Magnacom (at it's own expense, and by using accumulated loyalty points) conducts venue research for prospective future customer reward and recognition events. The most recent example covered The Ritz-Carlton in Cancun, Mexico.
While our interest is primarily around becoming familiar with elements of a property that influence business content production, we are also concerned with overall infrastructure, safety and security, transportation, and client comfort. To that end, we are pleased to present the following report, written by Ron Shaw.
Overview and Terms of Use
This report contains my observations and opinions obtained on a 5 day visit at the end of May 2008. (beginning of low season - we just missed the Yucatan's first tropical storm of the season)
Cancun and surrounding areas were heavily damaged during 2005's Hurricane Wilma, and are still not fully recovered. Several beachfront hotels remain abandoned, others are being reconstructed, but many, like the Ritz-Carlton, are fully refurbished. The beach, however, is another story. We really lucked out with our choice of the Ritz-Carlton, as it's beach is the finest in the hotel zone. (based on walking more than 3 miles north and 1 mile south along the shoreline)
You must not rely solely on the content of this report to make a venue decision for your event. Consult other experts and conduct your own due diligence. All photos are copyright and property of Magnacom.
I have broken this report into the following sections:
Getting There and Getting Around, The Hotel, Business Session Facilities, Dining and Entertainment, Shopping and Activities, and last but not least, Safety and Security.
Let's get started!
Getting There and Getting Around
What's a hockey rink picture doing here? This is a shot of Joe Louis Arena in Detroit Michigan, just before the first game of the Stanley Cup Final series between the Red Wings and the Penguins. I included it to show how even NHL hockey is getting into business theatre - note the pyro above the scoreboard and moving lights throughout. The noise from rock music and the crowd was deafening.
You see, to save money versus flying from Toronto, I drove to Detroit for an early next morning Northwest Airlines flight non-stop to Cancun. We managed to get FIRST CLASS seats for only $704 return. (on points) A bargain to be sure. After the game, we stayed at the Westin Hotel located within the new terminal at Detroit Metro Airport. It was a bargain at $179 considering it included valet parking for the week as part of the rate. (remember, I drove from Toronto) The hotel was very comfortable, and we were up early for our 6:15AM flight to Cancun, which left on time
We landed in Cancun before 9AM local time (same as US Central Daylight Time) at the brand new terminal there. After a short delay at the gate while the rampers figured out how to work the brand new Jetway, we were in the sparkling terminal and in the immigration line. The first thing we noticed was the heat, as the air conditioning was not yet working. (it was "Big Heat" all week at +33Celcius or more)
The baggage hall contained six stations - but only three belts- so luggage from multiple flights gets mixed up. (if the screens show your flight at claim station 2, the bags will also appear at claim station 3) I guess there is some logic there somewhere. Regardless, we got our bags within a few minutes and we were on our way through Mexican Custom's Red light/Green light decision point. We got green (does anybody get red?) and were sent straight through.
We were supposed to meet a Ritz-Carlton van for the ride to the hotel, but there was some mix-up and it didn't show. We then had our choice of taxi reps hawking rides, we chose a direct drive for $60 one way. (The hotel service was priced at $75 one way or $120 both ways) The driver was a bit of a maniac and the van was well worn, but we travelled the 11 miles from the airport without incident.
Later in the week we made friends with a taxi driver who was regularly at the hotel (Fernando Perez Lopez 044-998-228-0869) who drove a new Chevy Suburban and was a very good driver. We booked him for the return to the airport and the charge was just $30! He also drove us into the town of Cancun one day, and waited more than 3 hours while my friend got her hair braided before bringing us back to the hotel for a total of $55 with tip. Taxis are very plentiful throughout the hotel zone both day and night. We did have one driver, late at night, (not Fernando of course) who was trying to sell us drugs.
Car rentals are also readily available both at the airport and throughout the hotel zone. I would recommend that you only rent if you consider yourself to be a highly confident driver. We rented a Jeep Wrangler for one day to go to Tulum (more on that in a minute) from a concession at the hotel for a total price of $120.
We also did a lot of walking, both for the exercise and to be environmentally friendly. Two large shopping malls are a brisk 10 and 15 minute walk from the hotel.
