The ‘paradise’ hotel resort where it’s warm all year round with beach bars, lazy rivers and pop up shows

THE handwritten note in my room reads, “Welcome to paradise”.

And with good reason.

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I’ve just arrived at the newly transformed all-inclusive Marriott Cancun on Mexico’s beautiful Yucatán Peninsula.

Sitting on a stretch of white sand on the country’s Caribbean coast, this resort has recently had a makeover to become the first ever Marriott-branded all-inclusive.

The wows start from the moment you enter the lobby, with its huge arched window perfectly framing the blue sky and azure Caribbean Sea just beyond the hotel’s pools.

There’s an inviting cocktail bar and lounge directly in front of me and the place oozes sophisticated relaxation.

Sweeping view

My room is spacious, with a calming, pared back decor. The large balcony has a sweeping view across the resort, over the beach and out to the sea.

I can hear the waves and the tropical birds. What a spot to drink it all in.

There are 450 redesigned guest rooms here and 13 different dining options to choose from.

I waste little time in heading to the resort’s Japanese restaurant, Ono, and take a seat at one of the theatrical teppanyaki grill stations.

“Ready?” asks Chef Luis with a smile before he makes flames lick across the grill. He juggles his utensils with impressive flair. I have a trio of grilled seafood and the dish is divine.

Fellow diner Michael from Cleveland, Ohio, explains why he loves this resort: “It’s the people,” he says. “The people that work here go above and beyond.”

And Michael is spot on. From Abril, who seats me for a delicious Mexican breakfast at Casa Madre, to Jesús, who I chat to at Hana Polynesian Grill, there’s an easy warmth to everyone I encounter.

I introduce myself just once to Henry, a server at the resort’s sea-facing beach bar, Sacbé, and I’m greeted with a hearty “Buenas tardes, Señor Dean” thereafter.

“We want things to pop up,” says the hotel’s leisure sales manager Diana, on a group tour around the resort. “That might be using spaces for pop-up activities.

“It might be pop-up food offerings. It might be singers or dancers. Here, you don’t have to choose between having dinner or a show, the show comes to you . . . ”

During my stay, there’s a pop-up mini-market with live music. I enjoy a traditional Mayan show, join a ceviche-making cookery class and a tequila-tasting session.

One evening, a mini-casino springs up, there’s a pop-up tamale (corn-based dough snack) stand and another food cart serving the tastiest tacos.

Maximising guest choice is at the heart of this resort. I visit the coffee shop and bakery, Organic & Co, for an iced latte and fruit pastry.

I go to the cevicheria for a light shrimp dish with glorious sea views. I grab a cookies and cream milkshake from Mo’s diner to drink on my balcony.

Of course, the hotel’s outside attractions are just as appealing.

In a secluded spot just along the beach are the hotel’s massage cabanas.

My genial masseuse, Connie, tells me that she uses an authentic Mexican technique. I felt relaxed before my massage. I feel like I’m floating on clouds after.

There are couples relaxing in the adults-only infinity pool and friends chilling out in the cabanas around the main pool, both of which feature swim-up bars.

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There are children playing in the splash area, and guests enjoying the waterslides and bobbing along the waterpark’s lazy river.

The hotel’s kids’ club includes an expansive indoor/outdoor space featuring a splatter paint cabin, sound cabin with instruments, slime bar, theatre space and activities ranging from puppet crafting to dance lessons.

For guests seeking adventure, there’s everything from scuba diving to parasailing.

For me, it’s an outing to Cenote Zapote Ecopark on the Riviera Maya. Cenotes are strikingly beautiful natural sinkholes that draw many wanting to swim in the invigorating fresh water.

I realise how attached I’ve become to the place in such a short time.

Dean Agius

This ecopark features three cenotes, as well as a zipline circuit.

“I’m your Mexican mama,” says Jess, the charismatic Cenote Zapote guide, who leads us through the experience.

Soon after, I’m soaring over the jungle canopy on an exhilarating series of zip-lines, before a bike and buggy ride through the trees to swim in those remarkable cenotes.

Heading back, I realise how attached I’ve become to the place in such a short time. I’m already looking forward to a mango margarita in my favourite spot.

The next morning, I check out. I’m leaving behind not just a very special resort, but some magical people, too.

Everyone has their own version of paradise. This is mine.