Aloft Cancun Photographer: Where We Shoot, When and What It Costs

Aloft is a city-style hotel in a beach town, and that makes it a smart choice for younger couples and business travellers who are adding a free evening. There is no need for a resort beach here: the public sand near the point is minutes away, and it often looks better anyway.

Aloft Cancun at a Glance

• AddressNext to Cancun Center, Hotel Zone
• HotelAloft by Marriott, opened in June 2013 as the first Aloft in Mexico
• Size177 loft-style rooms
• LocationNext to Cancun Center, within walking distance of dining and nightlife
• Beach facesA city-style hotel without its own beach; the public beaches are a short walk away
• From the airportAbout 25 to 30 minutes
• Who staysFamilies and couples
• Sunset here6:05 pm in November to 7:32 pm in July
• Our sessionsFrom 295 USD, gallery in 1 to 3 business days

Where We Shoot at Aloft Cancun

Playa Gaviota Azul area. Wide public sand and bright blue water near Punta Cancun, a short walk from the hotel.

Playa Caracol. Usually one of the less crowded public beaches on this stretch, with calmer water.

The loft-style lobby. A couple of modern, playful frames with the hotel's permission, before heading out.

The Light at Aloft Cancun

Times for this exact stretch of beach on the 15th of each month in 2027. Quintana Roo stays on UTC-5 all year, with no daylight saving.

At the point the two coasts meet. Sunrise lifts straight out of the Caribbean, while the last hour of the day belongs to the bay side, where the sun reaches the water from about May to August.

Seaweed and Weather at Aloft Cancun

Sargassum usually builds from April and is heaviest from June to August, and November to March is normally the clearest stretch. Being at the point helps: if the Caribbean side near Aloft Cancun is heavy on your day, the calmer bay side is only minutes away. Our month-by-month sargassum guide has the detail and the outlook for the season. From June to October afternoon showers are common and usually pass quickly, so we watch the forecast with you and move the hour if needed.

A Sample Session at Aloft Cancun

Here is how we would run the last hour of the day, with the real sunset for this beach. We adjust it to your exact date when you book.

With children under five we often flip the plan to sunrise: they are awake anyway, the beach is empty and it is cool. Sunrise here runs from 6:05 am in June to 7:27 am in January. Our guide to sunrise with young kids explains why it works.

Bringing a Photographer to Aloft Cancun

For guests of Aloft Cancun there is no complicated process: register the photographer with the front desk a day or two ahead and we check in on arrival. Hotels set their own rules for outside vendors and revise them, so we get the current answer in writing for your date. Staying elsewhere usually means a day pass. Our guide to outside photographers at resorts has the details.

Close to Aloft Cancun

All Mexican beaches are federal and public, which means the shoreline stays open even when a resort's grounds have rules of their own.

Other hotels we have written about on this stretch of coast:

• Cancun Clipper Club. Photographer guide
• Selina Cancun Lagoon. Photographer guide
• Riu Cancun. Photographer guide
• Mayafair Design Hotel. Photographer guide

Our Work Around Aloft Cancun, Through Our Lens

Real IVAE Studios sessions on this coast, so you can see how this light and water look on camera. They show our work in the area, not necessarily at Aloft Cancun.

Which Collection Fits Aloft Cancun

Every collection includes editing and a private 4K gallery, delivered in one to three business days. Upgrade anytime and pay only the difference.

Families usually do best with The Chapter at 60 minutes: enough time for the children to warm up and for a group portrait before anyone tires. With two looks or three generations, The Story or The Editorial gives you room.