After having to reroute our Labor Day Weekend plans from Hawaii, we decided to visit the Cabo San Lucas area for the first time. The last-minute change did force us to split our hotel stays into two: the JW Marriott and the Hilton Los Cabos. Let’s review the JW first, a great resort with great views and pools, and a great redemption steal at 50,000 Marriott points per night! If only they can get the AC running..
How Was It Paid? We booked a two-night stay using 50,000 Marriott points to cover the first night and our 50,000-point Marriott Certificate that we receive as part of our annual benefits with the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant credit card. The booked room, a Deluxe King with Ocean Views and Balcony, runs about $330/night, entonces se ahorro about $750-800 total! As an added bonus, we earned Titanium status with Marriott after this stay!
Que Fue Lo Bueno? The pools were awesome! Plenty to choose from on the family side of the resort. We did benefit from a lack of families visiting, so plenty of social distancing was achieved. We also tried out the saltwater pool, which was pretty cool because unfortunately the beaches have TREMENDO hot sand and the waters are rough and dangerous to swim in. There was an adults-only pool, but it was definitely more packed than the pools on the family-side of the resort. La comida estaba buena pero expect to pay resort prices. This is why it’s muy importante to negotiate for the breakfast! We use the fact that our stay at the JW would gain us Titanium status to get one free breakfast buffet and pay for the other breakfast. What about the room? It’s one of the best 50,000 point rooms we have redeemed with Marriott! It’s more of a suite than a room – con un baño grande and amazing views of the Pacific from our balcony and a great King size bed.
One Thing to Improve: Oye que calor inside the restaurants! Maybe they are trying to be environmentally-friendly, or more likely it’s a cost-cutting measure, but phew it was uncomfortable to enjoy the tasty food. We skipped on dessert on both nights because of it. Even in the room, the lowest we could turn the AC down was 21* C (70* F). We definitely had to keep the curtains closed during the day to avoid heating up the room!
Final Verdict: Being able to redeem 50,000 points for a suite at a Marriott Category 6 hotel is a steal! It’s only 30 minutes away from the airport, and the resort is the perfect place to seclude yourself and chill poolside all day. Hopefully they do give the AC a check, about the only knock we will give to this otherwise fantastic resort.
*UPDATE: American Express was offering a “Spend $500, Save $100” offer for Marriott’s luxury hotels, including their JW Marriott brands. Unfortunately, the JW Cabos decided to code their spend as a Marriott Lounge and NOT as the JW, thus making our expense not eligible. We are trying to talk with the hotel but so far no luck. Seria una cosa bien mala if they do not attempt to fix this issue.
Vamos viajando. The world needs to see us!
Latinos With Passports 