The Ritz Carlton Cancun was my favorite hotel in Mexico during the 80s and 90s. 
The Ritz Cancun
The Ritz driver picked me up at the airport. We had some great times along with the bar manager as my tour guide of everything that needed to be seen and done before my return to Houston.
When I arrived at my room I noticed a complimentary box of my favorite Cuban cigars. Monticristo #2 was the cigar I smoked during this period and Cohiba was my second choice. Of course the Ritz does not worry about your second choice if they can give you your first. Of course they also included an excellent french red. I'll explain the details with my last photo. At that time, these cigars cost $20.00 each or $400.00 per box. More details with the last photo.
This is my room with a center location over the pool and the Gulf.Cozumel Mexico
People go to Cozumel for the diving which is excellent!
Yes, a massage on your balcony is nice after a day of diving!
The timing of this shot was interesting because it shows the shadow of the parachute in the center of the pool as I headed for a landing on the beach.
There is an interesting story behind this piece of wood and brass plate.
On one occasion I recall just casually mentioning to the food and beverage manager that I was thinking about a quick trip to the Ritz in Cancun. He said he would make all of the arrangements and all I had to do was show up. When I arrived at the hotel, the Ritz had their stretch limousine and driver waiting. The manager in Houston had called ahead and arranged for a complimentary box of my favorite Cuban cigars and French wine. In addition, he made arrangements for the food and beverage bar manager in Cancun to act as my personal tour guide to assure that I had a great time.
Some time later the Ritz Houston went through a renovation and put down new flooring in the bar area. Since I always stood at the same place at the end of the bar, they took a piece of that original flooring and put a brass plate on it as a Christmas gift for me. The valets always parked me in the number one spot next to the bar entrance. On one occasion I pulled up and noticed a big Rolls parked in that spot. At the time I was driving a 500SL. I didn’t say anything but George said don’t worry, I’ll move that Rolls and your car will be here when you come out. That valet and I became very close friends over the years. George was a very classy gentlemen! He looked like, sounded like and acted like Morgan Freeman.
I recall on one occasion I was walking toward the door and as usual George had my car waiting by the time I got outside. There was a large group of people waiting for their cars and this one particularly obnoxious woman saw that George had gotten my car. She looked at me and said “Sir, I was here first!” I said “Madam, I do not work here and you will have to take that up with management.” “Then in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone she said, “I was going to give him $5.00 but now I don’t think I will.” As I got to my car, I turned around and said to her “Next time try $20.00”, which of course is what I always tipped all of the guys and back in the 80s, that was a nice tip and I did it at least once a day. George just smiled with that Morgan Freeman smile and said have a good evening sir. I always considered the hotel managers, bar tenders, chefs, waiters, buss boys, valets etc. to be very dear friends over the years. That’s why I only stayed at a Ritz if one was available!
More photos being edited and in process of posting!