The Hotel
The photo above shows the main pool. The Ritz-Carlton is probably the finest full service hotel in Cancun. it is very clean, the amenities are first rate, and the service is without equal. Thank goodness I was there on points, because the oceanfront standard room that I booked went for $459 per night. But because it was low season (just starting), the rate also included a $100 per night room credit (you spend that fast!) and full breakfast for two daily. (a $57 value, as I found out)
This is a photo of the standard room:
We also viewed one of the 50 suites:
One thing I noticed was that in the suites, the bedrooms have widescreen flat panel TVs, while the sitting area has a standard 4:3 television. This is annoying if you want to broadcast business content to your attendees in their hotel rooms - one aspect ratio or the other will be distorted.
The really spectacular suite is the Presidential, shown here:
The Presidential suite can accomodate 40 or so people for a reception, and is located on the 10th floor, and is the only suite on that floor. Here is the balcony:
The beach front pool bar is small, but during our trip the hotel was not full, so service was not an issue. Drinks are predictably expensive ($11 for a Mohito) so we drank off property except while at the pool. Here is a photo of its location:
Here is a view of the beach at the Ritz-Carlton:
Business Session Facilities
There are fairly extensive meeting facilities for a hotel of this size. These include a main ballroom, secondary ballroom, 4 breakout rooms, plus a well appointed boardroom. Here is the main ballroom:
The primary problem with the ballrooms is their low ceilings which are a result of there being hotel structure over the ballrooms. The clearance to the chandeliers is less than 10 feet. Service corridors connect all rooms for easy cable access. Power quality appears to be stable throughout the hotel. This is no small feat for a Caribbean property. Wireless Internet is available throughout the property and it too appears to be of high quality.
Arriving groups can register for events and even check-in for their hotel stay within the large anteroom located one flight of stairs below the main hotel lobby. In the picture below you can see ideal spots to place information desks, etc. There is also a fully equipped business centre adjacent to this space.
Outside of the anteroom is the south pool area. This area can be used for group events such as welcome dinners, but is normally open to all hotel guests during the day. A curfew of 10PM restricts this space from use as a party location. Here is a view from above.
The alternate event location is on the beach next door, on the north side. This property is owned by the primary Ritz-Carlton investor who intends to develop this space at a future date. In the meantime it is fully available for group events. There is NO CURFEW so parties can go late and loud. This is a view from the 6th floor of the hotel.
For group photos the best location is probably the south pool area if the photographer takes the picture from the 3rd or 4th floor. An alternate location, shown below, is the INDOOR atrium.
Finally, if your group is small, consider using the Culinary Centre for special events. A "buy-out" is available. Here's a picture:
The loading dock at the hotel is ground level, so you will need to ensure your trucks have lift gates. It is immediately adjacent to the large ballroom:
Dining and Entertainment
Dining at the Ritz-Carlton is an expensive proposition. The exception for us was breakfast, as it was included in our hotel package. We made it to breakfast every day except one. Breakfast buffet included a wide variety of hot North American fare including made to order omlettes and waffles, plus traditional Mexican breakfast dishes. Cold cereals, fruits, pastries and juices were also included. Everything was excellent and was available daily from 7AM until 11:30AM.
We skipped a lot of lunches or had chips and salsa and cheese around the pool.
For every dinner except one, we ate off-property. Here's what we did:
Sunday night we ate at Cenacolo, a 15 minute walk from the hotel. This is a casual Italian restaurant with great pasta, salad, and meat dishes. Portions are huge. Dinner with a good Italian bottle of Merlot and cocktails was about $120
Monday night we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in the core of the hotel zone entertainment strip. (A $11 cab ride from the hotel) The Hard Rock has a great patio deck which is right on the ocean. The food was acceptable, we had wine by the glass and 1 (well maybe more) tequila each. Total cost was also about 120 dollars but that included the drinks after dinner. A live band appears nightly. That was a fun time. Right up until my friend spilled red wine all over my pants that is.
On Tuesday night we went for a fantastic steak dinner at Cambalache Argentinian Steak House located in the same complex as the Hard Rock, but upstairs. A full dinner of appetizers, salads (the Caesar was made fresh from scratch tableside) and aged Argentinian beef along with a bottle of Cabernet (Robert Mondavi) plus dessert, cocktails and tip set us back $200. I felt like it was well worth it.
Wednesday we went to Margaritaville, located about halfway between the hotel and the main entertainment strip. The food was "tourist delight" and the service indifferent. The entertainment was loud bozos trying to convince us we were having a good time. It did have it's moments though, and the top 40 cover band that eventually took the stage was pretty good. I'm convinced, however, that I got some mild food poisoning here which thankfully only lasted for the next day. The bill came to $90.
