Xcaret Arte is an all inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico, just outside of Playa del Carmen. This was my first all inclusive resort and damn was it an amazing experience. 

UPDATE: I visited again in 2025 and learned a few more tips and tricks! I’ve added in some “update” blurbs with some additional important information. Be sure to read them!

Before I dive in, here’s a quick overview of our itinerary. We did a 4-day, 3-night stay. Keep reading to find details on each day, what I wish I had known beforehand, and some things I would have done differently! That way, you can rock the all-inclusive Cancun resort life like a seasoned pro.

Pre-trip: A month out from your trip, email the hotel at hxagservice@hotelxcaret.com to book your dinner reservations and excursions.

UPDATE: I learned you can actually make reservations as soon as you book your stay. I would highly recommend booking restaurant reservations ASAP – like, 2-3 months in advance if you can! The restaurants will book up and you don’t want to miss out.

Day 1: Arrival and the Resort

Day 2: Chichen Itza Deluxe Tour + Dinner at TAH-XIDO

Day 3: Resort Day + Dinner at Encanta

Day 4: Sunrise at the Resort + Departure

Day 1: Arrival and the Resort

When you walk outside of baggage claim, beeline for the representatives from your resort. There will be lots of people trying to get your attention, but stay zeroed in on finding your resort signage. Xcaret was wearing bright pink. Once you find them they’ll check you in and lead you to the where the bus will pick you up.

Our ride from the airport to Xcaret Arte was about an hour and 10 minutes. We traveled on a massive charter bus, so the ride was super comfy. There are bathrooms for emergencies, cozy seats, air vents, and a hostess/guide who makes sure you have everything you needed.

Our flight landed at 9:30am and after going to baggage claim, waiting for the charter to depart, and driving, we arrived at the hotel at 12pm. You should plan to make an EARLY start so you don’t waste your whole first day! (Or just plan it as a travel day, if you have the time in your schedule). Upon arrival, staff led us to the lobby and got us checked in and took our bags for us (since room check in isn’t until 3pm). From that point on, you can enjoy the resort! So don’t worry if you arrive before check in – the only thing unavailable to you before 3pm is your room. Everything else is open and ready for you to enjoy!

We were starving when we made it to the hotel, so we went to Cantina ViAyeP. The quesillo was super delicious, I highly recommend it, as was the pork belly tostada. No reservations required here! Just walk in and enjoy.

After lunch, we went to where our bags were being held and snagged our swim suits. They have a beautiful changing room area where you can use lockers to store things.

The resort is just as beautiful as you would imagine a lux, all-inclusive Cancun resort would be. We walked around and explored for a while and I honestly feel like we just scratched the surface. Each wing of the hotel is based around a different art and offers its own fun inclusive amenities, like various pools and art classes. You can walk around to them all! I swear, on the last day, we were still finding new pools, lounge spaces, and swim-up bars.

After wandering, we landed at the pool! There are lots of lounging pads and poolside chairs at the main pool. There’s a swim up bar on addition to people walking around taking orders. If it’s super crowded, you can still lounge in the pool. There are areas that are not very deep and (being an adults only resort), no one was splashing around. It was all super chill and relaxed.

One thing I forgot that you need to make sure you bring: A beach bag! I had a little sling for the excursions, but I didn’t think about carrying my stuff around the resort. I definitely had some moments where I had changed into my swimsuit and was carrying my clothes in my arms, desperately hoping my underwear didn’t fall out onto the ground. I needed a little bag for clothes, sun screen, my phone, my sunglasses, a book, and various other pool things. Don’t worry about towels around the resort, they provide plenty of those.

After the pool, we checked into our rooms, called the extension to get our luggage brought up to our room, and showered for dinner. The hotel room was amazing. We literally picked the cheapest room (Garden View) and it was perfect. It had a patio with a hammock, seating and dining area, and a huge bathroom. The tub in the middle of the room was a little weird… Everything in the mini fridge is included and restocked daily! We mostly drank all the waters.

We didn’t make any reservations for dinner our first night, so we ate at the Mercado San Juan. It’s a buffet with an insane amount of choices. I did a lap before I started putting food on my plate and still missed some stations. The dessert selection here is also amazing. I would end up going back to Mercado San Juan just for desserts, even after eating at another spot. No reservations required!

Pro tip from one of the girls I was traveling with – Before we went to bed, we ordered breakfast room service to be delivered at 6:20am the next morning. That way, it was ready exactly when we needed in order to catch our early bus to Chichen Itza.

Day two: Chichen Itza 

We woke up bright and early to catch our 7am bus to Chichen Itza. We booked this excursion before we arrived by filling it in on our wishlist. The whole excursion – transportation, tickets, tour guides, and lunch – was included in our stay.

The room service breakfast was clutch and was so impressive. They came in and set it up for us on our little dining table. Again, this was 100% included in our stay.

