A SAFE TRIP ABROAD

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