Living in Florida some question my decision to travel so frequently to other tropical destinations. My answer is almost always “the water”. Gulf, ocean, or big lake the water calls to me in an way like no other.

When the itinerary for a Mexico vacation came together flawlessly my dearest friend, Kelly, and I jumped at the chance. Our 4-night stay at the J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa was nothing short of bliss. Full disclosure, we went there with the intention of doing nothing (meaning no sightseeing or excursions this trip) so we were pleasantly surprised that the property had so many ways to do just that.

Margaritas Y Mas

Let’s talk food….estoy enamorado! (I’m in love!) In the five days we spent at the hotel there was not a single dish that missed the mark. We had breakfast daily at the buffet which offered traditional Mexican fare, incredible pastries, an omelet station, asian dim sum, charcuterie, fresh fish, sweets, fruits, grilled vegetables, and salads. At night we dined on property and at the Marriott hotel next door and each meal was lovely. With the dollar strong against the peso right now we were pleasantly surprised how affordable even the drinks by the pool were (normally a budget buster).

Take Me To The Water

The pool is a funky, heated river/lagoon that runs the whole length of the hotel’s beachfront offering variety around every corner and plush thick pads on the plentiful loungers. There is waiter service from morning until sunset with a charming local staff.

Photo Credit: J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa

Our second day we opted to rent a cabana on the beach ($100USD for the day) since we both had a touch of work to do and wanted a quite place with optional shade. Our cabana had four big loungers, plenty of space to stretch out, and four more beach chairs in the sand. Buckets of ice and cold water, fresh towels midday, a tropical fruit tray, and lots of attention from the staff left us feeling pampered. My tip would be to take advantage of the cabanas at this resort if you every get the chance. It was worth every penny.

A Spiritual Connection

The highlight of this stay was our spa afternoon, a treat that has become part of our vacation musts. The resort’s spa is enormous and feels like an entire building by itself! From the saunas to the hot and cold plunges we did it all in preparation for our signature services–The Mayan Ritual Massage. The treatment incorporated a light, fragrant incense cleansing, a traditional prayer of wellness accompanied by blows from a conch shell, and an ancient pressure-massage treatment in the abdomen (“center of life”). The massage itself was terrific and the local elements made it feel truly special. If the goal was to relax the spa session did the job.

Final Thoughts

I’m normally a “go, rest, go” type of traveler so this type of trip was a new experience for me. I get a lot out of random exploration and meeting the locals when I travel so at times I wanted to be out and about, but then I’d just sit back, meditate for a few minutes, and center myself in the peace of the present. What I missed from getting off property was made up in talking to the resort staff who shared their national pride and made us feel like family. If I did this same 5 day/4 night trip again I would likely want to add one day out just to break up the trip and would also make sure I got an evening of nightlife in. The trip was a great value for all that we got out of the resort and I’ll definitely be going back for another Mexican experience.