The only thing better than having a hotel on the shore of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world? How about getting that beachfront hotel for cheap… sometimes for less than $100 a night?
That may sound far-fetched, but it is possible in Cancun. If you’ve never visited the city on the Yucatan coast, you might not know what to expect. For most visitors, the easiest way to stay on the beach is to get a room in the “hotel zone.”
While Cancun sits on the coast, most of the city is built inland, away from the water. However, a spit of land juts out into the Caribbean, shaped like the number “7.” On this stretch of land — which is lined with gorgeous white beaches — hotel after hotel has been built. The result is miles of resorts catering to tourists that also boast beautiful shorelines.
Of course, not every hotel is the same. In the hotel zone you’ll find accommodations at every level of both budget and comfort. From enormous resorts with hundreds of rooms to smaller boutique hotels, there is something for everyone. And as you might expect, that competition can help keep room rates down.
In fact, despite the beauty, it’s surprisingly affordable to stay at even the nicest hotels in Cancun. To help you out, we’ve rounded up more than a dozen affordable ideas. We searched rates in the popular hotel zone for a Saturday night stay. The rates below start at $69, offering an amazingly affordable stay in a gorgeous location. Note that rates are for a recent search and subject to change.
(Looking for hotels with shuttle service to the Cancun airport? See our list here of resorts with shuttle transport.)
To further help you in your search, we’ve included links to TripAdvisor to help you pick the perfect hotel for your vacation. Each link will take you to reviews from travelers like yourself. We’ve also included a map at the end of this article to give you an idea of where each hotel is located.
Note: This article contains links to TripAdvisor that are affiliate links. We earn a commission for clicks made on their website, at no charge to you. Review ratings come from either Google or TripAdvisor and are rounded to the nearest half point.
Inexpensive Cancun Hotels on the Beach
Flamingo Cancun Resort
Recent Price: $69
The cheapest beachfront Cancun hotel we found is the Flamingo Cancun. For about the price of a Motel 6 in the United States, you can be sitting on the beach in one of the most popular resort destinations in the world. The hotel sits right in the heart of Cancun’s hotel zone, across from the mall, and right on a wide expanse of sandy beach with electric blue water. We found rates of $69 during our search, but they do vary. Meanwhile, for that price you’re getting a decently rated hotel according to TripAdvisor.
Bsea Cancun Plaza
Recent Price: $93
Located next door to the Bel Air (see below), the Bsea Cancun Plaza offers 140 suites for visitors. Unlike the Bel Air, kids are welcome at the hotel. Whether you want to hang poolside, or sit under a palapa with your toes in the sand, or have a meal at Casa del Mar — the onsite restaurant — while watching the waves, your vacation plans are up to you. Luckily, they are all relaxing options.
The Bel Air
Recent Price: $94
If you have kids, then the Bel Air isn’t for you. It’s adults only (kids must be 12 or older). But if you are traveling as a couple, you could find a great deal. A recent search for the Cancun beach hotel found cheap prices of under $100 per night. For that amount, you get a classic resort with swimming pools overlooking the beach that’s just steps away. The Bel Air is also on the south end of the hotel zone, just 12 minutes from the airport.
Imperial Las Perlas
Recent Price: $95
According to a recent search, rooms at Imperial Las Perlas in Cancun can be had for less than $100 per night. Located at the edge of the city’s famed “hotel zone” the beaches here are not as wide and expansive as you might find in other spots, but the hotel is also not as large as the mega resorts. So if you are looking for something affordable and comfortable without being in the middle of the party, it’s a good option.
Krystal Cancun
Recent Price: $95
A sister hotel to the Krystal Grand Punta Cancun, this resort sits right next door. It offers many of the similar amenities as with its sibling and other resorts in the area. Most notably, it offers easy access to the same stretch of beautiful beach and water for under $100. When it comes to value, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Hotel Casa Maya
Recent Price: $106
Hotel Casa Maya is evidently doing something right. With a 4.0 rating on TripAdvisor with more than 1,500 reviews, it’s definitely popular. As well, it’s inexpensive. We found rates for the hotel of just $106 during a recent search. Located in the middle of the northern leg of the hotel zone, there is a wide expanse of beach in front of the hotel — meaning there is room for everyone no matter how busy the hotel might be. There are also pools, restaurants, and bars for guests.
Emporio Cancun
Recent Price: $106
Perhaps the best value on our list, the Emporio Cancun is considered a 3.5-star hotel by TripAdvisor, and offers excellent reviews… for just over $100 a night. The beachfront hotel in sits next to the Omni in Cancun, which is often priced much higher for essentially the same location. With everything from massive pools to tennis courts to restaurants and onsite stores, there’s no real reason to have to head anywhere else. Just hang out at the resort and relax.
