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“The jewel of Cancun.”
That’s how manager Jonathan Iriarte describes Planet Hollywood Cancun, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort’s location, Costa Mujeres, about a 45-minute drive north of Cancun airport.
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Oh, for sure, he might be biased — but there are many shining examples of why he’s not wrong.
For one, being situated 13 kilometres across from Isla Mujeres provides a buffer to the region’s problem with sargassum seaweed. Iriarte boasts they get a minimal amount compared to other beachside resorts, and what does slip through to Planet Hollywood’s almost 500-metre-long stretch of white sand is cleaned up daily by a machine.
Another bonus is Costa Mujeres is defined for a minimal amount of development, so compared to the crowded beaches closer to downtown, it’s a less dense and quiet oasis. Only five hotels currently occupy the area and Iriarte notes that due to zoning rules, only three more could possibly be built in the future.
“That makes this place unique” for Cancun, he emphasizes.
And indeed, that is the case. A stroll along the beach with sand between the toes doesn’t require weaving through mounds of beachgoers. And a swim in the water — which is mostly calm, also due to the island’s presence — is relaxing. Four bridges provide beach access from the resort over a strip of protected land, and the waterfront feels private and secluded, which is what A-listers expect. This is, after all, Planet Hollywood, where the trademark slogan is “Vacation like a Star.”
That vibe begins on first arrival to the main lobby, with guests greeted by intro music, a light show on an overhead screen, and a round of applause. They call it a celebrity-inspired experience, and indeed it’s probably as close to what we can get to how the stars must feel when they arrive at TIFF.
Opened in January 2021, Planet Hollywood actually sits on two sections of Costa Mujeres’ zoned lands, which is why the property is vast with tons of amenities and feels less crowded.
It’s also why it’s able to have a resort-within-a-resort. What’s that, you ask?
Planet Hollywood Adult Scene is exclusively for the 18 and older crowd with its own check-in, private part of the beach and pool, and two exclusive restaurants. More compact with 380 suites compared to the family section’s 648 rooms, Adult Scene provides a child-free oasis — but with full access to all the amenities at Planet Hollywood Cancun.
(But don’t worry — if you bring your kids to Planet Hollywood Cancun but then want to leave them at the supervised Stars Kids Club (ages 4-12) to join the party at Adult Scene, guests can pay a fee to access the resort.)
And there’s no shortage of things for young ones — and adults — to do at Planet Hollywood Cancun. The resort has four pools, a splash park, a lazy river with swim-up bar and a FlowRider surf experience. There’s also Planet Play with a game room and sports simulators, a large fitness centre, two tennis courts, a multi-court, 9-hole mini golf, and a maze.
Be sure to visit the PH Spa and try its sensory wellness circuit — where you cycle between hot and cold experiences. It’s a test of mind over matter that ends with the body feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. (Note: If you upgrade to Star Class you get complimentary access to the hydrotherapy pool, as well as other exclusive features such as a personal agent to coordinate your stay, preferred room location, turndown service, and more.)
Of course, as the resort is Hollywood-themed, in addition to movie costumes, posters and famous celebrity quotes sprinkled about there’s a professional cinema with 76 seats showing kids, family and adults movies daily. And the resort’s nightly entertainment isn’t to be missed. My stay saw a Queen tribute band, whirling acrobats and a silent disco.
Foodies won’t be disappointed here as Planet Hollywood Cancun offers 11 restaurants including Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, a steakhouse, and Italian, Indian, Japanese, and Mexican themed spots. There’s also Overtime Sports Bar so fans won’t miss the action back home.
IF YOU GO
Sunwing (sunwing.ca) offers packages which include flights, hotel and transfers through NexusTours. For the winter season, the airline will be flying daily to Cancun from Toronto and Montreal, and weekly from approximately 15 other cities across Canada.
Sunwing’s Elite Plus upgrade offers extra legroom, advanced seat selection, priority check-in and boarding, and increased checked baggage weight allowance.
An excursion to Isla Mujeres is a must (sunwing.ca/en/things-to-do/mexico/cancun). Our open-bar catamaran cruise included snorkeling in the clear turquoise waters at El Farito coral reef and a buffet lunch at a beach club on Isla Mujeres.
Learn more about Planet Hollywood Cancun at planethollywoodhotels.com/resorts/cancun and about Planet Hollywood Cancun Adult Scene at planethollywoodhotels.com/resorts/adult-scene-cancun.