[Aveasmom]

I would like to hear from people who have stayed at both. Our PU trip is the first vacation I will have taken in about two years. I would like to stay at the one that people enjoyed the most. I have seen people pick one or the other, but I don't think anybody who stayed at both. Heck for our visit we stayed at the hotel Real Intercontinental, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. But I would like to try one that other AP's are at. So any input would be wonderful.

[JoshGuat]

Westin-higher cost overall-meals$$$$$$$, accommodations, etc. BEWARE:LOTS OF HIDDEN COSTS!!! The peanuts in the room cost 10.00-ouch!! Large suites. Excellent $$$$$$$$ food. Location near great lower price local Guatemalan restaurants. NOTE:Pool access not that great-need to go down to the basement level, then walk up many stairs to the pool More security than the Marriott. A bit more upscale than Marriott overall. Beautiful foyer and halls!! Gift shops on first floor. Location near local gift shops. Mall four blocks away. Gambling on the first floor.

Marriott-excellent food!!! pool has easy access, restaurants are great!!! Average accommodations. Less security than Westin. Gift shops on first floor. Location near local gift shops. McDonald's next door.

DH and I stayed at both, the Westin was esthetically nicer, however we would stay at the Marriott if we ever go back!! Save $$$$$$$ if you stay at the Marriott

[kzwief]

I am a Westin girl. Stayed their twice and absolutely loved it! You can gain access to the pool without going downstairs, just tell the person by the patio doors. The food is incredible at the Westin, but I do believe it is higher priced. DH and I were there last week for visit trip and we only spent $200 on food and drinks for the 5 days we were there. I didn't think it was too bad. The Westin is GORGEOUS. I have not however stayed at the Marriott. The Westin staff is VERY friendly and helpful. We will for sure stay there on pickup. I think more adoptive parents to choose the Marriott though. You will love the pool at the Westin. So much fun to hang out there during the day! PM me with any other questions!

[SUKI4198]

Have to agree with Kim. I'm Westin girl all the way too.
Meals at the main restaurant were a bit over priced but yummy. We found the restaurant towards the back of the hotel, by gift shops was very good and reasonable.
The staff at The Westin is amazing. Both friendly and helpful.
The beds at The Westin are awesome...I have heard the beds at Marriott are hard. Couldn't tell u for certain just what I heard.
The pool is beautiful. Like Kim said security is right next to the patio doors at all times. They will gladly open the patio doors for you which lead right to the pool. The pool staff is very attentive as well. Soda, drinks, meals all brought right to you poolside.
When we went on our first trip we had not had vacationed yet either for that year so I wanted to stay at a nice place. Went with Westin and loved it.

Angie (NJ)

[HopeandaPrayer]

I have stayed at both and loved both. However, on PU we'll probably stay at the Marriott. The rates are lower and although it is not as opulent as the Westin it is still very nice and just feels more comfortable to me. We also liked the food better at the Marriott-especially the breakfast buffett. We loved eating our breakfast outside overlooking the pool. The staff is great at both hotels and will help in any way you need. I also liked the fact that the Marriott seems to have a little more protection between the front doors and the street.

Also, we always fly Continental and right next door to the Marriott there is a Continental office where we go to get our boarding passes printed out. Very convenient. The hotels are very close to each other and you can walk from either one to many of the same restaurants. Both pools are nice but the Westin's probably is a bit nicer. I think you will be happy at either.

Terri

[MiGuatMama]

I have heard that the Marriott is not as accommodating to adoptive families as they once were. Have you who have stayed there recently (within the past 2-3 months) found this to be the case?

[newnan]

I have stayed at the Marriott both times with my first daughter, and now for our 2nd daughter, we will stay again at the Marriott, loved the food, the shops nearby, and overall we had a wonderful experience each time...

[missylaw]

