Arriving in Cancun from a cold, snowy Virginia was quite a respite. And the Ritz Carlton experience was over the top. As always, the Ritz outdoes itself by offering first class services throughout the hotel. From the maids to the waiters, the front desk clerks to the security guards, everyone working there went out of his or her way to make the stay special.

It was a concern that the hotel pool would be inundated with screaming children (per previous reviews), but we were fortunate that during our stay there was mostly a quiet, older, business crowd.

The room itself was pleasant enough, although I have to admit I was surprised not to get some small chocolate in the evenings or something to look forward to when opening the door late at night! Although not enough, we did spend time on the balcony which overlooked the clear blue waters.

Also, the lunches and dinners at Casitas (the only place we ate while there- outdoor overlooking the beach) were very good. The wait staff there was extremely gracious and always pleasant. All of our meals were excellent and came quickly so we could get back to the beach.

One item of interest; they still use real metal keys! I, personally, found that to give extra character to the hotel, which one may note, is probably due for a renovation soon.

Overall, the experience at the Ritz was, as always, relaxing, special, and one full of memories. And Cancun itself has enough shops and malls and quality restaurants for the average tourist to feel like he's not too far from home.

Wonderful stay,called from Dreams Tulum ( which was a nightmare) ,service,food,pools everthing was great !!!! Above the average.
Note: I love swimming in the ocean,some days the the had the red flag up and we ocean to too rough to swim in.

Spent five nights in early December at the RC Cancun on the Reconnect Package; this included breakfast for two each day, plus $100/day in resort credits to be used in whatever way you choose (spa, food, bar, &tc).

The first week in December is a terrific time to enjoy this resort; the weather is perfect, and it’s before both the Christmas and New Year crowds arrive. Americans (the majority of guests here) tend to travel less between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the lack of crowds at this time made this a pleasant relaxation spot.

I originally wasn’t all that thrilled with the idea of Cancun, but was glad that I ended up going. Being from Denver, it was an easy and direct non-stop between Denver and Cancun on Frontier. Having never been and unfamiliar with the location, we opted to organize transportation directly with the hotel. This was probably an unnecessary (and ultimately an expensive) option, but it did make the to-and-from between the airport and the RC easy and stress free. The trip both ways was approximately $150 in a Ford SUV; if going again I would probably just take a cab.

After arriving, check-in was easy; all of the Reconnect Package details were confirmed by the front desk, and we were shown our room. The room was on the same level as the lobby (along the same corridor as the tennis courts). I originally thought I would have preferred a higher room – but this ended up been an excellent choice. Our balcony was both covered and deep on this level – an option I highly recommend. Much of the day the resort facing the ocean is in the direct sunlight – having a covered and shaded balcony (rather than a small, fully exposed jut-out from the room) was a real plus. It actually meant that we could enjoy the balcony, and from the looks of simple visual comparison, it was larger than those on the higher floors. Shortly after unpacking the staff came by with a bucket of complimentary Coronas, a nice touch after traveling.

The room was standard RC issue – plenty of room, comfy beds and linens, well-maintained and clean. As mentioned in other reviews, all rooms are ocean facing. I couldn’t understand why nearly all of the TA reviews had nearly identical pictures (the pool and the beach) – but after having now gone I understand. This is the primary orientation from all of the rooms, and the front of the hotel is unremarkable, being just a “front” for the entrance. The bathroom is typical of what you would expect; large and marble, with a separate tub and shower. The last two RCs I have stayed at had the same RC-branded toiletry collection – Cancun was no exception.

The pool was very pleasant and a main focal point of this resort. Most people seemed to spend their days either camped out at the pool or the beach, or alternate between the two. Since this time of year the resort was not at full capacity, getting a chair and umbrella were no problem, and the staff was highly accommodative. There’s a casual restaurant just to the side of the pool that serves food throughout the day.

Mostly what stood out about this property was the service. Everyone is incredibly friendly, and helpful. Unlike some five-star resorts in the US, the RC seemed to have multiple people on hand to serve – rather than relying on just a few staff to do a certain thing. I could not get over how much the staff seemed to want to help, and they were always friendly.

As an example I noticed that one of our balcony chairs was missing a cushion and on my way to the pool stopped by the front desk to ask if someone could come by with a new one. The staff member at the front desk seemed genuinely horrified that everything wasn’t perfect for me and said that he would take care of it right away. Lo and behold, after coming back into the room after spending time at the pool and the beach the cushion was replaced.

