W Punta De Mita, Mexico [Master Thread]
Oct 13, 2021, 9:03 pm
#136
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 127
Thanks! Any idea what parking costs at the hotel? Or is it included?
Nov 8, 2021, 9:07 pm
#139
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 385
Punta Mita is public access. The specific resorts are not of course, but you can spend time in PM if you like. Sayulita and San Pancho muy bueno. Depends what you're looking for. My thoughts are upthread. tldr we're planning to spend Thanksgiving there.
Nov 9, 2021, 8:12 pm
#140
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond; Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 70
I'd add that there are public access beaches in Punta de Mita worth exploring, some which are perfect for learning to surf. Also a handful of beach restaurants and a little town with some shopping.
I am huge fan of both Sayulita and San Pancho and have stayed in both areas over the years. The W is not too far and you can plan a day trip to both if you have a car. I actually prefer these towns over PV, but it all comes down to what you're looking for.
I am huge fan of both Sayulita and San Pancho and have stayed in both areas over the years. The W is not too far and you can plan a day trip to both if you have a car. I actually prefer these towns over PV, but it all comes down to what you're looking for.
Nov 18, 2021, 8:07 am
#141
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 371
Just back from a short, enjoyable stay. We had a toddler so we didn't venture outside of the property. First few days they seemed to be at 70-80% capacity (confirmed by employees as well). Also spotted several other families with babies and young children. Its a beautiful property, we booked an oasis suite and they gave us a corner suite which may have been the nicest one (we're plat). Not counting the wow extreme units, it looked like there were 12 haven+oasis suites. These are the closest to the beach. The oasis suites are on the higher level, so you have a great view of the beach. I think some haven rates included the cabana in front (which otherwise go for 3000 MXN a day). We really liked our plunge pool (our toddler loved it) and spent a significant amount of time at ours. Theres also an outdoor jacuzzi that looked unappealing due to lack of maintenance/cleaning which we did not use. We were originally concerned about mosquitos but it wasn't really an issue (the room came with spray). They provide free bottled water everywhere which was nice.
All the suites are a short 2-3 min walk to the main areas (pool, beach, venazu, spice market). The waves look & sound intimidating but we enjoyed wading across the shore every day with our toddler. The suites face the adults only Wet2 pool area, but we had no issues with music or noise - except on one night that they had a wedding party and let loose with fireworks around 10:30pm (The front desk said that they allow fireworks/music until 11pm). Speaking of noise, there were two birds that were pretty loud at night so that took a little getting used to.
Staff are really great. The food was just ok - I can post pdf's of the menus if that helps. Some of the ceviches at Chevycheria were fantastic (ask for habenero sauce on the side). Some of the poolside food is really disappointing. We had a few issues with room service orders (missing items, inedible food) - which they were eager to rectify and we also got an apology note the following day. Elite breakfast at Venazu doesn't include eggs (accd to the menu) but they never charged us if we ordered some eggs a la carte. Mexican fare at breakfast was disappointing. Some days had special events - eg sunday brunch buffet. One evening they had outdoor dining at the beach in front of Wet2 with live acoustic guitar.
Covid testing was easy to schedule and complete, results are available in 15 mins (we probably spent longer waiting for our turn). There was a lot of verbal recognition for being Elite (from checkin to checkout) which was a first for me. At checkin, they gave us an Elites' invite for a mixologist event on Fri evening near the main pool (I think a previous reviewer mentioned this) - IIRC, the letter said "drinks on us" so it sounded like Elites could booze it up
. Not sure how they would know whether you were Elite or not.
All the suites are a short 2-3 min walk to the main areas (pool, beach, venazu, spice market). The waves look & sound intimidating but we enjoyed wading across the shore every day with our toddler. The suites face the adults only Wet2 pool area, but we had no issues with music or noise - except on one night that they had a wedding party and let loose with fireworks around 10:30pm (The front desk said that they allow fireworks/music until 11pm). Speaking of noise, there were two birds that were pretty loud at night so that took a little getting used to.
Staff are really great. The food was just ok - I can post pdf's of the menus if that helps. Some of the ceviches at Chevycheria were fantastic (ask for habenero sauce on the side). Some of the poolside food is really disappointing. We had a few issues with room service orders (missing items, inedible food) - which they were eager to rectify and we also got an apology note the following day. Elite breakfast at Venazu doesn't include eggs (accd to the menu) but they never charged us if we ordered some eggs a la carte. Mexican fare at breakfast was disappointing. Some days had special events - eg sunday brunch buffet. One evening they had outdoor dining at the beach in front of Wet2 with live acoustic guitar.
