Thanks for doing this comparison. I stayed at the JW about 10 years ago and the Ritz, two years ago. Plan to visit Cancun again in the next couple of months and was going back and forth between the two. This helped me a lot with my decision. The Ritz it is 😊.
Glad you enjoyed it Esmie! It's one of my favorite properties - you made an excellent choice. Hope the weather you encounter is more enjoyable than what you saw in my video.
You won't go wrong with either, but spend two nights at both if you can. That way you'll know which Cancun property speaks to you more. Both are excellent and since they are within close proximity of each other, transitioning between the two is easy.
My wife and I have stayed at the JW Marriott Cancun' every year since 2003 (minus the Hurricane Wilma year in 2005) and it just keeps getting better and better. We have literally met dozens of couples that are Ritz Carlton "regulars" but when traveling to Cancun' they choose the JW Marriott instead. The staff, facilities, amazing pool and bevy of restaurant options are second to none in Cancun'!
That's a really well-crafted insight. I've met ritz people - people actually staying in Cancun's Ritz Carlton - at the JW's pool. They stroll over because they prefer the layout, vibe, and energy over that of the Ritz's.
Are there other restaurants outside the resort for tighter budgets? I'd love to stay here. I'm okay eating at taco stands to afford extra spa visits. Haha No but really are there other affordable restaurants near by?
@@Mentallybeautiful27 Christy, there are plenty of other restaurants outside the resort. Street tacos, hot dog stands, McDonalds, Subway and other local restaurants are easily within walking distance. The two nearby shopping malls offer plenty of other options as well and they are a short bus or taxi ride away. I hope this helps!
GOD BLESS YOU JAMES. I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU AND VERY HAPPY FOR YOU. I HOPE ALL OF YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE MY FRIEND. ( IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL) IT WOULD BE A MIRACLE! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE JW MARRIOTT IN AVENTURA AND OTHER PLACES TOO. 🙏 IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL JAMES! WOW! IN CANCUN I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE RITZ CARLTON, THE JW MARRIOT AND PARADISUS! WOW! THEY WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE AND SUCH A PROFOUND BLESSING! 🙏🎁🎅🎄🎅🎄🎁🎅🙏
Recently stayed during MLK Weekend in 2023 and the place was outstanding. Celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and stay in their Caribbean Suite and the inside room was awesome. The staff was nice and provided us complimentary champagne and strawberries. My only issue was the room was on the 3rd floor and the view was partially obstructed by the Sedona Grill roof. It has a huge and expansive balcony/patio and I'm sure this room is popular for honeymooners and bridal parties. The buffet breakfast at Sedona was great. We ate at the Hana Grill which is connected next to the Marriott and the food was good but not great. Highly recommend Fred's Seafood across the street with sunset views of the bay. Also, recommend taking a taxi and going to Illos Greek Restaurant across from the Luxury Avenue Shops. The food and vibe there are awesome and the decor is amazing. I can't see staying at another property in Cancun as the JW has an outstanding pool and beach (active waves). If you want a high-end relaxing experience the JW is the place to be for sure.
Thanks! Unofficially: Hurricane / wet season: May - October Dry Season: November - April Summers in Cancun, or anywhere within the Caribbean hurricane belt, are a major roll of the dice from a weather perspective.
LOVE your videos. We're restaurant people too. I was gonna book the Ritz-Carlton for March, but now your videos have changed my mind 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ Did they renovate all the rooms at the JW? Which rooms did you book (get) at both the Ritz-Carlton and JW? How much should I expect to pay for a full meal (in USD) in places like Harry's and Fantino? Thank you in advance. Looking forward to more of your videos. Extremely helpful
Hi Nicole! Welcome to the channel and community. All JW Marriott Rooms were remodeled in late 2018, so they are still very fresh, crisp, and new. At both the Jw & Ritz Cancun, normal rooms were booked but I was upgraded to enhanced room at each property. The room at the ritz was a king bed ocean view suits. The room at the jw Marriott was a King bed junior suite. Harry's and Fantino are the two best restaurants in Cancun, so be prepared to pay high-end money. Weirdly, Harry's, was more expensive. Expect to pay, at minimum, $100 per person, but that amount could escalate quickly based on drink and dinner selection.
