The Surprising Reason Mexican Caribbean Hotels Are Getting Cheaper For Tourists 

Last Updated 12 months ago

Online vacation rentals are soaring in popularity in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean, as the region is experiencing a year like no other in the tourism sector. 

They are so popular that the more traditional option of booking hotels is being affected, as more and more people want unique stays that resemble a more authentic Mexican experience while on vacation. 

Travelers can find countless rentals on offer, with AirBnB and Vrbo accounting for 63.6 percent of them.

These two apps have made booking easier than ever and have led to a 34 percent increase this year in reservations when compared to 2022.

Hotel rates in Quintana Roo are now being forced to reduce their prices as they notice a decrease in bookings and reservations, meaning good news for tourists looking for a deal when booking their next vacation! 

Vacation Rentals Vs. Hotel Accommodation

So, what would be better for your next trip: a vacation rental or a hotel? 

Of course, there are pros and cons to both options definitely worth considering:

@livimarie_ Replying to @jazmynelewis2 loved both of these sm! #cancun #cancuntravel ♬ Free Mind – Tems

For vacation rentals, especially in the Cancun area, there are endless amounts of options to choose from, with more and more people making their homes a unique stay for the lucky traveler. 

Furthermore, with so many options at hand, the general price for a stay within the Mexican Caribbean will work out cheaper than booking hotel accommodation, a major reason hotels are now having to lower their own prices.

This is set to change, however, with calls for these billion-dollar apps to put more stringent regulations within their pricing structures to mirror the types of fees that so many hotels have to pay already, which will make them not as cheap. 

@doseofdajj Mini room tour of the first Airbnb I stayed in during my solo birthday trip in Mexico🌴 I live for a good ocean view😍 #airbnbtour #airbnbfinds #cancunmexico #cancun #traveltiktok ♬ its a wrap sped up – xxtristanxo

For many, though, the feeling of having a home away from home is a much more appealing option, giving people the option to buy food from supermarkets for meals, as well as being able to have a more familiar base at the end of a long day of exploring/sun worshipping/having the best vacation ever. 

With a cost of living crisis still largely at hand, affordability is the key factor that tourists are taking into consideration when booking, so any chance to save some money will be taken.

That is not to say hotel accommodation can’t be good value for money.

More and more hotel chains such as Hilton and Hyatt are adopting the all-inclusive vibe, which is a firm favorite for many Americans.

All-inclusive hotels are seeing a huge surge in popularity again for their affordability; people want perks to the prices they pay, such as meals and drinks included, private beach access, and luxury spa amenities.

There is also a convenience for the tourist when not having to worry about what restaurant to choose for dinner, as well as not exploring far beyond their hotel walls (something a lot of families look for).

Bigger hotels like these ones are also guaranteed to be situated in safe, built-up areas like in the Cancun Hotel Zone and will more often than not have a 24-hour security surveillance system in place to give their customers peace of mind, something that does not come with a vacation rental.

Who Will Win?

One thing is for certain; vacation rentals on billion-dollar sites like Airbnb aren’t going anywhere any time soon. 

However, the proposal to have the sites include taxes that hotels already pay for, such as the Environmental Sanitation Tax, may start to make once affordable options become less so.

Jesùs Almaguer Salazar, president of the Hotels of Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres has been calling for stricter regulations to be enforced for vacation rentals, as he believes it is affecting people’s jobs and basic services, with rates of hotels having to lower their prices when they should actually be raising them in line with inflation. 

Perhaps if vacation rentals began raising their prices, hotel accommodation would become the popular choice again for tourists, or perhaps they are the future for the world we now live in; one where so many can work remotely and have a home away from home, with the ability to live uniquely and authentically in the beautiful Mexican Caribbean!

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