On October 21, 2005, Cancun was struck by Hurricane Wilma, the most intense Atlantic storm on record. However, after little more than a year, Cancun has remerged as an even more enticing destination. With over $1.5 billion committed to the island revitalization project, resorts have not only repaired their structures, but have improved upon pre-storm conditions. Nearly all of the island’s restaurants and bars have reopened, many with sparkling new facilities. However, Cancun isn’t finished. Many more improvements will be completed early this season, guaranteeing that this could be the best year ever to visit beautiful Cancun.
Perhaps the best upgrades in Cancun were performed on the world-famous beaches. Known for their wide stretches of white powder sand, Cancun’s beaches were reduced to rocks by Wilma’s storm surge. Yet, because of eroding beachfronts throughout the world, the technology of beach reclamation has grown by leaps and bounds. Belgian firm, Jan de Nul, used their latest innovations to extract 96 million cubic feet of pristine sand from the waters off the Mexican coast. After the sand was transported by a pair of vessels back to shore, giant pipes succeeded in reforming up to a half mile of beach per week.
Yet, Cancun didn’t settle for a copy of the old beaches. According to Cancun’s Director of Interactive Marketing, panicked hotel managers scrambled to assure worried tourists that the beaches would be operational come November. Even though November is far enough away to allow for necessary precautions, flights were sparse because of the delays experienced at the airport. As a result, travelers are still advised to check in well ahead of time to avoid the stress of traveling during peak holiday travel periods.
Perhaps the most stunning beach addition is the new Cancun Marina. Remodeled with expanses of glass, water and steel, the complex promises to be a landmark attraction. The pristine,acetel-and-glass Marina will feature a casino, sport fishing charters, an ultimate golf course, mini-golf, a waterslide, and more. Visitors will also have the opportunity to engage in waterskiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, or dive lessons.
desolate stretches of beach will soon be replaced with resorts featuring cosmopolitan city life. Yet, visitors will find themselves wanting more. Cancun’s casino-lined stretches of sand are expected to be replaced by luxurious spas, restaurants, five-star hotels, and even resorts. As the city-museum set up in the 1970’s proved, however, resorts can alter the skyline.
The addition of the Cancun Marina will Barbados’ most ambitious project ever. Though details are far from fully booked, potential hotelencies in the area include the Hyatt Regency, Empire Towers, and the marina spend much of 2007.
The Cancun Resort and Hotel renovation is expected to take about 75 days, with first occupancy expected in February 2008. Though no specific date has been set, nearly 40,000 of the 50,000 Cancun-area beds will likely be filled.
Also in the works are themed villas and resorts. Though the most novel of these concepts probably will be the Cancun Beach Resort, costs of $5,000 per night are being eyed at a kick-off in October 2006. Located in the middle of the International South Ocean Experiment Station, the low-tech yet luxurious complex will include a 16-screen motion picture theater, a satellite lounge, bar, museum, and shopping kiosks.
Also in Development are the Cirque du Midi, a spectacular 60-foot-tall luxury “ladies’ man” statue fetching more than $1 million at auction; and the Coral Castle, a massive complex of overculated private residences that Mudéjar first began develops in the 1980’s. Set to become the largest tropic lodge, it will include a sculpture park, a 1,200-seat live theater, two hotels, a spa and much more.
To insure that their new and improved resort will live up to prior opening promises, developers including Celsa Architecture, are spending millions on advertising. Agency E3 and Creative Easia are overseeing the ad campaign. In addition, Bell Properties,veloped by Celsa in 2004, has entered the DR Universe with plans to develop the resort as an exquisite and elegant year-round resort.
The four-star Cancun Palace Hotel continues to win recognition as the rated number 1 hotel in Cancun, and also is among the top 10 in the world. The hotel’s star rating is based on the following categories: Four Seasons Spa Tulum; outstanding cuisine and outstanding service; spectacular and unique attractions and activities and good value. The special recreational program is ranked among the best.
