Has Lagunamar Opened Yet?

[sherilah]

Has anyone heard if Lagunamar has opened? I thought I read somewhere that it was supposed to open August 11th.

 

[Westin5Star]

Tomorrow. First person to post a picture of the swim up bar wins!

 

[yumdrey]

I just checked II exchange availability. Surprisingly, there were 3 available units - 2 studios and one 1BR (4 person).

 

[Ken555]

Starwood was renting nights starting 8/11 (I checked last week) but today shows first night on the 15th (tomorrow). $179/night for ocean view studio, $299/night for ocean view 1 bed (and yes, all options listed at SPG are 'ocean view').

 

[abdibile]

Shouldn't there be lots of developer inventory on II to bring bodies to the new resort?

How has that been for other new resorts?

Thanks!

 

[mfan]

Confirmed for August 15th Opening

We're leaving for Cancun a few hours. Our reservation starts on 8/15. I have confirmed we're the first group of guests at the resort!!

For longest time, I thought the opening will slip beyond our date! But, I guess we got lucky!!

I'll try to remember to post pictures, but if past is any indication, I may get too drunk and having too much fun to remember... :rofl:

 

[Ken555]

Fabulous! Enjoy your stay! (And we can't wait to hear how great the swim-up bar is...)

 

[pointsjunkie]

We're leaving for Cancun a few hours. Our reservation starts on 8/15. I have confirmed we're the first group of guests at the resort!!

For longest time, I thought the opening will slip beyond our date! But, I guess we got lucky!!

I'll try to remember to post pictures, but if past is any indication, I may get too drunk and having too much fun to remember... :rofl:

you can honestly say you stayed at a new timeshare. have a great time.and take notes for all of us .

 

[formerhater]

All these dancing bananas are making me dizzy.

 

[DeniseM]

We're leaving for Cancun a few hours. Our reservation starts on 8/15. I have confirmed we're the first group of guests at the resort!!

I don't know if you will see this, but can you please get a resort map for me to post - especially one with unit numbers? When you get back we would love a review and pictures. Let me know if you need help with pictures. I can show you how to do an easy slide show.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[ccy]

Yes, they opened already! They had a "soft" opening yesterday and I was there with my family. We met the Gen Mgr, Mr. Carlos (Gonzales?), a very nice man. He welcomed us warmly with open arms, literally. We had lunch at their outdoor resto and used their pool and facilities ... what an awesome pool ... it's unbelievable, you'll have to see it for yourself. I have pictures but I don't know how to post them so you'll have to email me and I'll email them to you We also did a tour of the units. We did the preview tour and got 6,500 points out of it. They also offered us 4 nights/5days at WLR plus 50,000 starpoints for $1,895, which we got - okay, some of you will probably think why in heck did we do that if we can exchange using our staroptions anyway... we thought it might be a good idea so we can do a 11-night vacation instead of 7. And the 50k points looked attractive to us. What do you think, should we rescind?

 

[DavidnRobin]

Can you rescind an Explorer Pachage?
{is that the question - or did you buy?}

 

[ccy]

Can you rescind an Explorer Pachage?
{is that the question - or did you buy?}

I should have used the word 'cancel' ... should we cancel? we have 5 days.

 

[pointsjunkie]

do you get the 50000 starpoints even if you don't buy? if yes then keep it and extend your vacation next year.

 

[ccy]

do you get the 50000 starpoints even if you don't buy? if yes then keep it and extend your vacation next year.

Yes, for $1895 you get 4nights/5days at WLR and 50,000 starpoints, even if you don't buy.
Good deal?

 

[mfan]

We Are At Lagaunamar

YEAH! We're finally here and the views from our balcony and living room are absolutely astoundingly beautiful!!! The resort is everything we expected and more! :whoopie:

ccy is right! You'll have to see the grounds and pools, especially under a fully moonlight to believe how beautiful it is. Pictures just don't do it justice.

We got here late yesterday after a loooong 10+ hour trip with 3 different connecting flights (a mistake in planning and as my wife would say a cheapskate husband...) On my own defense, the round-trip flight costs were $500 for 6-7 hours travel time or $350 for 10 hours...which would you choose (for 5 of us)? I figured the $750 saving can pay for much of our expenses here in Cancun! Anyway, I submitted a review to TUG, but didn't realize it could take up to 2 weeks before it's posted... If you can't wait, I can sent it to you by email.

BTW, I took many pictures, but forgot to bring my SD card reader, so I won't be able to upload them...

