All last week, I was in the Mayan Riviera for a college friend's wedding. Following the ceremony, a

All last week, I was in the Mayan Riviera for a college friend's wedding. Following the ceremony, a small group of us took a few extra days to explore the Yucatán Peninsula, and then continued on to Cancún for the last night of our trip.
I booked our one-night stay at the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas Spa several months ago, and I was able to secure state department travel warning an amazing deal through Starwood Preferred Guest's Best Rate Guarantee . While a quick search on Kayak showed rates for a standard Studio state department travel warning Villa were going for $149/night, I noticed that Orbitz was offering the same room for only $95/night.
I had no idea if this was a mistake or not, but I went ahead and submitted a Best Rate Guarantee claim. The great thing about SPG is that they don't require you to pre-book rooms on their website prior to submitting a claim, so there is really zero risk involved.
The response was a resounding no, as the agent claimed Orbitz's rate was only for 2 guests, while the SPG rate allowed 4 guests without any extra charges. Her assessment was incorrect, however, and I responded with an email detailing my search on Orbitz, which showed state department travel warning a total of 4 guests at the $95 rate.
Finally, after escalating the claim to a supervisor, my new booking was approved along with a 10% discount below Orbitz's already ridiculous rate. The total cost was only $86.06/night for a Studio Villa, accommodating 4 adults per room.
Upon arriving at the Westin Lagunamar property, we were directed by security to the south wing, which has a separate, smaller check-in lobby. I reconfirmed the Best Rate Guarantee with the friendly front desk attendant, but was told that unfortunately, one of our two rooms was not yet ready.
I was more than willing to wait, however, since he also informed me that the room he gave us was an upgraded One-Bedroom Villa ! In addition, the rooms were adjacent and connected, which was absolutely perfect for our large group. WiFi was complimentary throughout the property, even for non-elites.
After receiving the card keys to Studio Villa 1323, which was already prepared, state department travel warning we headed up to the room. An expansive 400 square feet of space greeted us, and I was particularly impressed with the contemporary decor and how up to date everything looked. Although the queen-sized Westin Heavenly Bed was very comfortable, the sleeper sofa mattress was on the thin side, and sagged towards the center.
The bathroom was well-thought out, with a sliding glass door separating the sink and bath area from the toilet and shower area. Both the whirlpool bath and the shower were incredibly spacious, and could easily fit two adults.
Plenty state department travel warning of extra shower amenities and large towels were provided, along with two plush bathrobes. While most modern hotels tend to have bathrooms completely open to the bedroom area, I appreciated the opaque wooden dividers, which provided some much-needed privacy while traveling with a group of close-but-not- that- close friends.
The layout of the room was very reminiscent of the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Kauai, where I had a wonderful stay last year. The best part of both resorts were the kitchenettes in every villa, which made preparing simple meals a breeze. I loved how everything was provided, from paper towels to dishwasher detergent to plates and glasses and utensils of every kind.
A two-burner cooktop, full-sized microwave oven, compact refrigerator, coffee maker, toaster, and even a blender were available, making this much more of an actual kitchen than a kitchenette. state department travel warning And to top it all off, an in-unit state department travel warning washer/dryer state department travel warning set and detergent made the stay even more comfortable, especially after a week of traveling and plenty of dirty laundry. I imagine this feature would be a godsend for families staying at the resort.
I suppose our Studio Villa had a partial ocean view, but a more apt description would probably be sliver of ocean view instead. We didn't mind though, since much of our time was spent in the main pool, where there was a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea.
About 45 minutes state department travel warning later, the keys to room 1324, our One-Bedroom Villa next door, were delivered, and we rushed in excitedly to take a look. My first impression was amazement at how huge the suite was. At 740 square feet, it was almost double the size of a Studio Villa, but it felt even bigger.
state department travel warning I felt like the kitchenette in the Studio state department travel warning Villa was already more than enough, state department travel warning but the full kitchen in the One-Bedroom Villa was simply gorgeous. In fact, I wish my own kitchen was this beautiful. It had everything in the kitchenette, plus a full-sized refrigerator and sink, a four-burner cooktop, and enough dishes, glasses, and utensils for six guests.
