La Quinta by Wyndham Cancun

A wide range of guests make up the clientele at La Quinta Inn & Suites. A lot of folks use the hotel as a base for flying in and out of Cancun while continuing on to other destinations like Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen. The hotel is family-friendly but is not swarming with children. There are also groups of friends, couples, and retired folks. The hotel sees a lot of business travelers due to its proximity to downtown Cancun. Meeting rooms and a free business center also make the hotel enticing for business travelers.

The hotel is, not surprisingly, chain-like in its decor and feel. The hotel is made up of seven floors and is housed in a square neutral yellow building. The sign is visible from the road and the hotel is easy to find. The lobby and the breakfast area are furnished and decorated in neutral blues and greens. There are also a few waterfall structures in the back of the property and going down into the parking garage, adding an upscale feel to this mid-range property.

The lobby is spacious with a long reception desk and some trendy seating areas, including two enormous light blue armchairs (think Alice in Wonderland) and two courting chairs, an unexpected touch. Off of the lobby is the business center that includes a conference table and two computers. Up a short flight of stairs is the breakfast area and a small bar and cafe that sells basic coffee drinks at reasonable prices.

La Quinta Inn & Suites is located on a busy road in downtown Cancun, on a row with a few other hotels such as the Oasis Smart. The area is bustling and safe, with plenty of activity. It's a five to 10-minute drive from the top of the Hotel Zone, with its beautiful beaches and plethora of restaurants. Multiple bus routes travel to and from Hotel Zone during the day and taxis are easy to find.

The hotel is a short eight-minute walk from the Plaza Las Americas shopping area, a large mall with retail stores and a food court. There are also restaurants within walking distance. Café Sol, located in front of the property, is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and serves good food at reasonable prices.

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

La Quinta’s 137 rooms and suites are chain-like in their decor, with squeaky-clean beige tile floors, white walls, dark wood furniture, tan drapes, and some colorful prints of Mexico’s beautiful beaches on the walls. The bathrooms are on the smaller side, but have granite countertops and stand-up showers. Beds are comfortable with pillow-top mattresses, modern white bedding, and lots of pillows. Rooms have digital safes, iPod docking alarm clocks, 32-inch flat screen TVs, irons, microwaves, mini-fridges, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and hairdryers. There is a work desk, which is convenient for business travelers, and lamps with two outlets each on the base -- perfect for plugging in all your gadgets. An upgrade to a Junior Suite buys an attractive archway in the middle of the room and a seating area with a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table.

While La Quinta is not located on the beach, the hotel has a partnership with Mandala Beach Club where guests are given a coupon and pay an entrance fee, which can then be used towards food and drink. Mandala has an attractive pool, restrooms, a restaurant (with pool- and beach-side drink service), and a beautiful beach with lounge chairs. A free shuttle must be booked in advance and can take guests anywhere within a three-mile radius.

La Quinta Inn & Suites has an ample free breakfast, served near the cafe off of the lobby, with both indoor and outdoor seating. The breakfast includes a variety of fruit juices (orange, tangerine, and grapefruit) and coffee and tea, as well as scrambled eggs with chayote, chilaquiles, various salsas, a waffle machine, yogurt, fruit, granola, and cereal. An on-site cafe sells coffees, though there isn't a full restaurant.

The pool is located at the back of the hotel and has lounge chairs and tables. The main pool is rectangular with three horizontal waterfalls. There is a shallow children’s pool to the right and a hot tub on the left. The main pool is fairly small. The area doesn’t have much landscaping; it’s mostly concrete without any trees or shrubbery. A small fitness center is equipped with two treadmills, free weights, elliptical, stationary bike, and a strength machine.

The hotel offers reliable, free Wi-Fi in all of the rooms and throughout the property. The lobby also has a car rental desk as well as a travel and excursion desk where guests can book tours. La Quinta also provides free parking at an underground garage around the corner from the hotel. There is an elevator from the garage that brings guests directly in front of the lobby.