Hotel Furniture Sale Sparks Traffic Chaos in Cancun’s Hotel Zone

Cancun, Quintana Roo — A furniture sale at the Riu Palace Peninsula hotel caused major traffic disruptions in Cancun’s Hotel Zone on Sunday, with backups stretching for kilometers and delaying drivers by over an hour.

Hotel workers moved mattresses, tables, vases, lamps, and other items from guest rooms onto the median for sale to employees and others, creating congestion along Boulevard Kukulcán. The traffic jam extended from kilometer 5.5 near the hotel to kilometer zero at the city center, also affecting Bonampak Avenue and other arteries.

Drivers reported that a trip from Punta Cancun to downtown that normally takes 15 minutes required more than an hour to complete. Many expressed frustration about the extended commute time after finishing work and trying to return home.

Tourist police officers attempted to manage vehicle flow as photographs and videos shared on social media showed the chaotic scene both outside the hotel and along the boulevard.

Neither the Cancun Hotel Association nor Riu Palace management has issued an official statement about the incident.