The beaches of Cancun, Mexico are lined with all-inclusive resorts luring tourists from around the world. With so many options, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which resort to book. We have stayed at a few different resorts and while there are pros and cons to every resort, we have found that Planet Hollywood is one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun for families!
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A Review of Planet Hollywood: One of the Best All-inclusive Resorts in Cancun for Families
Table of Contents
- What does the Planet Hollywood Cancun all-inclusive resort include?
- What are the amenities like at Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun?
- What restaurants are at Planet Hollywood Cancun?
- What is there to do at Planet Hollywood Cancun?
- Is Planet Hollywood’s all-inclusive resort in Cancun worth it?
What does the Planet Hollywood Cancun all-inclusive resort include?
What we love about staying at an all-inclusive resort is that you know exactly how much the trip is going to cost before you even arrive.
With other vacations, there are always unexpected costs with food and entertainment, but all of that is included when staying at a resort.
While staying at Planet Hollywood Cancun, the rate includes the room, unlimited food and drinks including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, 24-hour room service, access to resort amenities, activities, entertainment, non-motorized water sports, and even a complimentary kid’s club.
There are options for dining at select restaurants for an additional charge, as well as extra activities or upgrades you can choose to purchase.
These are of course optional, there is no need to spend any additional money after your initial booking.
You will want to be sure to bring cash in small bills to tip your waiters and other employees, though. They work hard to make sure you have a wonderful stay so be sure to tip them!
What are the amenities like at Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun?
Planet Hollywood opened in January 2021 so the buildings on the property are all new and clean.
The resort has a fun vibe with bright neon lights and flashy decor, it feels a little like Vegas.
Staying true to the Hollywood theme, you’ll find costumes from blockbuster movies displayed around the property.
My kids thought it was cool to see some of the costumes worn by their favorite stars in movies such as The Hunger Games and different Marvel movies.
They even have a replica of the car used in one of the Fast and Furious sagas.
When you walk through the front doors to check in, you’ll even receive the red carpet treatment with lights and music announcing your arrival!
The Hollywood-themed decor is carried on throughout the guest rooms with director’s chairs to lounge in, and vanity lights just like in the star’s dressing rooms.
Each room has a balcony overlooking the resort and the beach. It is the perfect spot to catch the sunrise over the Caribbean.
The rooms also have a mini-fridge that comes stocked with sodas and snacks.
The basic rooms are comparable to the size of a standard hotel room, with two queen beds and a pull-out sofa bed.
Upgrades are also available. A swim-out room or larger suite will cost around an additional $1000 per week, but rates can vary.
The swim-out room includes your own pool and cabana. It’s nice to be able to escape the crowds, and it is especially enjoyable for night swimming since the pools all close by 7 pm.
We did notice that the air-conditioning didn’t seem to work as well on the upper floors and the room felt a little muggy. I would request a room on the ground floor if possible.
I will also add that one disadvantage of being a new resort is that they are still working out the kinks.
The service wasn’t always up to par as they are working to hire and train new staff. I anticipate that this will improve over time.
What restaurants are at Planet Hollywood Cancun?
At Planet Hollywood you’ll find a variety of restaurants, cafes, and bars that you can visit at any time throughout the day and even into the night.
There are 9 different restaurants including two buffets, a teppanyaki grill, burger joint, steakhouse, sports bar, Mexican cuisine, an Italian trattoria, and an Indian restaurant with a hookah lounge.
You’ll also find an ice cream shop and poolside bars.
Room service is also available 24 hours a day at no extra charge, of course, a tip is always appreciated. My kids thought it was the coolest thing ever to order burgers at midnight while watching movies in our room!
The food at Planet Hollywood Cancun is decent. We thought the burgers at Guy’s! Burger Joint were exceptional, but the Italian restaurant was just okay.
The filet mignon at the steakhouse was pretty good, as well as the Mexican restaurant.
The buffets were similar to cruise ship food, but there is a lot of variety so you are sure to find something you like. The eclairs were so good, if you see them at the buffet be sure to snag one!
The Overtime Sports Bar is also open until 2 am so the teenagers made it a tradition of getting wings every night at midnight.
We also couldn’t get enough of the poolside virgin pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris. And the kids ordered Shirley Temples every chance they got!
Just be sure to always tip your waiters and bartenders.
Dinner reservations are not required, which has its pros and cons. You won’t need to worry about reservations getting filled up, but you will need to plan on a long wait to get into a restaurant for dinner.
The wait can average around 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the time and which restaurant you would like to go to.
In order to avoid this, I would recommend arriving at the restaurant right when it opens. Most of the restaurants open at 5:30 pm and you can get right in.
Reservations are required if you want to eat at the grill and watch the food being prepared at the East Sushi & Teppanyaki Bar. Reservations are not required if you want to sit at a regular table.
Also note that there is a business smart dress code for dinner, no flip-flops and swimsuits.
For an additional charge, you can also enjoy a personalized fine dining experience at 6th Sense-Chef’s Table. There is also the Star Class Bar & Grill reserved only for Star Class Guests.
What is there to do at Planet Hollywood Cancun?
Planet Hollywood is packed full of activities and amenities, making it one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun for families!
Swimming pools
The resort boasts 4 large swimming pools, a children’s pool and water playground, and a lazy river.
The oversized swimming pools have floating beds to relax on, swim-up bars, and music playing for a fun vibe.
Your kids will love the kiddie pool which includes the Shipwreck Cove water playground and Jurassic Splash Park.
All ages will enjoy floating on a tube down the lazy river. You’ll even float through a grotto where you can order a pina colada at the Blue Lagoon swim-up bar!
There is also a water slide that can be accessed from the lazy river.
