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My review of W Barcelona
Back from Cancun and I’m going straight to Barcelona to commence my first cruise trip with Virgin Voyages! For the peace of mind I arrived one day before, which gives me the chance to try out the W hotel as well.
Although its quality is debatable (its TripAdvisor rating is only 4), the W hotel is one of the most known and popular hotel in Barcelona, thanks to it being the only building standing out on the city centre’s beach.
The hotel is located at the southeast corner of the beach, making it not the easiest to reach by public transport or walk, but there are always cabs waiting outside. The beach is very nice though, and you are come down for a stroll anytime.
As I’m staying with a friend I booked a twin room. Although I still had a few suite night awards, the best room I could have ticked was some kind of studio so I decided against it – and it is a decision that bites me hard!
The front desk gentleman thanked me for being a Titanium member, and told me although they couldn’t upgrade me they’d put me in the best room in the same category. And to compensate they would offer me free breakfast instead.
It is very rare that I receive no upgrade at Marriott properties, and the hotel is definitely not full. Complimentary breakfast is a Titanium benefit at W hotels.
It is a pretty big hotel so they have multiple elevators, but half of them don’t go beyond the fourth floor, whereas there are 26 floors in total. Thanks to being on the lowly fourth floor, our room is reachable by all elevators which saves us from waiting, how thoughtful!
The hallway reminds me of old Hong Kong horror films.
The room is actually decent enough, if you ignore the mouldy smell.
This is the “bay view” from my room.
For comparison, this is the suite my friend received last year, using his suite night award.
Breakfast is served in the Fire restaurant, and Saturday morning is so busy!
The buffet:
An a-la-carte menu too. My Eggs Benedict is quite good.
There is a swimming pool outside the restaurant. All the spots are taken at 8am!
There is another larger pool upstairs, with a better view.
The gym:
The bar on the top floor is very busy, but disappointing to be honest. It is very small and there isn’t much of a view at night.
Can’t say I’m surprised at its average reviews on TripAdvisor and other booking platforms. If you’ve got a good deal however the prime location and some of its facilities are still worth it, but I highly recommend to use your suite night award to score a decent room.
My review of JW Marriott Cancun
Having spent three nights at the unusual Canopy hotel, I wanted to move to a proper resort – after all we are in Cancun right? I was very undecisive between JW Marriott, Westin Lagunamar and the Royalton Chic, and JW Marriott finally had the upper hand as it’s very close to the restaurants and snorkelling tour that I was interested in.
The JW Marriott hotel is located in the middle of the hotel strip, which is where many luxury hotels are. Although buses pass by, the hotel’s entrance is a good walk from the road, and there’s no immediate pedestrian cross.
We visited the Mayan site at the Westin Lagunamar in the morning and then took an Uber to the JW. We arrived at 1pm and the room wasn’t ready yet, so we headed to the Fred’s House for lunch first.
Unlike the Canopy, you can easily tell that the JW Marriott hotel is a massive resort, which is what most tourists expect to see in this destination.
The concierge offered us an ice lolly whilst we were waiting for checking in.
Many of the Marriott hotels in Cancun are part of the Vacation Club, implying minimum benefits for Bonvoy members, e.g. no breakfast or suite night award redemption. That’s exactly how the JW Marriott stands out – my suite night award cleared into the best suite of the hotel!
The hotel has a special club lounge, Club 91, and access isn’t complimentary to elite members. You can purchase at the daily price of $85 per person, but I wouldn’t recommend. If you intend to dine fully at the hotel, it’s better to choose an all-inclusive property instead.
My ocean view suite is located on the 11th floor.
Living room:
Bedroom:
Walk-in wardrobe and two bathrooms:
The design is simple and has got the chilled vibe, which suits a beach-side resort well. Coffee machine:
The living room and bedroom are connected to different balconies. It’s not a joy in Cancun’s summer though.
The ocean view however is impeccable, and you see people doing water sports, for example parasailing.
