Aloft Cancun

Aloft caters to the younger generation of travelers, with roughly half of its annual occupancy made up of those in Cancun for vacation. However, this is not just a party hotel. The bright colors, live DJs and musicians, and the overall style might give off a party vibe, but the rooms are comfortably set up to accommodate the working traveler as much as the vacationer, and the Cancun International Convention Center directly connected to the back side of the lobby puts guests in the heart of the city's business center.

Some guests have complained of mold and mildew, which is an issue for many hotels in the tropics, but the hotel combats it as best it can. The hotel is set up as a hermetic environment, with constant air-conditioning throughout, from the lobby, to the hallways, gym, rooms, and restaurants. The exception is the rooftop terrace and pool, where guests have the chance to experience both sunrise and sunset view over the ocean or the lagoon.   

The lobby lounge area doubles as a hangout space and live music venue, with shows taking place in the evening hours throughout the week. Some will appreciate this lively atmosphere -- others might not. All in all, this is an affordable and stylish spot for leisure travelers looking to party nearby and who don't need a resort-style experience on the beach, or business travelers in town for the convention center. 

Aloft benefits from a prime location in the heart of the tourist part of the city, and is attached to the Cancun International Convention Center (with which it shares owners). There are several smaller beaches just across the street, and guests have access to the Mandala Beach Club. Plaza Caracol shopping mall is just next door, along with the Chedraui supermarket.

Meanwhile, the entire stretch of the Hotel Zone is available via the R1 and R2 buses that run 24 hours a day (there's a bus stop nearby), or via taxi. Since there's no beach on-site, guests may want to explore the more famous beaches of the city, such as Playa Chacmool (a six-minute walk), Playa Marlin (a seven-minute drive), or Playa Delfines (a 13-minute drive). The R1 and R2 buses also run downtown if guests need to take care of any banking or head to Sam’s Club or Costco, roughly 30 minutes away via public transportation or taxi. It's also around a half-hour drive to the airport. 

The 177 rooms at Grand City Hotel are designed primarily with the short-term vacationers and working travelers in mind. The bright colors of the lobby continue into the rooms, and the blue and white color scheme feels suitably beachy. A large horizontal or vertical image of a Hotel Zone sight is attached to the headboard, and every room has ergonomic chairs and desks. 

Most of the rooms (143) have double queen-size beds, while 32 offer a single king-size bed. Three of these are set up as accessible units for those with mobility challenges. There are also two Suites with king-size beds. Each room comes with a mini-fridge, coffeemaker with free coffee, and free bottle of water. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, iron and ironing boards, safes, and hairdryers in the bathrooms. Suites also have a microwave and a living room area. Views are either out over the lagoon or the ocean, with a few corner units offering dual views; be sure to specific when booking if you prefer one view over the other. Note that there are no balconies and the beach views are partly obstructed by other buildings. 

The bathrooms feature basin sinks, simple white and blue ceramic tile walls and floors, and glass showers. Hand soaps as well as wall-mounted shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the showers are provided. 

The lobby is where the action is at Aloft. As you enter the brightly colored entry, the primary restaurant, Nook, is to the left. It features Mexican cuisine with an urban twist for all three meals. An all-inclusive meal plan is available upon request. To the right is the WXYZ Bar where drinks are served every night and live music takes place throughout the week. On Thursday and Saturday evenings there is acoustic jazz and pop rock, respectively (from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. during our visit), and on Tuesdays and Fridays there is a live DJ (typically from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m.). Note that while the music doesn’t ever reach “party” levels, it can be a bit loud for some guests.

The Re:mix lounge is basically the entire lobby area, from the entry to the convention center connection, with the Re:fuel snack area (available for grab-and-go options 24/7) tucked around the corner toward the back. A pool table is available, as are free bicycles upon request. The wall behind the front desk has various sundries available for purchase, such as laundry detergent, toothpaste, deodorant, and sunscreen. Airport pick-up is available for a fee.

The small mirrored fitness center is attractive, with stylish carpeting and blue walls. There are a few cardio machines, free weights, and a strength training machine; though the machines aren't the most modern models, they're perfectly adequate. The hotel’s parking garage has spaces for up to 110 vehicles, and the small laundry room is available 24 hours a day, although guests need to bring their own laundry detergent, or purchase it from the front desk. There is a small meeting space for up to 15 people, or guests can arrange to rent space at the convention center simply by asking at the lobby.

The rooftop pool is the only area in the entire hotel where smoking is permitted. A poolside bar has limited service and drinks available, and the views out over the surrounding Hotel Zone are impressive. There are green and orange cushioned loungers as well as tables and chairs.