controller1

Then you won't be going.

Alex_I

10K is as far as they go.

jsl_313

I haven't been yet, but it sounds like the mixed reviews are a result of differing expectations. I'll be going in April with the expectation of a decent (but not luxury) hotel that offers a quiet stay with a nice beach, decent pool, and convenient RBC perks. I don't expect to be blown away by this place, but I think I'll be perfectly happy with a clean room with a balcony, decent breakfast in the morning (with the ability to grab something to go for lunch on the beach), a 2 hour cocktail hour in the afternoon, and days spent on the beach/around the pool. To me, that sounds like a great value at 8500 Starpoints/night. Value is in the eye of the beholder though... I just know that I won't get nit picky over a couple imperfections in the room - if I even notice them.

steveholt

Having finished up my stay, I think this is probably fair. The breakfast buffet was very good, but the lunch happy hour was mediocre. There used to be a buffet-style lunch preparation, but now it's a tray with the same items seemingly every day - two mozzarella sticks, two taquitos, a small salad, and one other item I'm not remembering.

Service was remarkably bad in multiple cases. In addition to the issues with my room I mentioned earlier in the thread, service at the sports bar was truly abysmal. I went to eat there twice. The first time, nobody came over to ask if I wanted anything for 10 minutes. I flagged down a bartender and asked to get a menu and did, but nobody came over for 10 more minutes. At that point, I just gave up and sat at the bar. The second time, I ordered my meal relatively quickly, but the meal was prepared entirely incorrectly - I ordered a hamburger without cheese and got a cheeseburger deluxe. The kitchen quickly fixed it, but nobody came to follow up or offer me a bill for a good 25 minutes after I finished my meal. I have no doubt in my mind I could have walked out without paying the bill (although I did not.)

The RBC pool wasn't great. I went to go sit down one afternoon and most of the shaded cushions had either new or mostly new bird droppings on them. The regular pool was much nicer, but very crowded. The beach area is very comfortable, and there were plenty of chairs even during a sold-out day in the middle of the afternoon.

Checkout was bizarrely bad. There was one person checking people out at noon (checkout time) of a sold-out RBC and two concierges sitting there doing nothing. I don't know how you think that's a logical usage of staff at a hotel. One of the bellhops saw me waiting and was nice enough to offer me a golf cart ride to the main entrance, where I was able to check out. Actually, checkin wasn't great. Hotel had no King rooms available and said they would call me the next day to let me know if any King rooms became available and never did, which seems extremely unlikely, even in a sold out situation. Agent had no idea about which restaurants were open on property and had no map to offer.

The hotel gym was excellent. It's not open 24 hours, but the door suggests that the hotel will come open it up for you if you end up wanting to work out outside of operating hours. I went a couple of times at night just before closing and was able to work out past closing time, although the fitness area was also unattended at that time.

I think the question is this: what are you looking for out of your trip to Cancun? I don't drink, so an all-inclusive doesn't really make financial sense for me. If you're looking for a relatively cheap beach vacation, the Westin can certainly fit. Food on the property was admittedly a little expensive but was reasonably high-quality and tasted good. There's a Circle K within a five-minute walk, an OXXO with a taco stand inside five minutes past that, and the 19.5 km restaurant next door to the OXXO. The R1 and R2 buses both stop a two-minute walk outside of the hotel, and those buses will take you up and down the hotel zone or to downtown Cancun for 12 pesos 24 hours a day. The hotel felt safe and there wasn't much noise in the RBC from the construction going on elsewhere. I'd do that under the $269 offer again, although I don't know if I'd want to throw 40k Starpoints at it.

jsl_313

You nailed it - I think this is the question that should be asked for any trip. And you mentioned this (and can probably speak to it better than I can), but I look at this property as a chance for a cheap vacation to relax on a nice, safe beach. If I had a choice, I'd spend 6 nights at the Hyatt Zilara, but I'm not that Hyatt/UR rich, so I'm using 3 nights at the Westin to make a 6-night trip more affordable. I know that the Hyatt will be nicer (and a totally different experience), but I'm totally content with spending the 25.5k Starpoints so that I can get an extra 3 days on the beach reading a book with relatively small additional expenses (dinner, probably some booze). It probably also helps that I can reattain those points in 2-3 months, so I don't mind using Starpoints.

