I was on travel assignment in Cancún for several days, checking out the Mexican tourist mecca and the rapidly developing Riviera Maya, the stretch of Caribbean coast between Cancún and Tulum. Also in town was Inspector 37, who was busy with his annual roundup of lodging and restaurant evaluations.

On my last day I met 37 for a late breakfast at Vips, a popular restaurant right in the middle of Cancún’s Hotel Zone. By the way, their huevos motuleños—two fried eggs, peas and diced ham atop a crispy tortilla covered in tomato sauce, with pureed black beans and slices of fried banana on the side—are muy delicioso. “What’s shakin’ this afternoon?” I asked.
“Five Diamond inspection. Really nice resort property. Want to come along?”... Read More

I inspect and rate Mexican hotels and restaurants for a living, so here’s the inside scoop on Cancún and the Mexican Caribbean! If it’s your first or 50th visit, see more and enjoy more with these tips from your “Secret AAA Inspector”.

Cancún and the Riviera Maya, which extends along the coast south to Tulum, have been dramatically transformed in the last couple of years. Many hotels have been completely rebuilt or renovated while many new mega-resorts, offering new concepts have sprung up through out this large area, so the first step is deciding exactly where to stay? The... Read More

 
This is the first in a series of posts about Tony's Mayan drive trip.

I catch a JetBlue flight out of New York's drab JFK that lands me in a bright, sunny Cancun by early afternoon. My mission this trip to the Yucatan is to visit Mayan ruins that are not that well known while staying in former haciendas that have been converted into luxury hotels.

I head west from the airport along Mexico’s Route 180, the excellent toll road that runs the 150 miles between Cancun and Merida. This well... Read More