After speaking at the LGBT Confex, a big business and travel conference in Merida (where I stayed at the new Hampton Inn by Hilton Merida), I took a bus to Cancun for an overnight stay before catching my Copa Airlines flight to Panama City, Panama. I needed a hotel that would be comfortable, reasonably priced and fairly close to the airport (the beachfront resorts in the Hotel Zone wouldn’t be practical for a quick one-night layover). After shopping around, I chose the Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro, which opened about seven months ago. This is a review of my experience.
••••••
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: BUS REVIEW: Why Bus Travel is Better in Mexico Than the USA
••••••
THE STYLE: The Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro has a fresh style, with an attractive, light-filled lobby and seating areas. Guest rooms are equally bright, with rather large windows and light wood accents (at least I think it’s wood). The property is located on Avenida Tulum, a major thoroughfare on the mainland; it’s not near any beach, but rather is positioned for business travel, medical tourism (the hotel is actually attached to a hospital) and travelers looking for a reasonable rate in a central location between downtown and the airport. (Click to see a rebroadcast of my live, unedited Periscope video tour of the lobby area).
https://www.youtube.com/embed/NfAy3DycsQY?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0MY GUEST ROOM: I stayed in room 418, which has a comfortable king-size bed, a large work desk and two free bottles of water as well as free coffee. There is a min-fridge with more water, but they charge for that, so I was afraid to even open the door. The bathroom is a large, clean white space with a spacious walk-in shower (bath amenities are served via dispensers on the wall, which I’m personally not crazy about, but I guess it is more eco-friendly).
One of my favorite decor elements in the room was the comfortable arm chair, which is accompanied by a laptop-friendly stand that made it easy for me to work and watch TV, without having to lie in bed.
WiFi is free in both guest rooms and public areas — love that.
Click to see a rebroadcast of my live, unedited Periscope video tour of the guest room at the hotel.
••••••
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: 5 Ways to Connect with Mayan & Mexican Culture in Cancun
••••••
HOTEL FEATURES: My favorite feature of the hotel is the rooftop pool, which provides an expansive view as far as the Hotel Zone. The adjacent gym also offers pleasant views.
The property also has five meeting rooms and there is a restaurant and bar on site (I had a good Sunday brunch buffet for about $15 at The Eatery, but Toasting was closed for renovation), but the Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro is not within quick walking distance of any other bars or restaurants of note (I walked to the nearest mall in about 15 minutes, which is a bit far on a hot Cancun day).
The hotel is, however, connected directly to Galenia Hospital, which is billed as the “only private tertiary care hospital” in the state of Quintana Roo. The facility specializes in services including cardiology, spine surgery, dermatology, plastic surgery and dental implant and oral surgery, so the hotel offers the most convenient accommodations for anyone using that facility.
••••••
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: Cancun Day Trip: Top 8 Things To Do on Isla Mujeres
••••••
BEST FOR: The Four Points by Sheraton Cancun Centro is best for Medical tourism vacationers making use of the adjacent hospital, as well as business travelers and leisure travelers looking to be near downtown and the airport. You can also earn and redeem Starwood Preferred Guest points here.
ROOM RATES: About $83 and up (although I found a deal much cheaper, just by luck, when using a booking site listed on the LatinFlyer.com booking engine on this page).