The Westin Cozumel

My husband and I stayed at the Westin from the 27th of June - the 4th of July. We arrived before noon and were given our "all inclusive" bands promptly at noon but we did have to wait until 3 to check-into our room. I had messaged the hotel prior to our arrival to let them know we would be celebrating our 25th anniversary, but there was really nothing special about the room and it was never acknowledged. We stayed in room 1007, it showed signs of wear, but it was very cold and the bedding was wonderful. The beach was stunning, we loved snorkeling and saw a huge variety of fish. I am not a very strong swimmer but did not have a problem in the area around the hotel..if you went farther to the right past the restaurant, there was a strong current, so be aware of that, but I did not have any issues swimming back. There were only 2 restaurant options, but only one open for dinner each night , so we went back and forth to those, reservations were required and we would make those at the front desk every day. The food was good, a bit limited in variety, but we did also go to the special nights that were offered (buffet style) and we enjoyed those as well. It would have been nice to have had more umbrellas on the beach, it was a bit of a towel game, but we managed to find chairs every day. Vicki was our beach server most days and she truly made our trip! She was so kind and she worked so very hard, often being the only server on the entire beach/pool area. She spoke with me several times and when she found out about our anniversary, she surprised us with a special dessert. That was very special to us and we appreciated her kindness. Overall, we were very happy with our stay. We missed the feel of a typical AI, and we usually go to adults only, but we would return for the snorkeling and calm, clear water.

We recently stayed 7 nights in a Deluxe Suite at the Westin Cozumel. Overall, we had a pleasant vacation, but unfortunately the resort didn’t live up to what we expected from the Westin brand. The two biggest highlights of our stay were the suite itself and the snorkeling. The room layout was spacious and comfortable, and the bed was one of the most comfortable hotel beds we’ve slept in. The snorkeling right off the beach was absolutely incredible and easily the best we’ve experienced from a hotel. During our stay we saw rays, moray eels, puffer fish, and even an octopus—all just steps from the beach. Unfortunately, the negatives outweighed those positives. Our first impression wasn’t great. Check-in took about 40 minutes, and the associate helping us was very flat and disengaged. We weren’t given any information about the property, restaurants, amenities, or how anything worked. It felt like he was simply going through the motions rather than welcoming guests. Our Deluxe Suite itself was very nice, but there were some frustrating issues. Our minibar was never stocked once during our entire seven-night stay, despite it being an advertised amenity. Our son’s “bed” consisted of two couches pushed together with a sheet over them, and there wasn’t even a blanket. We requested a blanket six separate times—and that is not an exaggeration. We were repeatedly assured one would be delivered to our room, but it never arrived. Eventually we went to the front desk and politely told them we would simply wait in the lobby until someone handed us a blanket. Only then did we finally receive one. I do want to recognize our housekeeper, who was outstanding. She kept our suite absolutely immaculate every day and clearly took pride in her work. We left her a generous tip because she truly went above and beyond. We chose to purchase the all-inclusive package day by day for $100 USD per person, which seemed like a nice option at first. However, the resort only has two restaurants, and only one is open at a time, making dining feel very repetitive over the course of a week. One evening when we chose not to purchase the all-inclusive package, the dinner buffet cost $33 per person, and we were surprised by how limited it was. It consisted primarily of tacos with only two small dessert options. There were no appetizers, chips and salsa, or additional side dishes, and beverages were extra. The one standout was the corn cake ice cream dessert, which was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, the rest of the food throughout the resort was consistently bland. Even simple items like the chicken nuggets at the pool grill were disappointing. Breakfast was another frustration. Whether we arrived at 8:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m., the buffet was frequently understocked with empty serving trays that weren’t replenished promptly. One morning the automatic pancake machine ran out, so we ordered pancakes from the menu instead, only to discover we had been charged extra for them because they weren’t coming from the buffet. The omelet station was one of the highlights of breakfast. The woman preparing omelets was incredibly warm and friendly and made excellent food. Unfortunately, she also appeared responsible for other kitchen prep, so waits could become quite long because she was juggling multiple responsibilities. One evening, despite having purchased the all-inclusive package for our family that day, we went to the beachfront restaurant around 7:00 p.m. and were told there would be at least a 45-minute wait because reservations were required. No one had informed us that reservations were needed. We also learned dinner typically takes around two hours there, which would have meant getting our young son to bed around 10:00 p.m. Instead, we had to leave the resort and pay for dinner across the street at Lobster House—even though we had already spent about $200 on all-inclusive for that day. That was extremely frustrating and easily could have been avoided with better communication. Another inconvenience was the towel system. Guests are given towel cards and are only allowed one towel exchange per day. If you exchanged towels after spending the morning at the beach and then wanted fresh towels when moving to the pool later in the day, you were told no. It seemed like an unnecessary policy that created inconvenience without any real benefit. The beverage service was also lacking. There was really nowhere to simply walk up and order a drink during the day other than the lobby bar. We tried ordering directly from the pool bar and were ignored because drinks were only served through waitstaff. That meant waiting for a server every time you wanted something to drink. The servers themselves worked incredibly hard—they simply didn’t have enough help. Vicky was the highlight of our service experience. She was consistently warm, friendly, and worked as quickly as she possibly could. But with only two servers covering both the beach and the main pool, they were set up to fail. The resort felt understaffed everywhere we went. The pools were a mixed experience. The rooftop pool area was under construction during our stay. We understood maintenance happens, but because we were staying on the penthouse floor, the construction noise was extremely loud during our son’s afternoon naps. The rooftop pool itself was beautiful, but the bar wasn’t consistently staffed, so beverage service was hit or miss. It’s also adults-only, so we were only able to enjoy it while our son was at the kids club. The main pool was another disappointment. The water was extremely warm—more like bathwater than a refreshing pool. Debris and hair collected along the edge nearest the hotel throughout the day, and the pool was never skimmed while guests were using it, so it often felt dirty by the afternoon. During our stay, a child entered the pool without a swim diaper and had an accident, resulting in the pool being closed early that day and remaining closed for approximately 12 hours while it was sanitized. While the staff handled that situation appropriately, routine daytime cleaning and skimming seemed to be lacking. We ended up spending most of our time at the beach because it felt cleaner and more enjoyable. Despite all of these issues, the snorkeling truly is phenomenal. If snorkeling is your priority, this property is hard to beat. Overall, the resort felt like it was trying, but it consistently fell short. The biggest issue wasn’t the employees—it was that there simply weren’t enough of them. The staff members we interacted with worked incredibly hard and were generally friendly, but the resort appeared chronically understaffed. We were also surprised by the pricing. Food and drinks were expensive—comparable to, and sometimes even higher than, what we pay at home in Dallas—which made the shortcomings even harder to overlook. This property simply did not reflect the level of service and attention to detail we associate with the Westin brand. If we returned to Cozumel, we would consider staying one or two nights solely for the incredible snorkeling, but we wouldn’t stay a full week again unless significant improvements were made to the dining, staffing, and overall guest experience.

