Hilton HHonors - Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort Hurricane Wilma Thread: Re-Opened May 1, 2006

It would seem that Hilton should be posting this kind of information on their website... Both Starwood and Marriott have information up about all hotels affected, current conditions (Starwood), and updated reservation policies. No such info on the Hilton site. I only hope that the Hilton Cancun survives as I have a reservation there at the end of November.

Heck, we're suppose to be their next weekend for our site visit...

Look likes there's been an update (http:///hiltonworldwide.hilton.com/en/ww/promotions/Hurricane_Wilma_Updates/index.jhtml)

Well at least they have put something up now. They still don't have any policies regarding cancellations and rebookings for any of the hotels like the other chains do.

I was supposed to visit Hilton Cancun in December...any reports or news available? Did it survive hurricane Wilma?

October 21, 2005 -- Cancun, Mexico – Hilton Hotels Corporation continues to monitor Hurricane Wilma and is working closely with authorities and hotel executives in Cancun and Florida. The Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort has successfully evacuated all guests and key personnel to its designated shelter. The evacuation went smoothly and was very organized. Approximately 300 guests are currently resting at the shelter. The evacuation was completed by 2PM (Cancun time), two hours before the deadline from the federal authorities to complete all evacuations of the affected hotel zone.

The hotel's General Manager, Assistant General Manager and other members of the Executive Committee and Operations Team are in the shelter assisting hotel guests. As of 3 pm Thursday October 20, 2005, the Hilton Cancun is temporarily closed until further notice. We will continue to update our website as information becomes available. Our prayers go out to all the people of Cozumel and Cancun.


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I doubt the Hilton will be much better than the marriotts. From marriotts website this morning

"Currently, two Marriott hotels and one Ritz-Carlton hotel in Cancun and three Marriott hotels and one Ritz-Carlton hotel in Florida, have been asked to evacuate. As of 5 p.m. (EDT) Sunday, October 23, the following hotels have been closed.

Cancun
JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa
CasaMagna Cancun Marriott Resort
The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun

Due to early damage assessments, we anticipate these Cancun hotels will remain closed through December 31, 2005."

I guess I won't have to worry about going this weekend for our site visit.

Mike

I have a reservation on 12/9 at that hotel... Not looking very promising, not that the diving will be any good anyway due to the storms...

The people at can....ravelonline are saying the hilton suffered structural damage. That tells me don't plan on anything for 8-12 months.

It's a good question and I wonder myself.Very Strange
My guess is they like to keep their options open then they can amend their policies so they can do what works best for them.

I had reservations in New Orleans after Katrina at the H. Riverside.
Kartina updates and policies were also poorly communicated

Even with a closed hotel the reservations line told me you are out of luck as you purchased a non refundable online Hilton.com rate :( :confused: :mad:
She then told me to call the Internet dept.Who also couldn't care less about the situation.When I politely insisted to clarify the Hilton policy as a result of the storm the agent slammed the phone down on me.
Perhaps a first ever I can remember... :( :rolleyes:

At that point I took it up the chain of command to the very top at HH where they apolgized for the inappropriate behavior.After taking many weeks to resolve the issue I was sent a very appreciated goodwill gesture in the mail.

While I regret that it ever had to happen I will probably support Hilton next year all the way.They do seem to be responsible after failures occur.
But they could use some sensitivity training for the troops even if they don't what their policies are (sigh)

The Hilton Cancun page has the following (not surprising) note:

Hilton Cancun is not accepting future reservations at this time due to impact from Hurricane Wilma.

Given the situation, I'm sure it'll be a few days at the very least before they can make an assessment as to the damage there - which, by all accounts on other websites - is severe, particularly to the villas.

Mike

My guess is they didn't have the details from there to get up on the site.

Something about communication lines not being available, stuff like that.

There are some photo's of the hotel zone taken yesterday posted on this mexican news website (including some of the Hilton). Click on the second to right column "Fotoespecial - Danos en la zona hotelera de Cancun"

http://www.yucatan.com.mx/?cx=15&f=20051025

From the pictures that are of the Hilton, it looks like the villas are gone, the beachside restaurant will need to be bulldozed and the pool redone. It doesn't look like the tower has any structural damage from these pictures but who knows about the foundation. But I'd imagine that the first 2 or 3 floors were flooded at a minimum, based on reports from that area of the hotel zone.

Mike

Click on the second to right column "Fotoespecial - Danos en la zona hotelera de Cancun"

Here is a direct link to the fotoespecial .

http://tinyurl.com/c9hrw

Thanks....I guess I'll just keep watching to find out

I am astonished at the effects of Wilma across the state of Florida. I was considering a visit to the in-laws , northwest of Orlando, for Thanksgiving. I am amazed at the number of Hilton properties not accepting reservations until sometime in December. It way have blown across the state in 4 hours, but it lokks like it took quite a few pieces of Hampton Inns with it!

I've always felt your everyday Hampton Inn was built like manufactured housing. This confirms it.

I am astonished at the effects of Wilma across the state of Florida. I was considering a visit to the in-laws , northwest of Orlando, for Thanksgiving. I am amazed at the number of Hilton properties not accepting reservations until sometime in December. It way have blown across the state in 4 hours, but it lokks like it took quite a few pieces of Hampton Inns with it!

