Which is the best Marriott Bonvoy in the Caribbean? The best hotels include Zadun a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Aruba Marriott, Dorado Beach a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, JW Marriott Resort Cancun, JW Marriott Resort & Spa Los Cabos, Ritz-Carlton Aruba, Cancun, St. Thomas, Solaz a Luxury Collection Resort.
Ritz-Carlton hotels are part of Marriott Bonvoy and are one of the most luxury Bonvoy brands. Hence our top choices in this listing skew towards the Ritz-Carlton brand. Marriott has merged with Starwood, so their hotel portfolio includes The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Westin, W Hotels, EDITION, Sheraton, and the Four Points by Sheraton and Marriotts, JW Marriotts, Courtyard by Marriott, and more. Executive lounge access is a perk for top-level Platinum Elite members at Marriott and Starwood hotels. Still, even elite members must pay for lounge access at Ritz-Carlton hotels.
You can redeem points at all of the Marriott Bonvoy properties or pay for your booking and earn them, but remember to use our luxury travel concierge as we can offer you exclusive benefits or deals at all these hotels while enabling you to benefit from your status and collect your usual points. It costs nothing to ask us for a quote, and we can help you squeeze some extra value from your stay.
Some of the best luxury Marriott Bonvoy hotels in the Caribbean are listed below:
1. Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Puerto Rico
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is the best Marriott in Puerto Rico and has a secluded location, intimate accommodations, exclusive amenities, and personalized Embajador service.
With 115 oceanfront guestrooms spread across 50 acres and one mile of beach, this luxurious island sanctuary is encircled by coral reefs, blue Caribbean waters, and a lush tropical forest. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve was ‘grandfathered’ to be built on the footprint of the former Laurance Rockefeller estate, allowing for every guestroom and restaurant to rest directly on the beach, only steps from the sea.
For green credentials, Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, pursued and achieved a LEED Silver Certification awarded to properties that meet a particular level of sustainability. This level has only been given to less than 50 hotels worldwide, none comparable to Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in terms of luxury.
2. Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is the best Marriott Bonvoy resort in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur and it really is an incredible resort. Scrolling through the hotel website’s photographs, you can see just how incredible the place is!
The retreat, one of just two Ritz-Carlton Reserve resorts in the wider Caribbean-Mexico region, is set in San Jose del Cabo on the Sea of Cortez.
The property includes 115 suites and villas, a massive TLee Spas-designed spa, and an ultimate desert luxury ambiance. The units comprise 87 rooms, 28 suites, and 42 villas, headlined by the 6,000 ft² “Grand Reserve Villa.” Many of the suites and villas boast private plunge pools. All rooms have dark wood flooring, terraces, or balconies with glass surrounds, so railings do not disrupt the ocean’s views.
Our favorite room is the Oceanfront Pool Room, with a private plunge pool and ocean views. These rooms have windows that slide right back to open up completely, so the wooden floors stretch through the room out onto a large terrace, where loungers and an alfresco seating area with a table that looks out over the pool and to the ocean beyond.
The property is surrounded by a 27-hole golf course complex, including three courses designed by Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus.
3. Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort is a Rewards Category 7 Marriott Bonvoy hotel in an oceanfront location with easy access to Baja expeditions, downtown San Jose del Cabo and Marina Cabo San Lucas.
Contemporary rooms and suites offer the ideal respite for a truly relaxing stay, with exquisite designs, luxury beds, marble floors, and custom furnishings. Floor plans blur the line between indoor and outdoor space, with many rooms boasting private entrances with secluded, furnished patios, outdoor showers, private plunge pools, and unobstructed Sea of Cortez views.
Get pampered at the on-site spa and explore the diverse on-property dining options. Stay fit at the 24-hour fitness center and make an appointment with a personal trainer. Relax in the glistening outdoor pools, including two heated infinity pools and two children’s heated pools.
4. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Discover a beachfront escape in St. Thomas. The redesigned Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas is the perfect place to encounter the beauty of the Virgin Islands in a new light. Be captivated by the peerless turquoise Great Bay and verdant mountain views, endless beaches, and thrilling water sports.
