If you are planning a vacation to Cancun you must evaluate the accommodation alternatives to find the best option for you, that’s why this post “ Airbnb in Cancun, 3 tips ” may interest you…
In recent years Airbnb has added a lot of alternatives to the classic accommodation options in Cancun (hotels). Now if you are traveling to Cancun you can stay in a hotel, condo, house, bungalow, and much more.
It is true that vacation rentals already existed before Airbnb, but the procedure was a bit more rustic and insecure, sometimes it was just a matter of luck to reach the destination and find a good option and price, even, in some places, the local newspaper was the one that helped you.
But, with technology on the rise, today you only need to browse an internet platform like Airbnb, Vrbo, or Tripadvisor, and with some time and a good eye, you can find a place that promises a charming stay.
However, not everything is always so easy, when searching through Airbnb sometimes you have doubts, feel insecure about the host or the property, or you don’t understand very well the city to find the best location with a good price-quality ratio. The good news is that it is possible to avoid it to be sure you’ll find the right place for your needs…
What is an Airbnb?
For those who are just getting familiarized with technology, it is good to clarify that talking about “an Airbnb” is referring to a vacation rental that can be a house, an apartment, a studio, or a villa. A place you can rent for a few days (or a few months) to visit Cancun.
You can choose and filter the characteristics of the place you are searching for (wifi, good for kids, a/c, etc) and you should pay close attention to this before booking it, to avoid bad surprises.
According to a September 2021 Reportur publication, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, there are more than 50,000 Airbnb accommodations. Cancun concentrates a large part of this offer, just as Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Bacalar, etc.
Tips to find a safe Airbnb in Cancun
1. Choose a good location
If you are thinking about which is the best location for an Airbnb in Cancun, there is a lot to analyze. Cancun is a fairly large city and many areas are not clearly defined, which creates confusion when it comes to finding a good place to rent.
Among the different areas that you find in Cancun are:
Airport Zone
Located around 30 minutes away from downtown; it can be a good option to stay if you want to be close to the airport or if you have a car, this is because the accommodations may be far from interesting places if you walk. There are new neighborhoods in this zone, mainly near Huayacan avenue which is full of restaurants, bars, pharmacies and convenience stores.
Beach area in Cancun
This area is quite extensive along the coast of Cancun, so we can divide it into other areas that we will describe below, from north to south.
Beach area in Costa Mujeres :
It is north of Cancun, 30 minutes away from downtown, and is the newest area of the city in terms of tourism development; You will find large luxury hotel chains that opened a few years ago, some small hotels and apartments like La Amada, many of them located on the beach.
The good thing about this area is that it is the least affected by sargassum, the beaches are in a more virgin environment, and it is also close to the ferry terminal that takes you to Isla Mujeres.
The not-so-good thing is that there are no accessible public means of transport, you will need a taxi for any transfer outside the zone (they are expensive) or rent a car. In addition, as it is a developing area, it doesn’t have a lot of commercial activity, it is a more appropriate area to rest and relax away from the city crowd.
Puerto Juárez beach area:
In a north-to-south direction, Puerto Juárez is located after Costa Mujeres, an area that has apartments and hotels on the beach side and on the other, residential houses where local people live.
Although it has better communication with the city center, it is recommended to stay on the beach side.
It is worth clarifying that a part of Puerto Juárez includes a golf course and a shopping center.
At the end of this zone, you can find Puerto Cancun, one of the most luxurious areas of the city but also a little bit expensive.
Beach area in Cancun Hotel Zone:
It begins in the center of Cancun, the entrance is in Kukulkan boulevard with Tulum avenue.
Cancun Hotel Zone is 25km long, where you will find numerous hotels located on the beach side, and on the other, in front of the Nichupte lagoon. There are also buildings, private houses, apartments and a few hostels.
The Hotel Zone is the greatest tourist development in Cancun, there are many shops, shopping malls, restaurants, a craft market, nightclub’s area, golf courses, a museum, water attractions, etc.
The best thing about Cancun Hotel Zone is that it is quite safe at all times, there is a lot of movement of people and public transport is frequent until midnight, and it is cheap.
In this area, on the side of the Nichupté Lagoon, many houses are usually rented as Airbnb and are a good option as long as you consider the distance from where the house is located to Kukulkan boulevard and the beach.
Downtown area
Cancun Downtown is one of the most requested areas for an Airbnb in Cancun, but, it must be said, that is quite complex to define which part of downtown Cancun is good.
What is understood as Cancun downtown is delimited as a “square”, its sides are: one side includes Tulum avenue, from Plaza de Las Américas to El Crucero; the other side is López Portillo avenue to Kabah avenue; the other side is Kabah avenue (change to Rodrigo Gómez avenue) and the last side is Nichupte avenue until the beginning.
If you check a map you can see that the “center” is huge and within that entire area there are recommended places and others that are not. If you want to rent in this area, choose alternatives located near Tulum avenue, from Plaza Las Américas to the ADO bus terminal, both sides of that avenue are quite good and safe.
The Mercado 28 area, Parque de Las Palapas, near Cobá avenue and downtown Walmart, Palenque avenue near Cobá, Labná, Xcaret and Yaxchilán avenues, near Malecon Shopping center and Bonampak avenue, are the most recommended areas; at some places a little bit dark at night, but they are well connected with public transportation.
It is worth clarifying that Cancun downtown is not like other cities, it does not have nightlife except at certain points, so walking at night may not be very comfortable.
Finally, it is always useful to analyze the map from Google maps, to calculate the distance to the beach take the hotel zone as a reference, and always confirm with the map when an Airbnb tells you that it is 10 minutes away from the beach, something which is not always true…
2. Check the amenities included
It is very important to make sure that the place you choose has the amenities that it says in the description, even more so if not having them could affect your stay.
For example, some people suffer if they don’t sleep with A/C. And if you are in Cancun, with the warm weather, is pretty sure that you`ll need it.
The same applies to everything that the accommodation includes, do not take anything for granted, ask and confirm that all the amenities offered in the listing will be available during your stay.
3. Costs of an Airbnb in Cancun
Normally we have the idea that it is always cheaper to rent an apartment or vacation home compared to a hotel, but this is not always true.
When renting an Airbnb in Cancun you should analyze and compare with other accommodation options, evaluating location, available services, amenities, extra costs, etc.
If you go on vacation to Cancun and you want to go to the beach, analyze the distances and transportation costs to get there.
When comparing with other accommodation alternatives, consider hotels of different categories and locations. It also depends if you want to stay in the apartment for a lot of time or if you are planning to take some tours and excursions during the day.
In summary, make a list of the pros and cons of your accommodation options with the full costs that each one implies, and make the decision not only based on the price per night but also taking into account what you are interested in enjoying.
If you want to explore the zone and go out all day long and Airbnb in Cancun would be an excellent option, but if you want to have everything included during your stay maybe an All-Inclusive Hotel would be better.
Extra Tips
Before confirming your reservation at an Airbnb, check the platform’s and host’s cancellation policies.
Before traveling, contact the host, who will give you the keys to the house/apartment. It is important to agree on the arrival time and check options in case your flight is delayed or unforeseen events arise. If you don’t want to worry about this you can search for accommodations with electric locks to make the check-in process easier.
It’s also good to take a video when you arrive at your Airbnb in Cancun, and ask your host to take a tour together to make sure what you rented; sometimes the photos that are published do not match reality.
And finally, we have some Airbnb recommendations in Cancun that you will surely like, as they have great reviews, as well as excellent locations:
- Costa Mujeres Zone, click here.
- Airport Zone, click here.
Check this site If you want to book a transfer to your Airbnb from Cancun Airport.