I think my complaints are way more fundamental than that. Mostly — i think it is geared towards the bad intention of the developer/builder. There’s just something wrong with this property. And i think i can describe it more clearly now.

the property is located near Tulum. Yet, it has pretty limited views, and it sprawls out on a huge ground. For a Cancun coast line resort, i do expect views, yet this hotel is lack of. Out of the 6 buildings, one can only get views on building 1&6. Building 3 may be fine, but the ocean view is not really open but to the limited pool/bay views. Then, because it is so spread out, it will be quite inconvenient to be in building 1. For building 6, it is still very distant from all the activities, but at least it has a pool. So in the end, one is not really getting an ocean front experience, but more of a isolated, “exotic” resort experience, that is more of an escape than amazing views from the hotel, etc. this holds true likely for all 4 of the properties by the same developer (hilton ai cancun/tulum/wa/conrad).

this is very much o.k. if one controls expectations or if one just stay here and goes nowhere else. But if one stays at, for example, any of the other properties in the area, like Ziva, GH playa del carmen, etc, the view is simply incomparable.

On top of this, the hotel is intentionally operating at a designed occupancy rate of below 60%. In other words, the staff is at full capacity if the occupancy rate is ~60%. This is very much because it does not expect full business in the first place. I am pretty sure the owner is looking forward at some major public transportation become available in a couple years, like a train, and probably airport. It gives frustrations on the upgrade part because one would somewhat expect upgrade as you see they reducing prices every day and all room types are available, but in reality the front desk think that there’s no availability. In other words, i would be perfectly fine knowing if i do not get an upgrade; but will be disappointed if i see everybody else getting one and the hotel is not being “full” on display.

Both these issues are more fundamental in regard to the owner/developer’s intention of this hotel. Yes, everybody loves exotic escapes to no where that you are living with a bunch of decent people, treated very well, enjoying heavenly food. Well, except the fact that this place itself is no where near that “escape”. I would say it is perfectly fine if one move this hotel to Maldives. But when you are enjoying those $150 meals for 3, you would be constantly dragged back to reality that you are in a place with very limited views, just o.k sand, a small beach, etc. and realize that you are not really at a heavenly escape.

i am staying at the westin cozumel right now and these two hotel does not even compete in the same lane in terms of any kind of hard product or soft product. I did not get any upgrades due to hotel being full (but i expected that). Yet, i get breath taking views every time i walk into my room, which reminds me that i am isolated in a heavenly place. At the conrad, i am only isolated, and that’s about that…