Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort {MEX} (no longer Honors)
May 29, 2006, 5:35 pm
#466
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Pocatello, Idaho, USA
Programs: Delta Diamond, Hhonors Diamond, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 56
Originally Posted by phillygold
Anyone stayed here since re-opening? Am I walking into a vacant property? Someone, anyone?
Thanks.
Thanks.
http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com...Peninsula.html
May 29, 2006, 10:06 pm
#467
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, Hyatt Discoverist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,399
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.
May 30, 2006, 9:26 am
#468
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington State
Programs: Alaska Airlines, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1
We'll be there soon
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…)
May 30, 2006, 11:16 pm
#469
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Philly burbs
Programs: US,UA,AA,DL,hhonors
Posts: 2,966
Originally Posted by govtraveler
Jun 9, 2006, 10:23 am
#470
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: Hilton Diamond/UAL Exec Prem
Posts: 21
Diamond Upgrade
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
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
Jun 10, 2006, 11:58 pm
#471
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 18
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.
Jun 12, 2006, 6:37 pm
#472
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Franklin, TN HHonors Diamond, Worldperks Platinum, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 168
Originally Posted by phillygold
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.
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.
Jun 28, 2006, 9:00 pm
#473
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: DEN
Programs: UA member..., Marriott Platinum, Avis President's Club
Posts: 171
curious about upgrades on award stays
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!
Jul 10, 2006, 2:28 pm
#474
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Flyover country
Programs: DLGM, HH Diamond
Posts: 71
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!
Thanks!
Jul 11, 2006, 7:14 am
#475
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: TUS
Programs: AA 1.8 MM, DL, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold,
Posts: 3,430
Originally Posted by nwhsd
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!
Last edited by MRKEY; Jul 11, 2006 at 7:24 am
Jul 17, 2006, 7:40 am
#477
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Philly burbs
Programs: US,UA,AA,DL,hhonors
Posts: 2,966
Hilton Cancun - Report
My family and I just completed a 5 night stay at this property. Here are my observations. (Please note: I did not stay at this resort pre-hurricane, so I have no historical perspective to give a "before and after" analysis).
Upon arriving (5 hours late due to a plane problem), we went to the main desk in the lobby. It was there that I was told that I had been upgraded to a Villa. (I'm a Diamond). A quick ride over to the villa lounge in a cart...and the check-in process was started.
As we arrived during the nightly cocktail party (5-7 PM), we were offered drinks during the check-in. We were then taken to the room. The first thing that I noticed upon entering the room was a pronounced smell. It kind of smelled like a strange combo of mustiness....and dead fish. I opened the patio door to air the place out....and began to search for the source of the smell. Expecting to find a dead mackerel under the bed or something....I discovered the offender. The freebie Hilton slippers ! They were in the plastic bag...but smelled really bad ! They were quickly disposed of....and the smell soon left.
Regarding the villa....king bed, sleeper sofa, desk, internet access. One design change I would make is in the bathroom. There is a separate glass shower. It looks nice...but the glass panels are not completely aligned, and the shower head (which is incredibly strong) throws water at the glass...leading to soaked floors.
Back to the lounge, they offer what I consider the best freebie breakfast of any Hilton that I have been in. (Beats the Cavalieri IMHO). Cereals, juices, pasteries....plus eggs, bacon, pancakes or french toast. Lots of seating both indoors as well as out.
The evening cocktail hour served really good food. Everything from ribs to beef and chicken on sticks, to spinach rolls to jalepeno poppers...etc. In fact I noticed several families in there making a meal of it ! Several Mexican beers are available as well as mixed drinks.
Throughout the day, an assortment of snacks is available as well.
A special note about the staff. They remained extremely friendly throughout...remembering names and favorite drinks.
Pools/beach: Awesome. Lots of time spent in and on both. Nice touch: The walkways in the pool area use a material that does not heat up so you can walk barefoot from the pool to the beach without scorching your feet. Combined, there are over 70 palapas available. The "prime" palapas are taken very early by folks who get their towels and "claim" them by 7 AM...then return later in the day. (That is my personal pet peeve.). The waves in the surf are extremely strong. Those with young children may want to exercise caution. The waves also lead to an unfortunate mishap for one lad. He managed to lose his swim trunks....and came running onto the beach to his parents buck naked. So....tie them on tight folks.
Spa/Gym - I made use of the gym, my wife went to the spa. The gym is excellent. 6 treadmills (3 with TV's), steppers, dumbells up to 50 lbs, circuit machines. Cold water and towels provided. Much better than normal.
My wife had the hot stones massage. She enjoyed it (80 minutes), but it as well as other treatments are expensive. ($180 in this case). She reported that the facility was nice, with green tea offered in a relaxation area, as well as a private whirlpool.
Restaurants: They offer a 15% rebate if you eat in all 3 restaurants during your stay. You have to charge it to your room...plus have a voucher stamped by each restaurant. (Seems silly to have both). This was my only area of disappointment.
Spices Restaurant - Mexican fare that was not very good. You can have either a buffet or menu options. I looked at the buffet, it was not appealing. The menu foods were bland and overcooked.
