Flamingo Cancun Resort

The first thing you notice about Flamingo Cancun Resort is its huge, busy lobby, which is filled all day. The lobby has multiple seating areas by the doors where guests wait to catch their taxis or transportation, as well as tour and excursion desks. There is a swanky bar area at the top of the lobby next to reception that has posh white chairs, black couches with purple accent pillows, and a sleek bar with modern orange lighting.

The pools and the beach are just as busy and lively. The central pool is located outside of the lobby and seems to be a favorite among children and families. The ocean-view pool, situated in the back of the property, is quieter but still filled with guests. The popular beach is the real highlight of the resort, although folks report having trouble finding a beach chair in the high season.

Flamingo is family-friendly, thanks to spacious rooms that can sleep up to five people and a large children’s play area with mini-lounge chairs and hammocks, a slide, and even a small children’s pool.

Although the hotel is lively, there are no planned activities during the day. Cancun Bay Resort, in the northern part of the Hotel Zone, is a bit cheaper and has various activities, including water aerobics, salsa lessons, and trivia.

Flamingo Cancun Resort has a convenient location in the central part of the Hotel Zone. The resort is across the street from Flamingo Mall, which has shops with souvenirs and a handful of restaurants. There are plenty of buses that go up and down the Hotel Zone and many of them stop in front of the resort. Taxis are also plentiful.

• Four-minute drive to the heart of the Hotel Zone
• 25-minute drive to downtown Cancun
• 22-minute drive to Cancun International Airport
• 37-minute drive to Puerto Morelos, with quiet beaches and great snorkeling spots
• One-hour drive to Playa del Carmen, a laid-back and bustling town with great shopping and a well-heeled crowd
• One-hour-40 minute drive to Tulum ruins
• Two-hour-15-minute drive to Chichen Itza ruins
• Two-hour-20-minute drive to Coba ruins

The 260 rooms at Flamingo Cancun Resort are fairly minimal. They have gray tile floors, tan and white walls, and white wood furniture with stone gray counters. The beds have modern white sheets and comforters and orange accent pillows and bed runners. Funky colorful modern art adds a nice touch to an otherwise generic space. Each room has its own small private balcony or terrace that comes with two wooden lounge chairs. The bathrooms are nondescript as well with gray stone tile in the showers. Half of all the rooms in the resort are ocean-view, although many rooms are set back a bit from the water (you can see the ocean but you probably won’t be directly on the sand).

The Deluxe Rooms are more updated with shiny new tile, dark wood furniture, and a seating area with two chairs. The Junior Suites each have a canopy bed as well as small living section with a couch and coffee table.

Fiesta Americana Villas Cancun, located on the northern part of the Hotel Zone, has more updated rooms with fully stocked kitchenettes.

The spacious, scenic beach is the highlight of Flamingo Cancun Resort, with a wide stretch of sand and palm trees. The water is perfect -- blue and clear with just a bit of wave on the day of our visit. Beach chairs are lined up under straw umbrellas at the back of the beach, near the hotel. There are also cabanas, available for an extra cost, that come with a private waiter and beachside food and drink service.

The resort has two pools. The central pool, located outside of the lobby, has an attractive angular design with walkway bridges and multiple decks. There is a small snack bar that serves food and drinks during the day as well as a dining area with a few tables and chairs. The ocean-view pool is quieter and more relaxed. The area has lovely sea views but is not particularly attractive -- there’s a lot of concrete and not much landscaping.

La Fuente is the hotel’s buffet restaurant, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While there is a lot of food, it seems to be quantity over quality here, and many guests report the food being repetitive. Albatross Restaurant, located on the beach, is the hotel’s a la carte and more upscale restaurant. Albatross is open for lunch and dinner; reservations are necessary for dinner.

The hotel has a small fitness room situated by the ocean-view pool. The room has stationary bikes, a treadmill, and some free weights. The resort has free Wi-Fi around the lobby and pool; there is a charge for Wi-Fi in the rooms (except Deluxe Rooms).

Flamingo offers a breakfast-only meal plan as well as an all-inclusive option that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and an open bar. Flamingo's all-inclusive is a bit more robust than some mid-range resorts in the area (such as Cancun Bay Resort) as it incorporates two restaurants and a snack bar.

Flamingo Cancun Resort offers various wedding packages that include a minister, oceanfront wedding ceremony, bouquet and boutonniere, and the wedding cake. The hotel has a lovely terrace area with a bar on the top floor, which can accommodate weddings and events for up to 40 people. The terrace offers beautiful views of the surrounding area.