A Birthday Escape to The Westin Cozumel (Hotel Review)

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Cozumel is a small island off the coast of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Living in Playa del Carmen, we can see Cozumel every day from the beach. To get there, you take a 40-minute passenger ferry from downtown Playa del Carmen.

Héctor and I had talked about visiting Cozumel for months. It’s funny how when you live so close to something it’s easy to postpone taking action. We always thought “well, we can go anytime! What’s the rush?

Finally, my birthday came around. It seemed like the perfect time to take a mini-vacation. I was set to spend the rest of the month away visiting family in Canada and the US, so it was our last chance to have a little adventure together for a while.

We were attracted to The Westin Cozumel because we wanted to stay somewhere beautiful, luxurious, and right on the beach. The Westin opened in March 2017 and, with 14 floors, it is the tallest building on the island. We knew it would have fantastic views and that we’d have a good opportunity to see the sunset!

Welcome to The Westin Cozumel

As we drove toward the hotel, my anxiety piqued. I was worried we’d be turned away for being dressed like college students and driving a rusty rental jeep.

When we pulled up to the valet stand the contrast between the grand entrance of the Westin and the tattered Jeep was comical! I felt a little bit like a beverly hillbilly.

My worrying was in vain though. The valet attendant immediately greeted us with a friendly wave and a warm smile before we even stopped the car.

We felt immediately at ease.

“Let me get you some welcome drinks!” he said excitedly, as he led us to the front desk.

Héctor and I looked at each other with eager anticipation. After a day of cruising around the island in the hot sun, a refreshing drink sounded amazing!

Moments later we were sipping on the most delicious, chilled agua de melon than I’ve ever tasted. We were off to a great start, and things only got better from there!

The Westin lobby is beautiful, bright and airy. It features a water fountain, a bar where you can order handcrafted cocktails, and most importantly, a prominent view of the ocean.

Just outside the lobby, there is a large patio area, and off to the left, you will find the main swimming pool. Below that is the beach area, complete with palm trees and loungers for sun tanning. Before we completed check-in, I was already wondering if they offered monthly rates!

Introducing the Classic King Room

Finally, it was time to head up to our room. I wasn’t sure if we would have an ocean view, and honestly, I wouldn’t have minded if we didn’t. However, it turns out every room does!

As soon as we stepped out of the elevator on our floor, we were awestruck by the incredible view behind the hotel, looking out over the island. We were up high enough to look down over the green jungle and spot pristine, white sand beaches in the distance. It was incredible.

It’s rare to see undeveloped beaches in the Riviera Maya, so this view was especially magical.

Then we opened the door to our room.

It was gorgeous! The turquoise ocean contrasted beautifully with the creamy linens and natural wood accents in the room. We felt like we were in heaven. To be honest, we kind of were!

We were excited to watch the sunset from our room that evening while enjoying a glass of wine. There aren’t many places on the east side of Mexico where you can watch the sunset over the ocean, and we didn’t want to miss it.

We were not disappointed!

I don’t think I have ever slept more soundly than I did that night. The bed was an absolute dream. With all the layers of blankets, comforters and fluffy (but not too fluffy) pillows, it was like sleeping on a cloud. I guess that’s why Westin calls it the “Heavenly Bed!”

That night was a glorious break from the trucks, sirens, and city commotion that we usually hear from our apartment in Playa del Carmen.

Dining at the Westin Cozumel

Las Gaviotas is the casual dining restaurant on the property. It features many delicious menu items. It is set right on the water’s edge, and you can easily spot pelicans out the windows in front of the dining room!

We were starving when we sat down for lunch, and Las Gaviotas was just what we needed. Héctor’s arrachera was mouthwatering, and my fish tacos were delicious as well.

The service at Las Gaviotas was absolutely wonderful. Everyone went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable, and they even surprised me with a complimentary slice of birthday cake!

For dinner, we dined in the Cuzamil restaurant, also on site at The Westin Cozumel. This fine dining restaurant is located just off of the hotel lobby, overlooking the pool and the ocean. The patio is perfect for relaxing as you enjoy handcrafted cocktails (I recommend the Citrus Margarita).

The food was riquísima! As was the second slice of birthday cake!

Amenities

The Westin Cozumel has a rooftop pool and bar, which, sadly, were closed during our visit. I imagine the view from up there is incredible!

The hotel also features a spa and fitness center. Somehow our visit ended up being centered around eating, so we didn’t take advantage of either of those. We’re totally okay with it though, because now we have an excuse to go back to get the full experience!

If you’re as intrigued as we were, click through to see current rates!

Goodbye isn’t easy

We truly enjoyed our stay at The Westin Cozumel. Despite traveling frequently, Héctor and I rarely have the opportunity (or the excuse!) to stay in hotels. I guess that’s what happens when you have friends and family to host you everywhere you go!

Because we were so exhausted from exploring the island all day, Héctor and I really just wanted to use our downtime at the hotel to relax and indulge ourselves a little. The environment was so peaceful that all of our worries and stresses from every day life melted away almost immediately when we arrived on the Westin property.

We didn’t visit the spa, or even use the swimming pool, but we loved looking at the ocean and watching the palm trees blow in the wind. We also very much enjoyed watching the pelicans fish offshore.

Héctor was especially excited when we woke up in the morning to see a massive cruise ship passing by right in front of the hotel! He had been hoping to see one up close!

The friendly hotel staff made our stay even more exceptional. Everywhere we went in the hotel we were greeted with warm smiles and friendly faces. We really felt at home… or maybe that was just wishful thinking!

We’ll definitely be going back!