How to Find Cheap Hotels in Cancun, Mexico

As one of the hottest international tourist spots, Cancun, Mexico is known for being quite expensive. This is especially true of the luxury resort areas that are built up along the main stretch of beach. If you plan ahead, however, you can plan a fantastic Cancun getaway on a budget.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Passport (required for U.S. travelers to Mexico as of 2007)

Instructions

Know Your Destination

1. Read up on Cancun's history. The city is located in the famous Yucatán Peninsula, home to the ancient Mayan civilization.

2. Explore Cancun's state, Quintana Roo, in southeast Mexico. Quintana Roo was so obscure that it did not become an official state until 1974, when Cancun became a popular tourist attraction.

3. Relax! The well-paved roads and drinkable water make Cancun easier to visit than some of Mexico's more out-of-the-way areas.

4. Familiarize yourself with both parts of Cancun, the mainland and the 12-mile-long island which contains the Hotel Zone. The island, shaped like the number seven, is connected to the mainland by two bridges. It's surrounded by Bahía de Mujeres to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east and Nichupte Lagoon to the west.

5. Enjoy the semi-tropical weather that makes the waters surrounding Cancun tempting to swim in year-round.

Plan for Your Lodging

1. Book a cheap flight into Cancun International Airport. To book accommodations, contact Cancun Visitors and Conventions Bureau at 884-6531 or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).

2. Decide what type of cheap accommodations will suit you best. You can book a room at a quaint hacienda-style inn for about $50 a night, and can stay at a slightly more posh hotel for under $100 a night.

3. Embrace the culture of Mexico. There are many cheap, inn-style accommodations that will connect you to cultural aspects of Mexico and the Mayan heritage of the Yucatan area. You won't find that at commercial beachfront properties.

4. Review all of your accommodation options carefully. With over 26,000 rooms available, Cancun is Mexico's largest resort city with the largest amount of options to please any traveler.

5. Travel during non-peak times. Busy tourist times for Cancun are during the Carnaval festival in February and the winter holidays.

6. Enjoy Cancun's powdery beaches by day and its raucous club scene by night. As a whole, the city of Cancun accounts for over one-third of Mexico's entire tourism revenue.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid taking a taxi from inside of the airport if you're on a tight budget. The deluxe cars and mini-vans that can take you into Cancun are subject to high, regulated fares. Flag down a taxi off the access road out of the airport (after the traffic-monitoring booth) to get much cheaper fares.