I've always felt your everyday Hampton Inn was built like manufactured housing. This confirms it.

I live in the Tampa - Orlando I-4 corridor area and we had very little damage around here. A bunch of wind and rain but no real damage. However, we did get a lot of people from down south that left their homes and came up here to wait it out, and that filled many hotels.

I just did a search on Hilton for properties over Thanksgiving for both Tampa and Orlando and most of the properties still had rooms left and seemed to be taking reservations, although I did not go all the way through the process. Maybe when you looked it was still unknown where Wilma would hit and how full they would be, so they stopped taking reservations? You might want to try it again if that was the case. Unless you were looking for hotels in South Florida, and then all bets are off.

It's also possible that FEMA or other agencies, even conference groups, have prearranged agreements to put a hold on any available rooms when something like this happens until they get a handle on what they need.

it's crazy to hear about damage in Cancun. I think most hotels are canceling reservations for the next few months at least!

I just got an email from the Hilton Villahermosa GM - where the Hilton Cancun guests were evacuated to. The Hilton Cancun will be closed until at least Dec 31th - but may take much longer.

The hotel did suffer damage. The oceanfront seafood restuarant is almost completely cut in half. The atrim glass is gone. The spa and lobby got lots of water damage. The sea wall has been destroyed around the pool.

Photos of the the damage can be found at :

http://www.yucatan.com.mx/

I live in the Tampa - Orlando I-4 corridor area and we had very little damage around here. A bunch of wind and rain but no real damage. However, we did get a lot of people from down south that left their homes and came up here to wait it out, and that filled many hotels.

I just did a search on Hilton for properties over Thanksgiving for both Tampa and Orlando and most of the properties still had rooms left and seemed to be taking reservations, although I did not go all the way through the process. Maybe when you looked it was still unknown where Wilma would hit and how full they would be, so they stopped taking reservations? You might want to try it again if that was the case. Unless you were looking for hotels in South Florida, and then all bets are off.

I hereby admit that I drew a faulty conclusion because my sample size was too small. I used a 30 mile radius around the in-laws town and found 4 Hampton Inns. One had no availability and showed no reason. Another 2 listed construction completion dates in December. When I expanded the radius to 50 miles, all sorts of Hilton properties with availibility popped up.

To quote Emiliy Litella, "Nevermind".

Well, still nothing new on the website. Still just says "Not accepting resevations at this time". Once again, other hotel chains are ahead of the curve and have a date posted, like December 31 for the Marriott and Ritz Carlton.

Information on the net is scattered. I have literally read reports that said it would be open today and reports that state the damage is so severe they are worried the building will collapse.

I would not be so annoyed except for the fact that my travel insurance company will not even start processing a claim until I have a definitive statement from the hotel or hotel chain that says the hotel will not be open for my stay. I have hedged my bets and booked 6 nights at the Hilton Waikoloa and new flights to Kona. I know I will be able to cancel the Hilton reservation. It is only the old airline tickets I am worried about. If the Hilton somehow miraculously opens before Nov 30, I am stuck with a set of plane tickets to Cancun.

The Cancun Hilton arranged for seven buses to get their 300 guests out of Cancun. The guests were sent to the Villahermosa Hilton. All the guests were offered free rooms ,food and calling cards.

The Hilton guests were amoung the first to get out of Cancun Monday morning.

The Cancun Hilton arranged for seven buses to get their 300 guests out of Cancun. The guests were sent to the Villahermosa Hilton. All the guests were offered free rooms ,food and calling cards.

The Hilton guests were amoung the first to get out of Cancun Monday morning.

Well that is very good news for the people who were staying there. Good to hear they got the people out, although that is quite a drive based on the map I looked at, several hunder miles.

Although, this doesn't come close to the two Mexicana Airbus A320's that Marriott/Ritz Carlton chartered to get their guests out of the area to either Mexico City or Atlanta, at no charge to the guests. I was amazed when I read this on the Marriott website.

I'm still waiting to get the definitive word on the status of the Cancun Hilton itself. Everything up until now seems to be conjecture and hearsay, although most signs seem to point to it not being open again before the end of the year.

Well that is very good news for the people who were staying there. Good to hear they got the people out, although that is quite a drive based on the map I looked at, several hunder miles.

Although, this doesn't come close to the two Mexicana Airbus A320's that Marriott/Ritz Carlton chartered to get their guests out of the area to either Mexico City or Atlanta, at no charge to the guests. I was amazed when I read this on the Marriott website.

I'm still waiting to get the definitive word on the status of the Cancun Hilton itself. Everything up until now seems to be conjecture and hearsay, although most signs seem to point to it not being open again before the end of the year.

Having just returned from the Hilton Cancun yesterday I can confirm that no one will be visiting the resort until probably next summer at the earliest.

The Hilton did everything they could to ensure that all guests were safe during the storm. We spent 4 days in a school shelter 25 miles inland of downtown. While crowded and with no electricity or running water, the Hilton ensured that all guests had bottled water and 3 meals for the entire duration. The Hilton staff were amazing and it humbled me to see how giving and hard working they were considering most had families majorly affected by the hurricane. I could go on for quite some time about the experience but will resist, needless to say that while I would never like to repeat it, the Hilton group (especially Dave Smith, the Cancun GM) could have done little more to ensure the safety and well being of their guests. We were all shipped (safe and sound via 7 tour buses, through 4 feet deep swamped roads) to Villahermosa on Monday. All guests are staying at the Hilton Villahermosa, gratis, until they can arrange exit transport.

