The Westin Resort & Spa, Cancun

The beach and pool area are gorgeous, and even during the start of seaweed season in May, staff raked the seaweed away to keep the beach looking nice. The view from the many beach chairs was stunning, especially with a piña colada in hand. It was the best one I've ever had. The poolside bar has a great menu, too. The fun team kept things lively during the day. Guillermo led water aerobics with music and a microphone, and he was hilarious. Staff were friendly and helpful, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the breakfast buffet was wonderful. The spa ladies gave great massages, though they were pricey. Sea & Stones was great, while the sports bar food was just okay. Free parking for rental cars was handy, and we liked the quieter location away from the hotel zone's party scene. I'm not sure why the ratings are lower. Maybe the check-in and check-out times aren't convenient, but we had a really nice stay at Westin Resort and Spa Cancun.

The pool and beach were beautiful and well cared for, but the stay left me feeling that the focus was more on sales than on welcoming guests. When we checked in, we got an envelope listing perks like a welcome drink, tequila tasting, and taco tour, and were told to discuss them with the concierge. The concierge was initially friendly and shared helpful money-saving tips, like taking the bus instead of Uber and buying beer at the nearby supermarket. But the welcome drink was only available if we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which hadn't been made clear. He also offered free breakfast if we attended a 90-minute presentation about a points-based vacation program early the next morning. When we weren't interested, his manner changed quickly, which felt uncomfortable and unprofessional. On our way out at check-out, he tried again to sell us a discounted package for a return visit within 18 months. The room was nice, but the amenities were very basic, just soap and shampoo, without even a shower cap. Check-in at 4:00 pm and check-out at 10:00 am made the stay unusually short. We asked about paying for a late check-out and were told no rooms were available, although we saw several apparently available when we checked ourselves. The property has real potential, but the sales pressure was disappointing.

We had restful nights here, and the quieter side of the hotel zone suited our family with young kids. There's not much nightlife nearby, which was fine for this trip. The resort is beautiful, though some facilities feel a bit dated. There are four heated pools, and we enjoyed the activities, but there was no live music in the evenings. Breakfast had lots of choices, including freshly cooked Mexican dishes. The other restaurants on site had more limited options. In February there was still some Sargassum washing ashore, and staff did their best to clean it up. The beach felt private and safe, with a lifeguard on duty. The waves can be strong on this side, but we didn't mind. A short walk outside takes you to a bus stop for downtown and shopping, and a convenience store is about 10 minutes away. The staff knew the area well and gave us good advice. The main hassle was check-in: they stuck to the 4 pm time even though we asked to get in earlier. They did let us store our bags while we used the facilities, but waiting wasn't convenient with a toddler. Still, we had a great stay and would book again.

The only people who made us feel genuinely cared for were Rosa, who cooks omelets and serves chilaquiles, and Lucio at Sea and Stones. We really appreciated how they treated us like people, not wallets. The rest of the stay was the opposite. As soon as we arrived, they pushed a timeshare presentation. Rahi, introduced by the front desk as our concierge who would help with our needs, spent over an hour trying to sell it. He offered four free breakfasts, $100 in resort vouchers, a tequila tasting tour, and a VIP tour at another Westin resort if we attended. We were told this is why the place isn't all-inclusive, because they want guests at these presentations. We didn't claim the tequila tasting or VIP tour after hearing those were money-grabbing schemes too. The resort felt very outdated. There was no streaming, black mold in the showers, and a leak. Watch out for the environmental fee, which you have to pay at check-in. Arena sports bar was awful. The pizza we tried was frozen, though they said it was fresh. We didn't feel welcome or relaxed, and it didn't feel like a vacation. We'll never come back or recommend it.