We snagged a quick coffee (the line is a bit long for a barista made drink, but they have a fancy instant coffee maker in the lobby, so we did that instead) then got on the bus!

The bus, again, was a fancy charter. You take the bus to Xel-Ha (45ish min), then transfer to another bus to get to Chichen Itza. This isn’t like a bus terminal transfer, you’re transferring from one private tour charter to another. There’s a nice restroom here, so make sure you go before you depart again!

It’s another 2.5ish hours to Chichen Itza from Xel-Ha. Your tour guide on the bus will go through the itinerary for the day once you get moving. It’s a large group tour, so you stick with the bus group and tour guides all day. They give you a little breakfast box for the ride (make sure you mark any dietary preferences when you book the excursion). My main take away was that I wish I packed more snacks. It was about 9am when we got the breakfast box and lunch wasn’t going to until 4 (with the time change). I was fine, but if I did it again, I’d definitely bring more snacks. There is a storage rack on the bus above your seats, so there’s plenty of rooms for bags and backpacks and such.

At Chichen Itza, the tour guides give you your entry ticket, a headset, a water bottle, and umbrellas (if needed, it’s HOT and sunny). There are big crowds at the entrance which can be a bit overwhelming. I’d recommend going to the restroom on the left, as soon as you arrive, BEFORE you walk through the ticket stalls. Our guide said there are bathrooms inside, but not sometimes they are closed. I never saw bathrooms.

The Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza are one of UNESCO’s New 7 Wonders of the World. There is SO much to learn about here, but our tour guide gave us the quick overview. The Temple of Kukulkán has 4 sides, 91 steps each, for a total of 360 (360 days in a year… interesting…) and is actually three temples inside one another. Twice a year at the equinox, there’s an illusion created by the sun and the steps of the temple that looks like a snake (Kukulkán) sliding down into the earth, fertilizing it. A quick walk away, there’s a cenote. At the bottom of that cenote, piles of bones were discovered, presumed to be the bones of those sacrificed. As we walked around the main temple, we saw both the restored and unrestored sides.

We were in Chichen Itza for 2 hours. We spent about an hour and 15 minutes together with our tour guide and then 45 minutes walking and exploring on our own. It takes longer to walk out than you would think, the exit meanders a bit. Also, another pro tip, take a photo of your bus number so you don’t forget! You won’t be the only Xcaret tour bus there.

I wore athletic clothing on the tour, and brought my swimsuit in another bag for the cenote (the hotel rooms had a little canvas bag I used, luckily!). I was grateful for my tennis shoes because of all the dirt and dust, but the walking isn’t strenuous at Chichen Itza. You could pretty much wear whatever you want that’s comfortable, but you must prepare for the SUN. Next time I go, I’ll be wearing a long sleeve sun guard-type shirt. The tour group will give you a water bottle, so be sure to drink up! Definitely bring a hat that covers your neck and your sunglasses. Embrace the tourist look – EVERYONE there is a tourist anyway, might as well be comfortable.

After Chichen Itza, we drove to the Tsukan cenote. Ok… thoughts on the cenote… In my head, I pictured a quiet, calming cave pool where I could sit and relax (like what’s depicted on their instagram). In reality, it was chaotic. Tsukan IS a beautiful cave pool! It is also a very popular destination and there were many families and children all trying change, get life vests, walk down the stairs, and enter the cenote through one small entrance.

I made it down past the crowds, got in the water (which felt amazing after walking through Chichen Itza), and then got back out. I definitely spent more time changing into and back out of my swimsuit than I did swimming!

However, cenotes are really cool and beautiful and a natural feature Mexico is known for, so I’m happy to have experienced it as part of our larger excursion. The cenote depth varies from 135-195 feet, depending on how full it is. That’s INSANE to me. So it’s a really cool experience, but I don’t think it would have been worth it just to go there on its own.

If you do visit a cenote, make sure you bring a couple of things (I forgot most of these, so learn from me):
– Your swimsuit and sandals to walk down to the cenote
– A towel. They don’t provide towels.
– A fresh pair of clothes to change into after you swim, so you don’t have to put on your sweaty, dusty Chichen Itza clothes back on.
– A waterproof camera case with a strap to take photos while you swim.

It’s quite a few steps down to get to the cenote, which can be tricky once you have wet sandals from showering off! Even if you don’t swim, you can walk in and view it. Again, it’ll be crowded, but that’s ok – the beautify isn’t something to miss! We stayed at the cenote about an hour.

UPDATE: My second time visiting the cenote, it was not crowded AT ALL. It was basically just our tour bus and no other people from the public. That might be the difference of booking this excursion on a weekday vs. a weekend!

By around 3:15, we had made it to Valladolid where we ate lunch (included) at Casando. They’re known for their agua frescas, so be sure to get some! It’s a buffet, so once you get your drinks, go fill up a plate with foods from the Yucatán. After eating, we walked around the Central Park for a bit, snapped some pics of the Templo de San Servacio, and then hopped back on the bus for another 2 hour ride back to the hotel.