As regards the hotel, the entire Hotel Zone is a mess, several areas still under several feet of water. From photos of the Hotel Zone I saw, from a few guests who retrieved their luggage from the Hilton after the hurricane had past, the Hilton was probably one of the least affected affected properties. Luckily the Hilton is elevated (about 60 feet) above sea level and the water only breached the ground level. While no apparent structural damage there does appear to be significant damage (entire atrium glass roof collapsed, beachfront Mitachi and Italian restaurants destroyed, beach no longer exists, 10% guest room windows blown in).

What do I take from the experience? The thing that will always stick in my mind is the people, both the Hilton staff and the local residents. Regardless of our troubles, we always knew we would be returning to our own homes and continue our lives largely unaffected. The local staff and residents however have to rebuild theirs. The staff knew most would be out of work until the area was rebuilt, the residents faced the daunting task of rebuilding their homes; and yet as we left the shelter, staff and residents still had the time to smile and wave. This will forever remind me how lucky we are.

Thanks for the info. We were planning on going in Feb or March. I want to be there as soon as they open to show our support. Sounds like a class act all round in a difficult situation.

We thoroughly enjoyed our last stay there and know what you mean about the wonderful nature of most of the locals. Unfortunately they are the ones with the least yet the ones who will be impacted the most.

Thank you so much for the information- we were suppose to be there this weekend for our site visit- we had planned our wedding there for next May.
We can not get any word from anyone including international sales , who is located here in the US about predictions and at this point we want to be let out.

Are the villas still standing?

Thanks again for the information- best I have seen yet!

Are the villas still standing?


From what I saw from photos of the aftermath the villas, surprisingly enough, did appear to still be standing. I would imagine however that there isn't much inside them. The Israeli gentleman I spoke to, that went to the hotel after the hurricane had passed, showed photos of his 8th floor end junior suite. The photos showed an entirely empty room; i.e. the winds had sucked everything out of the room. This includes the king serenity bed, the 1000lbs armoire, tv, minibar, desk, etc. His luggage however was still safe and sound in the bathroom. I just hope this is same for the other guests as we all left our luggage in the hotel (although I value my family and my own life significantly higher than a few suitcases of material possessions). We were told that the suites on the leg of the hotel going out to the ocean were the ones that took the most damage (this was not the leg that the Israeli gents room was on). I would imagine that the heaviest damage would have been to all of the end jr suites as they have little protection from the winds.

I would think that May next year might be possible to get the Hotel operational again but personally I wouldn't risk it. I would imagine that you probably won't even get into the Cancun Hotel Zone until next year (I read a few reports to this effect).

Thanks for the report. I've stayed at the Hilton Cancun twice. While the facility was beautiful, it was the great staff that made it special.

I ran across the following photo of the hotel. It doesn't show much because of the distance from which it was taken.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/sc/091905hurricanes/im:/051026/ids_photos_wl/r3128663733.jpg;_ylt=AqfJNQX_TcPwJQRp89ykfLtqWscF; _ylu=X3oDMTA3dmhrOGVvBHNlYwNzc20-

I ran across the following photo of the hotel. It doesn't show much because of the distance from which it was taken.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/sc/091905hurricanes/im:/051026/ids_photos_wl/r3128663733.jpg;_ylt=AqfJNQX_TcPwJQRp89ykfLtqWscF; _ylu=X3oDMTA3dmhrOGVvBHNlYwNzc20-

Wow, that photo makes the damage look almost insignificant. I'm trying to get in contact with the Israeli gent to obtain some of the photos he took (which has many detailed interior shots as well as some of the now non-existent golf course!). I'll host some of them if I can get them. Most of my photos were just of the lead up to the storm, and then my battery ran out before I could take much of the aftermath.

From searching the web it's pretty obvious that the coverage of the effects in the Yucatan are very thin. I see many wondering if they will be able to vacation there are the beginning of November! Reliable, in country, reports I have read suggest that power and water won't even have been returned to the majority before mid November.

The following link is quite a good one for current news:

linky (http://www.cancun.bz/cancun_news.htm)

It won't be open before Nov 30 so you won't get stuck w/ the Cancun tickets. Maybe sometime late 1st quarter next year.

Any new information ?? Called, they said it would be close through Dec 31st, but still not accepting reservations for any dates at all.......

Received a call today from the Cancun Hilton to cancel our reservation at the hotel scheduled for the 2nd week of February. Sounds as if it's going to be at least a few months before they reopen.

I just received an e-mail from them cancelling my reservation for the end of February. In it, they note that they have cancelled all reservations until 2/28/2006, but they are not sure when they will be reopening.

Mike

As an FYI:

On a Cancun travel website yesterday, I read that the Hilton Cancun will make a decision by December 6 as to their reopen date. Currently (as stated in this thread already), the hotel has cancelled all reservations until the end of February - and speculation as to the new reopen date is as early as the middle of February and as late as the middle of May.

