For many visiting Hotel Xcaret Arte is a once in a lifetime experience. It's expensive and you don't want to miss out on anything while you're there. This Xcaret Arte visitor's guide will give you all the tips you need to have a great time!
From helping you plan and make your bookings, to advice about tipping at Xcaret Arte, this guide has got you covered!
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Which Xcaret Arte Casa to stay at
All the casas at Xcaret Arte are beautiful. However, they are not the same. Depending on your plans, one casa may be more convenient (or possibly even a better deal) than another.
I think there are three casas in Hotel Xcaret Arte that you want to be more aware of.
Casa de los Artistas. This is the exclusive casa. Guests of other casas are not permitted enter or use the facilities here (private rooftop pool and bar). They can only attend the restaurant - Kibi Kibi - with the cost of USD 120 per person. Guests of Casa de los Artistas are also the only guests permitted to cross over and dine Xcaret Mexico's restaurants. The room service at Artistas comes from the Kibi Kibi kitchens and thus includes extra menu items not available to other casas.
Casa de la Paz. This casa is the closest to the gym and Muluk spa. It's benefits include one free hydrotherapy circuit daily (USD 59 for everyone else), as well as the inclusion of a stone hot tub in the balcony. It's the furthest away from the main hotel pool, and is a great place to stay if you prefer a quieter, more peaceful experience.
Casa de la Piramide. If you're not sure what you want, this is a good middle-ground casa to opt for. It's closer to the action than Casa de la Paz, but not part of the more expensive Casa de los Artistas. Despite that, it does have it's own wet bar and rooftop pool. It also has a great view of the pyramid, which is a different experience to the river, garden, and ocean views the other casas provide.
Book ahead
Once you've got your Xcaret room reserved, you'll want to start booking your restaurants and excursions. It's important to know that while not everything requires advanced reservations (for example, you can hop on the shuttle to any of Xcaret's parks without any advance reservation on any day), the things that do require reservations do tend to get fully booked up.
How to book your restaurants/excursions at Xcaret Arte
There are technically three ways to book your excursions and restaurants at Xcaret Arte. However, there's only one way that I would generally recommend.
Wish List. You can email Xcaret Arte's guest services team at hxagservice@hotelxcaret.com. They will provide you with a copy of Xcaret Arte's "Wixh List" (that's Xcaret branding for "wish list"). Recommended. The Wish List includes the information of your shuttle to Xcaret Arte from Cancun International Airport, as well hotel excursion reservations, and hotel restaurant reservations.
The Wish List also gives you a chance to input any special occasion or allergy details (though be warned, this is necessarily well-recorded for your stay - we've seen some very mixed reviews here), as well as booking a treatment at Muluk Spa.
Call in ahead. You can phone Xcaret Arte's guest services (there's a different local number depending where you're calling from), discuss the reservations and book over the phone. Not recommended: Most of the staff answering this line don't have the strongest grasp of English (they speak Spanish), and about half the time they will just suggest you email for the Wish List.
During your stay. Each casa has its own reception, you can call your receptionist and ask them to make a reservation for you. They will genuinely do their best to help you. Not recommended. You should be able to get last-minute restaurant reservations (but they may not be exact the restaurant you want), but last-minute excursion bookings are harder to score.
How to book casa activities
There are a number of activities (e.g. sewing, pottery, singing, etc.) hosted by each casa at Xcaret Arte. These cannot be booked very far in advance. For these, book with the hotel reception the day you arrive. They usually allow bookings up to one week in advance.
Pro tip: If you're going to the pottery class, be aware that you will need to go a second time to pick up your pot!
Early check-ins & late check-outs
Planes arrive and depart Cancun International Airport at all sorts of times. If your flight is arriving and/or departing at an awkward hour, you can ask the resort to accommodate an early check-in or late check-out. There's no guarantee that they will be able to help you, but it is something they do.
The resort is also happy to hold your luggage and allow you to roam around the resort until you room is ready, or until it is time to leave (in situations where they are unable to provide an early check-in or late check-out).
Another option for those is to get a room at a hotel close to the airport for that first or final night. Xcaret Arte provide a free shuttle service to and from the airport, so if you arrive late in the evening, you can stay the night at a nearby hotel (for example, the Marriott), and then take the first shuttle to Xcaret in the morning. Xcaret Arte is very costly per night, so this is a way to make your hard-earned dollars go a little further.
Pro tip: It usually takes just over an hour to get from the Xcaret Arte to Cancun International Airport. However, keep in mind that the traffic in Mexico can be unpredictable. Give yourself plenty of extra time to get to the airport to avoid the risk of missing your flight due to any unforeseen road hazards.
Itinerary
Once you've made your booked your restaurants and excursions, you can start building a proper itinerary for yourself. If you need help, check out our Xcaret Arte itinerary suggestions.
Mexico Destination Club
The Mexico Destination Club is Grupo Xcaret's upsell marketing service. They essentially sell you a timeshare. Shortly after check-in, the staff member assigned to you will invite you to attend an exclusive breakfast and presentation that should last 90-minutes.
At the end of the 90-minute presentation, the team will try to sell you a package to return to the hotel within a certain period of time. The staff member will be very honest about this. But what they won't mention is that this can be quite a hard sell with some high pressure sales tactics.
If you're looking to return to Xcaret Arte soon, this is an opportunity to get a great deal (users and guests report 20% discount on average, but great negotiators have reported up to 45% discounts on their future stay). The deals don't come easy though, if you're looking for anything better than the Destination Club's basic offer, expect to lose three or four hours in discussion.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected at Hotel Xcaret Arte, it is however appreciated. The staff and service at the resort is generally fantastic. Everyone will warmly 'welcome you home' and refer to you as a part of family.
