Marriott Just Opened an All-Inclusive Resort in Cancun—Here’s What Blew Me Away Most

With more than 1,300+ hotels to choose from in and around Cancun, vacationers have had loads of options—everything from five-star luxury boutique resorts to more-affordable mega properties with miles upon miles of beachfront. But for Marriott-Bonvoy members hoping to score loyalty points on an all-inclusive stay, guests have been out of luck—until now.

In September, Marriott debuted its first-ever wholly conceptualized all-inclusive property, Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort and so far, reviews have been glowing, with an average of 4.5 stars on Trip Advisor. The 450-room resort in Cancun’s Hotel Zone offers 11 restaurants, bars and grab-and-go options, an ocean-front pool area, a waterpark and daylong kids’ camp—all included in the $499-night price tag, making it the latest—and in my opinion after a recent stay—ideal place to spend time with family members of all ages. 

General Manager Chris Calabrese explains that giving multi-generational families a single-pricetag ‘affordable luxury’ vacation option was the main goal behind the brand’s first-ever Mexico all-inclusive: “Marriott International discovered that 173 million [loyalty members] expressed interest in taking an all-inclusive vacation. Thus, the premium brand took the concept to the next level by offering booking options within the high-end sector.” That translates to walk-in rainfall showers, a high-end dining with menu offerings like hand-rolled sushi and made-to-order ceviche, luxury beach cabanas, a premium fitness center with wellness offerings and even a café with fresh-made croissants all part of the price tag.

Here’s a rundown of the rest of what you’ll find with your stay: 

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Rooms

Marriott has 450 spacious rooms, all with private terraces, 124 of which face the ocean, and the views are sparkling. Thirty-eight have balconies with enough room for two loungers and a table. The warm-neutrals decor is paired-down—similar to all Marriotts’ clean minimalist aesthetic. I had an ocean-facing room with two double beds with white duvet bedding and tiled floors, which are always helpful if your family is coming in and out of the pools and beach with sandy feet. While the sounds of the ocean waves were lovely, the center courtyard outside created an echo effect, and you could hear all the fun from the lobby for a bit at night, but it seemed not to be an issue past 10 p.m. or so. 

What I loved most about the whole resort was the intimacy of the layout. Don’t love trucking two miles back to your room late at night after dinner and drinks? Or, worse, having to be escorted back via a golf cart or tram? The Marriott’s layout features a main lobby and rooms along with two wings wrapping around an easy-to-navigate pool area, complete with Kids’ camp, waterslide park, pool and beach bars, restaurants and beachfront. It’s easy to get around, and won’t take you long to run up to your room if you forget something before an activity or during pool time. Five-diamond-rated JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is also connected via a walkable hallway and while not part of the all-inclusive price tag, guests are free to partake in meal and bar reservations there, as well. While downtown Cancun is a 15-minute taxi ride away, watersports activities are walkable across the road. 

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Restaurants and Other Dining Options

Marriott takes great pride in its inventive dining options, and overall, the idea here was to go beyond the classic three-restaurant selection at many existing Caribbean all-inclusives, which can get boring quickly if you go year after year. The team narrowed down dining options from more than 150 concepts to offer a little something for everyone. “We were excited to share a wide variety inspired by Marriott’s hospitality roots, while also celebrating the vibrant flavors of international cuisine, including local Mexican traditions,” says Calabrese.

If you’re adventurous and want to partake in classic, traditional Mexican and Mayan regional cuisine, you have ample options at Casa Madre, which features open-air palapas, food stations and ‘micro moments’ of entertainment including a mariachi band and a traditional Mayan jaguar and peacock dance ceremony. The other reservations-driven dinner spots include both Izakaya and Teppanyaki-style dining at Ono and Polynesian cuisine at Hana Polynesian Grill. 

If you like to stick to American classics like patty melts, fries and shakes, you’ll find favorites at Mo’s Burgers & Shakes—”Mo’s pays homage to the origin of the Marriott brand and the burger that changed everything, the Mighty Mo, and provides guests with a sense of nostalgia during their vacation,” says Calabrese. 

I had a divine pear-and-blue-cheese pizza along with a freshly made margarita beachside with my toes in the sand at Sacbé Beach Shack. Those minding their health will find ample options, including in-room dining and Botanica by La Isla. 

If you’re hungry at any time, you can find sorbet, pastry and sandwiches at Organic + Co Cafe and Bakery. At Dave-and-Busters-esque Press+Start, you can find late-night retro-themed eats like tator tot sliders along with arcade games and karaoke.

You will not get bored, but instead probably want to return to your favorites multiple times—the shakes at Mo’s, the molé at Casa Madre and the fresh-made ceviche at Cevicheria by La Isla were my hands-down favorites of the trip.

And if you really decide you’ve done it all, sister property JW Marriott contains multiple options including an Italian restaurant with freshly made pastas and a global contemporary restaurant with a 150-margarita menu as well.