Mike

I just recieved am email from the GM at the Cancun Hilton. It looks like the hotel will not re-open until late May - early June.

Reopening date now pushed up a bit to May 1st. For those familiar with the property the reconstruction plans currently include resurfacing the pools and pool decks, a new lobby bar, renovation of Spices, and the reconcepting of Italian restaurant to a high-end steak and seafood restaurant. Mitachi (on the beach) will not be rebuilt until governmental zoning issues are resolved. While aforementioned plans could change, that's the current status for those interested.

I noticed that the cancun hilton website now lists May 1, 2006 as re-opening date and will allow you to make reservations from that date onward.

... any new word on this property? a colleague is having a conference there in June and s curious to renovations...

... any new word on this property? a colleague is having a conference there in June and s curious to renovations...

For a general summary, you can go to the renovations (http://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/content/CUNHRHH/media/pdf/CUNHRHH_newsletter_dec.pdf) link at the resort's hiltoncancun.com homepage.

The Hilton Cancun has opened today. Anyone staying here that can provide a report? I am heading there for 10 days in early June so am relieved that it has opened on time. Changes to the hotel are provided below.

An article from today's Business Wire dot com:
Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort Opens Today, with Incredible $40 Million Renovation; Resort's Gorgeous White Sand Beach is Better Than Ever!
CANCUN, Mexico--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2006--The Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort opens today as a brand new, luxurious resort, following an impressive $40 million renovation. Already renowned for having one of the longest and widest beaches in Cancun, the Hilton Cancun's beach was one of the first to be completely restored, with an additional 50 meters (over 150 feet) of the Caribbean's famous soft, white sand. The beach reclamation project has been an impressive project, and now the spectacular beach is even better than before Hurricane Wilma struck.
"Demand for rooms and meeting space is off the charts. We now have a more contemporary look in some areas, while preserving our traditional Mexican-style charms in others. In addition to a bigger and better beach, we have a new lobby and guest reception, updated meeting facilities, and new decor and furniture in our guestrooms and suites. Our five restaurants and three bars are more beautiful than ever, and we have taken extra steps to upgrade our water supply and safety features. Cancun has emerged as an even more upscale destination. We look forward to welcoming new and repeat guests to Cancun's only golf and spa resort," said Dave Smith, General Manager, Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort.
Here's a breakdown of the enhancements and changes to the resort:
Building: The entire hotel was repainted, including exterior and interior walls, ceilings, hallways, patios, villas and roofs. A stunning translucent-blue dome was installed atop the pyramidal apex.
Water Treatment System: An investment of around $90,000 has been made with a leading provider of water treatment systems to clean, repair and buy new equipment for the first year of operations. Most of this investment -- $65,000 -- is for the cleanliness and sanitation of water. All water including drinking, shower, pool, river, cooling towers, chillers, boilers and laundry water is now the cleanest and purest water that technology can provide. This new system helps prevent problems and protects the environment.
Safety: The resort's life safety system has received a $1.75 million upgrade that meets all U.S. compliance codes, including ADA enhancements. All guestrooms have a new Onity electronic lock system, with many outstanding safety features.
Landscaping: Soaring palm trees, many new exotic plants, and colorful flowers have been installed throughout the resort's lush gardens and recreation areas. A total of 84 new poolside and beach sunshades provide hideaways throughout the pool and beach.
Meandering Rivers: The surface beneath and around the gently flowing rivers that meander throughout the gardens around the Villas, pool deck, and restaurants has been completely resurfaced and landscaped. Reflective pebbles create a shimmering and soothing perspective.
Pool & Pool Deck: The resort's expansive pool decks and recreation areas have been entirely resurfaced with a cool-to-the-touch exterior. The seven pools and outdoor whirlpools were resurfaced with high-tech turquoise surfacing. New decorative tile borders and pool-bottom designs complete the transformation. Sophisticated pump stations and chemical treatment machines optimize the cleanliness and purity of the pool water systems.
Fitness Center: The resort has a brand new, state-of-the-art fitness center, featuring over $120,000 of new cardio and weight-lifting equipment that include built-in LCD displays with satellite television reception. The fitness center has been expanded, and the cardio equipment overlooks the ocean and pool deck.
Spa: This newest addition to the resort received only minor damage. The front entrance and garden areas were restored to their previous luster. The 12,000-square-foot facility is now ready to pamper guests with soothing massages, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, and a full-service hair salon.
Pool Bar: The swim-up pool bar was fully renovated, including new resurfacing, decorative tile around the edges and borders, and full rehab of its interior walls and ceilings.
El Kiosko Restaurant: This popular poolside restaurant was fully renovated with new furniture, decor and kitchen equipment.
Spices Restaurant: Spices, featuring Mexican cuisine, has new furniture, decorative elements, ceiling treatments and improved lighting.
Mitachi Restaurant: This gourmet restaurant has been completely remodeled with new decor and furniture. It has dramatic views of the Caribbean Sea.
Galileo Sports Bar: A newly designed Sports Bar with 42-inch Plasma screens and 25-inch televisions provides a new hip and fresh atmosphere. It features major sports broadcasts, with international drinks, cocktails and a new food menu.
Lobby Bar: Located in our beautiful atrium, the Lobby Bar also has a hipper, more contemporary look with new furniture.
Lobby and Atrium: In addition to the new lobby furniture that had been installed shortly before the storm, the lobby and atrium have new furniture, new carpets and new decor.
Guestrooms: Although the resort's guestrooms were completely renovated in mid-2004, all damaged rooms have received new paint, furniture, televisions, refreshment centers and air-conditioning units. All 426 guestrooms feature the Hilton Serenity collection. This includes the new Serenity Collection Beds, featuring the internationally-acclaimed Suite Dreams mattresses, Crabtree & Evelyn's deluxe personal care amenities, the new MP3 CD-Alarm Clock Radio and more. To learn more about the Serenity Collection, please visit www.hilton.com.
Guestrooms Phone System: All guestrooms now feature three new telephones (a cordless phone next to the bed, a full-feature phone on the desk, and a wall-mounted phone in the bathroom) as part of a new $1.2 million-dollar, state-of-the-art telecommunications system. New features include multi-language capabilities, voicemail, speakerphones and two separate lines.
Villas: All guestroom doors, service doors, ceilings, and roofs have been completely repaired and/or replaced. All Villas were repainted, and the walking gardens and pathways are now lushly landscaped.
Hilton Cancun Golf Club: A new $1.5 million dollar TORO "Flowtronics" fully-automated irrigation system will be installed throughout the 18 holes of the course. This will help maintain the golf course in optimum condition. It will also feature a new water pump station, plus new landscaping and sand bunkers.
Ballrooms/Meeting Rooms: Ballrooms and meeting rooms (all 30,000 sq. feet) have new AC equipment (including foyers), new carpet, refurbished and/or new doors, new sound and lighting system, new pre-function and foyer furniture, new art, new paint and treatment on interior walls, new air walls, new ceilings, new banquet chairs, tables and new banquet equipment. The Miramar Ballroom also features new chandeliers.
Business Center: The new business center is fully automated and accessible 24/7. In-room printing and other enhanced capabilities are of great value to guests.
Signage: New high-level exterior logos have changed from blue to red in order to enhance their beauty and long-range visibility.