If you feel inclined to leave a tip, don't be shy. Tips are accepted. Ideally, you would be able to tip in pesos, but tips of USD 1 to USD 5 are perfectly fine.
Tips for Excursions & Guides
Tips are somewhat expected on excursions that have guides (think: Xenotes or Xichen). These are full day tours, and the guides may mention that a tip is appreciated. Some guides will gently provide a suggested tip amount as well.
From my experience, I'd recommend carrying USD 25 - USD 30 as a sweet spot for these experiences.
Third Floor
One of the first things you'll be told once you arrive at Xcaret Arte is that the third floor is where to go any time you feel lost. The resort is huge, and honestly, a little awkwardly planned, so it's easy to feel disoriented. If this happens to you, find a staircase or elevator, and go to the third floor of whatever building you are in.
The third floor is usually where the receptions are, or have an easily accessible path to anywhere you're looking for.
(You can also ask the staff. They will be happy to guide you!)
Xcaret App
One of the first things you should do once you're settled in (you can also do it before you arrive) is download the Hotel Xcaret app. The app is handy for two main reasons:
- It has a map of the resort, which is very handy while you're getting your bearings.
- It's where your photos become available (should you choose to buy the Xcaret photo package).
Aside from this app is a convenient way to check restaurant menus and your booking details (though these sections are honestly a little lacking).
Sunscreen
Mexico is sunny. Wear sunscreen. Make sure to bring reef-friendly sunscreen with you. If you're at the main pool at Xcaret Arte, there is resort-provided sunscreen available (but it's a little nestled away, so you will likely need to ask a member of staff to help you find it). This does not extend to the parks.
If you're not sure what to bring to Xcaret Arte, checking out the Xcaret Arte Packing Guide.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes tend to be more of a problem for some guests than others. The hotel burns torches in the evening to keep insects away from the main areas, but I do recommend carrying a simple insect repellent spray with you.
Pro tip: If you find that your room has a lot of mosquitoes or insects, you can ask Guest Services to fumigate your room. Do this early in the day and stay out of your room for at least a few hours afterwards.
Which are the best restaurants at Xcaret Arte
Unless you're completely dedicated to trying the various Xcaret Arte restaurants, it can be difficult to try them all. In all likelihood, you will not be able to experience all the hotel's restaurant offerings in one stay (you know, unless you're staying 10 or more days).
You'll want to prioritise and choose which restaurants you want to eat at. Personally, I'd suggest doing this by cuisine type - opt for the cuisines you like or are interested in trying first.
Mercado de San Juan is open in the mornings and evenings and is the easiest restaurant to visit with a variety of foods. The breakfast crowd usually starts to arrive around 9am.
Cayuco is the other main breakfast option (unless you're staying in Casa de los Artistas) and provides a great buffet breakfast by the pool. It's got surf and turf options for dinner, and is a pretty relaxed spot by the main pool.
Cantina Vi. Ai. Py. is open for lunch and dinner. It's the restaurant you'd want to book if you're feeling a little adventurous, and want to try dishes with insects. In my opinion, the Cantina Vi Ai Py bartender makes the best pina coladas in the entire resort.
Tah-xido provides a fun teppanyaki experience. In my opinion, it has the best signature cocktails in the resort.
Encanta provides a lovely location with its beautifully-plated set menu. It's a fun experience, but some items on the set menu were hits while others felt like big misses.
Apapachoa is the most ignored restaurant in the resort. It's a good option if you prefer a lighter breakfast or want to try vegan offerings.
Chino Poblano is good but nothing you won't really get elsewhere. It has the least inclusive menu at the resort with fewer options for anyone with dietary restrictions.
Arenal is one of the most popular restaurants in Xcaret Arte. It's an elevated steakhouse with some tasty dishes.
Kibi Kibi is located in Casa de los Artistas and is an additional cost of USD 120 to anyone not a resident to the artists' casa. The food is very good, possibly the best in the resort. Is it worth USD 120 per person? I wouldn't say so.
Xaak is not included as part of your resort stay. The set tasting menu comes at an added cost of USD 149 per person. I'd suggest only considering this one if you're a dedicated foodie or on your second visit to Xcaret Arte and have already tried everything else.
Check out our in-depth Xcaret Arte restaurants guide for more information!
Signature cocktails
Every restaurant and bar at the resort has its own signature cocktails - some have one, some have a few. They're generally all very good, but we felt that the signature cocktails at Tah-xido were the best by far.
Xcaret Arte VS...
Grupo Xcaret operate three separate all-inclusive resorts. They're all situated very close to one another.
The difference between Hotel Xcaret Mexico and Xcaret Arte
Xcaret Mexico is a family-focussed all-inclusive resort. Xcaret Arte is an adults-only (16 years old and up), all-inclusive resort. Some guests staying at Xcaret Arte are permitted to enter and use the facilities of Xcaret Mexico. The reverse does not apply.
The difference between Xcaret Arte and Casa de la Playa
Hotel Xcaret Arte and Casa de la Playa are both luxury resorts with two key differences. Playa de la Casa is smaller and more exclusive with a higher price tag attached. Guests have Playa de la Casa have full access to Xcaret Arte and Xcaret Mexico hotels and their restaurants. The reverse does not apply.
Hope you enjoyed these Xcaret Arte tips and tricks! Is there anything we've missed in this Xcaret Arte guide? Drop us a comment below with your questions or tips.
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