I’m looking to book a trip to Cancun for my SO’s 40th which is the first week of May. Is this a bad time to go with Spring Break so close? Does anyone have any Hotel recommendations?
Thanks.
Don’t wink the daughters.
I have absolutely no idea what that means 
IMHO, my advice about Cancun is DON’T GO! There is a reason why drunken frat boys go there; if you are past the age of 25, I don’t think you’ll find all that much to do. It is simply one American-run hotel after the other and you won’t see anything that remote resembles Mexico. Go instead either to Puerta Vallarta (it’s cheaper, anyway) or into the ruins in Mexico.
Just a play on don’t drink the water for the 40ish guys.
Cancun and Cozumel are certainly ground zero for spring breakers but according to thisUS college SB schedule they’re mostly set for late February through about the third week in March.
What you might run into is the end of the semester entirely and family vacations. My guess would be it’ll still be crowded but with more of a family atmosphere.
I believe Cancun is considered more of a party atmosphere with Cozumel being relatively more sedate.
If you’re going to Cancun, save your money and go to Myrtle Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or someplace equally as terrible but much closer to home.
If you want to see Mexico AND go to the Yucatan, go to Tulum instead (about 80 miles south of Cancun, IIRC).
In May you should be safely far enough away from Spring Breakers. However, unless you are looking for an all-inclusive drink and eat fest with little to no actual culture Cancun will be fine. If you want relaxing and family stuff without culture, the Hilton in Cancun is lovely and relaxing. However, plnnr is right Tulum is comfortable, relaxing and you can get as much or as little touristy as you want.
In Tulum they have little hotels (no air conditioning, but you don’t really need it on the beach in May). Maya Tulum is nice, but if you’re shy of lesbians don’t go there–it’s an eclectic mix of folks, but I there are usually gay women there. They have excellent massages. On my trip therein December they had a Victoria’s Secret swimsuit shoot their. Piedra Escondida is also quite nice. Los Lirios does have AC, but it rarely works. Ana y Jose is also nice. Las Ranitas is great, but a bit pricey. Zama’s is a lovely restaurant on the beach. You can sip on one of their stellar pina coladas and feed the iguanas fruit. In town is a great local place called Don Cafeto’s with excellent habenero salsa. South of Tulum is Sian Ka’an, an ecological preserve. By the time you get down there on the death road (dirt with huge potholes) you may check out ecological tours and “tents” for rent. It is an incredible area for bird watching and there are sea turtles and crabs and even pumas. Some folks have houses or are buillding houses in the preserve, but unless you rent from , you can’t stay there as it’s “rich and famous folks” as to build a house you need to purchase a minimum of 100 meters of beachfront (1.5 million) and can only build a small house–no hotels.
Boca Paila is a fishing lodge in Sian Ka’an and you can stay there, but it’s usually booked and is about $2000 a week. Great bone fishing though. South past the boca is Punta Allen known for it’s fantastic lobsters.
If you want something in between Tulum and Cancun try Puerto Aventuras–it’s more laid back and less Americanized than Cancun. There’s usually a huge Europoean contingent there. Casa Del Agua is a great place to stay there.
Most of these places can be found on the web, but also check out The Sian Ka’an Website.
I would certainly recommend Tulum and Sian Ka’an–I like them so much I go down about once a month.
Hell. I used the wrong “their”–shoot me–I’ve made fun of people for that… Look, it’s been a long day, already and I’m sunburned as I just got back 
Hey everyone thanks for your responses. What I’m really looking for is a vacation that’s peaceful and relaxing, so maybe Cancun isn’t the right idea.
I want a nice, beautiful, blue ocean with an upscale Hotel on the beach and some outdoor activities. We’re not party people or dancin’ people either.
I was looking into Cancun because I’ve heard how beautiful it is and I would love to see the ruins there, but I will check into other places in Mexico (closer to me on the West Coast).
Is Puerta Vallarta as beautiful? Cozumel?
dreamer Puerto Aventuras wouuld be perfect for you–laid back relaxing, beautiful and mostly non-partying. There’s a nice resort there called I think something “Real” maybe Camino Real? It’s all inclusive if you want that or Casa del Agua (look for it on the web, my internet is being wonky today) is a five room hotel/spa. There’s a room with a stream running through it and one with a garden shower. You can snorkle to your heart’s delight, scuba not too far away and can visit Xel Ha or one of the other parks for swimming with dolphins and ruins. the ruins at Tulum are also awesome
Puerto Vallarta, ehhh, it’s ok. Cozumel is WAY better than Cancun, but still I think Puerto Aventuras is perfect for you!