For our final dinner on Thursday, we decided to plow through our hotel credit and have dinner at the hotel. We booked table service right on the beach. This option is available Tuesday through Sunday weather permitting. There is a $45 set-up charge. It was a fantastic experience, with a dedicated waiter and assistant. The food and drink were first class and the service was quiet, discrete and very good. How much? US$625 including tip.
Entertainment after dinner is widely available all night at many clubs that feature heavy dance music. These are all located in the entertainment district at the north end of the hotel zone. Many clubs such as "Daddy Rock" and "Daddy'O" (the same owner) feature hefty cover charges ($40) but you drink free. I preferred the outdoor bars that were more fun and less pretentious and more "adult" oriented. At one, I got to shoot off the dry ice cannon (a CO2 pressure cylinder) after I tipped the DJ. I love that kind of stuff!
Entertainment options at the hotel are very limited. The lobby bar closes early except Thursday night when they have a pretty lame "disco" night. Groups can custom plan their own parties for a ballroom or the north beach. The hotel has a good inventory of props and event scenery for theme parties
Shopping and Activities
As noted earlier, there are two shopping centres located within walking distance of the hotel. One, called La Isla, is a kind of "outlet mall" that is outdoor access. This one is the furthest from the hotel. The other is called Kukulcan Mall, and is a North American grade property. It is an indoor climate controlled two level mall of more than 100 stores. There is a wide variety of quality shops and services that will fit any taste and budget. At one end you will find "Luxury Avenue", a kind of mall-within-a-mall that features high end boutiques including Tiffany's, Cartier, and others.
By taking a cab or public bus to the town of Cancun (about 10 miles from the hotel) you will find 28Th Street Market - a traditional Mexican craft and vendor market:
It not only has independent stalls with any kind of merchandise imaginable, as well as cafes spread over it's huge multi-block site - but it also has a section of regular stores as well. These are frequented by locals. Prices are much lower here than on the hotel strip and selection is better. I'm sure this is where the beach vendors get their stuff to sell.
As previously mentioned, one day we rented a Jeep and drove two and a half hours to see the ruins of Tulum. They look good in pictures, but as you can see they are actually pretty small:
Driving back to the hotel, we stopped at a beachside Tiki hut in Playa Del Carmen for fish Tacos. If you do this trip it's pretty much an all day proposition, but a good adventure.
Back at the hotel there are any number of water sports available from various concessions. We did "dorkeys" otherwise known as Waverunners. Quite a bit of fun in the open surf if you can handle them - $60 for half an hour - which is plenty of time.
Safety and Security
My two biggest concerns at the hotel are fairly serious. One is the height of the balcony railings - too low, as you can see in the picture. I hope they address this before a terrible fall happens.
The second is the open interior stairwell at the beach side of the building. This would never be approved in Canada and is a smoke hazard in the event of a fire. To me it looks like the builder was going to put two more elevators in but put one in only, thus leaving an open shaft.
Even though the building has sprinklers they would not prevent smoke spreading quickly to all interior halls. Your group should be briefed on safety and evacuation procedures, perhaps via video.
While drug problems are rampant throughout the Caribbean, Mexican efforts to clean things up are resulting in quite an ongoing and media reported war between drug lords and their corrupt officials. The army and federal police (the good guys) have a HEAVY presence in Cancun. I believe this is to comfort the tourists and to intimidate the bad guys. We saw military aircraft flying in formation, heavy armed vessels anchored offshore, and a Marines helicopter landed in a downtown park while we were driving by. It was quickly surrounded and secured by troops. They are not fooling around.
Otherwise we felt quite safe both on and off hotel property, during both day and nighttime.
Conclusion
If you are considering a destination for a small to midsize (25-500) recognition conference, you could do much worse than come to the Ritz-Carlton Cancun. Your attendees will not be disappointed, especially if they are hard charging sales people who have come to expect luxury and pampering. Spouses will most certainly be impressed with the numerous options for fun and relaxation as well. For more information, visit the hotel's web site.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Cancun/Default.htm
Thank you for taking the time to read this report. Feel free to contact me for more information or photos. I leave you with a beautiful picture of the surf just before sunset - "The Magic Hour" - when the light is just right. Model is Karla from Goshen, Indiana.
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