I’m only here for one night, so no poking around and let’s go down to the swimming pool! The outdoor pool is not so much “swimming” to be honest, more of a pretty venue to sunbathe and relax.
More photos of the pool:
You can walk down to the public beach, but remember to bring your key card as you need it to come back.
The sea is beautiful, and you can go down tens of metres yet the water is still quite shallow. The waves are not to be taken lightly though so swimming is not practical.
The indoor pool on the other hand, is absolutely empty.
The gyms:
My research suggests that elite members are entitled to free continental breakfast only, which is fine by me. When I’m in the restaurant however – what kind of continental breakfast is this?!
You can find everything you expect from an English breakfast buffet, with the addition of paella and some local specialties. There are also eggs cooked to order.
In honesty the quality is not great, and I definitely prefer the breakfast at the Canopy. But the spread is very impressive, and the only thing missing is the a-la-carte menu for the paying guests.
The hotel has many restaurants but we didn’t visit any except the pizza shop.
We requested 4.30pm late check-out, which was granted without any hassle. However as the suite was unavailable we were moved to the standard room instead.
Having a view of a construction site isn’t fun for regular guests, but we just need a room to rest so no complaints at all. I am very satisfied with the stay, and it was definitely a great decision to use my suite night award here!
My review of Canopy by Hilton Cancun
This is my first time in Cancun (and Mexico) and there are so many hotels to choose from! I did extensive research and finally set my eyes upon the Canopy by Hilton hotel. The deal is hard to resist: Amex The Hotel Collection comes with a 3-for-2 offer plus $100 credit, and I have the $200 Amex Travel credit from the Platinum card.
So I paid just over $300 for three nights. However, I had my doubts as this is not a traditional resort like others in Cancun. The Canopy hotel is not next to any beach and the nearest one is about 15 minutes away. Although they’ve signed a deal with an external beach club, you must pay $30 for entry and it’s a few minutes drive.
In summary, if you are looking for a staycation or beach holiday this hotel is not for you. However I had planned a lot of tourist stuff for the first two days so we didn’t mind.
There’s a pedestrian cross right in front of the hotel and a bus stop nearby. Frequent buses bring you to all the major sites at the cost of $1.
Uber is quite convenient too. Note that however Uber’s airport pickup is banned so I booked the hotel’s transfer at a fair $35. You can ride with Uber to the airport.
The hotel sits beside La Isla which is a massive shopping complex. There are many shops, restaurants and cafes here.
As you can see from the pictures above, the hotel is basically one standalone building and not very big. The lobby is nice though.
I booked a Sunset Double Double room, and got upgraded to Sunset Premium after I made an inquiry in the online chat. Then I arrived just to find that they changed my reservation to a Sunrise Premium instead.
Although they tried to convince me that it’s a better view etc I didn’t buy into that nonsense. They didn’t have any Sunset Premium Double left, and Premium King with a rollaway bed was not ideal, so I had to begrudgingly accept the assigned room.
The room is nice and functional, the bed very comfy. I was aware that there’s no balcony, but to my surprise there’s no bathtub either.
The so-called Sunrise view has an aspect of the opposite hotel, and the sea view is quite poor.
There’s a transfer lounge on the second floor, serving guests before their transfer to the beach club.
Come with me to the rooftop!
This is the very best part of the hotel, and ideal for your Instagram shots.
Sunset rooms have exactly the same view of this ferry wheel, and I hope you understand my perseverance with the room type now. The infinite pool is pretty good for a swim.
The jacuzzi on the other hand is pointless – who would want to soak themselves in hot water when it’s 32 degrees and humid?
Gym is next to the rooftop bar.
Breakfast is complimentary for Diamond members, which is buffet-only except for the egg-cooking station.
The spread isn’t the best that I’ve seen, but the quality is top-notch, and they change the hot dishes every day. They’ve put a lot of thoughts into the breakfast and the menu is very nicely curated, thanks to it not being a massive resort overwhelmed with guests.
