It was battered and bruised by some of the same tropical storms that mauled the U.S. Gulf Coast and other top-flight Caribbean resort destinations in 2005. But unlike many other tourist meccas in the region, today Cancún is fully up and running, ready – indeed, eager – to receive visitors from throughout the globe. Less than a year after one of the worst hurricane seasons in anyone’s memory, Mexico’s shimmering oasis of fun and relaxation has rebounded with the kind of spirit and energy that have made this sun-bathed strip of sand and its numerous attractions one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Cancún is back.
Hurricane Wilma passed through Cancún in late October last year. “It has been 10 months now since [Wilma] ‘checked out,’” comments David T. Smith, General Manager of the Hilton Cancún Golf & Spa Resort, one of the region’s elite destinations. “Cancún has really done an unbelievable job of recovering from Wilma’s effects. The community banded together and, through the dedicated efforts of government, business, and the local citizens, rebuilt the area better than it ever was before.”
Not unlike other resort areas in the northern half of the Caribbean Basin, much of Cancún’s damage was caused by high winds that ravaged the beachfront, shattered countless windows, shredded wall coverings, tore apart roofs, and damaged furniture. “While we did experience some water damage, most of it was due to exposure to the rain that accompanied the storm,” Smith recalls, “not due to rising tides, which generally did not reach our facilities. Fortunately our building was well constructed with lots of steel and concrete reinforcement – so no major structural damages resulted.”
Winner of the coveted AAA Four Diamond Award, the Hilton Cancún blends the quaint charm of a traditional Mexican hacienda with the modern features of a world-class facility, featuring 426 luxurious ocean-view guest rooms, including 23 suites and 82 private villas. The complex boasts over 700 yards of exclusive beachfront, providing ample room for basking in the warm sun, while the resort’s 18-hole, 72-par professional golf course invites golfers of all levels to explore its lush fairways and pristine greens. The property is graced by Mayan ruins, mangrove jungles, exotic peacocks and untold numbers of pelicans, geese, herons, and other indigenous birds. The expansive pool and recreation deck has no less than seven swimming pools.

The resort had just completed a $10 million renovation last year, so after Wilma hit, Smith and the Hilton team focused on restoring the facility to its pre-storm conditions. “Essentially everything in our resort is brand new,” Smith says. “The component that we did not change, however, is the one that is probably our strongest, and represents the heart and soul of Cancún – our staff. Approximately 60 percent of our team members who were with us before Wilma voluntarily returned to rejoin our operation when we opened again in May. So we really do have the best of both worlds: A stunning new resort that sparkles more brightly than ever before and an extraordinary staff that continues to deliver unparalleled service levels to our guests.”
Cancún’s privileged geographical location, inviting tropical climate, and wide range of attractions make it one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Just a few hours’ flight from such major US gateways as Houston, Miami, Atlanta and Chicago, Cancún has become one of the Western Hemisphere’s most popular destinations, for everyone from college students on spring break to members of the international globetrotting elite. Hotel managers report that about 65 percent of Cancún’s visitors come from the U.S., with Mexico and the rest of Latin America contributing another 25 percent. The remaining 10 percent arrives from Europe and other regions of the world.
Flying in for the first time, visitors will be stunned by the sight of the narrow, 14-mile-long island, bordered by an endless stretch of Caribbean beach and the crystalline waters of the inland Laguna Nichupté. The island is home to most of the area’s first-class hotels, resorts and restaurants. The gleaming, architecturally diverse skyline seems like a bit of Honolulu, Miami, San Juan and Monte Carlo all rolled into one. But the Mexican flair is unmistakable, as some prominent structures evoke the mysteries of the ancient Mayan civilization in their bold, pyramid-style design.

Hilton Cancún Golf & Spa Resort

For many, Cancún – with its unmatched opportunities for sunbathing, scuba diving, fishing, golf, tennis, world class dining, shopping, nightlife and just plain relaxing – will be the final destination. For others, it may be only a luxurious prelude to excursions into the Mexican hinterland to visit nearby Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba, Uxmal and other destinations scattered through the Yucatan Peninsula. Side trips to the nearby Isla Mujeres, an exotic island retreat to the north of Cancún, or to Merida, a lovely colonial-era city that is the center of the region’s traditional Mexican culture, are also enticing possibilities.
Just a few minutes by taxi or bus from the Hilton is downtown Cancún, home to half a million people. Rustic churches, unpretentious restaurants, colorful markets, art galleries and museums provide unmatched opportunities for experiencing traditional Mexican life, in dramatic contrast to the glitter of the neighboring tourist zone.
“Cancún is unique because of its diversity,” comments the Hilton’s Dave Smith, one of the region’s biggest fans. “It is a destination that Mother Nature has truly blessed with breathtaking beauty and it is a city that continues to grow and prosper, dynamic and vibrant, marvelously embodying both the charming past and prosperous future of Mexico. There is no question that people are drawn to the area because of the images usually associated with Cancún,” he adds, pointing out the unbeatable combination of natural and cultural attractions that dot the area. “But at its very core, at its heart,” he states, “I believe that the strongest attraction, the force that most dramatically touches visitors and keeps them coming back, is the human attraction to the overwhelming genuineness, warmth, and hospitality of the people that live and work in this paradise.” All reasons why so many seasoned travelers find Cancún’s charms impossible to resist.