I'm bumping this thread as well. I'm staying there in July. Reading about the enhancements has me wishing that it was tomorrow. ^
Note to all - I realize that it is hurricane season, and Cancun is still rebuilding to some extent...but I must say, there were no problems snagging a reward reservation for this property in July. (I booked it last week). The entire month looks wide open.
Safe travels all.

Slightly OT, but AA has a NetSaver fare DFW->CUN this weekend if anyone wants to check it out.

Anyone stayed here since re-opening? Am I walking into a vacant property? Someone, anyone?
Thanks.

Anyone stayed here since re-opening? Am I walking into a vacant property? Someone, anyone?
Thanks.

Here is a link to a recent trip report:

http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150807-i8-k624359-_Miss_the_span_class_hterm_Hilton_span_already-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

The Hilton Cancun is one of my favorite properties. I can't wait to try out the new and improved facility. Hopefully, they were able to retain most of their great staff. Looking forward to some FT trip reports.

We have two rooms booked on an award stay in 2 ½ weeks. This will be our second visit to Cancun and first stay at the Hilton & are all looking forward to a memorable trip! I’ll post a report when we return. (Should earn Diamond status during the week before our visit…)

Here is a link to a recent trip report:

http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150807-i8-k624359-_Miss_the_span_class_hterm_Hilton_span_already-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
Govtraveler - Thanks for the link. Looks like they have done a good job with the refurbishment, with 95% completed at this time. To the others going as well, ENJOY !!! (and post a FT Trip Report !)... ^

I have a GLONP award booked at this hotel over Thanksgiving, I plan to add 1 paid night for a total of 7 nights. A couple of questions for those in the know:

Does booking a Jr. Suite get you access to the lounge - w/ breakfast, etc.?
What benefit does being diamond get you at this hotel - is it a room upgrade (ie, Delux room); or out to the villas?

Thanks for any information :)

Hi SFO. Jr. Suite booking by itself does not get you access to villas lounge, but HH Diamond status does. With your HH status you can count on at least an upgrade to deluxe. Upgrade to villas unlikely only because Thanksgiving week is high demand and the villas will probably sell out well in advance. But a deluxe room with lounge access on a point redemption stay ain't a bad deal at all. Thanksgiving in Cancun is a wonderful time to visit.

I'm bumping this thread as well. I'm staying there in July. Reading about the enhancements has me wishing that it was tomorrow. ^
Note to all - I realize that it is hurricane season, and Cancun is still rebuilding to some extent...but I must say, there were no problems snagging a reward reservation for this property in July. (I booked it last week). The entire month looks wide open.
Safe travels all.

We, also, are going in July, myself, and all the little Vols. What I have been able to gather, it should be in pretty good shape. I almost hope its not too crowded, as I would hate for them to have a full house and not be fully up to speed. When we went 3 years ago, the service was outstanding, I hope they maintained a lot of the staff.

I have booked an award trip (6 nights) to the Cancun Hilton and am currently given a deluxe room with 2 queens. Have there been upgrades to the Villas from this level of award? Any help is appreciated!

:)

We have an Axon stay booked at the Cancun Hilton in August. Has anyone returned from here recently that could share experiences? What kind of upgrades & amenities can we expect as diamonds?

