Situated 15 min. north of the airport, the Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun is probably best known for its enormous palapa roof which rises to a height of 118 ft. and adorns the entrance and reception area–it is reportedly the largest palapa of its kind in Mexico.  This all-inclusive does an aesthetically-pleasing combination of mixing old and new architectural styles (palapas and hacienda-style exteriors and more contemporary interior spaces) to create a three wing, six to eight-story resort in a popular area of the Hotel Zone.  AAA has awarded the Condesa Cancun with the Four Diamond Award for the past 20 years in recognition of its level of service and amenities.

Upon arrival, guests are whisked up to the lobby via escalator into a large, open-air space with marble floors, inlaid stone and tile, comfortable seating areas, and lobby bar.  The reception desk is located to the right at the top of the escalator; guests are typically greeted with champagne or a non-alcoholic tropical drink–if champagne is not automatically offered, there should be some on ice along with flutes close to the check-in counter.  The lobby bar tends to be most popular during the evenings since this part of the resort doesn’t have A/C; although there are only eight to ten bar stools, the many cushioned sofas and chairs provide plenty of comfortable places in which to relax with a pre-dinner drink or nightcap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the palapa-covered lobby, another hallmark of the Condesa Cancun is the terraced, free-form pool with cascading waterfalls, three Jacuzzis, and a shallower children’s section with a pirate ship offering waterslides.  The upper level has an infinity edge with an ocean view and is referred to as the “quiet’ area since activities and music occurs at the lower pool section with swim-up bar.  While there are few shade umbrellas on the sundecks, there are overhead shade structures on the lower level and natural flora throughout which provides some shade for guests.  Food is in plentiful supply on both sundecks with multiple restaurants and snack food options; staff will be happy to bring lunch orders to guests sitting by the pool so that drying off and changing clothes for mealtime is not a necessity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wide and lengthy stretch of white sand beach is not far away from the pool.  Again, shade opportunities aren’t exactly plentiful, but loungers without shade are in abundant supply for serious tanners.  There is plenty of space for beach activities as well as a beach bar, while those who like to take walks can do so for miles in either direction.  As is typical for Caribbean Sea beaches in this part of the Hotel Zone, the surf here can be powerful with a strong undertow, so be sure to mind the lifeguards and posted flags.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest rooms, while standard in size for the most part, have been recently renovated and now include new mattresses, headboards handcrafted from stone found in the Yukatan, a pillow menu, Smart TV’s, and completely reconfigured bathrooms.  The shower/tub combo is gone, and overall space has been added but at the expense of privacy.  Partially frosted glass is now the only thing standing between the bathroom and the rest of standard guest rooms; some suites continue to have a certain degree of privacy even with renovations.  Full balconies are not automatically included in all guest rooms (some rooms have no outdoor space, while others have a French balcony), so either book a room category with a guaranteed standard/larger size balcony (suites) or request a room with one at check-in.  In regards to the overall guest room building layout, the Sun Tower is south beachfront, the Moon Tower is north beachfront, while the Sea Tower overlooks the entire pool area with an ocean view as a backdrop.  Full suites are most often located in either the Sun or Moon Tower, oceanfront rooms (non-suites) may be located in the Sea Tower overlooking the entire pool area, while ocean view rooms are most often located on the sides of the Sun and Moon Towers.  A decent resort map, while not totally updated, can be found at this link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although all-inclusive resorts aren’t always associated with outstanding dining choices, the Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun receives consistent accolades in regards to its varied menus and dining venues.  From its poolside Cevicheria with excellent ceviche and tacos to the more formal Rosato Restaurant with dishes from southern Italy, there is surely something here to please even the most discriminating of palates.  The resort also offers food options which aren’t always served in the restaurants including a pool BBQ with paella, a pizzeria, The Grill with its American menu, and the Sushi Corner by the lobby.  The resort has recently added a steakhouse–this is the only restaurant requiring a reservation which must be done the day prior to dining.