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Pool Scene 

If you’re concerned about endless walks to beaches and pools, fear not. As mentioned above, this resort feels perfectly edited, with the pool scene easily accessible from the lobby. You’ll find a large half-moon pool with a swim-up bar, plus two pool areas for kids and adults. There’s also an adults-only infinity edge pool with incredible views of the ocean in front of you. Plus a hot tub that fits more than 20. While the design is ultra modern and sleek, the vibe is anything but uptight, and the sounds of reggae to 90s club to Beyoncé hits emanate from the main pool area all day long.

There’s a water slide and kids splash pad area with water dump bucket and lazy river. While we were there in September, we weren’t overwhelmed with crowds, but I could see the search for chairs heating up in high season. Servers offer menus and drinks, and you can always find a mocktail if needed. Selections included pina coladas, mai tais, and punches. I’d have loved a green juice option because temps can get up there come mid-afternoon.

The beach is picture-postcard beautiful and easily accessible with stairs and ramps. With lounge-side food and drink service, the views of the waves are gorgeous, but the surf is often rough and be forewarned that there could be red-flag days. In short, the un-stuffy resort perfectly toes the line between luxury and family-friendly. You don’t feel out of place trucking around from your pool to room in a coverup, but it’s all clean, well-kept and highly aesthetic, in-line with the Marriott Bonvoy brand. 

Related: The Caribbean Travel Destination Everyone Should Visit at Least Once, According to Getaway Guru Samantha Brown

Activities 

From ceviche making class, to learning the differences between anejo and reposado tequila to yin yoga, there’s something for everyone. An hourly schedule is posted in the lobby, so you can clue in to everything available. Many are kid-friendly.

If you’re looking for something off-site, you can easily walk or take a quick taxi over to the lagoon across the street for speedboat rentals, wave runners or snorkeling. At the concierge desk, you can book a whole array of activities in and around Cancun, including tours of Mayan archaeological site Chitzen-Itza, Xcaret, Tulum and more.

Kid-Friendly Activities and Camp

The Marriott chain didn’t want to redo what was already working, so they consulted with Camp, the New York City-based brand of day camps, which hosts kids ages 4 through 12 from 9 a.m. to 7 pm. There are slime-making classes, a zipline, a model car and a “splatter room” for letting your inner Jackson Pollack out. Kids will come home with tie dyes, Mayan themed crafts—early reviews say kids didn’t want to leave. Parents can even leave kids until 7 p.m. for kid-free dinners if needed. For later-in-the-evening family-friendly fun, Press+Start offers video games, karaoke and a sports-bar-like atmosphere for kids (and adult-kids) until late night. 

What Blew Me Away the Most

While many brands translate ‘luxury’ into sleek—and often cold—stillness, the Marriott’s lobby is buzzing with curated moments of entertainment from the second you walk into the warm and inviting “Great Room.” Rather than a generic champagne or punch, the refreshment station offers glasses of fresh squeezed lemonade with dried citrus and rosemary. A glimpse through the towering window out toward the pool deck, water slides and beachside bars reveal a whole schedule of activities going on. This feeling of hospitality is inherent throughout the stay, and carries through the whole experience of the resort. In fact, at one point when I was exploring the JW Marriott side, I got a bit lost, and a concierge stopped what she was doing and walked me all the way back to the Marriott. It’s that feeling of going the extra mile that made this stay stand out.

Reviews So Far

My honest review: this place rocks. I’ve visited multiple all-inclusives in Cancun and the Riviera Maya over the past 20 years, and by far, the restaurants, rooms and overall level of attention to detail and service for an American brand is unparalleled. 

If you are looking for a more local, Mexican-owned-and-operated hotel stay or something for adults-only, this may not be a fit. But if you’re in search of a family-friendly stay, and perhaps one that can accommodate a big family with multiple rooms, this is by far, the best new, affordable offering available.

On Reddit, Proof_Emu_6202 says “I’m at the Marriott Cancún and absolutely love it. The staff have been fantastic. Resort is clean and well maintained. Food is good with a lot of variety. Pools are great and so is the ocean here. Very little seaweed compared to other resorts we’ve been to. They do have an app with the restaurant menus and other information.” 

On TripAdvisor, commenter sarahb5252015 says: “The inviting team members, the extraordinary setting and pristine guest rooms exceeded expectations all around! What a memorable trip—I am madly in love with this team and hotel! I am missing the taco truck and beautiful beach—the water was OH so blue! We traveled with 2 teenage boys who also had a blast! They enjoyed the brand new pickle ball courts, milk shakes and sand volleyball the most. We felt comfortable traveling outside the hotel as well—in thanks to the team for setting us up with clear and comfortable directions. Thank you so much for a very wonderful stay and Cancun adventure!”

If you love the Marriott brand, and you want to go to Mexico, this resort is going to make you feel both at home, but give you surprises too. 

Rates and Deals

Starting at just $499 per night, per room in low-season, the resort’s rates are well-priced among the competition in the Hotel Zone, and others in the Riviera Maya. Find out more at marriott.com. 

Related: 5 Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Families, According to Getaway Guru Darley Newman