Thanks!

I have booked an award trip (6 nights) to the Cancun Hilton and am currently given a deluxe room with 2 queens. Have there been upgrades to the Villas from this level of award? Any help is appreciated!

:)

Yes, we just returned from a GLONP stay last week at this fantastic hotel. As Gold we were upgraded to the Villas with total lounge access and hot breakfast. 'Spices' in the main building is a cold breakfast so make sure you plan for Villas availability. I liked the property so much I extended the stay 2 more paid nights. Enjoy your stay..Olga is the contact at the hotel and the HHonors Concierge Desk chief is Mr. Sander Wildeman, very helpful folks.

Wife and I were there back in 2004, it was a very nice property back then. I can't imagine what it will look like now! :)

Me and my wife just returned from a 3 day stay at this property. My wife had never been to Cancun or Mexico for that matter and with some nice reviews of this property we decided to give it a try. I would like to preface this review with the fact that I do NOT like resorts typically and think they are mostly a rip-off but decided to give this property a shot given the good reviews.

Transportation to hotel: We used Best Day Travel and paid $17USD for the two of us for one way transport via shuttle van. Since the Hilton is one of the first hotels that you come to as you enter the the hotel zone you should be the first ones dropped off. We waited maybe a few minutes for the shuttle to leave the airport and a good deal overall I thought. On the way back from the hotel we used a taxi from the hotel and paid $22USD.

Check-in: We went to the Hilton Honors check in and they told us that we are in the Villas and ask one of the bell men to drive us over to the Villas Lounge to check in. I had noticed that my reservation changed the day before to Garden Villa from room assigned at check in the day before. The people at the Villas lounge are really nice and friendly and got us checked in really quickly and our room was ready for check in even though it was only 1PM.

The room: I was not blown away by the room but it was a nice room. I assume it was bigger as I dont think the main hotel rooms has the sofa in the room so there was plenty of space in the room and it was nice just nothing spectacular about it. It did have a ceiling fan and since we where on the top (3rd floor) there was a vaulted ceiling which made it seem that much more spacious. The balcony had a couple of chairs and a table on it. The Villa rooms offer a lot more privacy than being in a hotel and get you away from all the bussle of the main hotel.

I see why are room was referred to as a garden villa room now. The garden villa rooms are set back about 100 yards from the beach villa rooms which are pretty much right at the edge of the beach. There is the grounds area in front of the garden villa rooms then the beach villa rooms which set closer to the ocean. The garden villa rooms still have a ocean view (as all rooms do I think, villa or not) and since our villa was the next building over from the lounge I actually found the garden villa rooms to be preferable. We had a great view from our room.

Villas Lounge: Staff was excellent, always someone in there to answer and questions you have and always friendly. Breakfast was a small buffet style with fruit, cheeses, cold meats, a few breads/pastries, cereals and a few hot items which changed each day. Simple but very good. They told when checking in that Breakfast would get very busy from 9-10am but we didnt find it that bad but I dont know that that hotel was completely full during our visit. There is outside and inside seating for the lounge. In the evening they have drinks and a nice hot snacks.

Hotel restaurants: While I dont think the hotel restaurants where that expensive given this was a resort we preferred to eat at outside restaurants as they where cheaper. We did have lunch one day at spices and I think it cost about $40usd for a couple of sandwiches and soft drinks for me and my wife.

Transportation in Cancun: We started by using taxi but I thought $10+USD for a relatively short trip was kind of high so we used the bus and it is a much better deal. They come really quickly and really they all go to where you need to go so for $6.5pesos each person that is a much better deal.

Pools: Really a great aspect of the hotel is the expansive pool area and really is great for lounging as there is plenty of space and there are several pools so plenty of room for swimming.

Summary: Even though I dont really care for resorts usually this one is pretty good and I would not hesitate to return....as a matter of fact I think we are planning on returning in Decemeber or January when the weather cools off a bit as it was hot hot hot over the weekend. Great peopla and a great property.

mcgahat - Thanks for the trip report!

I have an upcoming 4 night paid stay here in early October. Is this usually a busy time for this property? I am hoping for an upgrade to a villa while there, but if not successful, am I correct in thinking that as Diamond I will receive lounge access even if I'm not staying in the villas? Thanks in advance for any input!

mcgahat - Thanks for the trip report!

I have an upcoming 4 night paid stay here in early October. Is this usually a busy time for this property? I am hoping for an upgrade to a villa while there, but if not successful, am I correct in thinking that as Diamond I will receive lounge access even if I'm not staying in the villas? Thanks in advance for any input!


I asked the guy in the lounge when is the hotel the busiest and he said my experience was relatively typical and didnt really give me any indication of when the property was more busy than others. I would bet that as long as it isnt Thanksgiving or some other US holiday it should be relatively easy to get the upgrade. I also got the impression that only Villa guest got Villa Lounge access but I did not confirm that so they may just give you an upgraded room and breakfast in the hotel area. I actually meant to ask that question before I left but totally forgot.