Another example of the stunning service here was that after the first two days at the pool, the staff knew exactly where we liked to sit – and had already reserved “our” chairs for us when we came out from breakfast ; they also remembered our drink preferences. This type of service was awesome, and highly appreciated.

The food and drink is fine at the RC Cancun, if not a bit expensive. Beer was very reasonable, but cocktails were astronomically priced. The complimentary breakfast as part of the package was a great plus. There were plenty of breakfast options and – like everywhere else – there were multiple people on hand to help run the show and ensure that people were happy.

People should be aware that the RC Cancun is very formal in the sense of the building décor and whatnot (and probably unlike what a lot of people go to Mexico for or expect). That said, it’s not a formal place per se – people were comfortable wearing beach wear each morning to breakfast. Dinner was a bit more upscale but not excessively so. We opted to skip the formal dining option – so no comment on that. We did room service a majority of the nights for dinner, and this was a great way to run through the $100/day resort credit.

Clau, a cocktail bar room off of the lobby lounge, is impressive in both a modern and tribal sense – but the mixed drinks were, again, expensive, and the place was empty. Would have been more fun if there had been more people. They play great techno music to go with the design vibe of the room – but as I said, it was empty and lacked appeal because of that.

I did organize a massage for myself the third day. While not a large facility, the spa experience at the RC was excellent. I was assigned a personal valet who took me for a tour of the men’s locker room, explained the facilities and when asked what type of treatment I was getting, recommended the order in which I should shower/steam/&tc. to maximize the experience. This was a very nice touch – most resort spas I have been to simply point the way to the locker room and let you fend for yourself. Also nice about this spa was that there are outdoor relaxation areas (segregated by sex) that had showers, a hot tub and a cold plunge. The valet came out to check on me several times, bringing a drink and some nibbles for me. Also, he brought me a heated, scented neck pillow to use while lounging in the outdoor area while I waited for my massage to begin. All very nice – and the valet experience wasn’t overbearing at all. I recommend the spa here highly.

The workout room was nice, if not unremarkable. It was used a lot, but – oddly enough – the locker rooms weren’t. There are nice showers and steam rooms in the locker room, and I was the only one in there using the facilities, even though the gym area was busy. They’ll gladly give you a key and towels and water if you simply want to have a nice shower/steam after the pool and beach – so I would recommend taking advantage of this amenity.

I did walk up and down the beach in both directions on separate days … and was impressed with the RC by comparison. I walked up to examine the Le Meridian’s pool – which, admittedly – put the Ritz’s to shame. The Le Meridian outdoor pool complex is unbelievable - something like five pools (some of the infinity variety) at varying temperatures make the Le Meridian a real knockout. That said, the reviews for this property are very mixed – and a nice pool in and of itself does not make for an excellent resort stay.

All in all, a very nice, relaxing option. The crowd at the RC seems a little bit older and more sophisticated than some of the other properties I surveyed along the beach. The children here were well-behaved, and this is an oasis from the typical Cancun scene. If you can swing a good deal (like we did with the Reconnect Package), I would easily recommend this place.

Happy travels.

My husband had a 4 day meeting here and we stayed an extra 4 days on our own dime. What a fabulous resort. I read reviews and was a little nervous. We stay at very high end resorts and many made me nervous. I guess they just must be depressed people, because this place is fabulous. The service, the flowers, the everything. And those who work out ... the gym is loaded with new cardio equipment. Little weight lifting, but enough to get you through the week (and all new). Plus, enough equipment you are not waiting around to score a treadmill or bike or elipitical. The showers in the gym are great so shower there and put that swim suit on to hit the pool or beach. We were in a great room, but I'd expect they all are great. Not cheap, but you are at The Ritz.

Food - other than what we ate at The Ritz was very disappointing. I am a great cook so I expect great things when I'm paying $60. plus per person for a meal. Only at The Ritz were we pleased with our meals. The Grill Room will run you about $125-$150 per person with drinks, but just enjoy.

Beaches are OK in Cancun. Not like Negril, Jamaica, but Cancun has so much to do and see. The hot tub was large and perfect temperature, the pool water was perfect, and the ocean was beautiful and perfect temperature the last week of Jan. 2008.

GO ... book today! Even though it rained the two days my husband golfed we had an amazing time.

(PS do not get the crab legs at Harry's- pre frozen and full of water and not sweet. The meat ... well wait til you get back to the states. But if you go, the black cod is really sea bass and good. We heard the restauarnt at Aqua is great and the Wed. night Chef Table by Viking at The Ritz was well worth the money. And go to the $30 breakfast and just skip lunch. Fabulous!!!).