Frequently Asked Questions

    You will find answers to your many questions about the water, food, beverages, beach, staff, tips, weather, pesos, shopping & hospital directions and most anything else that comes up.

Table of Contents

1. What is the Check-in and Check-out times?
2. How do I get to the Villas?
3. Where do I find current airline flight arrival & departure times?
4. Do I need to rent a car?
5. Are there ATM's?
6. Do I need Pesos?
7. Do you have a staff?
8. How much should we tip?
9. Can I drink the water?
10. Will I get Montezuma's Revenge?
11. Do you provide beer?
12. How does the stocked honor bar work?
13. Where can I buy groceries at?
14. Do you supply Beach Towels?
15. Are there hospitals in the area?
16. Is this region of Mexico safe?
17. What about the rainy and hurricane season?
18. What should I bring?
19. Do I need electrical adapters for Mexico?    

  What is the Check-in and Check-out times?

Check-in time is after 2:00PM. Check-out time is 10:00AM. If we do not have someone arriving on the day you are checking out you may arrange to stay later. Also, if you have an early flight you may check-in early, you will need to go to the pool & patio areas and let the girls finish cleaning the villa. Cancun is in the Central Time Zone. The staff at the villas will be waiting for you to greet you on arrival and to give you the keys and a tour of the villa.

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   How do I get to the Villas?

We suggest www.cancunvalet.com (888) 479-9095 (U.S. Toll-Free) for airport transfers. They charge a competitive rate (around $100 r/t per group, up to 10 individuals.) We advise using them because they KNOW the villas, they have been at the villas many times, are reliable, they are honest, and they will be waiting for you even if your flights in at 3AM. Victor the owner will call me if flights are late or cancelled, so I know when to look for you and am not worried, if you miss a flight call Victor to let him know your situation and he updates me. If you use another airport transfer service they might get lost trying to find the villa.

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  Where do I find current airline flight arrival & departure times?

                   

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   Do I need to rent a car?

Yes, if you are staying in the Secret Beach Villas located in Playa del Secreto, Villa Paradise located in Playa Paraisio or Casa Marcella located in the Puerto Morelos Annex about 5 miles north of the town. To get a taxi you will have to call on the phone and speak Spanish to give directions of where the villa is located and where you want to travel to. The closest bus service to these villas is located near the highway, at least a mile walk on an unlighted road. Renting a vehicle will enable you to do some sight seeing, shopping and allow you to try some of the local restaurants. Villa Karina in Puerto Morelos is about a 20 minute walk to the town. A Mexican Driving license is not required to drive in Mexico.

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   Are there ATM's?

Yes, there is one located in Puerto Morelos next to the gas station and one in town by the pier. There are many ATMs in Playa del Carmen and Cancun and in all of the major grocery stores.

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   Do I need Pesos?

Cancun runs on US dollars, you will be hard pressed to find someone whom dose not accept US dollars. Also, most of the stores and restaurants accept credit cards. However, you might need a few Pesos. We suggest using credit cards as much as possible because you will get the best exchange rate.
 

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   Do you have a staff?

Yes, we have a full-time staff at each villa. Along with the staff my husband and I live in Playa del Secreto about 300 feet from the Secret Beach Villas. The staff will clean the villas, pool and beach completely Monday through Saturday, they do not work Sundays. They will change the bed linens at midweek of your stay and keep you supplied with clean towels. Chef Miguel is available to cook for you at your request any day but Sunday. The staffs at some of the villas speak mostly Spanish; however they can communicate pretty well with the renters.

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   How much should we tip?

A tip is NOT required but is much appreciated. A rule of thumb is $10.00 per day per group and a little extra if they cook, do your laundry or iron for you. Tip upon your departure, not daily, you will receive a tip envelope the night before you leave with more advice on tipping. If you have a problem with the staff or have a specific time you would like them clean please, let the management know.

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   Can I drink the water?

At any of the villas we provide an endless supply of bottled water for you to drink make ice cubes and cook with. At the Secret Beach Villas the water we provide for showers, laundry, dishes and toilets is treated in a special filtering / purifying system that makes it safe for your use. For Casa Marcella and Villa Paradise we purchase trucks of potable ("clean") water. Villa Karina in Puerto Morelos has potable city water.

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   Will I get Montezuma's Revenge?

Usually when individuals get sick in Mexico it is not from the water but from something they ate - frequently a salad. The most likely items are cilantro (the curly herb like parsley) or lettuce. We suggest requesting at restaurants "Sin Cilantro" (no cilantro) and that you only eat salads at the villa. Remember to wash your fruits and vegetables with a purifier so you don't get sick. You will find containers of this is in the produce department of all grocery stores – the most popular is called is called MICRODYN and is in a dark blue bottle – use a few drops in a bowl of purified water and soak vegetables or fruits for 5 minutes… This is the same as the product sold in the USA called “Fit”

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  Do you provide beer?