We stayed at the Marriott on our visit trip (we are talking 07 here) and loved it. Staff was so nice and went out of their way to help you. Pool was being renovated(sp?) when we were there so didn't get to use it. Food was wonderful and resonable. Lots of other adoptive families there and the staff was very helpful with our needs. Very clean. We had planned to stay there on our p/u but when the time came of course they were booked. We stayed at the Westin and I have to say it was BEAUTIFUL. It was more $$$ but again staff was very very nice even remembered our daughters' name each meal and asked how she was, took the time to speak to her both in Spanish and English. I swear I never had a soda glass nor my husband a coffee that went more than 1/2 empty(even at breakfast buffet). They were there to fill up all the time. It seemed that it was someones job just to refill. There weren't as many adoptive families there as there were at the Marriott and I was worried about this, but we met some wonderful families and again the staff was very helpful when it came to our family needs. They made sure we had the crib in the room, stroller, key to the baby lounge and such. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet and dinner buffet greatly. Also, we used the door on the main floor to get to the pool also, there was always someone right there who asked if we would like assistance pushing the strooler out to the pool through the door right outside the restaurant on the first floor. The beds were to die for!!! I wanted to take one home with me. So, I think the Westin was worth the extra money, but (as someone said the Marriott has possibly changed their reputation of being extra helpful to adoptive families...have heard but never heard an example from someone I know) if you are looking to hook up with lots of adoptive families and a more casual setting you probably would be more comfortable with the Marriott, if you want the "5 star" treatment the Westin might be for you. They both have 3 restaurants to choose from but at both hotels the buffets seemed to be best for us. The Westin pool is gorgeous and we spent several afternoons there with other adoptive families. The staff waiting on you pool side and you could even have your lunch served to you pool side. Hmmm those were the good days, now I want to go back!!! So I guess I am of no help at all. My honest feeling is that you can't go wrong with either. I do feel if you stayed at the Westin once you might find the Marriott just a little more relaxed and it for sure was busier when we were there where as the Westin was quiet (except for the baby floor of course :-). We ended up not on the baby floor at the Westin d/t a mix up on my part but they did everything possible to make sure we had a key card, and were as close as we could get. They called at night to make sure there wasn't anything we needed and actually our daughter was ill and they deciphered the name of the medication that was OTC she needed and called the pharmacy for us to have it ready. They also called and had our formula delivered to the lobby and called our room when he arrived with it. Ok, I have gone on long enough. I guess I would choose the Marriott if I were taking our other children with us, but the Westin if it were just my husband, myself and Maya on a trip. Sorry to ramble on so long, both places bring back such good memories.
Missy

[kristibk]

Westin girl...never stayed at the Marriott. Been to the Westin 3 times with excellent stays. The staff actually remembered me and my daughter. DH and I will definatley stay there on PU. Great accomodations, very friendly staff, loved the food and the pool and the shops.

[angel_bayou]

I'm glad this was brought up because I needed to bok my room for one night just so I can make the early am flight on the way back from my upcoming trip. I really liked the Marriott while we were adopting, but I noticed the attitudes had changed and it was WAY more business oriented this past May. I'm torn on what to do so I hope more people chime in who have been there recently!

[jimanddarla]

We are at the Marriott right now (Abe is napping) and we really like it. We stayed at the Westin in June and already prefer the Marriott. The staff is VERY friendly, rooms are clean, and the baby lounge is much nicer than the Westin's (IMO).

Our rooms at the Westin were musty and since you cannot open the windows there was nothing we could do about it. We have sliding glass doors to a balcony at the Marriott.

We haven't been to the pool yet but it is open.

He's awake.... BYE!

[Tiggysgirl]

I don't post here much anymore, but had to jump in on this one! Westin girl here! But, never been to the Marriot, so I can't compare. The staff were all SO incredibly friendly it was insane! On my visit trip I had to give my monkey back the night before I left and I went to eat and was looking at pictures. One of the waiters sat down and asked to see them! Then, two more did!

When we picked up, one of the waiters remembered me and my little guy and he would make sure that if he didn't seat us, that he came over to say hi to my guy. We loved the pool and the rooms are TO DIE FOR! I am ruined for all hotels from now on! They were so nice and the beds way comfy! We walked to the mall from the Westin and had fun there.

Have fun either way!

[lou0728]

I am a Marriott girl...stayed at the Westin once....it just wasn't for me. The staff at the Marriott remembers me by name.... I have been there for 8 weeks out of the past year and a half..... I LOVE THE MARRIOTT!

[TeeTee]

Lots of diff opinions on this...either are nice really. I personally liked the Marriott better. The Westin is very pretty, but more of a business type hotel. I liked the pool at the Marriott better for kids, we took my 7 yr old son and 3 yr old nephew too. The baby room at the marriott is much nicer than the westins in my opinion, the westins had no door so I always felt like the kids were bothering other people in the rooms. Anyway...you will enjoy either because your child will be with you....happy travels....

[KJones5]

It depends on what your tastes are. The Westin is more upscale and more luxary. The Marriott - well you fell more comfortable running around in your shorts and tshirt.

I found the staff at the Marriott to not be as nice as the staff at the Westin. I also felt that the Westin was MUCH cleaner than the Marriott. I felt like the bed at the Marriott had probably been peed on a million times by a million different babies and everything I touched in our room and in the restaurant was always sticky and slimmy at the Marriott. I thought the food at the Westin was lots better too.

Personally, I liked the Grand Tikal the best. I thought it had the best of both the hotels!