One of the Most Family-Friendly Resorts in Cancun Also Has 150 Margaritas On the Menu

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Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

That doesn’t mean the drinks aren’t centered. JW Marriott Cancun is well known as a hot spot for mezcal lovers. At the Lobby Bar, there are 150 different takes on the margarita, including cocktails with ingredients like Nutella, horchata, and serrano peppers. At night, a live singer belts out hits from 90s and aughts to a totally rapt audience. When I was there, a big group of families with college-age kids took over the dance floor, and the result was a spectacular love fest among the clearly proud parents and their kids. Like I said, the vibes are good.

Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

Gustino Italian Grill serves pasta made in house and pizzas amidst upscale decor, and I spotted quite a few families with young children enjoying a low key Italian dinner. Bravio is the newly opened Spanish tapas restaurant on the property, which in the mornings serves as a spacious breakfast buffet.

The stand out feature of the hotel, however, is easily the hotel pools. There are three outdoor pools connected by a series of bridges in a 17,000-square-foot space. The fourth pool is located inside the spa, and is only open to adults. One of the best views in the hotel can be seen from the free form adult pool, which has an infinity pool edge that overlooks the beach for unobstructed views of the ocean.

Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

The pool deck is dotted with what seems like an abundance of lounge chairs, but a word of warning: If you want to get a good seat (one facing the ocean, for instance, or under an umbrella), then you need to get out there early — as close to 9 AM as you can. The chairs are first come first serve, and they go fast. What you want is one of the chairs lined up at the edge of the pool, so that you can slip into the water whenever the mood strikes. There are also second and third tiers of lounge chairs set a ways back from the pool farther from the action.

I traveled to the JW Marriott Cancun alone, hoping to get a break from my hectic work life, and I was not disappointed. You’d think the many, many kids of all ages running around the pool deck, catapulting themselves in the water and taking over the hot tubs in large groups would make for a rowdy, noisy environment. But I was able to lay undisturbed in my lounge chair, peacefully reading my book with very little distraction. It was so chill, in fact, that I ended up spending hours just sitting and reading and occasionally swimming, and time sort of just stopped — the only time I really moved any great distance was to take occasional walks on the beach. But I didn’t feel much need to do activities or go sightseeing. I had everything I needed right there.

A word on what exactly kept me so firmly glued in place at the pool: Servers come around occasionally to the pool chairs to take drink and food orders, and they are very friendly and accommodating. Order a big bucket of Dos Equis, or dive into the long list of tropical drinks that include standbys like pina coladas and strawberry and banana frozen margaritas. But you’re not limited here. I also saw plenty of retirees walking around the pool deck with glasses of white wine and tumblers of whiskey). The servers delight in keeping guests tipsy and happy (just be sure to order a big bottle of water, too, because the sun will dry you out fast).

Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

You don’t even have to get up to eat if you don’t want to — and this is vacation, so you should absolutely let someone deliver lunch right to your lounge chair. Poolside snacks include fish tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and crispy shrimp, and, frankly, this was probably the most delightful food I ate at the hotel.

One more caveat about the pool deck: There is one single outlet at the bar to charge your phone, and the bartenders warn that they are not responsible for any belongings left there. My second day, I happened to be sitting near the bar, so when my phone died, I could keep an eye on it. But if you’re sitting on the other side of the pool deck, you’re out of luck, so be sure to bring your portable charge with you.

Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

Guests at the JW Marriott Cancun enjoy access to a private stretch of white sand beach, where they can swim in an astonishing ombre turquoise-hued ocean with a color so vibrant it almost doesn’t look natural. There are man made breakwaters that keep the ocean relatively calm, but use caution with kids and other people who aren’t strong or experienced swimmers, because the waves can easily overtake and knock you over. The beach is accessed by a short staircase near the pool, and you need your hotel key card to unlock the gate that leads back to the pool.

I don’t think you’ll be spending much time in your room (I sure didn’t) but it’s worth mentioning that the rooms are comfortable and spacious, and almost all of them feature a balcony where you can take in the view of the ocean stretching out into a seemingly infinite horizon. There are also soaking tubs in the bathrooms, a welcome luxury no matter who you’re traveling with.

Photo: JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa

This isn’t really the hotel to go to if you’re looking for somewhere with a clubby or boisterous party environment, but the area where there are a few clubs is just 10 minutes away if that’s something you want to experience. Instead, the JW Marriott Cancun has a lively atmosphere that doesn’t devolve into rowdiness or chaos, while still allowing guests to cut loose while feeling relaxed and at home. Whether you’re taking your family on vacation, treating yourself to a fun trip with friends where the goal is rest and reset, or decompressing alone like I was, you’ll fit right in here.

One more thing that makes the JW Marriott Cancun appealing: It’s just 15 minutes from the airport. So if you’re traveling with kids that are antsy from hours on the plane, or you’re just as eager to change into your bathing suit and order a margarita yourself, the hotel is just a short car ride away. And trust me, you’ll want to get there fast, because every minute spent there is one you won’t forget.

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