We provide cases of beer at the Secret Beach Villas - $15 a case - only Corona Brands. The Corona brands we offer are, Corona (Corona light is only sold in the USA), Montejo, Pacifico, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Leon. A case has 20 bottles except for Modelo Especial and Negra Modelo which have 12 bottles to a case. Bottles are returnable so keep the empties; rinse out with water to prevent bugs. We will also provide beer at Villa Karina if requested before arrival. At Villa Paradise you will need to buy your own. The beer is supplied as a convenience. Feel free to buy your own if you wish. You will receive a bill on your departure for bottles used. If you need more, please ask the staff.

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   How does the stocked honor bar work?

We provide an Honor bar ONLY at the Secret Beach Villas. We always have a number of bottles of liquor stocked at the bar. We do this as a convenience, so you do not have to stop by a store on the way from the airport to pick up supplies. This is not intended to be your sole source of alcohol. What you use up, please replace. If you buy a new bottle and don't finish it, leave it for the next guest, you can't take open bottles back to the states with you anyway. We do not “check the honor bar to see what is used, however if it's obvious that you drank "Honor" bar dry, you will get billed for it.

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   Where can I buy groceries at?

There is a Sam's Club (Cancun & Playa del Carmen), Costco (Cancun), Wal-Mart (Playa del Carmen & Cancun) and Soriana & Commercial Mexicana Mega (Playa del Carmen – both are nice Mexican grocery chains!!!). You can use your US or Canadian Sam's Club or Costco membership cards in Mexico. There is also a good quality fruit and vegetable store in Playa del Carmen called Dac's. You can pick up some basic foods and snacks, except meats, in Puerto Morelos at the town square grocery store. In Puerto Morelos next to the grocery store in the town square is the Fish market a co-op run by the town's fishermen. Tip: the pork is very flavorful in this region of Mexico and is used frequently in many local dishes.

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   Do you supply Beach Towels?

Yes - we have available at least one beach towel per person. We also have a large supply of bath towels. However, we request that you only use the bath towels for inside and the beach towels for outside. The staff will keep you supplied with clean towels.

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   Are there hospitals in the area?

There are two "American Hospitals" AmeriMd Hospital and Hospiten Hospital in Cancun, approx 30 minutes away and are located around the corner from each other, and one in Playa del Carmen. The Hospoten Hospital in Cancun has MRI & CAT scan equipment; the location in Playa del Carmen is smaller and is minutes away from the villas located right next to the Playacar entrance sign on the main highway 307.

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   Is this region of Mexico safe?

The staff who work at the villas are extremely trust worthily. The staff watch out for anyone not belonging on the beach. However when visiting other areas of Cancun or Playa del Carmen be mindful of you money, lock your car doors - use a waist purse and be knowledgeable of the exchange rate. When taking a taxi ask to see the rate card and pay only what it says. Don't leave expensive stuff lying around outside of the villas or on the beach if even for minutes. The all the Villas have safes for your use.

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   What about the rainy and hurricane season?

It can rain frequently from September till November even so it usually only rains for a half of an hour or so per day then clears up. If a hurricane is coming and you have arrived at the villa we will at the best of our abilities try to get you a flight out or move you to a safer location away from the ocean. I cannot stress enough the value to acquiring trip insurance. If you show proof of trip insurance we will provide to you a FREE happy hour snack.



 

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   What should I bring?

May we suggest buying a Can-Do Riviera Maya Map beforehand… This map has lots of detailed information and photos of everything available to do; it's better than any guidebook. Hopefully this will get you excited about your vacation! The best $8 you will spend. www.cancunmap.com

Sunblock & Bug Spray!!!! We suggest buying, Deep Woods Off individual Towelettes for your pocket - great for when you are out to an outside cafe and don't want to spray the food. Also Safe Sea Sunblock w/ jellyfish sting protection, we usually do not have jellyfish but you never can be too careful and you should wear sunblock anyway! - You can find both at www.drugstore.com

Bring your Music…We have CD players in the villas, bring your CDs. In the Secret Beach Villas we also provide a weather resistant Sony boom box for the pool area – one of it's features is a line-in jack for digital music players so you might want to bring your MP3 player (remember to bring the cable so you can connect to the boom box!)

Remember your MEDS - because you cannot have then shipped to Mexico.

If you have children; bring kids videos and bring car seats…. We do not provide them. If you need cribs, pack & plays or high chairs you can rent then and have delivered to the villa see - www.cancunvalet.com

If you prefer a special brand of liquor (especially if you are a Scotch or Canadian Whiskey drinker) - you might not be able to find it and if you do it will mostly likely be very pricey so pack it.

DO NOT bring any unpackaged food products into Mexico - especially any fresh meats, fruits or vegetables - it's illegal and fineable.

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   Do I need electrical adapters for Mexico?

No, the electric is the same as the US.

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