The Good: Mayan Resorts is a wonderful, self-contained property which includes the Grand Luxxe buildings, the Grand Bliss, Grand Mayan, Mayan Palace (what's left), various restaurants (all excellent), a kilometre of soft, sandy beach (a few rocks here and there), a golf course, and a central open lobby/disco called Santuario. All buildings are well-kept and impressive, though somewhat too massive and cold in design (over two weeks, never saw more than a handful of people sitting in the large furnished lobbies). Rooms are spacious, balconies wide and deep with plunge pool and comfortable lounge furniture. Beautiful sunsets on the ocean side.
Several amazing pools with wave pools, slide, kids activity area, snack bars and poolside service. Pools ranged from crowded, kid-filled and kind of crazy (the Grand Mayan), to quiet pools at the Mayan Palace and Grand Bliss. On days when every lounge chair and palapa at the Grand Mayan pool and beach was occupied, there were still many places to sit down for a group of 5-6 at other pools and beach areas. Every hour from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm there is a happy hour with 2 for 1 drinks at one of the poolside bars or restaurants. Drinks were tasty, cocktail menu was extensive, and alcohol was not skimped on. Typical cocktail is $95 pesos (a little less than $8 at this time). Service was always great.
Surprisingly (for such a large resort), all the restaurants on site offered good, tasty, nutritious food. The breakfast buffet at Cafe del Lago has to be one of the best we've encountered. Multiple omelette/egg bars, a french toast/waffle/crepe/pancakes bar, loads of fresh pastries, smoked salmon and cheeses, sushi and asian dishes, 12 different kinds of juice, a range of breakfast and Mexican specialties which changed every day, and a fresh-made empanada bar which is a must. Yes, we ate too much. And while $225 pesos (with coupons) is a lot for breakfast in Mexico, it's not expensive by Canadian/American standards, especially considering the choice and quality. We visited about three times a week--most days that we were just chillin'.
Beds are firm but clean, comfortable and spacious. Bathrooms are large, with separate toilet, great shower and jacuzzi. Kitchen is serviceable for simple meals prepared on the stove, snacks and breakfast, but without an oven or large fridge. Going anywhere on site meant a 5-10 minute walk through gorgeous greenery, lakes, flowers with abundant birds. For us, these walks were a plus (and helped to work off some of those breakfasts). The resort is a little over 15 minutes from the airport by taxi, at a cost of $250 pesos for up to 4. Buses are available just outside the Grand Mayan gate at the Sea Garden for $13 pesos each (about $1.05) which go directly into town. Coming back requires getting a bus from the Wal-Mart opposite the main marina. A second bus into/out of the old town is $8 pesos each (65 cents). Contrast this with a taxi for 6 which will run about $300 pesos ($25) and up each way. Foodstuffs, alcohol and other goods can be bought at the Chedraui or WalMart in Valle Dorado--a $60 peso ($5), 5 minute taxi ride each way. The gym facilities at the Grand Mayan are good, but crowded at times and without lockers.
Over a 2 week period we had exactly 2 days of rainy weather, and that is unusually much for the October-May period. Service at all levels was friendly and helpful (make sure you leave the card on the door if you want clean up before 2-4 in the afternoon). Room service was good, and the pizza delivery surprisingly tasty. We had a fabulous time.
The Not-So-Good: While units are spacious, there is precious little storage. 10 people can sleep in the 2BR suite, but there is barely storage for 4. Creative organizing is definitely required. Lack of an oven and kitchen space meant eating out more frequently than we would have liked. There is only one washer and one dryer in the entire building! Use of machines cost $100 pesos (a little over eight dollars per load) which included detergent. Laundry services are available, but pricey for a large family.
The property is wonderful, but Puerto Vallarta is a great town, and the distance from town makes getting in/out less easy. It also means that something as simple as dining elsewhere requires a cab ride and a 10 minute drive. Which would be fine if the cost of on-site restaurants wasn't so high relative to places in town. The food is great, but there is a lot of great, inexpensive food in downtown PV. So, on the one hand, it's great to be at the resort, but a lot of the great vibe of Puerto Vallarta is about being able to walk around town without a lot of trouble.
While the building lobbies are gorgeous, neither the Grand Bliss nor Grand Luxxe lobbies are comfortable places to sit. This is a fractional-ownership property and there is an aggressive push to get you to buy. On the plus side, the value proposition is better and the sales presentation more comfortable than many others, particularly in resort areas. Take it as a cost of staying at the resort. Lastly, in return for the presentation, there is usually a discount on all purchases at the resort, a breakfast for everyone in your party (even if they don't attend the full presentation), and some other perks.
Tips: Try to stay on the ocean side, high floor. Explore the whole site. The shop in the lobby offers pretty decent coffee for $15 pesos ($1.25). Look at the visitor guide to find out when and where happy hour is each day. Buy breakfast coupons which reduce the cost from $300 pesos to $225 pesos. Small kids are cheaper, though, so pay for them separately. Don't be afraid to take the bus into town--it will take 35-40 minutes, but the town has a lot to offer, and the buses are quick, frequent, and safe (and some are almost entirely without shock absorbers or cushioning).