In addition to the usual breakfast offering, there are some local delicacies including grilled fish and pork / beef stew. I’m most impressed by the dessert section – all the pastries here are incredibly fresh, special and tasty!
This is the only restaurant the hotel has, so I used my $100 credit on two dinners with my Mum.
Even better than the breakfast offering, the dinner menu here is outstanding. We ordered tacos, grilled octopus and spider (beef) steak, and every dish is simply amazing. The spider steak especially is probably the best steak I’ve ever had – awesome charcoal touch, crunchy surface and soft inside.
My 2pm late check-out is granted with no issues. This Canopy hotel has its very obvious pros and cons. If you intend to travel a lot when you are in Cancun, it’s a great base to explore the area at a very reasonable price.
My review of Buenos Aires Marriott Hotel
After three nights at Palacio Duhau I’m spending my last night Argentina at the Marriott hotel. Comparatively its rate is about a-third to half of the Park Hyatt so I wasn’t expecting much, but the stay turns out to be a blessing in disguise.
First of all you can’t get more central in Buenos Aires than the Marriott, as you are only about two hundred metres away from the Obelisco. It’s a great base to explore Buenos Aires – most attractions are within walking distance and there are all sorts of restaurants in the neighbourhood.
I had no problem checking in at just after noon, they also voluntarily offered me 4pm checkout which is a good start.
The hotel building is made of two “towers”. The taller tower (23 floors) has a rooftop bar, swimming pool and viewing terrace. The lower tower (18 floors) has the M Club.
They have very generously upgraded my reservation to an Upper Suite on the 20th floor of the taller tower. Upon entering the room you see a large bedroom with a working desk.
A separate living room:
Bathroom:
The layout is unorthodox and the whole furnishing is a bit rudimentary. My room has the “wrong” aspect and you can’t see the Obelisco from here.
For the M Club there’s a dedicated elevator for access. The interior is nice and the lounge is manned throughout the day.
Happy hour is every evening from 7pm to 9pm, and two hot dishes were served when I was there. I definitely don’t recommend mistreating your stomach on the lounge food though in Buenos Aires!
Breakfast buffet in the main restaurant:
The quality is very poor. I don’t know how the offering in M Club is like but hopefully it’s better.
Enough complaints and let’s head to the rooftop!
I was stunned when I stepped out of the elevator, wow!!
Unlike the rather boring design of the hotel rooms, this rooftop greenhouse is stunning. The pool is thoughtfully heated, and it’s connected to a smaller outdoor pool if you want a better view.
And finally, the Obelisco:
There’s a gym upstairs.
The food here might be underwhelming but that’s the least of my concerns in Buenos Aires. The Marriott has a great location and a beautiful rooftop swimming pool, and I recommend it if you are visiting.
My review of Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires
My second time in South America and first time in Argentina! Marriott had a great 2x elite night credit back then so I was going to prove them my loyalty in Buenos Aires, until I saw a very good deal with Park Hyatt.
Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, a.k.a. Palacio Duhau’s nightly rate usually hovers around $700. Somehow I managed to find a Hyatt Prive rate of $1,050 for three nights – remember what I explained about how the exchange rate works here, so in the end I paid only ~$600. I have never been to a Park Hyatt hotel so it’s exciting!
The area where the hotel sits is called Recoleta. Recoleta is an affluent neighbourhood and you can see beautiful French-style “chateaux” everywhere, with Palacio Duhau being one of the them. The Four Seasons hotel is just around the corner although it looks pretty modern.
I took an Uber from the airport – it’s a 40-minute journey and costs less than $20. The Park Hyatt is comprised of two architectural parts: the main / old building is called The Palace, with two restaurants and a spa, and the rooms are more expensive.