The Westin Resort & Spa
Recent Price: $116
You’ve likely heard of the Westin brand, but may have thought it was out of your price range. And while many times it can be pricey, on a recent search we found rates of $116. It’s on the southern end of the hotel zone, making it convenient to the airport. As well, the hotel has been undergoing renovations, including putting in a “FlowRider” surf system for its guests. Given the location, you will need to take a taxi to get to shops and restaurants, although there are some options on the resort property.
Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas
Recent Price: $118
If you want a hotel with an American name brand for cheap, the Holiday Inn sits right on the beach and is an inexpensive $118 per night during a recent search. You’ll have a beautiful white sand beach during your stay, in addition to a resort-style pool. Many rooms also come with a small balcony to enjoy the view.
The Royal Caribbean
Recent Price: $119
A mega resort sitting on the southern end of the hotel zone, The Royal Caribbean isn’t ideal if you are looking for a small, boutique hotel. But if you want to stay in luxury in a resort that has everything you’d need (including one of the best stretches of beach in the entire world), then it’s a great option for less than $120 per night. It’s also one of the highest-rated hotels on our list, with 85% of visitors saying it is “excellent” or “very good” on TripAdvisor.
Hotel NYX Cancun
Recent Price: $126
Highly rated by travelers on TripAdvisor — 78% rate it as either “excellent” or “very good” — Hotel NYX offers a great location near much more expensive resorts. The stylish hotel sits beachfront with a beautiful expanse of white beach just steps from the rooms. And whether you want to sit under a palapa on the beachfront or hang out poolside and work on your tan, you can do it at Hotel NYX without breaking the bank.
Ocean Dream
Recent Price: $140
Tennis court? Check. Beachfront infinity pool? Check. White sand beach, turquoise water, and under $150 per night? Check. Check. Check. The Ocean Dream resort sits just south of the point in the hotel zone on a stretch of beach that’s wall-to-wall hotels. In other words, you’ll get the beach and a lot of action and things to do. In fact, you can even walk to nightclubs and restaurants. The hotel itself is decently sized, but smaller than the mega resorts you’ll find next door.
Marriott Cancun
Recent Price: $146
Looking for one of the most trusted names in hotels? What about the beachfront Marriott Cancun? Make no mistake, this is one of the grandest hotels in the area and lives up to the name and reputation you’d expect. The “U” shaped resort seems to block out the rest of the area so that all you notice is the gorgeous view of the beach and water. Maybe that’s why it gets a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor with 65% saying it is excellent — the highest rating possible. Even so, we found rates of $146 in our search.
Cancun Bay Resort
Recent Price: $149
On the northern end of the hotel zone, the Cancun Bay Resort has just 132 rooms — far fewer than many of the mega resorts down the beach. With large resort-style pools and restaurants and bars on site, there is no reason to ever leave the hotel if you don’t want. The beach in front of the hotel is smaller, but still plenty large for guests to enjoy.
Krystal Grand Punta Cancun
Recent Price: $154
If you are the ultimate bargain hunter, then paying $154 for a hotel room might seem a little high compared with some other rates found on our list. But when you look at value, it’s hard to beat the Krystal Grand Punta at that rate. The hotel sits on perhaps the best piece of real estate in the area, right at the point of the hotel zone. The beach is massive at this point while a nearby jetty helps keep the water calm. As for the resort, it’s everything you’d expect from a major destination in Cancun. It features a stylish pool, tasteful furnishings, and a hotel tower with stunning views of the beach.
Fiesta Americana Villas
Recent Price: $162
Fiesta Americana Villas sits on the point of the hotel zone in the middle of the action of Cancun. Shops, restaurants — and a lot of resorts — are all nearby. If you’re wanting to be in an area where there’s a lot happening, then this is it. The resort itself features an enviable resort-style pool and lots of palapas with chairs to relax on the beach. There are also restaurants and a spa for you to eat and relax while you stay.
Oasis Palm
Recent Price: $192
One of the large resorts in Cancun, the Oasis Palm is everything you’d expect in an all-inclusive beach resort. It features a ton of rooms, a massive pool, restaurants, bars, and a stretch of beach. One of the unique features is that a channel sits at the western edge of the resort, so there is some space on that side between the Oasis Palm and the next hotel. At $192, it is the most expensive hotel on our list, but still is a fair price for a well-reviewed hotel that’s all-inclusive.
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