This sophisticated urban hotel almost looks out of place among the resort revelry surrounding it. Guests will not find a swim-up bar here—and if there were one, it would probably require a dress code.
Though it may not be authentically Mexican, the hotel does have a fair number of regional accents, helping to establish a sense of place with a bit of local charm. A $15 million refurbishment in 2006 further enhanced the luxurious facilities and upgraded the Kayanta Spa. In addition, Viking teamed up with the hotel to create a $500,000 culinary school offering cooking classes and wine and tequila tastings.
Set on almost 750 acres with 1,200 ft of white-sand beach, the rose-colored E-shaped building rises nine stories above two free-form blue-tiled pools, a 30-ft-long whirlpool and a poolside restaurant.
The lobby is richly appointed in the usual Ritz-Carlton old-world style with polished gray, black and rose marble floors, traditional armchairs and sofas, paintings, chandeliers and antique armoires.
The luxurious dining options range from expensive to obscene; luckily, the quality of the food is as high as the prices. The formal Club Grill offers polished silver service and tuxedoed waiters. Fantino is a formal Mediterranean restaurant with ocean views and the poolside Caribe Bar and
Grill offers Caribbean cuisine and tropical cocktails.
The Casitas dining option was added after the remodel and offers dining in gauze-draped casitas with wood-slatted floors on the sand. El Cafe Mexicano serves a buffet breakfast daily except Sunday.
The cafe also serves a la carte lunches and themed dinner buffets. Dining at any of the outlets will put a dent in anyone's budget, and no all-inclusive plans are offered.
The Lobby Lounge, with a sea view through beveled glass doors, attracts an evening crowd that comes to sample sashimi and ceviche in the Sushi and Seafood Bar, classy martinis in Clau, and cocktails with dancing at the Lounge. The Terrace is the most romantic spot, with views of the pool and sea.
The state-of-the-art gym is a big draw, with a sauna, a steam room, cardio and weight machines and plenty of room for stretching and yoga classes. It offers such niceties as spearmint-scented chilled towels.
The Cliff Drysdale Tennis Club has three lighted outdoor courts, a pro shop and daily tennis clinics. Pricey boutiques lie off the main lobby and line the corridor to the fitness center and spa.
The Kayanta Spa is small but luxurious with garden patios and indoor and outdoor treatment areas. The hotel offers a Sunrise Boot Camp, a half-day fitness activity by the beach. All exercises and classes take place outdoors by the sea and pools.
Entertainment is varied but subdued compared to the DJ antics of the other resorts. Expect some piano and jazz combos in the Club Grill, fine singers and musicians playing dance music in the Lobby Lounge, maybe a Mexican trio in the cafe or at the poolside grill, or a pianist in the Fantino bar.
Meeting capacity is available in a variety of spaces, ranging from ballrooms to meeting rooms to outdoor areas and can accommodate up to 1,100 people. Wireless Internet access is available throughout the public areas, including on the beach.
Accommodations are traditional and richly comfortable. Beige carpeting accents pale cream walls, the armchairs and ottomans have deep cushions, and the large Queen Anne desks match the framed reproductions.
Most rooms have king beds, some have two doubles, and all provide full closets and large Italian marble baths with tubs, stall showers with rain shower heads, dual vanities, hair dryers, toiletries and robes, and gourmet espresso coffeemakers. Balconies offer fine sea views.
Request a room above the seventh floor, because these have larger balconies. Suites feature spacious sitting rooms and have larger balconies, and premium rooms on the upper levels offer access to a private lounge with concierge service and extra amenities. Some rooms are far from the elevators.
The culinary center is the first of its kind in Cancun and offers intensive hands-on cooking classes covering Mexican, French and gourmet cuisine. Wine and tequila tastings are formal affairs with crystal, linens, and complete instruction in the art of sniffing and sipping pricey beverages.
The staff can be depended upon to go to sometimes-extravagant lengths. (For $55, guests can request a "Margarita Bath," a soak in a tub rimmed with salt and garnished with limes, while downing a pitcher of margaritas.)
The staff is as sharp as the steak knives and as polished as the silver. When measured in terms of sheer luxury, this is the best hotel in Cancun. Some may prefer the more contemporary atmosphere of the Meridien or the newer JW Marriott, but as far as Ritz-Carlton die-hards go, these are mere pretenders to the throne.