Covid testing was easy to schedule and complete, results are available in 15 mins (we probably spent longer waiting for our turn). There was a lot of verbal recognition for being Elite (from checkin to checkout) which was a first for me. At checkin, they gave us an Elites' invite for a mixologist event on Fri evening near the main pool (I think a previous reviewer mentioned this) - IIRC, the letter said "drinks on us" so it sounded like Elites could booze it up
. Not sure how they would know whether you were Elite or not.
Last edited by bizum; Nov 19, 2021 at 9:46 am Reason: Added some additional info
Nov 18, 2021, 4:51 pm
#142
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Some/Most/All
Posts: 240
I saw (heard) the same thing at the Marriott in PV. Every time a staff member interacted with me, I was thanked for being a Tit-anium member. (And usually got this weird trophy, symbol thing placed on the table.) To go back to the thread of a couple of weeks ago, it started out a little creepy, then became annoying. It would have been just slightly annoying all own its own, but they didn't do anything other than thank me. No 12th drink free, or anything like that. (Not that they owed me anything, but to just talk about it with nothing else is just... weird, IMHO.)
Nov 23, 2021, 8:40 pm
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,795
I had a 2 night stay here last month using 2 50k certs, I think I caught the last off peak nights of the calendar year. Overall, really enjoyed the stay, it was a great relaxing long weekend. I wasn’t expecting it, but my SNAs cleared into an oasis suite. I had just come from the Conrad, which is another very nice property that feels more luxurious than the W, but admittedly it’s a very different vibe and is also brand new while the W isn’t. The suite was a good size, and I enjoyed the massive TV for lounging on the couch after a hard day at the pool. I enjoyed the pool, and the good EDM playlist they had playing all day. The beach is nice and ocean swimmable. Covid test was ~$40 for the antigen test, and payable on the hotel folio. Also they gave a neat welcome gift of a Moleskine type notebook with W Punta de Mita customized on the front. Always nice when you get a welcome gift that's actually somewhat useful!
Breakfast was very comprehensive, feeling almost like a buffet that you just order off the menu from, with how much food they bring you. Service was decent, though timing was a bit odd. Like one morning they brought like 5 plates of food all at once: fruit, bread, omelet, meat/cheese, like guys I’m sitting here with nothing but coffee for 20 mins and then you drop off everything! Lol. The breakfast was good, though not really much in the way of Mexican style food. I had dinner at the lobby bar both nights which was pretty good, since there really aren’t any available off property options following a day of drinking by the pool. Had tacos one night and burger the second.
Breakfast was very comprehensive, feeling almost like a buffet that you just order off the menu from, with how much food they bring you. Service was decent, though timing was a bit odd. Like one morning they brought like 5 plates of food all at once: fruit, bread, omelet, meat/cheese, like guys I’m sitting here with nothing but coffee for 20 mins and then you drop off everything! Lol. The breakfast was good, though not really much in the way of Mexican style food. I had dinner at the lobby bar both nights which was pretty good, since there really aren’t any available off property options following a day of drinking by the pool. Had tacos one night and burger the second.
Last edited by krazykanuck; Nov 24, 2021 at 8:28 am
Dec 10, 2021, 7:52 am
#144
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 127
Can anyone give me a sense of how many beach chairs there are? Are they hard to come by? I know there are cabanas you can rent but those sounded pricey and there's only two of us.
i assume we wouldn't need to bring our own sun sail or umbrella (although we do have a very packable one!)
i assume we wouldn't need to bring our own sun sail or umbrella (although we do have a very packable one!)
Jan 4, 2022, 3:06 pm
#145
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
I've previously had good experiences at this hotel - the hardware is interesting and the staff on-site are really lovely.
This review is a warning to anyone who intends to book a flexible rate at the hotel: Do not book unless you are 100% sure that you will not need to cancel (e.g. Covid).
I booked a rate with a 2 day before stay cancellation terms and I cancelled about 3 days out. The hotel charged my card for the full stay the day of arrival anyways, then later insisted that they had different terms to the ones that I booked on marriott.com and so intended to keep all of my money (they consider themselves to have 14 day cancellation terms on flexible rates even if they say they can be cancelled without penalty). I got nowhere even after 5 emails so eventually had to recover the money via my credit card company. As they were being so adamant in my case I can only assume they are attempting this fraud more often, which at $600-$1,000+ a night could be quite a good earner.
Some recommendations:
- In general, don't book any flexible rate at this hotel unless you're 100% sure you'll make the stay
- Make sure to keep email records of your reservation and to get an email copy of a cancellation with a clear timestamp
- Use a credit card company like AMEX which will follow up on disputes
I was unsurprised to see Marriott customer service took the side of the hotel. Even when I produced copies of the terms booked, they just replied that the hotel were operating different terms, so I was sweet out of luck.
This review is a warning to anyone who intends to book a flexible rate at the hotel: Do not book unless you are 100% sure that you will not need to cancel (e.g. Covid).
