This Giant Scary Abandoned Resort Is Haunting Cancun Beach

Cancun, located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, is a world-renowned destination due to its breathtaking white sand beaches and year-round warm weather. Each year, millions of tourists worldwide visit the tropical tourist hotspot. In 2023, around 30 million travelers visited the beachy metropolis, breaking tourism records.

Most people who visit Cancun enjoy staying in one of the many all-inclusive mega-resorts that line the beachfront. To accommodate so many travelers, there are more than a hundred resorts to choose from. The coastline is highly developed, and real estate is considered highly desirable, so it’s pretty strange that a massive resort has been sitting abandoned on the beach in the heart of all the action that is Cancun’s Hotel Zone. 

A creepy scene in the heart of the hotel zone

Tourists have described the abandoned hotel as spooky, and commenters on Reddit have mentioned getting weird vibes from the property, which appears to still be furnished. Some even claimed to have spotted people walking around the building with flashlights at night. 

In the early spring of 2024, Reddit user Nervous-Hall4325 wrote, “I’m at Beach Palace right next door, and you can really see how bad it’s impacting business right next door. It stinks, it’s creepy, it’s festering with birds and bugs, something may be rotting inside, but it just sucks.” The user went on to describe the lack of police presence in the area, despite a large presence of men hanging around the building near the top of the driveway, which he feared might be gang members. “It’s just this huge, scary place that I would seriously not recommend going near,” he added. 

Murky water lingers at the bottom of the expansive beachfront pool, and graffiti covers the once pristine white exterior of the building. The once luxurious but quickly declining property paints an eerie picture in contrast with the bright blue ocean water out front and the prestigious properties on either side. 

Mega-resort turned ghost town

Cancun visitors may recognize the property from The Real World: Cancun. The MTV reality series was extremely popular in the aughts, and the Cancun season was filmed at the former ME Cancun. Later, Globalia purchased the property and renamed it Melody Maker. Guests could enjoy luxurious rooms with ocean views, suites, and even swim-out villas. Even so, the Melody Maker unexpectedly closed just a year after opening, citing low occupancy and a copyright lawsuit. 

The story gets weirder because apparently Marriot bought the property and planned to convert it once again into Armar House All-Inclusive. The hotel shows up on Google with room prices listed, but when you click to book a room it directs you to another site. If you try to connect to the website from the Google listing, you’ll receive a Marriot Bonvoy message that the page cannot be found. 

In a cryptic Google review, Alex Hines wrote, “Keep your curiosity to yourself and avoid crossing the caution tape. There is a scam going on here.”

Has Marriot pulled out of the project? Is the property cursed? Is there a massive scam taking place? The property remains mysterious. Whatever is happening in the heart of the Hotel Zone, the abandoned property definitely creates a creepy scene for tourists attempting to enjoy their vacation at nearby hotels. For safety reasons, it’s best to avoid poking your head around this all-inclusive ghost town.