Overall, this is a beautiful resort and has much to offer vacationing families–there is even a Kid’s Club for ages 4-12 and a teen club with dedicated space for video gaming, ping pong, and movies; there is also a games room for all ages.  The resort does tend to focus on conventions and weddings, so be prepared to encounter large groups of individuals from time to time.

Type of Resort:  Family-friendly

Pro:  Multi-level pool, no restaurant reservations at most restaurants, many opportunities to eat something around the resort, large beach, complimentary WiFi.

Con:  Not all rooms have balconies, lack of bathroom privacy.

Best Suited For:  Families with children ages 4-8, couples who don’t mind family-friendly resorts.

No. of Rooms:  502

Room Amenities:  King or two dbl beds, A/C, bureau, ceiling fan, table and chairs, mini-bar, digital safe, Smart TV, telephone, coffee maker, iron/ironing board, pillow menu, hair dryer, shower with rainforest showerhead, toiletries, 24-hr. room service, and complimentary WiFi.  Here is a brief rundownof guest room categories:

• Premium Garden View Two Dbls:  Two dbl beds with above amenities.
• Premium Garden View King:  King bed with above amenities.
• Premium Lagoon View Two Dbls:  Two dbl beds with above amenities.  View of Nichupté Lagoon.
• Premium Lagoon View King:  King bed and above amenities.  View of Nichupté Lagoon.
• Premium Ocean View Two Dbls:  Two dbl beds and above amenities.  Partial ocean view.
• Premium Ocean View King:  King bed and above amenities.  Partial ocean view.
• Premium Oceanfront Two Dbls:  Two dbl beds and above amenities.  Ocean view.
• Premium Oceanfront King:  King bed and above amenities.  Ocean view.
• Jr. Suite:  King bed, sitting room area with sofa, coffee table, dining table and four chairs, two flat screen TV’s, additional half-bathroom, soaker tub, regular balcony off the living room, French balcony off the bedroom, and above amenities.  Ocean view.
• Premium Master Suite:  King bed, sofa bed in separate living room area, armchair, coffee table, dining table and four chairs, two flat screen TV’s, additional half-bathroom, robes, large balcony/terrace with Jacuzzi and two full loungers, table and two chairs, and above amenities.  Oceanfront.
• Premium Governor Suite:  All the amenities of the Master Suite with additional space.
• Presidential Suite:  Two-story suite with two bedrooms (king bed and two dbl beds) and a sofa bed, three bathrooms, kitchenette, living room with sofa bed, dining table and eight chairs, three flat screen TV’s, expansive balcony with dbl loungers and Jacuzzi, and above amenities.  Oceanfront.

Physically Challenged Rooms:  Available

Resort Amenities:  Multi-level pool with swim-up bar and children’s section in the lower level, three Jacuzzis, spa, beauty salon, fitness center, tennis courts, basketball court, games room, theater, pool and beach wait service, beach massage tables, Kid’s Club (ages 4-12), Teen Club (ages 13-17), playground, concierge, tour desk, gift shop and convenience store, photo shop, jewelry store, business center, car rental, medical services, and ATM.

Pool Hours:  7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Restaurants/Bars:  There is one dedicated buffet restaurant (Kalmia), and four a la cartes including Mexican (El Mexicano), Italian (Rosato–no children under age 13 from 7 p.m. on), Asian (Kambu which also serves breakfast and lunch), and the new steakhouse (San Telmo–reservations required one day prior to dining, sign up from 2-4 p.m.).  There are several other food service options–seafood (Cevicheria), American fare (The Grill), pizzeria (Trattoria), Sushi Corner, and the deli which serves ice cream (there is also a staff member who occasionally rides his bike around the pools handing out ice cream treats).  Be sure to check out the poolside paella on Sunday, enjoy a smoothie poolside, or have a coffee at the lobby coffee bar.  Five bars are situated around the property including a lobby, beach, pool bar, swim-up bar, and the Cantina which is located by the theater.

Entertainment:  There are nightly family-oriented shows, live music beachfront and in the Mexican restaurant, indoor movie theater and games room.

Website:  http://www.fiestamericana.com/web/fiesta-americana-condesa-cancun-all-inclusive