Great for families: A review of the stunning new Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort

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Location

The Hilton Cancun is located on a secluded stretch of the coastline behind a mangrove nature preserve. It’s about 20 minutes from Cancun International Airport (CUN) and 30 minutes south of the busy hotel zone. The forthcoming Waldorf Astoria Cancun will be located right next door and guests have access to a complimentary shuttle to the Canopy by Hilton Cancun La Isla if they want to visit the more touristy area of Cancun.

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The room

Rooms were spread across two connected wings, each with its own pools. While noise wasn’t an issue, my side technically was louder since it faced the kids pool area.

At over 800 square feet, my oceanfront one-bedroom suite was spacious, complete with separate living and sleeping areas, a powder room and a furnished balcony that spanned the entire length of the room.

Upon entering the suite, there was a hallway with a minibar, closets and, on the other side, the entrance to the powder room. The bedroom was just off the living room, separated by a door.

As expected, the room felt modern and fresh and still had that new-hotel smell. The design was minimalist but chic, with pops of color and nods to Mexican culture in the artwork.

I particularly loved the wood finishes throughout, which added some warmth to the room. The room certainly looked as beautiful as the renderings — if not better – and felt more upscale than a typical Hilton.

But it wasn’t just about good looks — the room was functional, too. The bed was comfortable, the linens were crisp and there were plenty of power outlets and USB ports throughout, including on both sides of the bed. I also appreciated the wireless bedside phone charger after having lost my cord.

In addition to the large sofa and dining table in the living room, the bedroom had a cushy divan with a small round table by the window and a small workstation tucked away in the corner.

The primary bathroom was separated from the bedroom by a tinted sliding door. It was bright, large and beautiful, kitted out in marble, with double sinks, a separate toilet room and a large walk-in shower with frosted-glass doors. While I didn’t mind, there was no bathtub, which some might expect from a suite.

Toiletries weren’t from your usual Hilton brand. Rather, they were from the Mexican brand Persea Apothecary, scented with rosemary and in large-format bottles, which felt a bit more luxurious.

The minibar was located by the main entrance and was stocked with various soft drinks, Tecate and Dos Equis beer, Lay’s potato chips, peanuts, chocolate chip cookies and a Nespresso machine. All items were free of charge.

While there were a few group fitness classes like morning yoga, the daytime activities were limited for adults. Water aerobics was on the schedule but didn’t actually end up taking place.

Likewise, although there was a nightly show for families, such as a performance of “Aladdin,” the evening entertainment was lacking. For instance, there wasn’t even a DJ playing on a Friday night.

The gym was on the smaller side for a property of this size but still had all of the necessities, such as free weights, treadmills and stationary bikes. It was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

It would’ve been nice if the property also had some sports courts but it didn’t. Interestingly, there also wasn’t a spa on site but guests will have access to the one at the adjacent Waldorf Astoria once it opens.

Food and drink

The Hilton Cancun is home to 10 restaurants and bars, including a buffet, Mexican restaurant, Asian restaurant, Italian restaurant and steakhouse. With the exception of the buffet and Sunan (the Asian outlet), all restaurants required reservations for dinner, but I never had trouble booking a table. All restaurants were also part of the all-inclusive experience, so I didn’t pay anything further out of pocket to dine anywhere at the resort.

Overall, the food quality was pretty good, but certainly not memorable. The menus had icons to distinguish vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free items, but I found the vegetarian options to be lacking.

Vela – international buffet

The buffet was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food was solid and there were several live cooking stations, but the selection was pretty consistent from day to day so it could get repetitive if you ate here every day. I particularly enjoyed the cooked-to-order omelets in the mornings and fresh sashimi available every day for lunch and dinner. Staples like pancakes, cold cuts, burgers and a salad bar were also available. The space itself was very large and I never had trouble getting a table either indoors or outdoors, even during peak times.

Sunan – Asian cuisine

Unlike most all-inclusives I’ve been to, the Asian restaurant, Sunan, was open for lunch and dinner and didn’t need reservations. It offered tasty options like fresh spring rolls, sushi rolls, pad thai bowls, ramen and grilled skewers.

The restaurant had a beautiful setting overlooking the beach, but it was set up more as a lounge with sofa seating and low tables, which I didn’t think were very comfortable for eating. So, although the food was great, for that reason, I’d recommend coming here for a quick lunch or pre-dinner snacks rather than a full meal.

Maxal – Mexican dishes

The Mexican restaurant doubled as a taqueria for lunch and a full-service restaurant for dinner. Although the space was tastefully decorated, the food was unfortunately the most underwhelming I had at the property. Dishes included grilled bone marrow, quesadillas and fish tacos, but overall the food lacked flavor and didn’t feel very authentic.

La Luce – Italian cuisine

Although I didn’t have high expectations for the Italian restaurant, it ended up being one of my favorites. It was a beautiful space with bubble-like lights suspended above the space and an open kitchen, complete with a wood-fired pizza oven. My Napoletana pizza with arugula was light, fluffy and absolutely delicious. Other menu items included pasta and some heartier options like braised short rib.

Auma – steakhouse

The fanciest restaurant was Auma, located just off the lobby. The menu was centered around the grill, featuring items like charred beet carpaccio, grilled ahi tuna and New York strip steaks.

Food carts

During the day, there were food carts by both of the pools serving fresh burgers and grilled seafood. They didn’t have any vegetarian options.

Azulinda Market and Cafe

Open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. was the lobby coffee shop and cafe, Azulinda. It offered everything from morning pastries to made-to-order sandwiches, pizzas and other snacks.

La Churreria – dessert shop

For those craving sweets, there was a dessert shop located across from the kids club that served fresh churros, ice cream and other sweets.

Bars

No matter what part of the property you’re in, you’re never too far from a bar. The drinks didn’t taste watered down and there were a number of high-end brands available, like Belvedere, Grey Goose and Johnnie Walker Black Label — you just needed to remember to specifically request them.

I enjoyed my mango daiquiri, which was the perfect balance of sweet and sour. The bar by the family pool also had some great nonalcoholic options like horchata and tamarind agua fresca. You could either walk up to a bar to place an order or order drinks through the servers that passed by regularly.

Room service

Finally, there was 24-hour room service available at no extra cost. The food typically took an hour to arrive and wasn’t great. The guacamole and chicken soup were bland, while the fries, in particular, were very soggy.