Following a $100 million USD refurbishment which included a complete redesign of the public spaces, guestrooms and suites, dining venues, and meetings and events space, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas now sports a new white palette with splashes of color inspired by the sea.
Located on 30 acres on the island’s eastern tip, the renovated landscape is filled with tropical plant life. The resort’s 180 guestrooms and suites also have the same, lighter, and brighter palette.
Other property highlights will include a remodeled infinity pool and a second pool with a slide for families. A new Sicilian restaurant, Alloro, has been added to the resort’s culinary offerings, serving Sicilian dishes. Additional restaurants include Bluewater, a fine dining restaurant, and Coconut Cove, a beachfront spot with local cuisine. And Sails, located near the pool, which serves light fare and cocktails.
With the glimmering Great Bay just outside, hotel rooms and suites offer island-inspired elegance, spacious layouts, and ocean-view balconies. On the Club Level, guests enjoy the attention of a dedicated concierge and access to the lounge, exclusive services, and locally inspired experiences.
This Club Lounge is probably the best in the Caribbean, with a super swish refurbished interior and an outdoor terrace overlooking the grounds and the sea beyond. Here you can enjoy drinks and local dishes under the stars. Guests of the Ritz-Carlton club level enjoy:
- An exclusive lounge atmosphere with a beautiful terrace offering views of Great Bay
- A dedicated concierge to assist in making reservations, providing advice
- Breakfast with omelet station
- Midday snacks
- Canapes and cocktails
- Desserts and cordials
- Complimentary selection of wine, beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages
5. JW Marriott Resort & Spa Los Cabos
While we don’t list JW Marriott Resort & Spa Los Cabos as one of the best luxury hotels in Los Cabos, it is one of the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Los Cabos and is a Rewards Category 6 Marriott.
Boasting a brilliant beachfront location in San Jose del Cabo, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, this resort is the perfect place to soak up the sun in a sophisticated style. The hotel is some distance away from the nearby towns, maybe 4 miles from San Jose & 25 miles from San Lucas, and bear in mind that it is relatively isolated at the eastern end of the 20-mile-long beach zone. The next-door hotel is called Secrets (not a Marriott), but the JW Marriott is much less crowded and a much better hotel overall.
The hotel is made up of two buddings that are perpendicular to the beach. One of those buildings is allocated to dedicated Griffin club rooms, and these rooms offer executive club lounge access.
The hotel has several sparkling pools over an enormous area, so they never seem crowded. It also has a 27-hole golf course, six unique restaurants and bars, many with inspiring ocean views, and a luxury Jasha Spa & Salon. The adult pool is massively long, so ideal for laps. There are also two Jacuzzis and two swim-up bars.
This is not a hotel to pick if you want to swim off the beach. While you can walk for miles each way along the beach, the beach itself is rough and not swimmable. This is the same for most Cabo hotels and is a concern if you have kids.
The grounds surrounding the hotel are perfectly groomed and ultra-stylish, and while you can pay for an expensive room here, even the cheapest rooms are outstanding.
If you pay an extra approx. $200 USD per room per night, you can pay to upgrade to the Griffin Club, which has its own small pool and free drinks and appetizers all day. The free beverages include alcohol, and the appetizers are full meals, so you don’t need to eat out once you have club access. It has 45 exclusive rooms and a “hotel within a hotel” atmosphere.
You can’t get free access to the Griffin Club because you have Gold or Platinum Marriott status. Everyone who gets access to this lounge has to pay for access.
6. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun
A jewel of the Caribbean Sea, Cancun sits on the northeastern coast of Mexico’s sunny Yucatan Peninsula. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, a AAA Five Diamond resort, rests on the tip of the exotic Yucatan peninsula. This Rewards Category 6 luxury resort offers an enticing stretch of white sand beach, indulgent amenities such as the full-service Ritz-Carlton Spa and award-winning restaurants, and the intrigue of the ancient Mayan sites nearby. Recreational facilities include a 1200-foot sand beach, two sculpted outdoor pools, an oceanfront whirlpool, two tennis courts, and Fitness Center. It is also the best Marriott in Cancun.
