Westin Resort and Spa Cancun sold and to convert to All Inclusive

[cubigbird]

Iconic Westin Resort In Cancun Will Convert To An All-Inclusive

Westin Cancun is going all-inclusive. New owners Alojica and Royalton confirmed the major shift today. From restaurant overhauls to Bonvoy points, here is what travelers need to know.

thecancunsun.com

 

[bizaro86]

Interesting. I wonder how that will affect TS reservations. Was this property ever actually transferred into the Aventuras trust?

 

[VacationForever]

It should not affect Aventuras and timeshare owners as this is the hotel that got sold/converted.

 

[dioxide45]

It should not affect Aventuras and timeshare owners as this is the hotel that got sold/converted.

But the question remains, while Aventuras owners can book the Westin Cancun at 12-8 months, those timeshare units were never officially converted over to Aventuras. Did the sale also include the timeshare units? I wouldn't think so, but that isn't clear. If the timeshare units aren't included in the sale, then what options do timeshare guests have for food and dining? Do they pay an AI fee? Will there be a cash option at the onsite restaurants

This property really isn't conducive to AI, there is only three onsite restaurants. PR Newswire indicates 5 but I don't know what they all would be. One of the restaurants being a sports bar. There is a bar out at the pool and a marketplace. This won't be a great AI option unless they somehow expand the offerings.

 

[bizaro86]

It should not affect Aventuras and timeshare owners as this is the hotel that got sold/converted.

I mean, I can't see any way that it WOULDN'T affect them.

Even if this excludes the TS units, the property will now be an all-inclusive, which will affect stays. (Even if only the vibe - AI resorts sometimes have more people drinking to excess, which doesn't appeal to me for a family vacation).

I also think there's a chance the property got sold in it's entirety, as iirc it never got conveyed into Adventuras - so they could sell the whole thing and just offer Westin Cabo and Lagunamar to TS owners.

 

[VacationForever]

I mean, I can't see any way that it WOULDN'T affect them.

Even if this excludes the TS units, the property will now be an all-inclusive, which will affect stays. (Even if only the vibe - AI resorts sometimes have more people drinking to excess, which doesn't appeal to me for a family vacation).

I also think there's a chance the property got sold in it's entirety, as iirc it never got conveyed into Adventuras - so they could sell the whole thing and just offer Westin Cabo and Lagunamar to TS owners.

... ah I was thinking of Westin Cabo, and this is about Westin Cancun. NM. My bad.

 

[dioxide45]

I sent an email to Marriott Vacations Worldwide social media contact to see if we can get some more details on how this might impact timeshare owners.

 

[jabberwocky]

Interesting. I’m guessing they realized that it wasn’t really a big draw for the core TS crowd. The units and location don’t seem appealing unless you don’t want to leave the property. AI makes sense to me.

I’m sure there are other timeshare properties where part is operated as hotel with AI and the other is simply a regular non-AI resort. I’m sure they will figure it out and I’m guessing they will still allow TS booking (some sort of swap/payment will occur in the background).

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

The property was built with a separate Timeshare complex that shares the driveway entrance with The Westin Resort & Spa
[ the was a single corporate owner at the rime]

The TS is RCI 2662 Raintree Club Regina Cancun. It is NOT All Inclusive
[ Raintree Resorts was acquired by Royal Holiday in 2024]

 

[cubigbird]

Raintree Resorts is a separate timeshare property and system than the Westin Cancun. I believe it was never conveyed to Aventuras and technically standalone but could be reserved at 12 months by Aventuras. I suspect it was never conveyed because it was up for sale the whole time. I hope it doesn’t suffer the same fate as the Westin Puerto Vallarta. This is not good news for Aventuras.

 

[Ckhawaii]

I don’t think it ever made it into Aventuras. I used to be able to see it in my villa finder 8-12 months out because I have a Aventuras piece but I don’t see anything after October. For October their is plenty of inventory and that is more than 8 months out. That resort always had availability.

I’ve made the mistake of booking a long stay there before. It is by far the worst Westin property and probably the most disappointing MVW property I have stayed at after Sheraton Kauai. At least at the SF property I knew what I was walking into and had minimal expectations for SDO and actually enjoyed my stay there.

I won’t miss it.

 

[Ckhawaii]

Raintree Resorts is a separate timeshare property and system than the Westin Cancun. I believe it was never conveyed to Aventuras and technically standalone but could be reserved at 12 months by Aventuras. I suspect it was never conveyed because it was up for sale the whole time. I hope it doesn’t suffer the same fate as the Westin Puerto Vallarta. This is not good news for Aventuras.

The Westin PV, Cabo, and Cancun all had a Raintree next to it. I’m using past tense because I don’t think the Westin in PV is still a Westin, I could be wrong.

I believe the Raintree resorts had some type of access and deal to the old owner of the Westin hotels or maybe that owner also owned Raintree. If you go to the Cabo one now there is a wall on the beach basically between the Raintree and Westin .

 

[dioxide45]

The Westin PV, Cabo, and Cancun all had a Raintree next to it. I’m using past tense because I don’t think the Westin in PV is still a Westin, I could be wrong.

I believe the Raintree resorts had some type of access and deal to the old owner of the Westin hotels or maybe that owner also owned Raintree. If you go to the Cabo one now there is a wall on the beach basically between the Raintree and Westin .

I recall the Westin in Cabo also cutting off access to the fitness center for Raintree guests. I recall that being discussed on TUG a few years ago. The Raintree property had to build their own for guest use.

 

[suzannesimon]

The Westin PV, Cabo, and Cancun all had a Raintree next to it. I’m using past tense because I don’t think the Westin in PV is still a Westin, I could be wrong.

