The Hotel Zones: Zona Hotelera

The first thing when deciding where to stay in Cancun is figuring out whether you want to stay. The main strip, the Zona Hotelera or Hotel Zone, is where you'll be able to walk out from your hotel right onto the beach. The Zona Hotelera is closest to the tourist action and full of large luxury resorts and loud restaurants and nightclubs as well as shopping worthy of any global getaway. The Cancun skyline consists of the tall and often themed hotels that line up along the strip with many currently under construction and many more new and updated hotels on the way. This hotel zone is actually a narrow barrier island that extends like a numeral "7" from the mainland protecting many lagunas (Laguna Bojorquez and Laguna Nichupte) on the interior and hosting miles of semi-public beaches on the Caribbean Sea exterior. If you're like most people you come to Cancun to experience luxury and this is where you'll stay for that class of amenities.

Most recommended for families and known as one of the best hotels in Cancun's hotel zone is Hotel RIU Cancun, a new five-star hotel, 25-minute drive away from the Cancun International Airport. RIU Cancun offers great beach activities and dining choices for family and friends. Just across the street from the hotel are the El Galeria and Caracol shopping centers. Next door is its sister property, the Riu Palace Los Americas and five minutes away is Riu Caribe. Blvd Kukulcan Km 8.5, Manzana 50, Lote 5 | Zona Hotelera, Quintana Roo, Cancun 77500.

Royal Sands is another five-star hotel located at the Kukulkan plaza and is known for its outstanding customer services. Friendly locals working at this hotel make sure you get the best assistance and services while staying in Cancun on their architectural dome, Royal Sands. It's an inclusive hotel with all the amenities one would look for from a five-star hotel and more - spa and gym, a 24-hour on-call doctor, full service sports center, a grocery store, car rental boutiques, laundry services, pool and bar lounges, baby-sitting services and a lot more. Blvd Kukulcan No. 32 Seccion A | Segunda Etapa, Zona Hotelera, Cancun 77500.

El Centro

In the mainland part of the city you'll find the "old" downtown, El Centro. I say "old" because it's only been around for a few decades, not centuries like some other Mexican cities. To experience a 16th-century downtown I recommend visiting Mexico City. Nevertheless, this is whether permanent population of half a million resides and is where you just might find a small taste of Mexican life. This is also where you'll find older hotels on the lower end of the price range. For around $40, the cheapest you'll find a room anywhere in Cancun, you can stay at the Hotel Colonial, on a pleasant pedestrian-only side street off Av. Tulum, the main drag of downtown Cancun. The rooms are no-frills and with just a fan to keep you cool you're better off spending the day time outside, but you're in the middle of all the shopping, restaurants, and nightlife that downtown Cancun has to offer. Av. Tulipanes 22 | Sm 21, Cancun 77500.

But for two times as much as Hotel Colonial, less in the off-season, you can stay at the Hotel El Rey del Caribe, a sustainable the green hotel where you can rest assured your vacation will have as little impact on the environment as possible due to solar power and water recycling. And if that's not enough to relax you then go to their spa where you'll find aromatherapy, chocolate, honey, or milk massages, reflexology, and even Reiki, a form of Japanese energy healing. Av. Uxmal 24 Sm. 2A | Corner of Uxmal and Nader, Cancun 77500.

Zona Hotelera Norte

Another popular location for hotels is the area informally known as Zona Hotelera Norte, the North Hotel Zone, which consists of Isla Blanca and Punta Sam and, like the name suggests, is located to the north of the city. Being away from the main drag of Cancun it's a bit quieter and the hotels and restaurants are smaller and less flamboyant. If you want to stay here I would recommend the Hacienda Punta Sam in Punta Sam just north of Puerto Juarez. It's priced at the lower end of the scale - under $100 per night, family-friendly, and popular with the European crowd. They had a private beach where topless bathing is allowed. Km 3.5 Carr Puerto Juarez-Punta Sam, Cancun 77500.