I asked the guy in the lounge when is the hotel the busiest and he said my experience was relatively typical and didnt really give me any indication of when the property was more busy than others. I would bet that as long as it isnt Thanksgiving or some other US holiday it should be relatively easy to get the upgrade. I also got the impression that only Villa guest got Villa Lounge access but I did not confirm that so they may just give you an upgraded room and breakfast in the hotel area. I actually meant to ask that question before I left but totally forgot.
True..only Villas guests get the Villa lounge access w/ hot breakfast. In the main hotel..the free cold breakfast is at "Spices" . Secure your upgrade. Call Olga at the hotel, the HHonors Concierge Desk chief is Mr. Sander Wildeman, very helpful folks. Enjoy your stay..I certainly did. ;)

True..only Villas guests get the Villa lounge access w/ hot breakfast. In the main hotel..the free cold breakfast is at "Spices" . Secure your upgrade. Call Olga at the hotel, the HHonors Concierge Desk chief is Mr. Sander Wildeman, very helpful folks. Enjoy your stay..I certainly did. ;)

Is there an email address to send a request at this hotel? I found an address cunhr_salesadmin@hilton.com for this hotel at http://www.hilton.co.uk but it is not working.

Is there an email address to send a request at this hotel? I found an address cunhr_salesadmin@hilton.com for this hotel at http://www.hilton.co.uk but it is not working.
Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you. :cool:
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>

Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you. :cool:
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>

Thank you very much.

Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you. :cool:
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>


Are you sure about that person?
Is she a reservations agent?
I sent her an e-mail, but got a strange/funny reply :confused:

here is an address I have used that works but it has been a while

CUNHR-Reservaciones@hilton.com

cunhr_gm@hilton.com is the email posted in the brochure for the hotel and was a place where I started and it worked fine as well.

We have stayed at the Cancun Hilton durring spring break this year and last. This year we got upgraded to the Vilas, last year we were in an upgraded room in the main hotel. Both years we had access to the Villas lounge. Thought this was a wonderful perk and staff was great at the lounge. Enjoyed breakfast and evening reception. Rooms were almost identical excpet location with a couch and king bed. Both had balcony.

We truely enjoy this resort and would certainly stay again in Cancun.

Are you sure about that person?
Is she a reservations agent?
I sent her an e-mail, but got a strange/funny reply :confused:

This is the response I got from her:

"Oh my God!!!!!!!!! It is great to hear that you are planning to come back, that makes me so happy.
.....
The hotel is looking better than ever, I promise.
.....
And just because you are a member of our in-house shelter (ja,ja) we can give you a rate of 129 dolars plus taxes and I will upgrade your room complementary. How dos that sound?
.....
Please let me know as soon as you can so I can go ahead and block the room.
......
Take care,
......
Olga"


When I tried the e-mail described above, I got a rate offer of 139 dollars...

Smells fishy :cool:

This is the response I got from her:

"Oh my God!!!!!!!!! It is great to hear that you are planning to come back, that makes me so happy.
.....
The hotel is looking better than ever, I promise.
.....
And just because you are a member of our in-house shelter (ja,ja) we can give you a rate of 129 dolars plus taxes and I will upgrade your room complementary. How dos that sound?
.....
Please let me know as soon as you can so I can go ahead and block the room.
......
Take care,
......
Olga"


When I tried the e-mail described above, I got a rate offer of 139 dollars...

Smells fishy :cool:

1. I am sure Olga gets a lot of emails and I know they have a lot of return customers after some conversations on my last trip so I am sure she just got you confused with one of them.

2. The email is valid as it is the one that was copied on emails to me in the past.

3. I would jump on that deal as it is a pretty good one IMO.

Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you. :cool:
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>


Thanks Mr. Key, I was at the Cancun Hilton 8/12 to 8/17 and I emailed Olga beforehand. I'm gold and she upgraded us to the villas with full lounge access. We also learned that just by staying in the villas, you don't have to have villas lounge access if the room is just a normal upgrade.

our stay was awesome....

Thanks Mr. Key, I was at the Cancun Hilton 8/12 to 8/17 and I emailed Olga beforehand. I'm gold and she upgraded us to the villas with full lounge access. We also learned that just by staying in the villas, you don't have to have villas lounge access if the room is just a normal upgrade.

our stay was awesome....
I'm very glad you enjoyed your stay..Olga is the best..I think she was confused and thought I was coming back in less than a month :cool:

The rate was really great as I just extended a GLONP with 2 paid nights. I am looking forward to my next stay in CUN.

Thank you both for your suggestions! I recently sent an e-mail to the hotel, albeit well in advance of my early October stay, but I received a very friendly reply and a secured upgrade to a villa unit for my stay while there (at no additional cost to boot!) I've only been Diamond for a few weeks, but am already loving it! Thanks again! ^ :)

Thank you both for your suggestions! I recently sent an e-mail to the hotel, albeit well in advance of my early October stay, but I received a very friendly reply and a secured upgrade to a villa unit for my stay while there (at no additional cost to boot!) I've only been Diamond for a few weeks, but am already loving it! Thanks again! ^ :)

That sounds great! Just out of curiosity, which email address did you use as several were mentioned in this thread?

That sounds great! Just out of curiosity, which email address did you use as several were mentioned in this thread?
MRKEY
Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you.
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>

which email address did you use as several were mentioned in this thread?

I used the e-mail for Olga Medina. I was already holding a reservation for a standard ocean view room, and may have been upgraded on arrival, but it's great to know in advance that I will be in the villas and have lounge access!