Pizza and Pasta Restaurant - Pizza was very average. I didn't expect much having read reviews of it....and they lived down to my expectations. The pizza in a nutshell was undercooked, with a very bland crust.
Mitachi Grill - Easily the best of the 3. (And by far, the most expensive). Most entrees cost over 300 pesos...but it was worth it. Excellent sushi, and excellent grilled seafood. I had a grilled seafood dish with lobster tail, shrimp, calamari, scallops, grouper and salmon. Each portion was perfectly grilled and prepared. The wine list is very average, and the markup was steep.
Checkout: I bring this up only because it took far too long. The 15% issue took forever to resolve. You check out in the lounge (good), however they have to manually remove the 15% from your bill. When the calculator was pulled out, I knew that I was in for a wait. Also, as a Diamond, you get 2 free bottles of Hilton water in the room when you arrive, plus 1 free bottle per day. This was added to my bill as well.....and had to be adjusted.
Overall - We were very impressed during our stay. It looks like all of the renovations have been completed, as all areas were open during our stay. The hotel itself was maybe 50-75% occupied. We spoke with a couple that had literally scored reservations 3 days before arriving...at a very reasonable rate. (I realize this is hurricane season).
Upgrade the restaurants, simplify the checkout and this resort would be a 10 in my book. It's a fun place for couples and families alike. (The kids will get a kick out of the large lizards walking around). We will return.
Upon arriving (5 hours late due to a plane problem), we went to the main desk in the lobby. It was there that I was told that I had been upgraded to a Villa. (I'm a Diamond). A quick ride over to the villa lounge in a cart...and the check-in process was started.
As we arrived during the nightly cocktail party (5-7 PM), we were offered drinks during the check-in. We were then taken to the room. The first thing that I noticed upon entering the room was a pronounced smell. It kind of smelled like a strange combo of mustiness....and dead fish. I opened the patio door to air the place out....and began to search for the source of the smell. Expecting to find a dead mackerel under the bed or something....I discovered the offender. The freebie Hilton slippers ! They were in the plastic bag...but smelled really bad ! They were quickly disposed of....and the smell soon left.
Regarding the villa....king bed, sleeper sofa, desk, internet access. One design change I would make is in the bathroom. There is a separate glass shower. It looks nice...but the glass panels are not completely aligned, and the shower head (which is incredibly strong) throws water at the glass...leading to soaked floors.
Back to the lounge, they offer what I consider the best freebie breakfast of any Hilton that I have been in. (Beats the Cavalieri IMHO). Cereals, juices, pasteries....plus eggs, bacon, pancakes or french toast. Lots of seating both indoors as well as out.
The evening cocktail hour served really good food. Everything from ribs to beef and chicken on sticks, to spinach rolls to jalepeno poppers...etc. In fact I noticed several families in there making a meal of it ! Several Mexican beers are available as well as mixed drinks.
Throughout the day, an assortment of snacks is available as well.
A special note about the staff. They remained extremely friendly throughout...remembering names and favorite drinks.
Pools/beach: Awesome. Lots of time spent in and on both. Nice touch: The walkways in the pool area use a material that does not heat up so you can walk barefoot from the pool to the beach without scorching your feet. Combined, there are over 70 palapas available. The "prime" palapas are taken very early by folks who get their towels and "claim" them by 7 AM...then return later in the day. (That is my personal pet peeve.). The waves in the surf are extremely strong. Those with young children may want to exercise caution. The waves also lead to an unfortunate mishap for one lad. He managed to lose his swim trunks....and came running onto the beach to his parents buck naked. So....tie them on tight folks.
Spa/Gym - I made use of the gym, my wife went to the spa. The gym is excellent. 6 treadmills (3 with TV's), steppers, dumbells up to 50 lbs, circuit machines. Cold water and towels provided. Much better than normal.
My wife had the hot stones massage. She enjoyed it (80 minutes), but it as well as other treatments are expensive. ($180 in this case). She reported that the facility was nice, with green tea offered in a relaxation area, as well as a private whirlpool.
Restaurants: They offer a 15% rebate if you eat in all 3 restaurants during your stay. You have to charge it to your room...plus have a voucher stamped by each restaurant. (Seems silly to have both). This was my only area of disappointment.
Spices Restaurant - Mexican fare that was not very good. You can have either a buffet or menu options. I looked at the buffet, it was not appealing. The menu foods were bland and overcooked.
Pizza and Pasta Restaurant - Pizza was very average. I didn't expect much having read reviews of it....and they lived down to my expectations. The pizza in a nutshell was undercooked, with a very bland crust.
Mitachi Grill - Easily the best of the 3. (And by far, the most expensive). Most entrees cost over 300 pesos...but it was worth it. Excellent sushi, and excellent grilled seafood. I had a grilled seafood dish with lobster tail, shrimp, calamari, scallops, grouper and salmon. Each portion was perfectly grilled and prepared. The wine list is very average, and the markup was steep.
