Hey everybody! I'm new here so go easy... I have a trip planned with a few girlfriends a couple months from now, but we are on a budget and opted to save a bit of money by not going all-inclusive and instead getting a place in the hotel zone with a mini kitchen (we'll probably go out for most dinners but just want to be able to eat cereal/sandwiches and drink some beers during the day). I was just wondering whether there are grocery stores/mini marts in the hotel zone. Also, will it be easy enough to purchase liquor/beer in the hotel zone or will we have to travel to wal mart or into the city to buy it? Thanks!
You might get better response in the living in Cancun forum! The locals there will have way better advice on this one. I do know from experience that you can buy liquor in stores like Walmart and there is one right on the bus route. Cabs are also fairly cheap so you could do a power shop on the first day and get set up.
You can buy groceries,liquor,almost anything you can buy in the states and ride a bus pretty cheap to do your shopping.. Even when I'm in a place that has room service but no coffee pot in the room I want coffee as soon as I wake in the morning. The last two trips to Cancun my room didn't have a pot so I went to Walmart, bought cheap coffee maker and coffee and just left it when I went home.
Dao57 that is exactly what we do too. We stayed where we didnt have a fridg and I got a styrofoam cooler for the room and got ice across the street after my morning pot of coffee. So we had a cheap margarita bar right in the room!! Brixalie I would for sure do the walmart trip if you are on a budget. Take the bus to walmart and then a cab back to the hotel so you dont need to struggle with the bus and your groceries, the cab may cost 15 to 20 USD depending on where your staying. You will save an armload of money on alcohol though, IMO.
I appreciate the input, but I am still wondering if there are any liquor and/or grocery stores in the hotel zone itself. While a trip to wal mart does make sense (and will probably happen) I would rather avoid spending a couple hours making the trip while I could be out enjoying the sun. Also, even if we do make the trip, there will inevitably some things that we miss, so it would just be reassuring to know there is somewhere more convenient to pick them up.
LaEuropa (lagoon side down north of Kuklacan Plaza) is a store we go to get our booze, some bread, pasta and a few other things. Not really a grocery store, but it works for us.
No real grocery store in the hotel zone, just "mini-marts" and convenience stores. It really is worth your while to head downtown, the new Superama on Bonampak is close to the entrance to the hotel zone, shouldn't take you too long to get there depending on where your hotel is. Still best to hit the Walmart though, bigger selection and cheapest prices. The mini-marts in the HZ are "tourist priced" as you might guess, even the "Oxxo" (like a 7-11) is more expensive in the hz than downtown.
There is a reasonable Mini-Super around KM 7.5 in the Hotel zone. It is in a small strip mall directly across from the El Presidente Hotel. Prices on many things are similar or just slightly higher then downtown. They don't have as wide a selection as the major stores downtown but do have luncheon meat, bread, milk, coffee, cereal,chips,liquor, beer,soda,etc. Also there is a Superama on Bonapak just as you exit the hotel zone. It is approximately 200 meters on the right on Bonampak as you get to the Glorietta(roundabout) when leaving the hotel zone.
The bus rides from the HZ to downtown/Wal-Mart are part of the whole experience! WM is also a great place for souvenirs/t shirts/hats/spices/seasonings/Vanilla to bring home.....and their bakery rolls for breakfast will make you drool!!!! Bus there, and cab it back....you can be done in about 2 hours, do it early in the day, so you can hit the beach!:aktion033:
