Cancún International Airport (CUN): Approximate driving time is 15 minutes and distance is 10 miles.

Driving directions from Cancún International Airport: Take airport access road going east and follow signs to Zona Hotelera and Blvd Kukulcan. Proceed north on Blvd Kukulcan, turn right onto Retorno Del Rey just before Km marker 14. Resort is third building complex on right hand side of road.

Authorized taxis, minivans (or collectivos), and private cars are the best way to make the journey from the airport to the resort. Transportation options can be accessed as you exit the terminal to your right. A private taxi to downtown Cancún: $16–$25 USD. A private taxi to the Hotel Zone: more than $36 USD. Collectivos provide transportation to downtown Cancún: $5–$15 USD. A private car service to the resort can be arranged: more than $36 USD. Rental cars are available at the airport and on this Web site: more than $36 USD. Note: Only authorized taxis are allowed to transport guests from the airport to their hotels. However, all taxis can take passengers to the airport from the city or Hotel Zone–cutting the fare almost in half.

Getting around: The resort is located within Zona Holtelera, or Hotel Zone. The hotel is within walking distance of the Plaza Kukulcan mall that offers shopping and restaurants. Public and private buses connect the Hotel Zone to downtown and ferries: less than $5 USD. Once downtown, most tourist attractions are easily accessible by walking. Taxi rates in Cancún are determined by zones and the minimum fare within the Cancún Hotel Zone is $5 USD per ride. A list outlining the various taxi rates throughout the city should be available at the resort front desk: $5–$15 USD. Taxis can be rented by the hour or day to visit the historic Mayan ruins in the area: more than $36 USD. Always negotiate your taxi fare before beginning your trip. Rental cars offer a convenient way to visit historic points outside the city: more than $36 USD. Mopeds are a convenient, yet extremely risky, way to get around the city and islands: $26–$35 USD.

Fantino - Decor at this dinner restaurant is as opulent as the Italian cuisine. Recessed ceilings painted with pastoral murals, wall recesses containing scroll paintings, pale-green linens, and ivory chairs create an atmosphere conducive to multi-course dining. Live classical music enhances the experience.

El Cafe Mexicano - Padded, wrought-iron chairs and tables outside and white linens and green chairs inside offer diners seating options for enjoying Mexican cuisine, buffets, and theme dinners.

The Caribe Bar & Grill - Located on the pool terrace overlooking the beach, this casual spot offers light meals throughout the day under a white-tile roof and under blue umbrellas on the terrace.

The Lobby Lounge - Providing ocean views and plush seating, this spot offers more than 120 tequilas and a light-dining menu.

The Cigar Lounge - A cigar-maker rolls fresh cigars here every evening.

The hotel's kitchen prepares menus-of-choice for private dinners for two anywhere in the resort guests wish to dine alone by candlelight.

24-hour room service is available.

Amenity highlights: Located on a terra-cotta-colored terrace that overlooks the beach and extends the full length of the hotel are two pools and a 30-foot-long, kidney-shaped spa for convivial soaking-with-a-view. The large, two-level main pool is tiled in dark blue and floats like a free-form lagoon above the turquoise Caribbean. Lounge chairs on the terrace wear dark-blue pads matching the pool's tiles. Isolated at one end of the terrace is a "quiet pool" also tiled in dark blue. Palm trees, hedges, and gardens border the terrace, at the center of which is The Caribe Bar & Grill.

The Ritz-Carlton provides two venues for vacation pampering. One is a luxurious health spa offering body treatment and various massage techniques inside the spa and in a private, thatched-roof palapa on the beach. The second is a full-service health-and-beauty salon offering facials, body treatments, massage, and hair and nail care.

Insider tip: An expert cigar-maker plies his trade evenings in The Cigar Lounge.

Facilities are world-class, including a state-of-the-art fitness/aerobics center overlooking the sea and featuring men's and women's saunas and steam rooms—the men's side clad in dark-green marble and the women's side in pink. A full-service business center rents out cellular telephones and includes four private rooms with computers connected to the Internet. Children have their own activities program. Shoppers can browse boutiques, an art gallery, and a jewelry store. Like all major Cancún hotels, The Ritz-Carlton has a water-purification system.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.