LADL

Westin Lagunamar is a timeshare property with limited participation in SPG program, so I won't expect an upgrade. however, starting from 3/1 SPG platinum can choose breakfast as welcome amenity. I guess that is the only thing we can expect in Lagunamar.

LADL

Yes, MR gold is eligible for upgrade in most full servece properties. Usually you get upgraded to concierge level with lounge access if there is a lounge. It is in MR policy.

shukar

[QUOTE=LADL;18122517]
2. Does MR gold usually get upgrade in Casamagna? The rate with Marriott includes free upgrade at check in, do we get double upgrade due to my gold status?

[QUOTE]

We just came back from a week stay at CasaMagna. As a gold, both my rooms were upgraded from Ocean View to Ocean Front. I was also provided with free internet access for both rooms. Good rooms and service.

macj86

I'd like to hear about this resort as well. I'm looking at book in a week in 2013 using points and I'm planning to get a club level room (I'm Plat but don't expect anything for that here).

kunk00

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BKKLEE

you mean between price, size and benefits of each room type?

dcline414

We ended up paying for a standard Club 91 room at $100 per night over a non-Club 91 suite for $125 per night. I believe that anyone not on the Club 91 floor can add club lounge access at any point for $100 per night remaining during your stay. There are only a few suites on the club floor, so a Club 91 suite was astronomically expensive ($250 per night) to add on to an award stay.

There is no perk for being platinum that I am aware of, but I would highly recommend getting the $1000 Marriott gift card available to plats to pay for upgrades and incidentals if you have enough points.

The food in the Club 91 lounge is well worth the $100 per day, in my opinion. All of the food is served buffet style, though there are full service bartenders taking drink orders in the evening.

There was a unique hot breakfast every day, featuring the basics such as pastries, fruit, eggs and meats, plus unique quiches and casseroles every day. There is also champagne for mimosas during breakfast, in addition to juice, coffee, and soda.

Lunch was cold sandwiches, but with a variety of meats, cheeses, and breads to make your own, in addition to a nice selection of pre-made platters and sides. There is an evening tea with light snacks and bar service before dinner begins, and the bar service continues through dinner.

The dinner is absolutely incredible, featuring a selection of favorite entrées and sides from one of the on-site restaurants each evening. Though it is served buffet-style, I cannot imagine the food being any more fresh or well prepared if ordered in the restaurant.

Overall, I found the property to be very nice, though surprisingly quiet in the evenings. It was during spring break period for both US and Mexico while we were there, so it was nice that the resort clearly drew a more upscale crowd of families and couples rather than students. The beach and poolside service was excellent, though pricey as you would expect at a Marriott resort. It was somewhat annoying to have to choose between paying for a glass of wine at the pool in the evening or going back up to the club for a free drink, so that is a definite downside compared to Marriott's resorts that offer all-inclusive packages.

We were given an end room on the club floor, which had a small balcony and incredibly large and lavish bathroom, nicer than what I have seen at other JW properties. Other than those two features, the room and the service were very consistent with what you would expect from any JW.

The location, on the south side of the hotel zone, is very convenient to the airport. If you stay in a suite or on the club floor for 3 or more nights then airport transportation is included. This is nice to have pre-arranged, but was not a private car service and required that we wait for a full van of passengers before departing the airport. Not a major issue, but definitely something to be aware of.

Also, the location of the hotel is well south of the restaurants, shopping, and nightlife, so you will find that you need to take the bus to go anywhere outside the hotel. The busses are cheap and run fairly frequently, however, and they stop directly in front of the hotel, so this was only a minor inconvenience for my wife and me.

Hopefully this will help answer others' questions, at least if you are wondering about the same things I was before my stay there.

SkiAdcock

Thanks so much for the very detailed trip report! Much appreciated!

Cheers.

RoadWarrior60_13

We have stayed here 3 times and I have never been upgraded. I have always chosen to not buy the Club 91 upgrade because we typically eat lunch by the pool and like to try out different restaurants for dinner. But based on dcline's description, we may want to reconsider next time. Overall, a great property.

US1@ORF

Wife and I are planning at stay on the Club 91 level at the JW in Cancun. Looks like a great place and should be similar to our Club level experience at the Ritz Cancun last year. Any one been recently with Club 91 stay experience they wish to share? Thanks.

sunnyjl

So I have a reservation at the J W Marriott in Cancun for end of March for myself, my adult son, and my teenage son. The Ritz Carlton is available for 40K more points. Would it be worth switching since it will be more costly in terms of food and amenties? I do believe there are plenty of dining options outside of the hotel. In terms of activities, overall enjoyment, etc., would it be worthwhile to switch? The J W has received some negative reviews on tripadvisor as of late (I realize tripadvisor is not completely reliable, so I do take it with a grain of salt). I am rather fussy about the cleanliness and availability of facilities, not so much about service. Any advice?

UpgradeMe

It's too bad that no one has ever asked this question before:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...ward-stay.html

sunnyjl

It's too bad that thread is a bit outdated.

UpgradeMe

And it's also too bad that you didn't append your query to the existing thread.

sunnyjl

Clearly your theory doesn't work, since no one has posted anything new since my thread was "appended". No matter...I ended up spending a lot of time researching it myself (which I had hoped to avoid) and decided to stay with the J W due to the numerous resort fees at the RC, as well as the availability of dining options at the J W. Anyway, this will be my last Marriott stay...moved over to Hilton and already achieved diamond there. Now go find somewhere else to troll.