Are there any clothing-optional beaches in Cancun/Cozumel? Just wondering! 
I’ve been to Cancun about 10 times for work and for my honeymoon. We honeymooned there first ( last minute travel deal. Then i got a job wth a tour company. It’s been 10 years, so, things may have changed.)
We went the first week in May in 93 and there was no one there pretty much. It is off season from the Easter/Spring Break crowd. I would never want to be there and would never send or allow my child their for spring break. It would be like an STD/Drug/Boozer convention.
Cancun is nice, with touristy things to do and restaurants and bars nearby. You can go to the downtown area and look for bargains and then promptly get depressed at all the poverty that is in the shadows of these 4 and 5 star hotels.
The further south you stay in Cancun, the rougher the water is. Apparently this is due to being sheltered by Isla Mujuares ( sp?) and in all the times I’ve stayed down there, the beach at the more northerly hotels was calmer. But, again, this just could be due to great weather. Dunno. Also, in the Yucatan, it is illegal for vendors to hawk their wares on the beach to you. In Puerto Vallarta, last I was there, in 96, this was still going on and a bit of a pain.
I always like the Cancun Palace, which I believe is now all inclusive. You want to stay on the ocean side. Staying on the lagoon side will probably be less money, but it won’t have as much beach or beach things to do. Probably won’t be as crowded either.
I highly recommend doing a Tulum/Xel Ha ( shell -ha) trip. Tulum is a couple hours of a guided tour around ancient ruins (which is not my scene, but it was really quite cool.) and Xel-Ha is a snorkling park thing that was simply freakingly cool. I could have spent my entire day snorkeling.
You can do a day trip to Cozumel ( rent a car or take a taxi and take the (people) ferry over and taxi about. I think it is about 60-90 minute drive, but we were always on a tour bus, so it is probably faster.) There is one of the best Underwater National Preserves in the World for scuba and snorkling called Chakaanaab. Cozumel is as flat as a pancake and built on limestone, IIRC, and there are no beaches, per se. Not the sandy beaches, just so you know. Their pool areas are usually spacious and outstanding for the lounging sun worshipper and drinking yourself into a nice comfortable state of numbness.
There are a huge array of all-inclusive hotels down there now which can be nice for the breakfast-dinner thing, but frankly, the food is about the same as wedding fare banquet dishes in chafing dishes, only a little less appealing. ( This may have changed, but I seriously doubt it. And this is anywhere I’ve traveled in Mexico with hotel food. ) I’ve always been partial to hotels that offer a partial meal plan, usually breakfast, then I don’t have to stagger so far in the AM for grub, though every hotel has a restaurant and bar.
I am trying to find a couple of different hotels that I use to like that were great locations and not straining your budget. I think they’ve had a name change.
**Puerto Aventuras is the sports fishing center for Mexico’s Caribbean Coast. Located near Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras is a peaceful alternative to the noise and crowds of this nearby city. It is located on the oceanfront and is a beautiful, gated resort community, where it is safe to drive your car, and get out and walk around at night. Puerto Aventuras sits in the heart of the world-renowned Riviera Maya, less than 15 minutes from Playa del Carmen and less than an hour from Cancun. It is an ideal location to explore all that Mexico has to offer – you have the conveniences and attractions of the nearby larger resort areas, but the quiet and safety of a smaller town. Playa Aventuras is near enough to explore the ancient ruins of Tulum, or visit the eco-parks of Xel-Ha and Xcaret. Aside from sports fishing, which is very popular in Puerto Aventuras, a few of the other outdoor sports available in the area include swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, sailing, golf and biking. In Puerto Aventuras, you are within walking distance of numerous restaurants, cafes and shops. Why not spend your next Mexican vacation within the private and beautiful gated community of Puerto Aventuras? You will find yourself wanting to return again and again. **
There are a wad of hotels in this area, south of this place that are equally nice and probably not as expensive. Though, as a clue, the beaches are a little more rocky here in the Maya Riviera and narrow, quite narrow. But, it is so peaceful.
I have to go and pick my daughter up at school, so I will see if I can find the places that got the **Shirley Seal of Approval **. ( Naturally, as I never paid for any of these places, they were Top Notch. Just like you deserve. )