The resort has 363 guestrooms, including 50 suites with ocean views and private balconies or terraces. Each resort’s guestroom and suite is a sanctuary of comfort featuring sweeping ocean views and a wealth of welcome amenities. For families with infants, specially designed rooms offer all the comforts of a home nursery, including a crib, a changing table, and a menu of baby essentials that can be ordered before arrival.
Guestroom amenities include Egyptian cotton linen and duvet covers, television with international cable, CD Player, individual air conditioning controls, high speed, Wi-Fi Internet access, in-room safe, marble bath with double vanities, and separate tub and shower and plush terry bathrobes.
Whether sampling Five Diamond cuisine, dining al fresco under the stars, or attending a tequila tasting session featuring the finest and most exclusive varieties, guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, will experience innovative cuisine with unparalleled service.
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level provides guests with the highest level of personal service with five complimentary food presentations daily. Worth noting Platinum and elite Marriott Bonvoy members don’t get free lounge access. Everyone who uses this lounge has paid for a club room.
This lounge is super smart with double-height ceilings, and intricately carved wall features, and the whole club lounge is designed in browns and olives with lots of woods and thick chunky marble. The meals are excellent and filling, you will not be disappointed, and you will leave full (both with food and alcohol if you want).
The Club Level food includes breakfast, light snacks, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and sweets. Beyond the free food, there is also a selection of complimentary wines, liqueurs, beers, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages available, complimentary wireless, in-room internet access, and two garments pressed daily.
7. JW Marriott Resort & Spa Cancun
JW Marriott Resort & Spa Cancun is a Rewards Category 6 Marriott Bonvoy hotel with upscale amenities including spacious, sand-toned accommodations and on-site dining. Explore the historic Mayan ruins and experience the area’s lively clubs and bars. Relax in the family-friendly freeform pools or adult-only infinity pools or work out at the fitness center, featuring cardio equipment and free weights. The beach here is white sand with a glorious blue sea. Wonderful! For rainy days, there’s an indoor pool and some arcade-style game machines for the kids.
Be aware of the extra charges at this hotel. Private cabanas cost $250 USD a day, and you can reserve lounge chairs with prime ocean views for $180 USD a day. Ouch! Reports suggest that you are also meant to tip the staff for the free drinks in the club lounge.
The JW Marriott, like The Ritz-Carlton and other big hotels in Cancun, is in the Hotel Zone, around half an hour by car from Cancun Airport (CUN). The JW Marriott is around a kilometer south of The Ritz-Carlton. The foyer is beautiful, with lots of marble, pillars, and colossal flower arrangements.
The Club and Club level rooms have been renovated. Club rooms are modern with tiled floors, pine headboards with Mayan patterning on, and blue and tan hues bringing the beach inside. Bathrooms are large and stylish, with lovely rough stone tiling on the walls and Aromatherapy amenities.
The lounge’s look is equally appealing, with the same tan and blue hues and beautiful windows looking out towards the ocean. This is a nice and stylish place to hang out.
Inspired by the great pyramid of Kukulcán, the executive club lounge labeled Club 91 is an exclusive haven of luxury. Located on the 14th and 12th floors of the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, Club 91 guests experience exclusive privileges and a lavish array of world-class amenities.
Is this JW Marriott “Club 91” Lounge worth paying the extra for (usually around $20 USD per person per room)? This is a common question as Platinum and elite Marriott Bonvoy members don’t get free lounge access. Like the process at Ritz-Carlton hotels, even elites need to pay for access. They say: “A rate with Club 91 access must be booked to take advantage of Club 91 benefits. It is not included in the Reward Member benefits.”