The newer building is called The Tower, which is much taller (20 stories) and has one restaurant. The two buildings are connected by an underground gallery:
It’s a long walk with a few flights of stairs, although you could cut short by crossing the restaurant instead. Each building has their own entrance, so make sure you locate the right one when you arrive by Uber.
Of course I wasn’t aware of any of these so just went straight to The Palace when I arrived. The check-in agent was polite and professional but she didn’t notice I booked the Hyatt Prive rate and I had to remind her. I was granted 2pm late checkout as an Explorist.
A porter carried my bag and showed the way to The Tower. I received a double upgrade to a 1 King Bed with Balcony Deluxe room, located on the first floor.
Like what many people have suggested on Flyertalk, being a modern building The Tower probably doesn’t immerse you in the exquisite history as much as The Palace does. But to me personally, a modern and functional setup wins hands down, and I’ve stayed at a handful of real “palaces” in Europe already anyway.
This is the first time I’ve been to a Park Hyatt so I don’t know how representative this style is, but I quite like it. The room is rather monochrome and you don’t see things like marbles, granite or crystal, but the materials are definitely not cheap.
There’s a small wardrobe in the bathroom.
I wasn’t quite satisfied with receiving a room on the first floor. But it turned out to be the only floor with balconies!
The Boston Ivy adds a cute green touch to the building, and protects your privacy.
My welcome gift is a bottle of local Malbec and several macarons.
I had a tour around the old building on the day. Guest floors can only be accessed with dedicated room keys and I didn’t want to bother the staff.
You’ll find the gym and (mediocre) swimming pool in the basement. There’s no sauna or jacuzzi.
Breakfast starts at 7am and you can choose between two restaurants. Gioia in The Tower becomes a vegetarian restaurant after breakfast.
The buffet doesn’t offer a lot of variety.
And an a-la-carte menu.
You don’t get many to choose from but the quality is good. The other restaurant, Piano Nobile is in The Palace and it’s a-la-carte only.
I thought food here would consequentially be better, but the menu is almost the same with The Gioia. Personally I prefer the latter as it’s easier to fetch from the buffet yourself when you need anything.
The two restaurants are connected by the very instagrammy garden, with outdoor seating.
Locals may be confused when you say Park Hyatt, but everyone knows Palacio Duhau. Coming here for breakfast or afternoon tea is a ritual that many enjoy, kind of like The Ritz in London I suppose.
To use my credit I had lunch at Piano Nobile and ordered the most expensive Wagyu steak, which costs just $40 at the MEP rate. Unfortunately the Hyatt Prive credit is awarded at the official rate, which converts to $60 effectively instead of $100.
The steak is very good, but I wouldn’t say it’s much better than what you can have at local restaurants at a much lower price. Argentina is heaven for beef lovers!
When checking out I needed to request them to remove my 21% VAT, and that involved scanning a QR code to enter my immigration information. Remember that you must pay by card for the tax exemption.
It is no doubt a very solid hotel but service-wise I wasn’t very impressed. To name a few: no one proactively helped with my luggage when I got out of the taxi; not all staff greet guests; I asked the receptionist a question and he forgot to answer. As for the Park Hyatt brand standard I believe there’s room for improvement.
If you get a great rate like mine it’s very worthy of the experience. Otherwise just come for breakfast or afternoon tea – for $200 you can book a very good hotel in Buenos Aires.
My review of Westin Palace Madrid
My flight to Buenos Aires departs at Madrid, as it saves me £££ compared to flying BA from London. I booked the Westin Palace Madrid hotel for one night as a transit.
The name Westin sounded very posh to me at the beginning, right until I stayed at the brand for the first time at Zagreb. Then I realised it’s at the same tier with Sheraton and Marriott – the Westin Excelsior Rome I visited recently was disappointing.
The Madrid hotel however, is indeed a bit different as indicated by the “Palace” in its name. Construction of the hotel was the idea of King Alfonso XIII. It was completed in 1911 and then the largest hotel in Europe. It was also the second hotel in the world that had a bathroom in each guestroom.
