A 2-bedroom villa at The Royal Cancun, a beachfront resort in Cancún's Hotel Zone, for 7 nights at about $782
Nov 28 to Dec 5 (Sat–Sat) in a two-bedroom, 1.5-bath garden-view villa with full kitchen at The Royal Cancun (Royal Resorts, km 4.5 of the Hotel Zone), rented from a timeshare owner through RedWeek: $699.30 including RedWeek's $69.30 fee (the owner cut the rent to $90 a night), plus an environmental fee and government taxes the posting puts at about $83 for the week, so roughly $782 for 7 nights ($112 a night, up to 5 guests). For the same dates the resort's two-bedroom suite is $2,021 on Priceline, $2,304 on the resort's own site and $2,457 on Expedia.
- 7 nights in a 2-bedroom, 1.5-bath villa for up to 5 guests
- Full kitchen and patio/balcony
- The resort's pools and beach
- Access to amenities at the five Royal Resorts in Cancún, with a free shuttle between them (per the posting)
- RedWeek booking protection when you pay by card
The catches
What you pay
| Item | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (7 nights at $90)Required | per stay | $630 |
| RedWeek service feeRequired | per booking | $69 |
| Environmental fee (about $4 a night)Approx. | approximate, per the posting; subject to change | ~$28 |
| Government taxes (about $7.80 a night for 2-bedroom units)Approx. | approximate, per the posting; subject to change | ~$55 |
| Total | Whole 2-bedroom villa for up to 5 guests, 7 nights, including RedWeek's fee and the posting's approximate environmental fee and government taxes | $782 |
| Daily special-use fee for a 6th guestNot included | only if you bring more than 5; amount not stated in the posting | |
| Flights to Cancún (CUN) and airport transfersNot included | not included | |
| Meals and drinksNot included | not included; the villa has a full kitchen |
How to book it
- Open the RedWeek posting and choose Request to Book (card payment with RedWeek booking protection).
- Wait for RedWeek's confirmation before buying flights.
- Budget about $83 for the environmental fee and government taxes listed in the posting.
Why it's this cheap
A timeshare owner who can't use the week is renting it out for a fraction of what the resort charges, and the week after U.S. Thanksgiving is a quiet stretch before the December holidays.
Why it's a steal
GOOD COMPARISONPriceline 'Two Bedroom Suite' at The Royal Cancun: $2,021 for Nov 28–Dec 5 (2 adults), as shown on Google Hotels. Same search: the resort's own site $2,304; Expedia 'Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Garden View' $2,457; Agoda 'Two-Bedroom Suite with Garden View' $2,425. The comparison is the resort's hotel-style booking through Priceline, priced for 2 adults with Priceline's own terms; Google's totals may leave out the resort's environmental fee, which our total includes. This deal is an owner's week through RedWeek: request to book, Moderate cancellation policy, garden view, 1.5 baths. Even the cheapest room of any type at the resort for these dates was $1,744 (Super.com). Google's typical range for the cheapest room here is $173–$225 a night.
Evidence trail
| Source | What we checked | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| RedWeek R1515889 re-checked | Still listed: Nov 28-Dec 5, total $699.30. | Nov 1, 7:59 AM ET |
| Google Hotels: The Royal Cancun, Nov 28–Dec 5, 2 adults | Priceline Two Bedroom Suite $2,021; official site $2,304 (featured $2,425); Expedia Suite 2BR Garden View $2,457; cheapest any room $1,744 (Super.com); typical $173–$225/night | Oct 25, 6:04 PM ET |
