ExpatSomchai

Very easy. Just jump on the local bus. There is at least one excellent restaurant within walking distance.

jsl_313

Thanks for the info. Sorry if this has already been answered on here but do the renovations add balconies to all rooms or only select rooms?

Abby Goertel Grubor

Considering upgrading to RBC. Staying last week of March. Two rooms, 2 adults, 4 kids.

if i upgrade to RBC, can you still eat at lounge or restaurant?

what is served in terms of food at happy hour?

are the pools now upgraded, what is still under construction?

at the 8500 per night RBC rate, do you still get 5th night free?

ExpatSomchai

Hi,

I can answer part of your enquiry:

Not sure as I was PLT, so had both options, but spread in RBC was excellent
Again an excellent spread with typically 3 hot items. Could easily make a meal out of it if you wanted. Fruit, cakes,etc etc
No ideas on the pools
I certainly did on my points rate.

ES

Mozzarella

Just came back on Sunday Jan 7 from the Westin Cancun. I can confirm at 8,500/night you get the 5th night free at RBC. Definitely recommend it. Most of the earlier renovations are now done. They have opened a new Sports Bar (where the old open bar was between the beach and lagoon pool). The Sea and Stones restaurant has reopened but I understand that the El Parmar restaurant will be closing shortly for renovations (which isn't a big loss as it is huge and even over New Years had fairly low usage). The pools themselves haven't really had much of an upgrade but there is a new bar next to the main beach pool and across from the swim-up bar. There is also a Flow Rider machine at the Lagoon pool if you want to try your luck at surfing. One wing of the main hotel has new balconies - I believe that this is where they are installing the new villas. We stayed at the RBC so can't confirm. All in all a great stay - simply because the PLT treatment is excellent.

You should confirm occupancy - I've never stayed with 2 adults and 4 kids in one room there - not sure if it is possible.

ExpatSomchai

OP quotes 2 rooms

Mozzarella

Mea culpa - apologies.

jsl_313

Thanks for the info - this sounds promising!

Did you call to get a quote on the RBC and book it ahead of time or did you originally book a standard room - then upgrade when you got there?

Also, what is included (aside from a nicer room) with RBC? I see on the Westin website that it includes breakfast, along with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres... but I'm wondering if you could shed a little more light on that (How was breakfast? Was it like one cocktail per guest, or more like an hour of open bar? What were the hors d'oeuvres like? *I see this was answered*) Thanks in advance!

ExpatSomchai

See my above comments re hors d'oeuvres. For the bar it was an open one for 2 hours I think. Beer, wine and some cocktails ie Margaritas were all included but speciality were not (Mojito)

jsl_313

Yeah, I just realized that I missed your comments somehow. Thanks!

Mozzarella

jsl_313 I booked the RBC room on points (paid the extra 1,500 points per night to guarantee RBC). For a while they had stopped upgrading Platinums to the RBC (gave breakfast and happy hour in the El Parmar restaurant - see my post from about 2 years ago in this thread) but I understand that this changed during construction. Not sure if they will revert back or simply upgrade Plats to RBC. One point of clarification, they are not serving self-serve hors d'oeuvres any longer during happy hour at RBC. They are serving a plated snack (which is really assorted hors d'ouevres on a plate). In speaking with Laura (the RBC manager who I've come to know from my trips here), she says that this is to improve the service element of the RBC. It is nice but the lack of ability to go up and take as many as you like is a drawback. Happy hour at RBC is 4-6pm and is a full bar.

jsl_313

Mozzarella thanks for the clarification. I don’t have plat status so I planned on booking with points if possible - so that’s good to hear. I agree that I would prefer to have self-serve hors d’oeuvres but plated food with 2 hours of full bar isn’t the worst thing in the world either. I imagine booking over the phone is relatively painless... I’m just waiting for my SW Companion pass to be awarded sometime this week hopefully and we should be good to go. Really looking forward to it.

jsl_313

Looking into my flights and wondering if it makes sense to arrive early. Anybody have experience with early check-in? Or is it easy to just drop off bags at the lobby, change and head out to the beach for a couple hours before checking in?

RafKa

I have been twice stuck behind guests checking in early, around 10am, at the RBC. In fact, they were so painstaking in explaining the benefits to the early check in guests it was irritating as I had to wait 40 mins behind the single desk in order to check out (I couldn't circumvent checkout due to a booking issue).

jsl_313

So what you're saying is that early check in is a pretty common thing, right? I'll try my best to be courteous to those trying to check out.