I believe the Raintree resorts had some type of access and deal to the old owner of the Westin hotels or maybe that owner also owned Raintree. If you go to the Cabo one now there is a wall on the beach basically between the Raintree and Westin .

Yes we stayed at Cabo in May and looked over the wall to Raintree. The architecture and Building materials looked the same as Westin Cabo. It looked like someone just lopped/off part of the building and threw up a wall.

 

[bizaro86]

I stayed in the Raintree PV last year over Xmas. It was great, but their was a wall right down the center of the pool area. Obviously it was designed as one big shared space, but now there's no access between the Westin wide and the Raintree side.

I did walk over to the Westin on the road side (to use the ATM there, the one at Raintree didn't support my Amex)

 

[Eric B]

Per the general manager at the WLR annual owners meeting, there will be ~20 villas at Westin Cancun still after the conversion. There were ~44 villas before. The all inclusive will be an optional additional charge when staying there.

The purchaser owns the Marriott Los Suenos hotel and Westin Puerto Vallarta and has been a good partner to MVW.

 

[dioxide45]

Per the general manager at the WLR annual owners meeting, there will be ~20 villas at Westin Cancun still after the conversion. There were ~44 villas before. The all inclusive will be an optional additional charge when staying there.

The purchaser owns the Marriott Los Suenos hotel and Westin Puerto Vallarta and has been a good partner to MVW.

Thanks for the update. I wonder what ~20 villas will remain? Both Lagoon Side and Ocean Side? If a timeshare guest opts to not take the AI option, can they pay cash for individual menu items or are they 100% on their own at off site restaurants?

It looks like they sold the property to the same group that bought the Westin in PV. That was also owned by Vistana at one point and was intended to be converted to timeshare. The only property that really made the full timeshare cut was Los Cabos.

 

[Eric B]

Thanks for the update. I wonder what ~20 villas will remain? Both Lagoon Side and Ocean Side? If a timeshare guest opts to not take the AI option, can they pay cash for individual menu items or are they 100% on their own at off site restaurants?

It looks like they sold the property to the same group that bought the Westin in PV. That was also owned by Vistana at one point and was intended to be converted to timeshare. The only property that really made the full timeshare cut was Los Cabos.

Same group also owns Marriott Los Suenos hotel. Started a different thread with other rumors.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I found an Aug 3 2022 prnewswire.com press release about the purchase of the Westin Puerto Vallarta by Black Creek Mexico.
I found a 2024 article saying it would become All Inclusive in 2025 [ I am not sure if that occurred]

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[trippka]

My 2 cents as a long time Lagunamar owner... I bought into Aventuras (in addition to my deed) specifically so that I could use the points at Puerto Vallarta. There were plans to convert the hotel to timeshare and I already vacation there most years, so adding a Vistana week really appealed to me. The pitch from the sales department seemed logical, picking up another "sister" property to the Reginas next to all the other Mexico Westin timeshares. However, when they got the property it was in such terrible shape and had a lot of asbestos, so they sold it at a loss, or perhaps lost their breakup fee. Apparently all the pipes were encased in asbestos and cement and needed to be replaced. (Salt water corrosion??) Personally, I really enjoy my stays at the Westin Cancun. They have updated the rooms. It is RIGHT on the beach. It is relatively small (compared to Lagunamar). They have a great entertainment staff who does cooking and cocktail classes every day for a very small fee. (2 margaritas for $4!) If you don't mind taking the bus (quick and convenient to get around!) it is easy to go out to dinner or the Chedraui (amazing grocery store). It has a real kitchen in the studio! Full size refrigerator! Full size cooktop. It is fewer points than other options for Aventuras and it almost always has availability. There are some downsides like the small pool and limited onsite restaurants, but the food is good. Our last trip we started at the Westin Cancun because there wasn't availability at Lagunamar, did our week at Lagunamar, then went back to the Westin Cancun. WC lets you check in any day with points, so we can travel mid-week that way. Lagunamar has very limited check-in dates for our deed (Fri or Sat only?) so we save a lot on airfare traveling mid-week. I will be disappointed if the WC converts to AI only, but the Marriott hotel very nearby is AI now, so they must think that is the way to go.

 

[Mulege]

But the question remains, while Aventuras owners can book the Westin Cancun at 12-8 months, those timeshare units were never officially converted over to Aventuras. Did the sale also include the timeshare units? I wouldn't think so, but that isn't clear. If the timeshare units aren't included in the sale, then what options do timeshare guests have for food and dining? Do they pay an AI fee? Will there be a cash option at the onsite restaurants

This property really isn't conducive to AI, there is only three onsite restaurants. PR Newswire indicates 5 but I don't know what they all would be. One of the restaurants being a sports bar. There is a bar out at the pool and a marketplace. This won't be a great AI option unless they somehow expand the offerings.

I bought Adventuras when it was supposed to be 2 Cancun, Cabo, and PV. Now we are down to just 2 choices. Compare the Hawaii program where you get many more locations Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware

 

[dioxide45]

I bought Adventuras when it was supposed to be 2 Cancun, Cabo, and PV. Now we are down to just 2 choices. Compare the Hawaii program where you get many more locations Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware

There is no Hawaii program though. You buy a single resort and you can stay at that resort in Hawaii or use StarOptions. I do agree though that they have very much devalued Westin Aventuras by 'potentially' removing Westin Cancun and no property in PV.

 

[byeloe]

I will be disappointed if the WC converts to AI only

It will be optional AI for Aventuras bookings

 

[dioxide45]

Are any Aventuras owners able to see availability after October 31st ?

 

[travelhacker]

Are any Aventuras owners able to see availability after October 31st ?

I didn't see anything. I searched for a few variations (7 nights), as well as 2 nights and made the check in date flexible. I checked dates in October, December, January (2027), and February (2027)