Hotel Flamingo All Inclusive
Flamingo Cancún sits squarely in the good-deal-not-luxury-escape category, and travelers who understand that tend to leave happy. It is a mid-size, genuinely beachfront property on one of Cancun's Blue Flag beaches at kilometre 11.5 of the Hotel Zone, and the hotel has been at it for more than 30 years. The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious: outdoor pools with a sea-view jacuzzi, a swim-up bar, the La Fuente buffet and oceanfront Albatros restaurant, a stone-oven pizza bar and a stretch of white sand that punches above what you would expect for the price. It is popular with families, couples on a first Mexico trip and budget-conscious travelers who want the full Caribbean experience without paying Secrets or Grand Velas prices.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Blue Flag certified beach with pale sand and turquoise water, one of the genuinely nice stretches in Cancun's Hotel Zone
- +One of the cheapest beachfront all-inclusives on the strip, and the hotel's extended all-inclusive adds 10am access on arrival day with food and drinks from the moment you walk in, a 4pm late checkout, and 10 percent off massages and romantic dinners at no extra charge
- +Outdoor pools with a sea-view jacuzzi and the Las Palmas swim-up bar in the main pool, and the pool deck is calmer than the mega-resorts further up the boulevard
- +All 11 room categories have a private furnished balcony and a minibar restocked daily; the Deluxe Swim Up Ocean View and the two-person Junior Suite Swim Up Ocean View open straight onto a semi-private pool, and the Family Room has a bunk bed
- +Hard-working, attentive staff; beach waitstaff and bar staff in particular get called out for being welcoming and going out of their way
- +Kilometre 11.5 of Boulevard Kukulcan puts you 20 minutes from the airport and downtown, with the malls, convention centre and the Punta Cancun clubs a short bus hop along the strip
- +Evenings are busier than the size suggests: a Mexican show with buffet and live mariachi, a Maya cultural show, a musical duo, and live music at the Albatros twice a week
- +Daily housekeeping is thorough; cleanliness is one of the most consistently praised aspects across traveler reviews
Cons
- −Two full restaurants, the La Fuente buffet and the oceanfront Albatros, plus a pizza bar, a pool snack counter and a cafe; that is fair variety for a few nights, but by the end of a week the buffet rotation and the single a la carte menu wear thin even with the Mexican, Mediterranean and Caribbean theme nights
- −Chronic shortage of beach and pool loungers; if you are not out by 6 or 7am placing a towel you will be searching for chairs
- −Everything on the pool deck closes at 6pm: Las Palmas, Don Robertos and Winners & Winers all shut then, and after that only the Albatros (to 10:30pm) and the Grab & Flamingo cafe (to 11pm) are open, so there is no late bar
- −Some staff speak limited English, which has caused miscommunication at guest relations and the front desk for guests without Spanish
- −Room quality is inconsistent; some units are well maintained while others show dated fixtures and unreliable air conditioning or plumbing
- −Free Wi-Fi hotel-wide is official, but speed and reliability in the rooms draw complaints, particularly in units farther from the main building
- −Spa massages, medical service, laundry, excursions and airport transfers are all charged extras, and the hotel sells the excursions it once left to the street operators
Food and drink are the weakest link, though not as thin as the two-venue reputation suggests. La Fuente runs 7am to 11pm with Mexican, Mediterranean and Caribbean theme nights, Albatros does ceviche made to order and grilled cuts with a live duo twice a week, Don Robertos turns out artisan pizza from a stone oven, Winners & Winers serves burgers, nachos and hot dogs by the pool, and the Grab & Flamingo cafe pours Starbucks coffee until 11pm. The catch is hours: the pool bar, pizza bar and snack counter all close at 6pm, so late-night drinks are limited. Rooms are comfortable, every one has a furnished balcony and a daily-stocked minibar, but quality varies by block, so asking for a recently updated room at check-in is worth a try. The biggest practical frustration is the lounge chair situation: popular spots are claimed by 7am and the resort has not kept up with demand.
Flamingo Cancún is best suited for travelers who want a legitimate beachfront all-inclusive without breaking the bank and who plan to spend time off-property anyway. The Hotel Zone location is excellent for day trips: Chichen Itza, Isla Mujeres, Xcaret and the cenotes are all easy excursions, and the front desk sells them for a fee. If you are comparing to the Riu Cancun or Krystal at the same price point, Flamingo's beach quality and staff attitude tend to come out ahead. Just go in knowing the dining is a step below what the bigger chains offer.
Common Questions
How does Flamingo Cancún compare to the Riu or Krystal at a similar price?
Is the all-inclusive package worth it, or are there hidden costs?
What's the beach actually like?
Is this resort family-friendly?
What are the best nearby day trips from Flamingo Cancún?
Restaurants (2)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | La Fuente Buffet |
| Seafood | Albatros Restaurante |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
25 min drive · 9.6 mi
Playa Delfines13 min drive · 5.3 mi
25 min drive · 9.6 mi
Playa Tortugas9 min drive · 3.3 mi
Museo Maya de Cancún10 min drive · 3.6 mi
30 min drive · 12 mi
More things to do (24)
- Catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres · excursion9 min drive · 3.3 mi
- Downtown Cancún (Parque Las Palapas) · town25 min drive · 8.4 mi
- Xoxi Cancún · adventure park30 min drive · 15 mi
- Whale shark swim (June to September) · excursion25 min drive · 9.6 mi
- Playa Las Perlas · beach14 min drive · 5.6 mi
- Garrafón Park day trip (Isla Mujeres) · excursion11 min drive · 4.1 mi
- Croco Cun Zoo · wildlife40 min drive · 23 mi
- Playa Caracol · beach6 min drive · 1.7 mi
- Riviera Cancún Golf · golf25 min drive · 11 mi
- Playa Ballenas · beach8 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Iberostar Cancún Golf Club · golf13 min drive · 4.7 mi
- Puerto Cancún Golf Course · golf20 min drive · 7.5 mi
- Playa Coral · beach20 min drive · 9.0 mi
- Puerto Morelos reef snorkel trip · excursion45 min drive · 26 mi
- Playa Chac Mool · beach4 min drive · 1.0 mi
- Playa Gaviota Azul · beach4 min drive · 1.2 mi
- Yamil Lu'um · ruins6 min drive · 1.2 mi
- Playa San Miguelito · beach7 min drive · 2.1 mi
- Playa Marlín · beach7 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Playa Langosta · beach11 min drive · 4.1 mi
- El Rey Ruins · ruins11 min drive · 4.6 mi
- Torre Escénica de Cancún · viewpoint12 min drive · 4.5 mi
- Playa Delfines Lookout · viewpoint12 min drive · 5.3 mi
- Iberostar Golf Club Cancún · golf13 min drive · 4.7 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Cancun gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 3.8 · 7,496 reviews
“Very much enjoyed our stay. Excellent services, staff so friendly and welcoming. Rooms clean, some repairs needed but accommodation were satisfactory. Pools were clean, more recliners would be nice. Beach is lovely, well maintained area for relaxing....”
“Was here in mid October with my wife for our anniversary. The hotel itself was very well maintained and clean. Jose the superintendent runs a tight ship. Staff were super friendly and courtious . Shout out to all the staff in the buffet and the bart...”
“Pretty okay place if you’re not gluten intolerant — but if you are, it can get a bit tricky since the menus are kind of fixed and not really designed for people with allergies. However, the main manager, Omar Perez, is a person with a heart of gold...”
