Beachfront Fun For All in Cancun
by Jennifer A. Frey

Cancun, Mexico is quite often viewed as the place to go for spring break. In spite of this stereotype, the Marriott Hotel chain has carved itself out a stretch of the crowded Cancun beach, and put two very distinct hotels there.

The JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and the CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort offer the same quality name brand in hotel service, but with decidedly different décor, style and atmosphere. Both properties have rebuilt themselves after sustaining major hurricane damage from Wilma in 2005. But instead of being the first properties open in the aftermath, Marriott invested time and money into the hotels, opening later on and to more grandeur.

Whether Mom and Dad need a break from the kids, or they’d rather take a family vacation, Cancun and Marriott have something for everyone.

CasaMagna’s Family Style Appeal

The CasaMagna looms large, like an old-world style mansion. It has a definitive ‘u’ shape, and all 452 rooms come with a view of the ocean. Casual and elegant, the décor is simple and has a Mexican feel, with dark wood and light, bright linens.

Like most international hotel properties, it has all the amenities of home, especially in the cuisine department. An Argentinean steakhouse is casual and family style, beginning each day with the breakfast buffet and closing each night with choice quality cuts of beef and wines from around the world. All the international flavors are available in the CasaMagna’s other eateries: La Isla &Bahia Beach and Poolside Restaurant, La Isla Pool Bar and Mikado Restaurant —and you’ll never miss the game at home if you’re eating at Champions Sports Bar!

As with any ocean front property, the daily decision is pool or beach. My belief is that I can get a pool anywhere in the world, but you’ll never have the Caribbean Sea anywhere but there. For the kids, the pool may be a better option.

JW Marriott’s Spa-tacular

There are only 39 JW Marriott properties in the world, and the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is a true vacation experience. With 448 rooms, all with a spacious and private balcony, and an ocean view, the cornerstone of this property is the Spa.

The Spa facilities alone are unrivaled in Cancun, with 35,000 square feet and 16treatment rooms, all designed to pamper guests with various massage therapies, body scrubs and polishes, facial treatments and healing water baths. It offers amazing views of the ocean and lagoon from the top floor and also includes state-of-the-art fitness equipment, an aerobics room, beauty shop, indoor lap pool and Jacuzzi and a juice bar.

The Mayan-inspired treatments utilize the healing properties of avocado, papaya, honey and sea salt. In addition to traditional massage therapies, facials, manicure and pedicure treatments, some signature treatments include the Yucatan Massage, the Sun and Sea Facial, the Rose Envelopment and the Campeche Salt Scrub. New treatments and scrubs are being tested and added all the time. The key to their appeal is the indigenous materials used to soothe and soften, pamper and fluff.

Being a bit more upscale, the JW offers the entire host of amenities that most hotels do, but with a little more panache:32" plasma TVs in each room; the I-Home entertainment center for iPods to either listen or wake up to; spacious bathrooms outfitted with granite and tile; and more.

Restaurants, too, make this experience outstanding. One thing hotels in general have come to understand of their guests is the need for not just great dining experiences, but outstanding, memorable dishes that are palate pleasing. The JW’s accommodations are no exception. Simply Seafood provides an al fresco experience, Gustino is fine dining at its best and the Beach Walk is great for seaside or poolside bites.

Cancun Is for Families

Marriott has also invested in families who travel together by developing and building its famed Marriott Kids Club. CasaMagna is home to the Kids Club, even for those kids staying at the JW.

Children are encouraged to learn about the local environment through the Beach Builder program. During this 30-minutesession, kids learn about beach recovery and erosion. The entire city of Cancun completed a major beach preservation program after Wilma, and now the resort celebrate sits beautifully restored beach by educating younger guests on this environmental undertaking. The session brings ages 6-10 to the hotel’s beach and instructs the group on the recovery process. All participants are provided miniature shovels, hard hats, rakes, buckets and mini-carts. Upon completion, kids receive a certificate and become official beach builders.

The Kids Club is available all year for children ages 4-12. Daily supervised activities from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. include Spanish lessons, swimming contests, sandcastle and water balloon contests, arts and crafts, piñatas and water gun games. Rainy day activities are part of the mix, and lunch is included for the $20/day fee.

Warner Movies, Crayola and Hasbro are all official sponsors of the CasaMagna children’s programs. All supplies in guestrooms and the Kids Club are provided by these companies, bringing a bit of American comfort to Mexico.

After the day’s activities, guests at both CasaMagna and JW can partake of the JW Marriott Kids Spa. The Kids Spa offers cool and trendy spa options ranging from an ice cream pedicure to a chocolate facial, or an over-the-top Mayan Princess for the Day treatment. For the younger guest (beginning at age 6), the resort has hair styling, manicures, pedicures and facials. Massage treatments are offered for teens ages 15-17. So Much to Do, So Little Time Cancun is one of those places that has a lot to offer other than the beach. Golfers will be truly amazed with the Greg Norman-designed course called Playa Mujeres Golf Club, operated by Troon Golf. It features several lagoon and oceanfront holes, and four holes actually play from or toward the beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise-colored ocean.

Nearby Cozumel, Mexico provides a natural ocean coral reef, perfect for diving. Of course, you have to be certified to dive, and you can do that right at the JW, which is the only resort in Cancun to offer a pool certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. The 18-foot-deep pool contains an artificial coral reef and marine life to mimic the landscape of the Caribbean waters.

About an hour’s ride away is Xcaret, a 250-acre ecological theme park. An entire day here isn’t enough time to explore the12 restaurants, the host of water activities, the flora, fauna and wildlife that is Xcaret. And don’t miss the nightly performance, which is a magical, sensory experience: an epic celebration with all the color and excitement of Mexico’s golden age festivals, plus all the mystery and magnificence of the ancient Mayan kings.

Shopping is part of a great Mexican experience, and there are shopping areas throughout the city of Cancun. Mercado28, in the heart of downtown, provides the true experience with a variety of wares, including air-conditioned stalls peddling the best of Mexico’s silver trade. Hand-painted and created earthenware is also the center of Mexico’s tourist experience, and haggling for better prices is part of the shopping experience.

Getting There

Cancun has recognized its position in the tourist market, and has invested lots of money to upgrade its local airport and bring it up to date for the 21st century. Direct flights on JetBlue are available from JFK International Airport, at about four hours in length. If you’ve got a bit more time, you can always get a stop over flight from Bradley International Airport in Hartford. JetBlue’s service focuses on the customer and features individual television screens for each passenger, all served up by satellite. Plug in your iPod headphones and you can get a variety of channels.

Cancun, Mexico has shaken off the spring break stigma with hotel properties like the JW Marriott Cancun Spa & Resort and the CasaMagna Cancun Resort. Parents and their children can enjoy a variety of experiences together or separately. Sun, sand and tourist attractions are the focus of enjoyment, with spa treatments and golf outings to make the experience outstanding. ♥