Hotel Review: Oasis Smart Cancun Hotel, Downtown Cancun

Looking for an affordable adults-only hotel in Cancun? Check out the Oasis Smart Cancun Hotel for a relaxing stay away from the parties of the beachside resort!

I don’t tend to post a whole heap of hotel reviews on here. Because usually, hotels to me are simply a place to lay my head between getting out there and exploring.

Occasionally, I do stay in a hotel that’s worth talking about. My trip to Berlin saw me monkeying around in the 24Hours Hotel there; and I had an amazing experience staying at Pineapple Beach Club in Antigua.

After my tour of the Yucatan Peninsula, I’d booked a couple of extra nights in Cancun to recharge a little before my flight. Cancun itself didn’t impress me much, to be honest – but the hotel I stayed in did.

Enter the Oasis Smart Hotel in Downtown Cancun.

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Finding a Hotel in Downtown Cancun

I wanted to find a hotel in downtown Cancun that wasn’t the hotel zone, because a) it was closer to the airport and b) the effort of dealing with families and partygoers felt way too much…effort. I chose the Smart Cancun Hotel, because it was pretty cheap (about £45 per night), and looked nice on the internet, basically.

The Smart Cancun Hotel is actually joined with the Oh! Cancun Hotel, both owned by Oasis but with rooms sold separately. If you’re thinking of booking the Oh! Cancun, it’s worth checking out the Oasis Smart instead. The rooms are of the same standard, the facilities all shared and rooms at the latter are often a bit cheaper.

The Rooms

The rooms at the Smart Cancun aren’t anything mega fancy – but at the price, you wouldn’t expect them to be. But for how much I paid, it was certainly a very decent room. The HUGE bed was really comfy, and I spent both mornings there having a good ol’ lie in.

The all-important bathroom toiletries situation impressed me too.  Toothbrush and toothpaste were welcomed, and the sewing kit came in super handy when I managed to rip one of my favourite playsuits.

Also, there was a balcony. I barely used it other than for drying clothes, but it’s always good to have. My only gripe? The air con in the room was SUPER NOISY, and I couldn’t sleep with it on, which resulted in some slightly uncomfortable nights.

The Pool at Smart Cancun

I have to say, it was the shots of the pool online that swayed me towards booking. Palm trees, check. Sparkling blue water, check. Four poster poolside beds, check.

Thankfully, the online pictures weren’t much different to how the pool area actually looked, which was a pleasant discovery. I arrived at around 4.30pm, and as soon as I’d checked in, it was straight down to the sunbeds with a book to make the most of the lovely weather before meeting friends for dinner.

I spent the following two days basically not leaving the hotel, aside from a wander to a local market. I’m not usually the kinda gal who can sit in the sun doing nothing – but with a couple of charity shop reads, plentiful Pina Coladas and some good old factor 50, I was pretty much set.

Dining and Drinking

My booking included a breakfast buffet – but this wasn’t your standard, English sausage-and-eggs affair. There WERE scrambled eggs, but they featured chunks of chorizo and spring onions. Refried beans were a surprisingly very good addition to breakfast dishes, and for the more traditional, cold meats, cheeses, fruit and pastries were on offer too.

Oh, and I drank A LOT of chocolate milk. 

On my second night at the hotel, I decided to be super lazy and order room service. Here’s a fact – I’d never actually ordered room service until this trip. I KNOW. I ordered a tasty and generously sized dish of chicken fajitas, and a trio of gorgeous chocolate cakes. I ate it all in bed while watching Jack Whitehall’s stand up, drinking fizzy apple juice and feeling guilty when I spilt some hot sauce on my newly-changed crisp white sheets…

Fancy a drink? The poolside White Terrace Bar is pretty well priced, and has a decent selection. There’s also the Red Hot Coyote Club if you fancy some evening entertainment – I didn’t actually go though (I prefer to spend my evenings in bed with Mr. Whitehall), so can’t comment on that one!

Kin-Ha Wellness Spa

On my last afternoon, I decided to treat myself to a ‘Moonlight’ massage, beside the pool. It was definitely worth spending on – I felt like a total queen afterwards, as I sipped on my included glass of fizz.

Is Smart Cancun worth staying at?

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced hotel in downtown Cancun, the Oasis Smart is definitely worth considering. You’ll find a decent pool area, comfortable rooms and a location that’s well situated for both local exploration and getting to the beach. Friendly staff and a colourful lobby create a welcoming atmosphere, and the included buffet breakfast is a definite plus point.

Book your stay at Oasis Smart Cancun

Tours & Activities in Cancun

Looking for something to do while you’re staying in Cancun? Check out these tours: