Occidental Costa Cancún - All Inclusive

Occidental Costa Cancún is a four-star all-inclusive resort built for days that do not require much organising. You have the Caribbean Sea at the front, a large outdoor pool, four restaurants, a lobby bar and a programme of daytime and evening activities, so the basic post-dive routine is pleasingly simple: shower, eat, sit down and decide whether you have the energy for anything else.

The resort suits couples who want sea views and plenty of facilities within the same address, as well as families who need room for children to do their own thing. A kids' club for ages 4 to 11, children's indoor and outdoor play areas, a children's pool and organised entertainment keep the family side busy. For adults, the spa, fitness centre, live music and all-inclusive format keep the evening from turning into a logistical exercise.

You are in Cancún, Mexico, on the famous Boulevard Kukulcán, facing the Caribbean Sea. The hotel has direct access to a white-sand beach, with sun loungers, parasols and a beach pavilion already part of the setup. Playa Linda is roughly 300 metres away, while Langosta is about 300 metres away as well; Playa Las Perlas is around 1 km from the resort.

The setting gives you the sea without putting you out of reach of the rest of Cancún. Sirenas Raw Bar and Fontina are about 300 feet away, with Los Chachalacos roughly 350 feet away. For a change of scenery, Parque las Palapas is about 3 miles away, the Cancun Bus Station about 3.5 miles away, and the Mayan Museum around 8 miles away. Cancún International Airport is approximately 11 miles from the hotel.

The 358 rooms are arranged around the things that matter when your legs are tired and your hair still tastes faintly of salt: air conditioning, a private bathroom, a minibar, a coffee machine, a wardrobe and a flat-screen television. Sea views feature in the accommodation, and balconies or terraces give you somewhere to sit without having to join the pool crowd. Daily housekeeping is included in the practical picture.

For a family, the standard Double Room layout with two double beds is the sensible choice, particularly when everyone needs a proper sleeping surface rather than a nightly negotiation over the sofa. The terrace version adds outdoor space. Couples who want the room to do more of the visual work can look at the Junior Suite Front Ocean View, while the ocean-front double-bed options put the Caribbean directly into the room choice rather than leaving it to the walk downstairs.

The resort also has the useful small comforts: a private bathroom with toiletries and a hairdryer, tea and coffee facilities, and a minibar for the return from the water. Non-smoking rooms are available. A lift serves the property, and the hotel has a reputation in its accommodation information for comfortable beds — not a glamorous detail, but a much more useful one when the alarm is set for another early start.

All-inclusive is the governing idea here, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served across four restaurants. The culinary range covers Italian, Mexican, seafood and international dishes, so you can keep things familiar or make the evening a little more local without leaving the resort. Breakfast is buffet-style, which is exactly the sort of arrangement that lets you build a sensible plate before a boat departure or return for another coffee afterwards.

There is also a snack bar for something less formal, plus 24-hour room service when the sensible plan is to eat in private and recover horizontally. Special-diet menus are available on request. The minibar and in-room tea and coffee facilities help with the quieter moments, although neither should be mistaken for a replacement for dinner after a full day at sea.

The lobby bar is the evening landing point, with live music and a drink rather than a compulsory performance of holiday enthusiasm. Entertainment also includes live music and evening activities, so you can stay on site once the sun has gone down.

The main outdoor pool is large, with water jets and areas arranged for sun loungers. Add the beachfront loungers, parasols and white sand, and you have several ways to spend an afternoon without booking anything or putting on equipment. Pool and beach towels are available, which saves one more item from the luggage list.

The spa offers massages, a sauna and a Turkish bath, while the fitness centre includes a full gym and fitness classes. That gives you the option of loosening up properly after several dives, or simply accepting that the most demanding exercise of the day was climbing back into the boat. On the water, the resort offers snorkelling, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing; some on-site water-sport facilities carry an additional charge.

When the evening needs a little more structure, there is live music, entertainment, bingo and televised live sport. A golf course lies within 3 km. Families have a kids' club for ages 4 to 11, children's entertainment, indoor and outdoor play areas, a playground and a children's pool, with babysitting also available.

Cancún International Airport is about 11 miles away, with a road journey of roughly 20 minutes. The hotel has free on-site public parking, car hire, a tour desk, currency exchange and an ATM. A 24-hour reception, luggage storage and a concierge service are useful when your flight and your room do not share the same timetable.

Check-in starts at 3 pm, and check-out runs from 11 am to 11.30 am. You must be at least 18 to check in, and photo identification plus a credit card is required on arrival. Cash is accepted as a payment method. Children of any age are welcome; cots and extra beds can be requested, subject to the selected accommodation and availability. Children aged 2 to 12 have an additional charge payable on arrival.

WiFi is available throughout the resort, with the access terms attached to your booking worth checking before you travel. Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, as are a safety deposit box at reception and an on-site infirmary. Pets are not allowed. The hotel is non-smoking, with designated outdoor smoking areas.