Checkout: I bring this up only because it took far too long. The 15% issue took forever to resolve. You check out in the lounge (good), however they have to manually remove the 15% from your bill. When the calculator was pulled out, I knew that I was in for a wait. Also, as a Diamond, you get 2 free bottles of Hilton water in the room when you arrive, plus 1 free bottle per day. This was added to my bill as well.....and had to be adjusted.
Overall - We were very impressed during our stay. It looks like all of the renovations have been completed, as all areas were open during our stay. The hotel itself was maybe 50-75% occupied. We spoke with a couple that had literally scored reservations 3 days before arriving...at a very reasonable rate. (I realize this is hurricane season).
Upgrade the restaurants, simplify the checkout and this resort would be a 10 in my book. It's a fun place for couples and families alike. (The kids will get a kick out of the large lizards walking around). We will return.
Jul 17, 2006, 8:16 am
#478
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Roseville, CA
Programs: Lifetime Plat Marriott
Posts: 1,358
Nice report....
I enjoyed reading your report. We were there year before last for 10 days. We could have stayed longer! There was so much to do and we had a blast in Cancun!
I almost choked on my yogurt this a.m. when you said that the breakfast was better than any place you have been (Hilton)....hum. My guess is that they have really raised the bar in that area. It wasn't "bad," per se, but we would have probably given it a 5 or 6 out of 10 when we were there. There was undercooked bacon and cold slices of french toast in the a.m. The fruit was plentiful and there were quasi-pastries. We pretty much had cereal and fruit every a.m., which was fine for us. But the whole "eggs/pancakes," I think that it must have been overhauled in that area. That is good to know. Plus it seems like they revamped the evening snacks as well. Excellent!
We really loved Cancun and will go back someday as well.
How was the weather when you were there?
Thanks!
Dawn
I almost choked on my yogurt this a.m. when you said that the breakfast was better than any place you have been (Hilton)....hum. My guess is that they have really raised the bar in that area. It wasn't "bad," per se, but we would have probably given it a 5 or 6 out of 10 when we were there. There was undercooked bacon and cold slices of french toast in the a.m. The fruit was plentiful and there were quasi-pastries. We pretty much had cereal and fruit every a.m., which was fine for us. But the whole "eggs/pancakes," I think that it must have been overhauled in that area. That is good to know. Plus it seems like they revamped the evening snacks as well. Excellent!
We really loved Cancun and will go back someday as well.
How was the weather when you were there?
Thanks!
Dawn
Jul 17, 2006, 8:39 am
#479
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Philly burbs
Programs: US,UA,AA,DL,hhonors
Posts: 2,966
Originally Posted by kymbakitty
I enjoyed reading your report. We were there year before last for 10 days. We could have stayed longer! There was so much to do and we had a blast in Cancun!
I almost choked on my yogurt this a.m. when you said that the breakfast was better than any place you have been (Hilton)....hum. My guess is that they have really raised the bar in that area. It wasn't "bad," per se, but we would have probably given it a 5 or 6 out of 10 when we were there. There was undercooked bacon and cold slices of french toast in the a.m. The fruit was plentiful and there were quasi-pastries. We pretty much had cereal and fruit every a.m., which was fine for us. But the whole "eggs/pancakes," I think that it must have been overhauled in that area. That is good to know. Plus it seems like they revamped the evening snacks as well. Excellent!
We really loved Cancun and will go back someday as well.
How was the weather when you were there?
Thanks!
Dawn
I almost choked on my yogurt this a.m. when you said that the breakfast was better than any place you have been (Hilton)....hum. My guess is that they have really raised the bar in that area. It wasn't "bad," per se, but we would have probably given it a 5 or 6 out of 10 when we were there. There was undercooked bacon and cold slices of french toast in the a.m. The fruit was plentiful and there were quasi-pastries. We pretty much had cereal and fruit every a.m., which was fine for us. But the whole "eggs/pancakes," I think that it must have been overhauled in that area. That is good to know. Plus it seems like they revamped the evening snacks as well. Excellent!
We really loved Cancun and will go back someday as well.
How was the weather when you were there?
Thanks!
Dawn
The mosquitos however....
Jul 17, 2006, 8:51 pm
#480
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Nebraska
Programs: HH Diamond, MR LTGold, UA, AA, AS, DL, Global Entry & TSAPre✓
Posts: 192
I'm ready for Cancun!
Report sounds very good. And I'm glad that they are back up and running.
I really enjoy the beach there (long, wide, soft & white) and am looking forward to returning.
1) Several Mexican beers are available as well as mixed drinks Are the alcohol drinks complimentary in the lounge? I'm used to that with (some) Canadian Hiltons, but wasn't sure about this property.
2) Did you explore much of the rest of the area? I'm curious if the other hotels have been pretty much cleared up, opened up as well.
I really enjoy the beach there (long, wide, soft & white) and am looking forward to returning.
1) Several Mexican beers are available as well as mixed drinks Are the alcohol drinks complimentary in the lounge? I'm used to that with (some) Canadian Hiltons, but wasn't sure about this property.
2) Did you explore much of the rest of the area? I'm curious if the other hotels have been pretty much cleared up, opened up as well.