From Valladolid, you drive straight back to the resort, no stopping and transferring at Xel-Ha. We got back to the resort at 7:45pm making it a nearly 13-hour excursion. Make sure that’s what you want to do before you book it! For me, seeing Chichen Itza was worth it because I LOVE seeing the ancient ruins.

For dinner, we made 9:30pm reservations ahead of our trip at XAH-XIDO. They offer small Asian-fusion plates. The sushi was delicious! After dinner we headed to Desuyno, the speakeasy. It’s they said it was a speakeasy with Jazz music, but it was definitely a club with music you could feel through your body. I’m wondering if maybe it’s only a speakeasy on certain days? We walked in and walked out.

Day 3: Resort Day

To start our full resort day, we ate breakfast at Cayuco, which had amazing views of the pool. It’s a buffet with plenty of Mexican and American food options. We then lounged in the shade by the swim up bar for the rest of the day. We took a break to eat lunch at the Mercado and then went back to our loungers.

I walked down to the beach in the afternoon. It was a little too hot in the sun for me, so I started walking back to the pool. On my way back, I found the lagoon area. This quiet area has tons of shaded loungers. It’s by Arenal. Pro tip: if the pool is feeling crowded and you can’t get the shady spot you want, walk down to the lagoon!

UPDATE: Another pool recommendation would be the rooftop pool on the Diseño building. They have covered lounges, chair-side service, and a food menu! 10/10, definitely my favorite pool now.

In the evening we cleaned up for dinner at Encanta. It’s a tasting menu created by a Michelin Star chef, which is pretty fun and unique. It’s definitely a time to be adventurous and expand your palate! (and don’t forget, it’s all INCLUDED in your stay and if you don’t want to eat it and would rather order room service after the experience, you can do that because room service is ALSO INCLUDED).

The tasting menu included about seven small (like, bite-size) courses and three dessert courses. The whole experience took about 2 hours. If you have dietary restrictions, just let the staff know! They have a vegetarian version of the tasting menu available and I’m sure they can make other adjustments as needed as well.

Make sure you book a reservation for Encanta before your stay, if you’re interested!

Day 4: Resort Morning + Departure

To make the most of our last day, we woke up at 5:30am to watch the sunrise on the beach. It was totally worth it – such a peaceful experience. After sunrise, we went to the cafe to snag some coffees and pastries to hold us over until breakfast.

After that, we sat by the pool and soaked in the final hours of our trip. The pool was empty until about 9am, so it was really relaxing to sit in the quiet surroundings.

We met for breakfast as a whole group at the Mercado. We then went back to our rooms to pack and headed out! The hotel recommended we leave 5 hours before our flight (it is about an hour to the airport), but we felt like that was a bit overkill. We left 4 hours before the flight and we had plenty of time. The charter bus runs every 30 minutes from the front of the hotel.

One note about leaving: everyone checks out at 12. If you’re planning to check out between 11-12, give yourself 20-30 minutes to do so because there will be a line of people. We got in line around 11:20 and were nervous because we wanted to get on the 11:45 shuttle. Luckily, we made it just in time! Just beware of that and plan accordingly.

Side note: Food at the Cancun airport really stinks, so if you can, bring a snack with you!

UPDATE: If you have time, I highly recommend doing the Xoximilco boat ride. This is NOT the same kind of Xochimilco tour like you might find in Mexico City. This is 100% a party boat and it is an absolute BLAST. Brian and I both agreed it was the most fun thing we did of our whole stay.

Final notes:

General vibe of the all-inclusive: They’ve got you. The vibes of the staff are different, because once you’re there, the focus is JUST about enjoyment, not purchasing things. That’s worth something to me. Having someone that can bring me literally anything anytime I need is worth something to me. Walking out of the Cancun airport and having all my transportation handled until I return back at the airport is, personally, worth a LOT to me. Leaving the resort, I had the same sad feeling I did when I left Walt Disney World as a kid. 

Traveling in a large group: What’s great about the resort is our group was able to split up according to whatever “vacation” meant to each individual person. We had six girls in our group and split up several times. The first night, some stayed inside and ordered room service, which, as we already talked out, is so lavish and included. Others went out to eat in one of the resort hotels. On the second day, two of us broke off for the day and went on a more adventurous 13-hour excursion to Chichen Itza while the other four stayed at the resort to enjoy the pools and beach. It’s so easy to do everything that making separate plans is worth it if people in your group have different ideas of what a good vacation means to them. 

UPDATE: At the end of my first stay, I was approached by a hotel staff member selling a special deal – I could get a crazy good deal on my next 5 day, 4 night stay if I purchased it at that moment and put 50% down. I also had to attend a “90-minute” presentation. I put that in quotes because it was more like 2.5 hours from start to finish, BUT, it was totally worth it. If you’re offered the deal, I would take it!