Resort Life

Cancun is the land of seaside all-inclusive resorts, but if you want to elevate your experience to a more exclusive getaway, try these travel tips the next time you’re vacationing there. —Miranda Sam

Stay: A crown jewel rising at the end of Cancun’s vibrant entertainment district is the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, a majestic oceanfront resort with all the class of a European hotel. Check into one of the 82 Grand Club suites to receive the full VIP treatment: private check in, access to the Penthouse Lounge offering daily gourmet culinary presentations, and exclusive use of the private beachfront Sundeck. The view overlooking the pools and beach is so stunning you just might not want to leave your room. Trust us, we almost didn’t. Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, Cancun. 1-800-504-5000. Coralbeachcancunresort.com/accommodation/

See: For a truly local experience, hop on a ferry to Isla Mujeres, an island in the Caribbean Sea so narrow you could see both sides of the sea at the same time! Rent a golf cart and drive to the Punta Sur Sculpture Garden where you’ll find the easternmost point of the country. Read: if you’re the first one there you’ll be the first in all of Mexico to see the sunrise! A visit to Cobáis a must, one of the few ancient Mayan ruin sites that still allow tourists to climb its pyramids—the tallest one in Mexico too. Otherwise, visiting the Museo Maya de Cancúnis a great alternative: see 350 archaeological facts up close and personal, without breaking a sweat. Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Isla-mujeres.net/

Sip: Enjoy a tequila tasting at Grand Fiesta’s casual upscale Mexican restaurant, La Joya. Get the party started with three types of tequila—blanco (white), reposado (rested) and anejo (aged)—served with delectable nibbles like cactus rolls while dancing in your seat to the 10-piece Mariachi band. La Joya, Cancun.1-800-504-5000. Coralbeachcancunresort.com/dining/

Savour: Between seafood tacos and ceviche verde, the food in Cancun perfectly matches its sunny, casual disposition. If you’re staying at the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, Isla Contoy is the place to be for beachside dining, canopied by a grand palapa overlooking the Caribbean Sea (and home to one of the creamiest mille feuille). Should you fancy a fancier experience, Le Basilic offers French Mediterranean cuisine with Mexican ingredients, one of Mexico’s seven AAA Five Diamond restaurants. Must-tries: the cauliflower soup and Michelin star chef Henri Charvet’s eponymous dark chocolate cake. If you’re lucky, commissioned in-house artist Leon Alva might turn your scribble into a wide-eyed watercolour portrait. Le Basilic, Cancun, 1-800-504-5000. Coralbeachcancunresort.com/dining/

Spa: One of the main highlights of the Grand Fiesta resort is its 40,000-square-foot Gem Spa. This two-story sanctuary of health offers a rare 10-step hydrotherapy circuit. Be sure to leave one to two hours to enjoy the full circuit before a massage. One of our favourite steps was the aromatherapy steam room situated in a beautifully designed circular space, with clear circular tiles to boot. If you dare, stay the full three minutes in the ice room, where the #spagoal is to rub ice over your body in an already chilly room. Coralbeachcancunresort.com/gem-spa/

Do: There’s a plethora of water activities to keep you entertained (and adrenaline high) at Grand Fiesta. Choose from jet-skiing, tubing, stand-up paddle boarding, scuba diving, snorkeling … Or just work (really hard) on your tan on a beachside bed. There’s so much to do—or not—in sunny, spectacular Cancun. Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, Cancun. Coralbeachcancunresort.com/marina/