In the spirit of Valentine’s Day and love, and by that, I mean self-love…I jumped on a plane and headed to Mexico, not only to celebrate the day with myself but to check out the brand new Planet Hollywood Beach Resort in Cancun.
Entering Mexico
Currently, there are no COVID-19 protocols or requirements to travel to and gain entry into Mexico. A passport is required, as usual, and that is about it. However, as of January 26, 2021, a negative PCR test is required for all travelers flying into the United States aged two and older. You must take the test no more than three days before your flight. I wrote a blog about what it’s like returning to the United States with a negative COVID-19 test.
My original travel date for Planet Hollywood was May 2020. Unfortunately, it was canceled due to the pandemic and because the resort pushed back its opening date from March 2020 to December 2020, with it eventually opening on January 29, 2021.
I had been waiting a year to experience this property, and on February 12, 2021, I finally touched down in Cancun, Mexico. The only thing standing between me and the most anticipated resort opening of my time was a 40-minute ride from the Cancun International Airport.
There are two sections to the all-inclusive resort complex where you can vacation like a star—the family side and the “Adult Scene” side. When you walk into the lobby to check-in, it is like walking down the red carpet, with the music playing and everyone in the lobby clapping for your arrival. As soon as you walk in the door, you feel like someone special.
Rooms
There are 566 suites on the family side and 332 suites on the adult-only side. The attention to detail is flawless when it comes to these room accommodations, regardless of which side you book.
Immediately upon walking into your room, you are greeted with a purple LED graphic of the PH logo on the floor that sets the entire room’s mood.
The rooms are incredibly spacious and equipped with:
- A huge seating area
- plenty of counter space
- a mini-bar
- a flat-screen TV
- a Bluetooth clock radio
- a nice-sized bathroom stocked with Planet Hollywood branded toiletries
Restaurants and Bars
The resort has 12 a-la-carte restaurants and one buffet. Ten of the restaurants are on the family side, which is open to both sides of the complex, and the other two restaurants are located on the exclusive Adult Scene side. There are also 11 bars, including a swim-up bar on the Adult Scene side, and a coffee shop at the resort.
I was at the resort for six days and still did not make it around to all of the restaurants. However, I had the pleasure of trying the following places:
- The buffet: I had breakfast at the buffet, which was convenient and tasty.
- Guy’s Burger Joint: The burgers were absolutely delicious! Plus, those who know me know that I am obsessed with french fries, and they did not disappoint.
- Gusto Italian Trattoria: I ate at this Italian restaurant for lunch and dinner. They had take-out, so you could walk up to a window and order your pizza to-go. The pizza was not my favorite. The crust had a cracker-like texture, and the toppings could have cooked in the wood-burning stove a tad bit longer to come together. However, dinner at Gusto was delish! The risotto did not disappoint—it was cooked to perfection with a buttery melt-in-your-mouth taste.
- Overtime Bar & Grill: This is the sports bar where you can get late-night food, and it does the trick when you have alcohol on your stomach that needs to be soaked up!
- The Sunset Strip Steakhouse & Grill: This restaurant had the most incredible food. Everything was well-seasoned and cooked to perfection.
- La Cocina Authentic Mexican Cuisine: This had to be the best food I had on the property, hands down.
I could go on and on about the resort’s food, but you will have to experience it all for yourself.
Although the resort has 11 bars, I had two favorite spots:
- the lobby bar on the family side because it was decorated super cute and had a good vibe
- the bar on the beach on the adult-only side—you can’t beat a bar on the beach with a good view and vibe.
And of course, Planet Hollywood served Jack Daniel’s, so you know it was definitely my type of resort with top-shelf liquor and nothing cheap or watered-down.
Activities and Entertainment
Where do I even begin when it comes to the endless activities located on this property? The resort has:
- miniature golf
- a lazy river
- indoor trampoline park
- a bar located in the pool under a cave
- water slides
- a water-themed Jurassic Splash Park
- 24/7 movie theater
- a FlowRider (see my Instagram video below or through this link)
Additionally, there are several gyms, a spa, and plenty of excellent nighttime entertainment options, including theme nights like silent disco party, red carpet night, and more.
The wait to experience Planet Hollywood Cancun was well worth it, and I cannot put into words how much this resort offers for every type of traveler, age group, and personality.
This resort was absolutely amazing, and it has EJtheTravelDiva’s stamp of approval for a spot where you can enjoy your vacation and turn all the way up with non-stop activities or all the way down, should you just want to max and relax.
COVID-19 Testing
Due to the recent U.S. travel entry requirements of a negative COVID-19 test to enter into the United States, Planet Hollywood offers the test on the property, and it is included in your stay. Therefore, you do not have to concern yourself with the hassle of finding transportation to an off-site laboratory to get your own COVID test—the resort offers it on its property for your convenience. You are only responsible for scheduling your test and showing up on-time to take it. I wrote about it in this blog.
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Thank you for all the info given. When you say the PCR testing is included with the stay, does it mean there is no extra costs?? Thanks.
Yes, that is what it meant in 2021. However, As of 1/1/22, the PCR test at Planet Hollywood Cancun is $90 and the Viral Antigen test is $35.
Hi any advice on the best time to try and get into the restaurants? We are a family of 4 and usually prefer to eat later as in 20.00/21.00
Decide which restaurants you want to eat and what day. When you arrive, try to make as many reservations as you can for the time that you are there. Make your reservations days in advance.
Hi if we are on the family side could we go hang on the adult side?