 

[DeniseM]

Anyway, I submitted a review to TUG, but didn't realize it could take up to 2 weeks before it's posted... If you can't wait, I can sent it to you by email. BTW, I took many pictures, but forgot to bring my SD card reader, so I won't be able to upload them...

Go ahead and post your review right here on the Starwood Board - it's perfectly OK and we can't wait to read it! If your computer has a CDRom you can take your camera card to any photo place and have the pictures copied onto a CD and upload them from there.

 

[tomandrobin]

Looking forward to seeing those pictures!


Good to read that WLR is 2 for 2 on positive reviews.

 

[golf261]

I am anxious to read the review and see the pictures. My husband and I bought our first timeshare there - of course, it was before I found this board so made the mistake of buying from the developer and before I knew about mandatory vs. non-mandatory - but will make the best of it! Anyhow, we have reservations in January for WLR so can't wait to read what other people think of the resort.

 

[mfan]

Here's the I Review Submitted

Ok, here a copy of the review I submitted yesterday. Since we'll be here for a few more days, I can try to answer any specific question about the facilities and amenities. Just ask...

===========

The Westin Lagunamar Resort is a brand new facility that’s not yet fully completed. My family was the very first group of guests received at the resort! We arrived on its opening day, August 15th, at about 3:30 PM. According to the Westin Vacation Ownership (WVO) representative I spoke to on site, there were only about 47 units ready on the opening weekend, and not all were occupied yet.

When we first drove up the resort driveway in our rental car, we were a bit concerned. From the main road, the front landscape and buildings looked a bit desolate and in disrepair to passerbys. Although we knew some of that were from the landscapes being newly planted, so they haven't grown in yet, and from buildings that are still in various stages of construction completion, we were still worried that not all recreational facilities were ready. Thank goodness that worry was unfounded, as the recreational facilities, such as the gym, the kids club, the miniture golf course, the swimming pools, water slides, and jacuzzis were all ready and available!

As we reached the main entrance, the valet and porter quickly came out to take care of our car and luggages. Unfortunately and surprisingly, our room wasn't ready yet!? After some probing, I was told that's because they were still working on the unit until that same morning and housekeeping was still cleaning it. When we finally walked into our unit 30 minutes later, the mopped tile floor was still moist!

Our 1 bedroom unit looked almost exactly as advertised and pictured in the WVO website and brochure. The furnitures and cabinets were all in rich dark wood finish. The floors were covered with qualty textured tiles and nicely patterned rugs. The unit was decorated with mirrors and paintings on the walls and local potteries on tables and shelves. There were ceiling fans in both living room and bedroom. All rooms were very well lit with lamps and many built-in lighting. The Westin Heavenly bed in the bedroom was extremely comfortable, albeit it maybe too soft for some people. Our young kids claimed the sleeper sofa in the living room was very comfortable as well, but I didn’t test it myself.

The kitchen was equiped with Whirlpool appliances - a full size refrigerator with ice maker, a built-in flat top stove, a “microven” that worked both as an oven and a microwave, and a coffee maker. The cabinets and drawers were filled with cups, mugs, plates, bowls, and table settings, all enough for 6 people. The max occupancy of our unit was only 4 people, but there was a lockout door to a studio unit, hence the furnishing for 6. Other items provided in the kichen were colander, salad bowl, steak knives, serving sets, 9 pc pots & pans, coffee pot, electric can opener, blender, and toaster. There may be some items I missed.

The kitchen and the dining area was divided by a foot-wide serving counter. The dining area is furnished with a dark wood rectangular dining table and matching seats for 6 people. The living room next to it had a queen sofa bed with 2 side tables, a rattan sofa chair, and a large coffee table. The floor to ceiling window framed an incredible view of the pools and beach. There was a side door that opened to the balcony located outside of the bedroom. The entertainment center was built into the wall with a LCD TV, a Bose Wave music system, a DVD player, and several storage drawers at the bottom. We didn’t spend much time with the TV, but I did check and found only analog stations available. The door leading to the bedroom was double sliding with a lock.

The bedroom had a king-sized Heavenly bed, 2 bedstands each with a lamp, a Sony alarm radio, and a rattan chair and stool. There was also a built-in entertainment center, except without the Bose Wave. The large sliding glass door led to a balcony, which was large enough to be furnished with a square table and 4 rattan chairs. The view from the balcony was beautiful, incredible, manificient, you pick the words… From the design and layout of the resort, it would appear every unit had similarly incredible views, but of course, the higher up you are (we’re on the 8th & top floor), the less chance of trees or other structures blocking your views. A frosted glass wall and a hinged door divided the bedroom and bathroom.

