Cancun Spruces Up After Hurricane

This town’s industry is determined to turn adversity to advantage, and efforts are impressive.

Just weeks after el gran hurican whipped through this posh resort the area’s hotels, restaurants, discos and shops are swinging back into operation. Some of the most severely damaged are still closed for repairs, but almost half of Cancun’s 11,200 tourist rooms are ready for occupancy and more will be available again by Nov. 1. All are supposed to be ready by mid-December.

Hotels that were not severely damaged have used Hurricane Gilbert as an excuse to spruce up. Cancun is sparkling with fresh paint and polish, made verdant with forests of newly planted palms and shrubbery, and looking very much like new. Downtown roads have been completely repaved and other roads are well along in repairs. Golfers can play the back nine, and all 18 holes by Nov. 1.

Sizable Discounts

And prices are definitely right. To counter the widely held impression that Cancun was washed away, and to woo back dollar-bearing tourists, the whole town is offering tremendous discounts on services and goods over the next two months.

The Sheraton Cancun, which lost part of its lovely beach front, numerous palm trees, a fancy restaurant and not much else, is practically giving away its $150-per-night luxury rooms for $40 a night through Oct. 31, and for $50 a night through mid-December. Call toll-free (800) 334-8484.

The Cancun Calinda has reduced its $100 rooms to $70 through Dec. 19. Call (800) 228-5151. Two additional five-star hotels will slash rates through December--from $140 to $90 at the Cancun Palace, and from $123 to $89 for efficiency studios at the Beach Club Cancun, with a $20 meal credit included. Both are represented by the Cancun Hotel Assn., which also lists other room rate reductions.

Fancy hotel zone restaurants are providing full buffet breakfasts for as little as $2.50 and complete Mexican lunches for about $7. Among Cancun’s ritziest eateries, Maxim’s is offering a 20% discount on all meals and Bogart’s, one of Cancun’s finest gourmet restaurants, has reduced the cost of a dinner for two, with wine, from $100 to $60.

Many shops have storewide sales of 30% to 50% on fashionable beach and casual wear, colorful hammocks and charming handicrafts.

Full Buffet and Band

The blue-and-white Fiesta Carnival ship that sails from the Playa Linda marina for festive “pirate” and beach parties is cruising with full buffet and complete band, even if there are as few as three passengers aboard--just to make the point that services are still operating.

Some direct flights from various U.S. cities to Cancun are still temporarily suspended, but Mexicana Airlines has an early morning (6:05 a.m.) nonstop flight from Mexico City to Cancun, with best connections from Los Angeles on the airline’s night coach (11:20 p.m.) from LAX to Mexico City.

For more information on travel to Mexico, contact the Mexican Government Tourism Office, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 224, Los Angeles 90067, (213) 203-8191.