The Westin Palace Madrid hotel has a prime location in the city, within walking distance to the many museums and galleries. Recoletos station is just 10 minutes away, which brings you to the airport for just over two euro.
The exterior of the the building sets my mind at peace – at least it doesn’t seem in desperate need of renovation.
In fact the hotel is very well maintained. The marble floor is immaculate, the walls neatly painted and the finish of everything is fresh. I would believe it if someone told me it’s a new hotel.
My reservation is upgraded by one level to a Premium room. The building is massive with a weird triangular shape, so it takes age from the lift to certain rooms!
Room doors are surrounded by a layer of marble, which is classy but also a bit strange in the meantime.
The room on the other hand, looks pretty standard for a five-star hotel. Nothing specially draws my attention, except the signature Heavenly Bed which is very comfortable!
It comes with a very small balcony.
There are a terrace, a gym and sauna / steam rooms. There’s no pool however.
The restaurant is very beautiful and it reminds me of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Both hotels share Palace in their names for a reason!
The buffet breakfast is average.
Westin Palace Madrid is a decent hotel that’s got a lot of history and well preserved at the same time. The location is also ideal for tourists.
My review of Leeds Marriott Hotel
This is a quick review of the Leeds Marriott Hotel. I was half-way through my £100 off £300 Amex cashback offer and needed to find a participating Marriott property to fulfil the spend requirement. I didn’t want to travel far, and Leeds Marriott came to my attention.
The hotel sits in front of the Trevelyan Square. It is very close to the train station and Trinity shopping centre.
The lobby and restaurant:
I received an upgrade to an executive room on the top (sixth) floor, which is actually a corner room.
The room is bright with large windows on two sides of the walls.
Here’s the problem though: noise level here can be really bad. The rail tracks are 50-ish yards away. And as if that’s not enough, there are many bars and pubs just around the corner.
I complained the next morning and they moved me to a double-double room which is sort of interior facing. It is a lot better.
Set-up of the executive lounge is a bit strange. It’s like another boutique lobby inside the lobby area.
Presentations are nice, but it is a very small lounge. You can imagine it being very busy in the evening.
Soft drinks, fruits and coffee machine are available throughout the day.
Happy hour is hosted between 5.30pm and 7.30pm. Two hot dishes and a decent spread of canapes are on offer.
Breakfast in the main restaurant isn’t comp’ed, but you can have it in the executive lounge.
It is an average Marriott hotel you expect in this country, and there’s nothing particularly good or bad. If you are a light sleeper and sensitive to noises though it may not be for you.
My review of The Westin Excelsior Rome
I found myself a ridiculously cheap flight ticket from Rome to Abu Dhabi, and I took this chance to properly visit Rome for the first time. Being a major city in Europe, Rome hasn’t really established a massive portfolio of good hotels. Waldorf Astoria is maybe the only one that comes up in my mind, but it is quite far out of the city.
I booked the Westin in the end, which like many other hotels are situated in the Borghese Park area. It looks very close to the Spanish Steps, but the roads here are very hilly and crooked and it’s not as easy to walk around.
I arrived into the Rome Central station via Leonardo Express from the airport, and then it took me 15 minutes to walk to the hotel. The hotel has definitely seen better days, but it’s not as worn as I had feared.
I received a one-level upgrade to a Grand Deluxe room, which measures 40 square metres.
Premium wi-fi is chargeable, but waived for Platinum members upon check-out.
I chose breakfast as my welcome amenity.
There’s a swimming pool in the basement.
There’s an ice cream shop across the street called Neve di Latte that I highly recommend – I truly enjoyed my massive four scoops for only €5!
I wasn’t aware of the hotel’s atrocious 7.2 rating on booking.com until after I have completed my stay, but honestly speaking it doesn’t feel that awful. InterContinental Rome has opened its door recently, and I might try it out next time.