I booked a rate with a 2 day before stay cancellation terms and I cancelled about 3 days out. The hotel charged my card for the full stay the day of arrival anyways, then later insisted that they had different terms to the ones that I booked on marriott.com and so intended to keep all of my money (they consider themselves to have 14 day cancellation terms on flexible rates even if they say they can be cancelled without penalty). I got nowhere even after 5 emails so eventually had to recover the money via my credit card company. As they were being so adamant in my case I can only assume they are attempting this fraud more often, which at $600-$1,000+ a night could be quite a good earner.
Some recommendations:
- In general, don't book any flexible rate at this hotel unless you're 100% sure you'll make the stay
- Make sure to keep email records of your reservation and to get an email copy of a cancellation with a clear timestamp
- Use a credit card company like AMEX which will follow up on disputes
I was unsurprised to see Marriott customer service took the side of the hotel. Even when I produced copies of the terms booked, they just replied that the hotel were operating different terms, so I was sweet out of luck.
Jan 5, 2022, 8:16 am
#146
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
I've previously had good experiences at this hotel - the hardware is interesting and the staff on-site are really lovely.
This review is a warning to anyone who intends to book a flexible rate at the hotel: Do not book unless you are 100% sure that you will not need to cancel (e.g. Covid).
I booked a rate with a 2 day before stay cancellation terms and I cancelled about 3 days out. The hotel charged my card for the full stay the day of arrival anyways, then later insisted that they had different terms to the ones that I booked on marriott.com and so intended to keep all of my money (they consider themselves to have 14 day cancellation terms on flexible rates even if they say they can be cancelled without penalty). I got nowhere even after 5 emails so eventually had to recover the money via my credit card company. As they were being so adamant in my case I can only assume they are attempting this fraud more often, which at $600-$1,000+ a night could be quite a good earner.
Some recommendations:
- In general, don't book any flexible rate at this hotel unless you're 100% sure you'll make the stay
- Make sure to keep email records of your reservation and to get an email copy of a cancellation with a clear timestamp
- Use a credit card company like AMEX which will follow up on disputes
I was unsurprised to see Marriott customer service took the side of the hotel. Even when I produced copies of the terms booked, they just replied that the hotel were operating different terms, so I was sweet out of luck.
This review is a warning to anyone who intends to book a flexible rate at the hotel: Do not book unless you are 100% sure that you will not need to cancel (e.g. Covid).
I booked a rate with a 2 day before stay cancellation terms and I cancelled about 3 days out. The hotel charged my card for the full stay the day of arrival anyways, then later insisted that they had different terms to the ones that I booked on marriott.com and so intended to keep all of my money (they consider themselves to have 14 day cancellation terms on flexible rates even if they say they can be cancelled without penalty). I got nowhere even after 5 emails so eventually had to recover the money via my credit card company. As they were being so adamant in my case I can only assume they are attempting this fraud more often, which at $600-$1,000+ a night could be quite a good earner.
Some recommendations:
- In general, don't book any flexible rate at this hotel unless you're 100% sure you'll make the stay
- Make sure to keep email records of your reservation and to get an email copy of a cancellation with a clear timestamp
- Use a credit card company like AMEX which will follow up on disputes
I was unsurprised to see Marriott customer service took the side of the hotel. Even when I produced copies of the terms booked, they just replied that the hotel were operating different terms, so I was sweet out of luck.
Honestly, I might highlight this to one of the Marriott Lurkers here on FT (though it sounds like you already recovered via credit card dispute)
Regards
Jan 5, 2022, 2:06 pm
#148
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Wow... this is a little stunning. Not sure how Marriott can side with the hotel if the terms and conditions for cancelling are clearly on their website when booking. If the property wants to "operate on different terms" that is certainly their prerogative, but then Marriott.com needs to reflect those terms on the site when booking.
Honestly, I might highlight this to one of the Marriott Lurkers here on FT (though it sounds like you already recovered via credit card dispute)
Regards
Honestly, I might highlight this to one of the Marriott Lurkers here on FT (though it sounds like you already recovered via credit card dispute)
Regards
Normal Marriott customer service promised to get the refund and then just stopped communicating. This issue was dealt with via the Bonvoy Champion email address who I think are the same team as the lurkers.
Amusingly I think that I was perhaps accidentally CC'd on an email between Marriott agents saying "We need to get a resolution to this - see attachment" (pointing to my confirmation) after I closed off the email discussion saying I'd already received my charge-back. I wish Marriott all the best if they're going to try to fight AMEX on this.
Feb 13, 2022, 6:40 pm
#149
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: YVR/YYZ
Programs: AC50K, *A Gold, Marriott Titanium (LGE), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 376
Considering heading down for a weekend stay in a few weeks. Can anyone comment on the beach chair situation? Are they all paid, or is it only the "special ones"?