Just note that there are no hot tubs or jacuzzis at Planet Hollywood Cancun.
Beach
Planet Hollywood Cancun is a beachfront resort boasting powdery white sand and warm aquamarine water. The beach is lined with lounge chairs, shade umbrellas, and cabana beds.
Non-motorized water sports are also available for guests to use, such as kayaks, paddleboards, and aqua bikes.
Kids activities
There are so many activities at Planet Hollywood to keep your kids entertained all day!
Our kid’s favorites were the Flow Rider and the Planet Play trampoline park. Unfortunately, there is an additional charge for both of these activities but we thought it was worth the splurge.
You can purchase the activities separately, or a combo pass is available for $60 that includes an all-day pass to the Flow Rider and the trampoline park, as well as a $19 credit for the arcade.
The Flow Rider is half-price one day each week, but the wait time is ridiculously long so it is worth just paying the full price.
If you purchase the combo pass at 8 pm the night before, they will let you use the trampoline park until it closes at 11 pm, as well as all day the following day.
Multiple sports courts are also available, including basketball courts, tennis courts, and beach volleyball.
Every evening the older kids would gather at the courts for a pick-up game of basketball. My boys loved it, just be sure to pack tennis shoes!
For the adults, there is a gym and a spa. The gym is mostly for weightlifting, they don’t have any treadmills or ellipticals for cardio.
They also have a 9-hole mini-golf course, hedge labyrinth, ping pong tables, and a movie theater with popcorn and soda.
Activities are also held throughout the day, led by the energetic entertainment squad.
My kids thought the foam party was so much fun!
The daily activities are posted at the concierge desks around the property and can also be accessed on the television in your room.
A complimentary Stars Kids Club is also available for kids ages 4-12.
Evening entertainment
We were impressed by the evening entertainment offered at Planet Hollywood Cancun. Each night you’ll find something different, whether a performance, dance party, or outdoor movie.
While we were there, they hosted a James Bond night with Black Jack tables using fake money, and dinner served under the stars while watching a James Bond movie at the outdoor cinema.
They also had a silent dance party with headphones one evening, as well as a Mexican-themed night with an interactive performance.
Check the calendar for monthly events.
Is Planet Hollywood’s all-inclusive resort in Cancun worth it?
You might experience a bit of sticker shock when you see the nightly rate at an all-inclusive resort compared to a regular hotel.
However, keep in mind that the rate includes all of the food, drinks, and entertainment.
The cost for our family was $178 per person per night for a family of 5 for four nights.
The price can fluctuate depending on the time of year you visit, how many nights you book, the ages of your kids, and how many people are staying in a room.
For the best rates, check Expedia, Booking.com, Kayak, or Hotels.com.
We thought that the price was worth it for all that is included. It truly is such a relaxing vacation and my kids said that it was their favorite family vacation that we have ever been on!
I would recommend splitting your time between two different resorts just to enjoy a variety of food and activities.
We divided our time with the neighboring Catalonia Costa Mujeres Resort and really enjoyed our stay there as well!
I would also recommend staying no more than 5 or 6 nights. We stayed 7 nights between the two resorts and by the end, we were feeling a little lazy and glutenous!
However, there are day trips and nearby excursions that you can book if you want to get out and explore away from the resort.
If you are interested, here are a few options to find the best excursions for the best price from Viator, Expedia, Get Your Guide, and Tripadvisor.
This is also the perfect vacation to book with friends or relatives. It’s fun to just let the kids run around together while the adults relax and hang out.
*Related post: If you’re looking to plan a day trip, check out our guides to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel!
FAQ’s
- How far is Planet Hollywood Cancun from the airport? It is about a 50-minute drive from the airport. I would recommend booking a shuttle instead of renting a car. We used Holiday Taxis and it was only $45 each way for our family of 5, definitely the cheapest rate we found!
- Is Planet Hollywood a family-friendly resort? Yes! There are plenty of activities for the entire family to enjoy. We did visit during spring break and I was worried that it would be a rowdy crowd, but it really wasn’t too bad. There is a separate adults-only area where most of the “spring breakers” would hang out and drink.
- Are there deals for Planet Hollywood All-inclusive Resort in Cancun with flights? Yes, package deals are available through various sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, Beach Bound, and Cheap Caribbean. However, we find that it is often cheaper to book them separately. We are signed up for the Scott’s Cheap Flights premium membership, it is $49/year but it more than pays for itself! You’ll receive daily notifications on flight deals and we scored flights from Phoenix to Cancun for only $177 round trip! Another favorite site for cheap flights is Flight Guru. You can also sometimes find better deals if you search Google Flights in a private browser.
- Is Planet Hollywood part of Marriott? Yes! Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun is a Marriott Autograph Hotel and is part of the All-Inclusive by Marriott International Portfolio. It’s a great way to earn and spend your Marriott points!
- Are all-inclusive resorts in Cancun safe? Mexico is not always considered a safe travel destination for tourists, however, all-inclusive resorts are generally some of the safest places to visit in Mexico. Security is very tight, only registered guests are allowed on the property. Petty theft is often a problem, though. Just be sure to lock your valuables in the room’s safe and don’t leave valuables on the beach or by the pool. I would also consider purchasing traveler’s insurance. It covers everything from medical emergencies to lost baggage and canceled flights. My son split his foot in the pool and needed stitches, so you never know when you’ll need it!
I hope this guide has helped you know what to expect when staying at Planet Hollywood, it really is one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun for families!
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[…] tired of the food and amenities. We booked 3 nights at Catalonia and 4 nights at the neighboring Planet Hollywood Cancun, which was such a fun resort. The resorts are right next to each other so you don’t even need […]