What is the best way to get from the Cancun Airport to Royal Hideaway Playacar?

If you are going to be staying at the Royal Hideaway Resort you will have to get from the Cancun Airport to the hotel. Here are some of the transportation options and what is the best way in our opinion for you to get from the Cancun Airport to the Royal Hideaway Hotel.

All of Your Transportation Options to the hotel

1. Take a private transfer to your hotel straight from the airport (Most Recommended)
2. Shared shuttle to the hotel.
3. Taking the ADO Bus to Playa Del Carmen and a taxi to the hotel in Playacar. (Cheapest option)
4. Renting a car at the airport. 
5. Taxi from the airport.

Private Transfers to the Royal Hideaway in Playacar

The most popular option for visitors is booking a private airport transfer. These are vans that take you and those traveling with you direct to your hotel. Once you reserve, you will have a driver waiting for you at the airport. The driver helps with your luggage and takes you directly to your hotel. This is the easiest and most comfortable way to reach Playacar.

How much are transfer vans from Cancun Airport?

Prices for private car service or van service is as follows:

• $101 USD one way or $181 USD round trip from the Cancun Airport to the Royal Hideaway for up to 8 people. You do save 10% if you book a round trip! So, we recommend doing this!

Private transfers are popular for several reasons:

• No waiting for other passengers
•  Air-conditioned vehicles
• Flat rate per vehicle rather than per person
• Option to book round trip transportation with discount
• Bilingual driver

Many travelers like this option because after a long flight you can go straight to your resort without stopping at other hotels.

This is the same option we recommend for travelers going south to Playa del Carmen. If you want to see how that trip works, read our full guide on how to get from the Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen. How to get from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen

Luxury Transfers Available Also to Playacar

If you are traveling for a special occasion or just want to make your trip a little more special, there are luxury transfers available from the Cancun Airport going to the Royal Hideaway. Cancun luxury transportation is regularly provided with Suburbans or similar vehicles, like Expeditions. This is for transportation of up to six people. 

Prices for the luxury transfer from the Cancun Airport:

• $165 USD one way or $280 USD round trip. To save money you just need to book a round trip at time of booking. Click the reserve now button below to go to the official booking website. 

Shared Shuttle to the Royal Hideaway

Shared airport shuttles are another option if you are traveling on a budget. These are small vans that sell individual tickets for a seat and drop people off at their hotels. These vans transport several groups of passengers who are staying at different hotels in one area.  They are cheaper than private transfers but can take longer. This is the best option if you are one or two people traveling since the price of the shared shuttle is cheaper than taking a private transfer. 

How Much Are Shuttles and How to Reserve One

Shared shuttles from the Cancun Airport to the Royal Hideaway Resort range in price depending on the company you go with. Here are two options for shared shuttles.  In recent years shared shuttles have not been as popular. Here are two good companies that provide shuttle serves between the airport and Playacar. What are the differences between the two besides the price? There will be more departures available from the Cancun Airport, nicer vehicles and faster service with option 2. 

Option 1 The price is $27 USD per person one way with a minimum of two people. You can also take this as one person, but the charge is $54 USD one way or the same for two people. 

Option 2 The price is $38 USD per person one way with a minimum of two people. 

This shared shuttle company is well recommended for its good service. Unlike some shuttles that offer individual rides, this shuttle has a mi minimum of two people. For example: two people going one way to Playacar is $76 USD. We have found that you get what you pay for in shared shuttle companies. This shuttle for example tends to have less people and sometimes it is just the two of you going all the way to Playacar. 

If this transportation option looks good for you, you can click the reserve now button and go directly to the booking page. Once you put in your arrival information and hotel, they will reserve your spot and be waiting at the airport with a sign for you. 

Things to consider with shared shuttles:

• You may need to wait for other passengers at the airport
• The shuttle may stop at several resorts before yours
• Travel time can increase depending on the route

Shared shuttles are often used by solo travelers or couples who want to save money.

