Recently, we headed to Cancun for the TBEX Travel Blogger Conference. As exotic as it sounds, we spent most of the time working in this tropical paradise as we participated in the conference. My passion for traveling internationally began when traveling for work. Sometimes it’s sad to go to a lovely destination and not have the time to explore. Although the conference was at the Moon Palace Resort, we chose to stay at the Westin Cancun Hotel & Spa. We’re not crazy about the all-inclusive concept and the Westin Cancun worked better with our budget.
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| Pool at the Westin Cancun Resort and Spa |
I called the Westin before my arrival and asked about driving in Cancún and they informed me it was safe to do so. I also looked at forums on Trip Advisor which reassured me as well. It was one of best decisions made on the trip. I rented via Hertz and got an economical rate of $75 weekly rental. Cheapest car rental ever! (Note: my USAA credit card covers the insurance when I book with the card) Also, we were impressed that both the Westin and Moon Palace did not charge for parking. Furthermore, the conditions of the main roads in Cancún are superb, much better than Washington, DC.
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| Breakfast at the Westin Cancun Resort and Spa |
At first, we were concerned about not being able to connect with other conference members by staying at a different hotel. However, it just so happened there were a few other attendees staying at the Westin Cancun. We also enjoyed that staying at a different hotel allowed us to experiment a different side of Cancun. The hotel is located at the end of the Zona Hotelera of Cancun, secluded from the rows of mega resorts yet in reach of the main attractions. I love that the hotel, although a Westin, had a boutique hotel feel to it. We enjoyed chatting with our waiters during breakfast and the happy hour by the pool. (Tip: ask to stay in the South Tower, it has a more intimate feel). Business travel tip: when possible take an extra day to explore. We had a lovely cultural experience at Xcaret Park as the welcome party of the conference. The day after the conference, we took a day trip to Isla Mujeres, where we swam with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery followed by the afternoon at Garrafon park where our experiences ranged from zip lining over the Caribbean to a traditional Mayan temazcal (sweat lodge) with a shaman.
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| Indulging at Tacos Rigo |
We enjoyed having a day trip that involved fun and culture at the same time. Business travel tip: If a day of leave is not possible, have a traditional food experience. Thanks to a recommendation from TW Anderson from the travel blog Marginal Boundaries (and speaker at TBEX), we took a 25 minute drive to Cancun city center to explore Tacos Rigo, a local institution. We sampled a variety of tacos of pork, chicken, and beef washing them down with Micheladas and local beer. The menu also offered a more exotic menu of beef eyes and tongue, but we stuck to the basics. The food was delicious and there were no tourists in sight. Although we had little time to see Cancún, we are happy that we had the chance to explore cultural details and enjoy the local food and a enjoy the beautiful beaches if even for a day. One of the things I took back with me was the warmth of the people in Cancún. From the manager to Xcaret to the parking attendant at Moon Palace, we got superb service. Hoping to return soon, but for pleasure!
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| Morning view from Cancun |
