By David Noyes

Most of us are familiar with the phrase “if you build it they will come.” It crept into the American lexicon shortly after the haunting voice of Shoeless Joe Jackson whispered it to a bewildered Kevin Costner in the classic baseball movie, “Field of Dreams.” Today, as you drive along Kukulcan Boulevard past world-class hotels and supermalls on the narrow strip of land known as Isla Cancun, it is hard to imagine that just a few decades ago this tiny island was a deserted sandy spit visited only by local fisherman.

In the 1970s the Mexican government initiated an ambitious plan to turn the thin sandbar just off the cost of the Yucatan Peninsula into a fun, glamorous, and trendy vacation hot spot. From the beginning it was intended to be an enticing mix of tropical beauty and comfortable living with the captivating allure of an exotic and ancient local culture nearby.

Bridges were built connecting the island to the mainland, an international airport was cut out of the jungle just five miles south of the growing city, and vast sums were invested in roads and infrastructure. Soon the developers came and built some of the finest resort accommodations found anywhere in the world on some of the most beautiful white sand beaches ever seen. They built Cancun and we came by the millions.

Five Diamonds

It is impossible to miss the impressive row of plaques displayed with pride on the wall behind the reception desk of the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach. The elegant 600-room resort located just west of the northernmost point of Cancun’s Hotel Zone is the only hotel in Mexico to have earned the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award for 15 consecutive years. Once a property has been visited and approved by a AAA inspector, it receives a AAA diamond rating between one and five. The Five Diamond classification exemplifies the ultimate in luxury, service, comfort, and amenities. Service must be personalized and impeccable. It must exceed expectation.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement,” said Marc André, director of sales and marketing for the Grand Coral Beach. “It is very hard to maintain that level of excellence, every day, year after year,” he continued with a smile. “It takes a one-hundred percent commitment by everyone at the hotel to make that happen.” Even more impressive is that the Grand Coral Beach is a double Five Diamond winner for its restaurant, Le Besilic, which features a French inspired Mediterranean cuisine.

Cancun is also home to the world’s only Triple Five Diamond oceanfront resort in the world, the Ritz-Carlton Cancun. Located on a prime section of beach in the middle of the Hotel Zone, it considered by many to be the premier luxury hotel in all of Mexico. The Ritz-Carlton has 365 guestrooms overlooking the sea and is also home to two AAA Five Diamond restaurants: The Club Grill, and Fantino. The Club Grill offers sophisticated interpretations of seafood and meats in a cozy dining room, while the Fantino is classic European elegance. The hand-painted ceiling frescos set the mood for Mediterranean fine dining and stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.

The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is the third of the 2009 AAA Five Diamond resorts in Cancun. If your definition of fun begins with lounging in the tropical sun, frolicking in the surf, or taking a refreshing dip in a crystal clear pool, but ends with a massage, scrub, wrap, treatment, or full-body chocolate mask; then the three-level, 35,000-square-foot Maya inspired spa at the JW Marriott, with its 16 treatment rooms and spectacular view, must be on your Dream Vacation List. It truly sets this resort destination apart from the rest.

Four Diamonds

While it is no doubt obvious that AAA Four Diamond awards are given with more frequency than Five Diamond, the achievement is still enthusiastically celebrated. Four Diamond properties are refined and stylish, offer a wide variety of amenities, and have meticulous attention to detail and service. In Cancun there are several Four Diamond properties with their own unique style, including Presidente Intercontinental, Hotel Riu Palace las Americas, Hyatt Cancun Caribe, Le Meridien Cancun Resort & Spa, and the Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort, among others.

While many of the large resorts have been long-time fixtures of the western Caribbean, quite a few have been rebuilt or extensively renovated after Wilma made landfall directly on Cancun in 2005. There are also several new “concept” resorts like the 419-room AAA Four Diamond hotel ME Cancun by Melia (formerly Melia Turquesa Cancun), and one of the newest Four Diamond properties in the Hotel Zone, Aqua Cancun. The self-proclaimed “experienced based personality hotel,” ME Cancun, presents a dramatic and modern contrast to the traditional colonial and Mediterranean stylings of many Cancun luxury resorts. They do offer several accommodation packages, but not every room has an ocean view, so do your homework before booking ME.

Like ME Cancun, the moment you enter the lobby of Aqua you know that you are someplace special. The clean lines and simplicity of its architecture and Asian design influences are immediately calming. Each area of the hotel from the hallways and restaurants to the spa and poolside has a subtle soundtrack and aroma that is intended to stimulate your senses in unexpected ways. Its stylish signature restaurant by superstar chef Michelle Bernstein is open to the general public and is truly a taste sensation serving unique recipes with a Latin flair.

With its spectacular beaches, beautiful sunny weather, and warm Caribbean water Cancun’s field of dreams was created with a vision that would appeal to American tourists and has risen from the destruction of Wilma with even more resort experiences for sun-seekers from around the world. But before you make your reservation, be sure to check with your local AAA travel consultant for the hottest deals. There are also 25 AAA Diamond rated lodgings and 34 restaurants listed in the AAA 2009 Mexico TourBook®, many with exclusive AAA member discounts, and tons of travel planning information available at AAA.com.