Overall, we’re really glad we chose to stay at the Westin Cozumel. It certainly isn’t perfect, but the incredible location made the trip absolutely worth it. The beach is the star of this resort. It is absolutely breathtaking, with crystal-clear water and some of the best snorkeling we’ve ever experienced right off the beach. The beach chairs and loungers could use a little updating, but they were still comfortable and we spent most of our time there. The rooms are modern, spacious, and nicely designed. They could use a little maintenance here and there, but overall they were comfortable and a great place to relax. The food was a mixed experience. Breakfast was good, although not the best buffet we’ve had. There was enough to choose from, but it could definitely use more variety. Lunch on the beach was surprisingly good and one of our favorite meals each day. Dinner, however, was disappointing enough that we ended up taking a taxi into town most evenings. The good news is that taxis are always waiting outside the hotel and it’s only about a $10 ride into San Miguel, making it incredibly easy to enjoy the local restaurants. The service was probably the most inconsistent part of our stay. We arrived during a large wedding weekend, so we’re hoping that had something to do with it. There was no welcome drink, our room still wasn’t ready when we arrived around 4:30 p.m., and the front desk employee who checked us in wasn’t especially welcoming. Throughout the week, some employees were friendly and greeted us warmly, while others seemed tired or overwhelmed. One area that definitely needs improvement is guest requests. The hotel seemed very stingy with towels and mini fridge drinks. We called several times asking for towels and drinks but no one ever came to deliver them. It became frustrating having to repeatedly ask for basic things. That said, Santiago completely made our stay. He is, without a doubt, the best beach waiter we’ve ever had anywhere. I’ve honestly never experienced service like his at a beach resort. He anticipated what we needed before we even asked, constantly brought us drinks without us ever having to wave him down, and worked incredibly hard every single day. He was always smiling, attentive, and genuinely cared about making us happy. Employees like Santiago are what make people want to come back. We also had Vicki on our last day, and she was wonderful. She was just as friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Both Santiago and Vicki deserve recognition because they truly stood out. One thing that surprised us was how difficult it was to get coffee in the morning. Instead of having a quick coffee bar you have to go into the restaurant and order from the bar. We often stood there for several minutes before anyone acknowledged us, and it just wasn’t a very welcoming experience. We sido weren’t fans of having to wait to sign the receipt every time we got food or drinks 😩 The complimentary snorkeling gear is a great perk, although it’s only free for one hour before there’s a $10 charge. There is also no evening entertainment. This was OK for us and we lived how peaceful it was, but for some it might be a bummer. Overall, despite some inconsistent service and a few areas that need improvement, we had a wonderful vacation. The stunning beach, incredible snorkeling, nice rooms, peaceful atmosphere, convenient location, and exceptional service from Santiago and Vicki made this a memorable trip. With a few improvements to service consistency and dining, this resort could easily become one of the very best places to stay in Cozumel.

The resort is in a great location about five minutes from downtown, making it easy to go back-and-forth between the two. The atmosphere is very friendly and clean. Rooms were serviced daily and the value seemed just right. The service provided by Virginia at the pool was outstanding and never let our drinks go empty. Will be back!

Virginia (Vicki) is the best!!!!! Everyone here was absolutely amazing!! Beautiful location and beach service!!