If you want to see typical shuttle prices in the region, see our guide about shared shuttle transportation from Cancun Airport. How Much Are Shared Shuttles from the Cancun Airport?

Taking the ADO Bus to Playa Del Carmen and Taxi to Playacar

The ADO bus is usually the cheapest transportation option from Cancun Airport to the Playa Del Carmen area including Playacar. For those looking for Cancun Airport bus service, the ADO is the only “public” bus that services the airport. These are modern, air-conditioned coach buses with comfortable seating and luggage storage underneath.

From the Cancun Airport, ADO buses run directly to the ADO Turistica Bus Terminal in Playa Del Carmen. This is the bus station on Juarez Avenue and 5th Avenue. The ride typically takes about one hour to an hour and a half and costs much less than private transportation or taxis.

Once you arrive in Playa Del Carmen, you will still need to get to Playacar. This usually involves taking a short taxi ride from the bus station to your hotel or rental inside Playacar. This ride is about 11 minutes on average to hotels in Playacar. 

Even with the added taxi cost, the ADO bus is still one of the most affordable options overall. It is ideal for solo travelers or couples who want to save money and do not mind one extra-step.

You can learn more about this option in this guide: How to take the ADO Bus from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen. We also have an article with the current ADO bus schedules from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen. 

ADO bus does go from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen, but you would also need to take a taxi from the bus stop to your hotel. The ADO bus is the only public bus that services the Cancun Airport to the Juarez Avenue bus station in Playa Del Carmen. The Royal Hideaway is in the Playacar section of Playa Del Carmen which is about a 10-minute taxi ride from the bus station. This option is cheaper, but its sill adds up since most people are traveling as a couple and you still need to pay for a taxi. It is also more hassle since you need to wait for the bus at the airport, get off the bus in Playa Del Carmen and then take a taxi. This can add a half hour to an hour to your transportation time. 

Renting a Car at the Cancun Airport to Get to the Hotel

Renting a car is another option for getting to Playacar. This can be good for getting to and from the airport and an excursion or two during your stay at the Royal Hideaway. There is also free parking at the hotel

One good place to check for a rental car online is Discovery Cars. This website searches all the rentals and offers good prices on Cancun Airport rentals. 

Here are our best tips for renting a car at the Cancun Airport:

• There are rental car companies inside the airport property and some just outside along the highway. If you rent from a company outside the airport you will need to take their shuttle both ways. This does add about 20 minutes to the process of pick up and drop off. For the convenience fee, we prefer the rental car companies in the airport. 
• Liability insurance is required in Mexico. Your credit card company might not cover Mexico, or you might need proof of coverage. You can buy coverage locally when you rent. It is recommended you buy it locally because you have local agents to help you if something happens. 
• In general, we prefer the larger car rental companies because they have more options, and in general a more streamlined check out and returns.  

Taking a Taxi from Cancun Airport to the Resort

Taxis are available outside all terminals at the Cancun Airport. However, most people do not like to have to deal with taxis. Taxi drivers have a bad reputation for overcharging tourists arriving at the airport. There are no set prices nor meters in the taxis at the Cancun Airport. This means you need to ask and also be prepared to negotiate or walk away from a taxi driver that is trying to charge too much. 

How Much are Taxis from the Cancun Airport to the Royal Hideaway?

Taxis are usually more expensive than pre-booking a private transfer, and prices can vary depending on demand. Taxis at the airport also do not operate on meters, so the price is typically negotiated. Most of the time taxi drivers will try to charge between $100 USD to $150 USD for a one-way transfer. Of course, taxis cannot offer a round-trip discount because the same taxi will not be taking you back to the airport. 

Because of this, many travelers prefer to reserve transportation ahead of time, so they know the exact price. It is also about one hour in transportation and the taxis operate smaller cars. The private transfers are vans that give you more space for your trip. 

Have you stayed at the Royal Hideaway Hotel? Did you take this private transfer from the Cancun Airport to the Royal Hideaway? How was it? Let us know in the comments below. 

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