Finally got official word that Secrets Silversands will open as Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun sometime in 2021. There is no specific date set yet, however. I double checked the old SS address with the new Hyatt address and they are both the same, so there’s no doubt this is the replacement.
Tomorrow, April 1, 2021, a new tourist tax will be implemented for international tourists who visit Cancun. The tax amount is $224 Mexican Pesos which is approximately $11 USD; the new tax must be paid for each foreign/international visitor over age 15 (Brazil and some other select countries will pay less). This new tax can be paid before you leave, while you are vacationing in Cancun, or paid in cash at various Cancun airport terminals before you fly home.
The mayor of Playa del Carmen, Laura Beristain, just announced that the huge renovation project of downtown PDC’s Fifth Avenue and Parque Fundadores is now done. With an investment of 107 million pesos, the renovation included “tiling”/cement block work on Fifth Avenue, sitting benches and a new look to the popular Parque Fundadores (including wheelchair ramps), drainage wells to avoid flooding during heavy rains, connection to the city’s sanitary system, new electric/gas lines/internet cables installed, new LED lighting for nighttime security, security cameras installed, as well as cosmetic features like the planting of new flora.
Repeat guests to Breathless Riviera Cancun will notice that some parts of the resort are no longer available to them…what used to be the more quiet Xhale section on the south end of Breathless has now become the new Secrets Riviera Cancun with 164 suites, one private restaurant, Rosewater, which serves “Gourmet International Cuisine”, and a private pool and beach section. Secrets guests have unrestricted use of the entire property, while Breathless guests cannot cross over to the Secrets section. There are now two separate check-in areas given the new property setup. I do appreciate the fact that one can now directly book all oceanfront swim-up suites throughout this resort; before the Secrets addition it was not clear how to do so in certain resort sections.
Computer rendition of the resort’s aerial view, courtesy AMResorts
Marriott’s Autograph Collection of all-inclusive resorts now includes several Blue Diamond resorts in Cancun and the Riviera Maya. Here’s the list: Continue reading
For those of you interested in the Bahia Principe Riviera Maya mega-resort complex, the Tulum resort has reopened after a major renovation. Many areas of the resort were changed, some cosmetically, others with major changes. Here’s a sneak peek of the changes in real time, no computer generation in this video.
I recently returned from my Cancun trip and thought it might be informative to those thinking of traveling to Mexico to know what the experience was like. This particular blog post will cover the air travel part of the trip.
FYI: Due to a shortage of materials, the project has experienced a delay. The current date of completion has now been moved to the first week of December.
Here’s the new deal with resort credits at Palace resorts.
Those who will still have access to resort credits after Aug 1, 2020: Continue reading