uppereastsider

Just do the westin first. I love the Westin because its 7k points for a nice beach and great to rack up stays. I did Westin, Hyatt Ziva, then Westin and it was super depressing to head to the Westin after experiencing the luxury, the top quality drinks and amazing pools at the Hyatt. I wouldn't mind doing westin first to get me all settled, then get super early (we left at 8am) to the Hyatt to maximize your time there.

Everyone's reviews here are accurate. If you need a nice, relaxing beach that's affordable, the Westin is fantastic. If you want luxury service, luxury accommodations, walking distance to all the action of downtown and high end food.... there are better Cancun options.

I've been going to the Westin for 5 years now and enjoy it, but the service has been declining as well, as evidenced by the reviews. My last stay was January 2018

ILuvParis

We look forward to trying it out for $269, followed by a week at the Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen. So, even if it's bad, it will end well.

beltway

I just received the $269 4-night RBC offer (with 7500 UA miles, not 5000) and for once am giving this type of offer a serious look.

One question: wifi is included for all RBC guests, right?

Just for comparison, I took a look at cash prices next January & am flummoxed--not by the cost, but by the idea that anyone would

• pay more for a nonrefundable rate than a flexible rate (see the bottom entries in the chart); and
• pay extra for breakfast (which the basic rate also appears to include)

What am I missing here?

jsl_313

Yup, that's exactly the plan. We are getting to the Westin around 1 on a Saturday, staying Sat, Sun, Mon nights. Then leaving early Tuesday morning for the Hyatt Zilara to spend all day Tues, Wed, Thurs there. Leaving late Thurs night for Aloft, and flying out the next morning. If we had more time, we probably would've just done the extra 8500 Starpoints for the 4th and 5th nights prior to heading over to the Zilara.

ajamieson

I have a points stay in March; called SPG to book a RBC room but they can't do it as the hotel is full on one of the days during my stay.

Does that mean I'm unlikely to get any kind of balcony or patio as a Plat? Based on the very mixed reviews, I'm considering canceling and paying for the La Semilla in Playa del Carmen for $260 a night. If I'm not going to get any Platinum benefits for the week, I might as well be somewhere where the basic rooms are nice! Any advice from regulars?

RafKa

Is the day in question right in the middle of your stay? Can you split it between both properties and still get the 5th night free? I agree that staying here and not getting RBC would be a huge bummer and probably best avoided. Is paying for the one night at RBC an option?

ajamieson

SPG won't say, but playing around with the booking engine it looks pretty full throughout. Website is still showing me in a "Lagoon Room" which I booked. Evening drinks could be the dealbreaker here; does the hotel ever give RBC access for guests in a non-RBC room?

RafKa

It's hard to say. When I stayed the first time, I booked 2 Lagoon Rooms and while I was upgraded to RBC, my friends (no status) where put in a lagoon-facing room in the RBC wing, but with no RBC bracelets (and hence, no RBC access). They were offered an RBC upgrade at U$75 per night.

More recent reports upthread (posts #390 and #403 ) suggest that Plats have not been given full RBC access.

Yours is a tricky dilemma. I'm suprised the place is so full in March, which is not usually very high season. Is there an event or early spring break going on?

uppereastsider

During a one night stay in January 2018, I was in a non RBC room, but received access to the RBC because I was a plat. It's actually in the welcome letter they give you that platinums get access to manager's reception and

A few days later, I had another 1 night stay in a RBC room while my friend (also a plat) had a non RBC room and received access to the RBC as well.

As always, YMMV but that was my experience last month.

ajamieson

Thank you RafKa and uppereastsider for this helpful information. No idea why it's suddenly so busy; will give it a go and see what happens. The date for construction work to finish has been extended but they promised "at least one" pool would still be open.

Boy, do I miss Le Meridien Cancun!