@@Coolist Sorry to bother you. Was wondering if you could give me some feedback, it would be insanely helpful. We're going for 5 nights. This is the list I have thus far for lunch and dinner (no particular order). Do you recommend anywhere else? Maybe something from my list I should skip? And where do you recommend lunch, and where dinner? 1. Casitas 2. Harry's 3. Fantino 4. The Club house 5. Puerto Madero 6. Fred's 7. Tora 8. Porfirios 9. Rosa Negra 10. Cenacolo Again, thank you so so much ❤
Cmon James a Miami guy like you knows your gonna get some rain at your resort. In comparing the J.W. too the Westin I would say the J.W is more classy and elegant and suffisticated!!!! The Westin looks functional and sufficient . But!!!!! The deal breaker will be how much fun did you have in the pool area!!! Westin looked goofy fun with all the happy face people balancing beers on thier head on a tray for a tip. Hmm..... So my million dollar question is if you had to go back for 3 nights which one????
Bro, that was no light rain - that was a tropical depression that turned into a hurricane. It killed most of my trip and I want a refund from Mother Nature. JW Marriott absolutely, ardently, unequivocally... JW has the better restaurants, pool, rooms, location, and experience. The only reason I'd pick Westin Lagunamar would be twofold: (1) specific location (next to La Isla Mall) and (2) if I had a family or large group and needed to extra room space
Absolutely. The Renaissance Cancun has been on my radar for awhile now. I'm surprised I didn't stay there during this trip - usually I would have because the Renaissance is one my my favorite hotel brands - but the Westin Lagunamar was so highly touted that I had to see what the hype was about.
Club 91 lacks value to me, mainly because I'm not a big breakfast person and eat the overwhelming majority of my meals off-site. Club 91 could prove worthwhile to somebody that spends the majority of time on campus at the JW Marriott Cancun and enjoys the opportunity to drink and eat periodically throughout the day for a modest fee, rather than continually rack-up high bills at on-site restaurants.
Thank you for your video. I am thinking to go in June but have couple of queries hope you can help me with answers : is it good for family (we have two children 16&12) also what about average meal price and is there other places for food nearby the hotel in case restaurants are expensive ? Thank you
Yes, very suitable for kids that age. Calculating the average meal cost is difficult because we most likely don't have identical tastes in dining. What is cheap for you could be expensive for me, for example. The hotel offers several dining options that cater to all food preferences and budgets.
The covid impact was existent but marginal compared to the restrictions and hurdles found in most American States at the moment. Both the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott enacted enhanced safety and health protocols in an effort to protect guests from illness, but the Ritz Carlton 's were more extreme: severely limited fitness hours, complete closure of the spa, the removal of all in-room amenities such as the mini-bar and printed materials, and the noticeable pruning of the room service menu. Both hotels opted for the closure of a few eateries/restaurants, trimmed room service hours, and enforced mask requirements in all indoor common areas, which would be lobbies and hallways but not bars, gym, or restaurants. I would relate the Covid restrictions and protocols in Cancun to something one May experience in Miami at the moment, though Cancun's are slightly lighter and less impeding.
I get interrupted the most when taking shots of my food, which is pretty annoying. I'm pretty cognizant of people's privacy when I'm filming, so rarely does someone come up to me and complain or inquire, but it does happen from time to time. Just part of the landscape of being a vlogger 😎
Thanks for the post. I've been eyeing this hotel to book. Do they allow you to be inside gym and spa during this time? Also, how's the weather? On weather channel they're stating Rain every day for the next 14 days! Thanks!
Kev~ The start of November marks the ceremonial end of the wet season and the beginning of dry season. May - October = Rainy Season November - April = Dry/Tourist Season Of course, no guarantees on weather are possible when traveling anywhere, but the closer your trip is to December, the less likely the chance of rain. The gym and spa were open!
Fred's is right across the street and walkable from the JW Marriott Cancun - you'll have an awesome time at both places. Ive been known to stroll over to that restaurant for both lunch and dinner... in the same day. 😎 Appreciate the support Carlos! 🙏