If you have club lounge access, you get free breakfast, free evening snacks, and alcoholic drinks. Throughout the day, you have snacks and soft drinks. If you like a few evening alcoholic drinks, then yes, the lounge is worth paying for, as you get free breakfast, free evening nibbles, and those valuable free drinks. If you only drink soft drinks, this lounge may not be as valuable to you as the hotel is in an area that feels safe, with plenty of local restaurants nearby that offer excellent value for money, so you may prefer to do this.
If you do decide to book into the lounge, expect five decent food events daily and an open bar in the evening with rotating hot dishes as well as cold cuts, cheeses, smoked salmon, veggies, and this kind of thing.
8. The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba
The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba is the best Marriott in Aruba and a Rewards Category 8 Marriott Bonvoy hotel. Fiery sunsets and calm, turquoise water are the backdrops for this wonderful hotel. Guests enjoy direct access to a pristine beach and the resort’s adults-only and family pools. The casino offers entertainment around the clock with table games and slot machines. And the expansive spa incorporates aloe and other indigenous ingredients into transformative treatments.
This hotel has a tropical beach resort feel and a brilliant Ritz-Carlton Club level with great food and service. The Ritz-Carlton is also the best Marriott from the point of view of space as there’s plenty of space between it and the next-door hotel. If you have club lounge access, you can eat all of your meals in the club lounge if you wish, as there are plenty of high-quality food offerings.
Perched on the 7th floor, club-level guests are invited to enjoy beautiful ocean views in a comfortable lounge. Views from the club lounge and club-level guest rooms feature stunning seascapes of the Caribbean Sea and Aruba’s famed sunsets. Toast the sun’s descent with a glass of champagne on your balcony or enjoy the club lounge to view an unforgettable performance of day becoming night.
This exclusive lounge on the 7th floor boasts endless culinary and beverage offerings throughout the day. Complimentary food offerings include breakfast, light snacks, hors d’oeuvres & desserts. Also available are superb selections of still and sparkling wines, liqueurs, beers, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages.
9. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
Sun-filled days and memorable experiences await at the Cayman Islands’ only Five-Star hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, is situated on world-famous Seven Mile Beach. Offering breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea, the resort boasts 144 acres with 365 guestroom accommodations. Guests can enjoy a la prairie spa; five restaurants, including Blue by Eric Ripert; an interactive culinary studio; retail; The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, a Greg Norman-designed, nine-hole course; Ambassadors of the Environment program by Jean-Michel Cousteau; tennis at The Tennis Courts; and other adventures unique to this sought-after destination.
Guests may sip on a world-famous Bar Jack Piña Colada, dip in the pool while Caribbean blues peak in the horizon, or marvel at a starry sky in a family stargazing activity. Experience life’s most meaningful moments with a stay in Grand Cayman featuring exceptional accommodations and personalized service as you unwind on island time.
10. Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is a Rewards Category 7 Marriott Bonvoy hotel. Overlooking the Caribbean sands of Palm Beach, this beautifully-styled hotel boasts spacious accommodations on the sunny beaches of Aruba with exceptional resort amenities.
Try your luck at the thrilling 24-hour Stellaris Casino or take a long swim in tranquil ocean waters. Sip on specialty cocktails in private cabanas at the H2Oasis adults-only pool, or pamper yourself with a soothing massage in the full-service spa.
Both the resort pools are excellent, and the main pool is lively with a swim-up bar, a family-friendly atmosphere, and offering ocean views. The H2Oasis Adults-Only Pool offers peaceful cabanas and a full bar. Soak away all your cares in our resort’s relaxing sauna and whirlpool, or savor superb onsite dining at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Atardi, and La Vista. In the evening, retreat to spacious hotel rooms with plush designer bedding, private balconies, and picturesque views.
Tradewinds Club lounge offers a boutique experience in a resort setting, providing personalized service and amenities exclusively for adults. This concept feels “VIP,” with private check-in and complimentary gourmet selections five times daily. They also have an open bar all day, with juices, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks with nibbles like sushi.
It is worth paying cash to upgrade to the Tradewinds Club. It typically costs around $100 USD, but most of it can be covered by the savings you make with breakfast, evening light bites, and free alcohol.
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