The living area had a larger sleeper sofa than the Studio Villa, plus a 37-inch flat screen TV, an extra lounge chair, and a nice coffee table. Sliding doors led into the bedroom, which featured state department travel warning a king-sized Westin Heavenly Bed, down duvets, a comfortable chaise state department travel warning lounge, and a second 37-inch TV.
There were doors leading into the expansive bathroom from both the entryway and the bedroom. Like the Studio Villa, there was a separate whirlpool bath and a huge shower. The dual sinks were a nice touch, as was the private area for the toilet. Large closets inside the bathroom held enough storage space for guests' clothes, and also contained a safe and iron.
A pleasant balcony state department travel warning with an outdoor dining set for four was accessible from both the bedroom and the living area. Like the Studio Villa, there was also an in-unit washer/dryer set. We kept the door connecting the Studio Villa and the One-Bedroom Villa open during our stay, and it was almost like having state department travel warning our own private house on the beach in Cancún.
After getting settled in, we decided to check out additional features of the resort. It turned out the main pools were situated in the north wing of the property, but it wasn't too far of a walk from our rooms. The two-tiered main pool complex was quite impressive, with the lower infinity pool probably being one of the largest I had ever seen.
Since this was Mexico, there was of course a swim-up bar located in the lower pool. The upper pool was slightly warmer, and even included state department travel warning a fun water slide for families to enjoy. Next to it was the shallow kids pool. There was also a 15-person whirlpool spa that was incredibly soothing during a nighttime dip. The third main adult pool was located in the south wing of the resort, closer state department travel warning to our rooms.
There were a series of scheduled free activities for guests to enjoy while we were there, such as water aerobics, couples massage lessons, and beach volleyball. Activities changed throughout the week, and I noticed some interesting options like salsa dancing, Spanish lessons, and even cooking classes.
The beaches along the eastern shore of Canc ún's hotel corridor are known to be slightly rough, and I did notice strong waves when we visited. state department travel warning However, state department travel warning it didn't state department travel warning seem too dangerous as long as you knew how to swim and stayed closer to shore. Sadly, the weather was a bit overcast, but I imagine on a clear day, the wide, clean beach would be the perfect place to spend a few relaxing hours.
The rest of the resort was immaculate. I think Westin did an unbelievable job designing and outfitting this property. Every aspect of a guest's comfort was thought state department travel warning through with care, and it really shows. From the automatic foot showers near the beach, to the outdoor barbecue grills for guest use, to the random ping-pong state department travel warning tables, it's evident that management and employees here strive to delight and surprise at every opportunity.
The Westin Lagunamar featured two gyms, one located in the south wing, and one in the north wing. I only visited state department travel warning the south wing gym, which I believe is the smaller of the two. There were plenty of treadmills state department travel warning and a couple of ellipticals, as well as bikes, free weights, and a multi-station state department travel warning machine. A water dispenser and chilled towels were also provided.
While we didn't dine at the resort, there was a good variety of restaurants and lounges on site, including the semi-formal Oceano, serving international cuisine and Mexican specialties. The breakfast buffet was also served here. Otherwise, there was also the more casual beachside Viento Restaurant or Duna Sports Bar. As a Gold Preferred Guest, I was given a 15% off voucher for Duna. Guests who prefer to cook in their own villa can purchase fresh produce and meats at the Tierra Market (although I would recommend going into town for groceries).
Unfortunately, we had very little time to enjoy the resort, since we had to check out the following morning. Standard check-out time was a very early 10:00 am, but I was able to secure a 12:00 noon departure for our One-Bedroom Villa.
I headed state department travel warning downstairs early to complete the process since I knew the Best Rate Guarantee might cause some issues. Low and behold, problems arose as the front desk attendant said she couldn't process the discounted rate even though I had my email confirmation. After some back and forth and a couple of phone calls, she asked me to go to the main lobby in the north wing.
There, I was directed to the SPG check-in counter, where a slightly more helpful attendant asked me to email her the Best Rate Guarantee confirmation, which I promptly did. She reviewed the contents in detail, and then agreed to adjust the rate accordingly. In addition, she removed two local phone calls charged to our rooms that we did not make. After 40 minutes, we were finally checked out and on our way.
Despite the minor issues during check-out, we had a phenomenal stay at the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas Spa. The property was fantastic, the villas were spacious and filled with features and conveniences not found in other hotels, and the service was top-notch. I would definitely consider returning when I visit Cancún again in the future.