The bathroom had a huge jetted tub under the frosted glass wall and a double sink counter. One wall had the built-in closet and drawers, including a safe. In the closet, there were additional beddings and pillows, hangers, and an upright vaccum cleaner. The shower and toilet were each in a separate stall with frosted glass door for privacy. There was another door that led to the kitchen & living areas. The vertically stacked washer & dryer were located in a closet by the entryway and the lockout door. They’re limited in size, obviously, but were quieter than expected.

In the public area of the resort, there were 2 restaurants and bars onsite for guests. There is also a swim-up bar by the pool. The 2 pools were tiered and both with an infinity edge. The upper pool had a water slide that our kids loved. The lower pool’s infinity edge ended to the barrier wall next to the beach. At nights, under a full moon, the infinity edge blended the 2 pools into each other and into the Caribbean, so they looked truly connected to the sea!! We sat mesmerized at the view each night. The resort also offered a full exercise room with many types of equipment, and a kids club with air hocky and other games. Because this is a timeshare property, there was no spa service/facility at this resort.

Since we were the first guests at the resort and the first real occupants in the unit, there were some problems and issues, as typical of all new constructions. The problems we reported include: Weak to no wifi signals in the unit (not fixed), no signal on the ethernet cable (fixed within an hour), no hot water (fixed within a few hours, but it recurred), tile floor very dusty, and no pool towels on the first day (got extra bath towels instead). Other issues were employees not very experienced, so everything required 2-3 calls or transfers to get to the right person, and response times were slow because I suspect everyone was busy with other guests or with new constructions. On the plus side, everyone we met and spoke to was very friendly and willing to help. Their English language skills varied, but in general, everyone was able to understand and respond well enough to common requests and questions. But, on some less common requests, it may take a few tries and speaking very slowly.

The Westin Lagunamar is very conveniently located in the Hotel Zone. It’s right across the street from the La Isla Plaza shopping mall with many upscale stores, restaurants, bars, and all the conveniences, like several rental car shops, an aquarium that offers swim with dolphins and even a Cinemark Theater!! The beach behind the resort was not very clean. I guess the resort hasn’t yet gotten to clean up all the coral debris from hurricane Wilma. There were also a lot of sea weeds washed up on shore. However, the seawater was calm and waves gentle when we were there. Unlike some other parts of Cancun, the beach had plenty of sands, but it was kind of narrow.

We had an awesome time at the Westin Lagunamar Resort. Our kids loved the pools, the water slide, and the beach. We enjoyed the upscale and fully equiped units, the excellent facilities and amenities, the nearby conveniences, and the beautiful views! In our opinion, this is an exceptional resort for couples and families. But, it’s probably not the right resort for singles. Although the La Isla Plaza has a Planet Hollywood and other bars that offer some entertainment, the Plaza Forum area a few miles further north probably offers much more excitement from we saw driving by.

 

[pointsjunkie]

any issues with the food or water? did you bottle water the entire time or used the tap? veggies and fruit a problem? how was the food?

 

[nodge]

I just did a google search looking for updated pix of the Westin Lagunamar, but came up empty. I did find this rather detailed set of pix of the project (apparently from May 2008) to wet folks' whistles until photos of the finished project start showing up online.

Please post 'em if you got 'em.

-nodge

 

[ccy]

I just did a google search looking for updated pix of the Westin Lagunamar, but came up empty. I did find this rather detailed set of pix of the project (apparently from May 2008) to wet folks' whistles until photos of the finished project start showing up online.

Please post 'em if you got 'em.

-nodge

I tried posting pictures I took 2 days ago, when I clicked Insert Image it asked for the URL ... If you give me your email address, I'll email them to you.

 

[mfan]

No Problem So Far

any issues with the food or water? did you bottle water the entire time or used the tap? veggies and fruit a problem? how was the food?

We did buy a big jug of bottle water for drinking when we stopped for grocery on our arrival, so we haven't drank directly from the tap yet. However, we are using it to wash, clean, and prepare foods. So far, there hasn't been any issues or problem. Everything at the resort exudes quality, so I can't imaging they overlooked water purification...

We've only tried the pool side restaurant for some snacks. To us, it was only ok. It certainly wasn't anything to write home about. I can't say what their dinner dishes are like. We have only been here for 2 full days, and we have a rental car, so we have either eaten out or prepared quick meals in our own kitchen.

One thing I didn't mention in my review, the "microven" in the unit doesn't work well as an oven, so any food preparation requiring one will be nearly impossible.

 

[Ken555]

There is also a swim-up bar by the pool.

Woohoo!