Finally arrived! After a twenty-hour journey, I arrived in Cancun, at the resort I’d been waiting for so long, which was to be the highlight of my summer vacation!
As a reminder, here is the itinerary followed:
Booking
I booked this property about two weeks before my arrival. In the process, I used four Suite Night Awards, certificates for suite upgrades awarded by Marriott to members of their loyalty program who spend 50 and 75 nights a year. These upgrade certificates, which guarantee a suite, are managed directly by Marriott, depending on the availability of suites in the hotel. Nevertheless, I’ve noticed that the hotel’s occupancy rate is quite high, and that the number of suites is low. I had only requested the best Suite, the others being generally available as upgrades without using the Suite Night Awards.
Nevertheless, on D-5, I received an e-mail telling me that my suite upgrade could not be confirmed for the time being, and that it remained open until the day before arrival. This is not a good sign, and means that the likelihood of this upgrade being confirmed is very slim.
Strangely enough, the week before my arrival at the hotel, although I had received an e-mail with the various hotel departments preparing for my arrival, my exchanges with the hotel were totally fruitless, with very few replies to my e-mails and requests. In particular, I wanted to book a spa treatment, and only got a reply two or three days before my arrival despite my repeated attempts to contact the spa reception.
The day before my arrival, I noticed that an upgrade had been made to my reservation and I was now in a JW Suite, which was actually the standard suite available for the free upgrade. This again reduces the chances of being upgraded with the requested Suite Night Award.
Still before I arrive, I ask to book a transfer from the airport. The booking process was extremely simple, and the responsiveness of the business that carries out these transfers was perfect.
Finally, as I had feared, a few hours before arriving at the hotel I received an e-mail from Marriott stating that my SNA could not be confirmed and that they were therefore being credited back to my account. So it will have to wait until next time!
Arrival
I arrive at Cancun airport in the early morning. After going through baggage formalities, I head for the exit and, as indicated in the confirmation e-mail sent by the transport company, make my way to the cab area. There I meet my driver, who is waiting for me with a sign bearing the name of the hotel.
The conversations are extremely friendly, my car is ready and I head for the hotel. The temperature in the car is extremely low at around 18°C, and I’m in for a bit of a thermal shock with Cancún’s 30-35°C range.
After a fifteen-minute drive, we arrive at the hotel after 8:30 am. To my great surprise, although I had asked my Marriott ambassador to use the Your24 service a few days earlier, the hotel refused to allow me to do so, because of the high occupancy of the property. As a result, I get a notification that my room is ready, which is perfect because I want to take a little nap.
The welcome at the front entrance is extremely courteous and I’m sent to the check-in area. The head concierge comes to greet me, as does the marketing manager. The receptionist proceeds with the check-in formalities, takes the imprint of my credit card and checks my passport.
She introduces me to the hotel’s facilities, confirms my upgrade to a JW Suite elle, and confirms that my room is ready. Perfect!
The marketing manager accompanies me to the elevators and I decline the invitation to accompany me to my room.
Room
The room is a JW Suite on the property’s 7th floor.
Contrary to what you might think from looking at the website, the number of suites in the property is fairly limited. So I’m glad I got this upgrade without having to use a Suite Night Award.
At the entrance, you’ll find the lounge area, equipped with a large, comfortable sofa, an armchair and two coffee tables.
The decor is very pleasant, with light wood, a combination of large tiles and carpets in the colors of the sea, and the whole is very successful.
In this lounge area you’ll also find a large closet and a fully-stocked minibar. I’ll be making good use of it for the whole of my stay.
In the same area you’ll find a good-sized safe and all the amenities you need for a drink in your room.
A second cupboard is available, this time with shelves, to store all your belongings.
To the right of this lounge area is the bathroom, very nice, equipped with a beautiful bathtub that I won’t be using, two basins for washing, a separate toilet and a very large shower, which I’ll be happy to use.
The rest of the room is equipped with a very pleasant desk that will enable me to work properly, an extremely comfortable ultra king-size bed and large coffee tables.
Given the configuration of the hotel, the view is absolutely superb, and the balcony overlooks the sea with an almost totally unobstructed view.
We’ll be making good use of this balcony with another TravelGuys contributor, as we’ll be having drinks every evening to celebrate these few days of rest.
To finish the visit on video :
Hotel facilities
Like all good resorts, the hotel offers a wide range of facilities to keep guests occupied. The hotel is equipped with multiple swimming pools, including one reserved for adults, a reservable tennis court included in the room rate, and an extremely comprehensive spa.
Main pool
The main pool is located at the junction of the two branches of the building, and faces the sea.
A part of this pool even faces the ocean, and is very popular.
Deckchairs are laid out all around the bathing areas, and beach attendants are on hand throughout the day to look after customers. Nevertheless, we deplore the fact that many customers play the “towel game“, with many of them laying out their own towels, those of their children, etc., on deckchairs to “reserve” them.
Although some hotels are fighting this practice, here nothing is done to dissuade morons from doing so. Especially since I’ve never had any trouble finding a free deckchair.
Adults-only pool
A second pool is available on the other side of the building, and is reserved for over-18s. And I must say, it’s perfect. Fewer assholes reserving deckchairs, more peace and quiet.