MRKEY
Here is the e-mail address Olga gave me..tell her MRKEY sent you.
olga medina <olga_medina@hilton.com>

Thanks!! Sounds like you have spent some time at the Hilton Cancun. In your opinion am I better requesting a Villa room or a Junior Suite? In doing a search of this site I have found Diamonds have gotten one or the other. Both seem to have pros and cons, but I would be curious if you had an opinion on the best type of room upgrade. Are there other types of room upgrade possibilities for Diamonds that I have missed??

Also, have not been able to get a definitive answer on whether or not one could get Villa lounge access as a Diamond in a Junior Suite?

Also, just out of curiosity, what is Olga's position? Front Desk Manager?

I used the e-mail for Olga Medina. I was already holding a reservation for a standard ocean view room, and may have been upgraded on arrival, but it's great to know in advance that I will be in the villas and have lounge access!

I agree... Trying to do the same for a late October visit. Sounds like Olga is very prompt and helpful. Thanks for your reply and definitely post a review of your trip and any words of wisdom once you return...

Thanks!! Sounds like you have spent some time at the Hilton Cancun. In your opinion am I better requesting a Villa room or a Junior Suite? In doing a search of this site I have found Diamonds have gotten one or the other. Both seem to have pros and cons, but I would be curious if you had an opinion on the best type of room upgrade. Are there other types of room upgrade possibilities for Diamonds that I have missed??

Also, have not been able to get a definitive answer on whether or not one could get Villa lounge access as a Diamond in a Junior Suite?

Also, just out of curiosity, what is Olga's position? Front Desk Manager?


I would like to know this as well. Just booked a trip for early April 07. Last time we were there, Feb 05, we stayed in the hotel but had access to the lounge in the Villa or a continental breakfast at the restaurant. The choice was ours. That was before the renovation from the hurricane. I hope it remains the same. Please post if anyone has had any experience recently. Thanks.

Also, have not been able to get a definitive answer on whether or not one could get Villa lounge access as a Diamond in a Junior Suite?

Here is the response I received from Olga after asking her specifically if, as Diamond, I would receive lounge access if I was not upgraded to a villa unit: "yes, you do have access to the lounge since you are a Diamond member". However, she then proceeded to inform me of my advance upgrade to a villa unit. YMMV

Here is the response I received from Olga after asking her specifically if, as Diamond, I would receive lounge access if I was not upgraded to a villa unit: "yes, you do have access to the lounge since you are a Diamond member". However, she then proceeded to inform me of my advance upgrade to a villa unit. YMMV

Good info. Did you specifically request a villa room with Olga, or was it something she just came out and offered to your request for an upgrade? If you get lounge access either way, the junior suites in the main building look very nice. Not sure if they are a common upgrade for Diamonds (like the Villas seem to be), but that may be a tough call between the Villa and Junior Suite if both have lounge access and are an option...

I am also curious if anyone has ever got crazy upgrades here such as their Presidential Suite, Villa Suite or any of the other top tier suites they have (it looks like there are a few tiers above the junior suite)?

Thanks!! Sounds like you have spent some time at the Hilton Cancun. In your opinion am I better requesting a Villa room or a Junior Suite? In doing a search of this site I have found Diamonds have gotten one or the other. Both seem to have pros and cons, but I would be curious if you had an opinion on the best type of room upgrade. Are there other types of room upgrade possibilities for Diamonds that I have missed??

Also, have not been able to get a definitive answer on whether or not one could get Villa lounge access as a Diamond in a Junior Suite?

Also, just out of curiosity, what is Olga's position? Front Desk Manager?

I just returned from an 8 day stay at the Hilton Cancun, and I can't say enough good things about this resort.

To answer your question as to the best choice of rooms: if I had my choice between staying in a Villa or junior suite, I would definitely chose the junior suite. Although in the past I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Villas, this time I decided to request a room in the main hotel. The staff (more like friends) from the lounge were originally upset with me that I wasn't staying with them at the Villas, I assured them that I would still be using the lounge during my stay and looked forward to visiting with them.

I am so glad I made this decision. As a Diamond member I had complete access to the Villa's lounge but this time I had a wonderful room with a spectacular view of paradise. This view cannot be had at the Villas. I also enjoyed the beauty as well as sights and sound of the lobby whiles passing through en route to my room. It was definitely the best of both worlds. I would highly recommend giving the rooms in the hotel a try. Just my humble opinion.

Olga, I believe is in charge of guest relations and does an incredible job making sure that everyone enjoys their stay. She also makes a point to acknowledge past guests of the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised with a beautiful fruit bowl and a personal call from her welcoming us back and offering her services if there was anything we needed. She gave us her direct line to contact her. This enthusiasm trickles down through the ranks resulting in one of the most professional staffs I have ever encountered. Everyone truly seems to enjoy their work, and go out of their way so that you cannot help but enjoy your stay.

What a wonderful resort! Can't wait to go back.

As a Diamond member I had complete access to the Villa's lounge but this time I had a wonderful room with a spectacular view of paradise.
Thanks for sharing your recent experience! Although I am staying in a villa unit in October, I am thinking of taking my children next summer and will probably shoot for a junior suite upgrade at that time.