On certain days of the week, a pool party with live music is organized. The music was good.
Cocktails are served either on deckchairs or directly in the pool with a wet bar.
Beach
The beach is, of course, right in front of the hotel. Please note that Mexican law does not allow beaches to be “privatized”, so this one is public, but the hotel has an easement to place deckchairs on it. However, depending on the tides, the available space can be very limited, and the seaweed can be extensive. How refreshing it is to play in the waves…
Spa
The spa is located on the 4th floor of the property. It can be accessed directly from the main elevators.
The second morning after my arrival, I booked a mid-morning treatment to get my vacation off to a good start.
I arrive at the spa about 1 hour before my treatment to take advantage of the wet area with jacuzzis, hammam and sauna. Please note that this area is not accessible free of charge to hotel guests (except Club 91) and is not mixed, so it’s not ideal for couples. The space is nonetheless very pleasant and the service perfect, as several bottles of fresh water and oshiboris are brought to me while I enjoy the facilities.
Finally, the treatment was perfect, absolutely at the pressure I was expecting. A great experience, then, and very private (there’s nothing worse than hotel spas with kids running around).
Food options
Catering services at the JW Marriott Cancun are many and varied. In addition to our own restaurants, you can also use the food and beverage outlets of the neighboring Marriott, accessible via a bridge connecting the two lobbies.
Breakfast service – Sedona Grill – American buffet
I had my first breakfast at the Sedona Grill, the hotel’s main restaurant, decorated with a Mexican theme.
Note that for Platinum and + customers at Marriott Bonvoy, if breakfast is chosen as a welcome gift, it is a continental breakfast and not the full buffet. For the full buffet, there’s an extra charge of $14 + tax, which I’d do on the first day. For the next days, I’ll settle for the continental breakfast.
The buffet is very comprehensive. There’s a first omelette ordering station, with the traditional Made to order that Americans love so much, but also with a few original options to choose from.
In addition, a savory buffet offers a few quality items, even if the cheese is totally industrial. Several types of bread are available.
To complement the hot dish, a number of dishes are available under glass: potatoes, bacon, sausages, as well as dim sum and rice, certainly for Asian customers.
Buffets are currently being served by staff members due to the current pandemic, so I apologize for the lack of photos.
Everything will be very good, but I have to admit that so much food is a lot for me and I wouldn’t really take advantage of the extra each morning.
Finally, hot drinks other than filter coffee (with or without milk) and tea are charged separately. This includes espressos, cappuccinos and lattes, for example. Stingy.
Breakfast service – Sedona Grill – Continental breakfast
For other mornings, I’d stick to the continental option for breakfast.
The continental breakfast is served entirely at the table, which I like.
It includes a hot drink and juice, a choice of cereal or porridge, cereal yogurt, toast, pastries and fresh fruit.
I must admit that everything was excellent, but special mention must go to the fresh fruit, which was very well cut and perfectly ripe.
The staff, for all 4 mornings, were absolutely exceptional. Nothing to say and I tipped generously every time.
Dinner service – Gustino
I dined twice at Restaurant Gustino, reputed to be the best Italian restaurant in Cancún.
I dined there with one of my friends on both occasions.
On our first visit, we were welcomed and served like royalty. Despite the unidentifiable amuse-bouche, our dishes were just perfect, my friend opting for the truffle pasta, and I for the seafood and lobster pasta. Parfait.
On our second visit, however, the service was far too fast and a little rough. We really had the impression that we had to leave the table as quickly as possible so that the next customers could settle in (although we didn’t know if this was really the case). The pizza ordered was rather strange, the toppings far too present and slightly undercooked. Really not a success. What’s more, I had specified when booking that we were celebrating my friend’s birthday, but no attention was given.
Dinner service – Kasai (at Marriott Cancun Resort)
On my second evening, I wanted to try the Teppanyaki restaurant, located not at the JW Marriott but at the neighboring Marriott, accessible by a bridge.
We were the only guests at our table, which made the experience less fun because it was so fast.
We both chose two ingredients. For my part, it will be calamari and scallops.
The ingredients were very fresh, but I think the griddle wasn’t cleaned enough, and a taste of burnt residue was present. Not very good.
Pool bar service
The bar and restaurant service at the pool was just perfect. The waiters are extremely attentive to service at the seat, and happily interact with customers in the adult pool.
Drinks are served generously and always by calling me by name. Exceptional.
Departure
Prior to departure, the hotel offers guests staying 3 nights or more a free antigen test (up to 2 per room) before returning to their country of origin. Aimed mainly at American customers, I was nevertheless able to take advantage of it and carried out a test on the day of my departure. I was also able to print my immigration documents (very complex these days) with the hotel concierge.
Check-out formalities were simple but not very fast: I checked out on the TV, and didn’t know if I still had to go through reception… So I waited almost 20 minutes for nothing. Anyway, my transfer hadn’t arrived.
Bottom line
A wonderful experience, no doubt due to the hotel’s perfect location and the beautiful Junior Suite assigned to me. Otherwise, in terms of food quality and extras, it’s an American resort. It’s just the perfect service in addition, and that makes all the difference.
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