We just came back from a much needed vacation at Grand Velas Riviera Maya. We were originally going to travel 12/2020 but delayed due to rising COVID ## during that period. Ultimately I think everyone has had a rough year so this vacation can't be wrong for many! Chose Grand Velas based on reviews on excellent service, excellent food and of course a luxury experience and Grand Velas is all of this. First off, the resort was quite empty. May be due to being off season (before spring break, after winter break), may be due to COVID. The grand class suites were the only rooms open, the whole ambassador complex was closed except for the restaurants (Frida, Lucca) and the piano bar for one night and the pool with service is available but no one was really there. We felt like we had the whole staff for ourselves which is very self-serving but at the same time, feel for the staff for lack of tips. Hope things pick up soon for all. Because the resort was quiet, didn't have a ton of people doing activities but they offer everything from kayaking, paddle boarding, daily exercise classes, scuba instruction and bike tours of the resort which are included in the all inclusive pricing. We were upgraded to the grand class rooms, we had a first floor two connected rooms with a walk out to basically our private beach and a plunge pool. SOOOO gorgeous. Each room comes with a personal concierge and CAROLINA was the best. I didn't hesitate to ask her anything via text message and she was always quick to respond and get us whatever we needed. The service in this hotel is amazing which was one of the reasons I picked Grand Velas. Every staff member is there to make sure you are getting what you want and need. Certain staff anticipate needs (concierge Carolina, waiter Ernesto) which definitely separates good service from great service. All staff members sincere and nice and helpful, they all seem to be happy even though it was slow business. The food. So we also picked grand velas for the food. I was wondering how it'd turn out figuring how slow the resort was. I think they accomodated very well. They normally run 6 different restaurants and during our 5 night stay, we were able to try 5 of those restaurants! We have 2 kids younger than 7 who are not able to join at two of the restaurants (Piaf and Cocina Artur) but they were welcomed at the kids club/teens club which are open until 11pm and of course our kids loved it there, because they had essentially their own babysitter and run of the whole kid wonderland :P. My favorite meals probably were Frida (high end mexican cuisine), Sen Lin (asian fusion), but honestly I enjoyed all the meals. I think because staff were sparse, the meals did run long, but figuring their high level of execution (dishes were beautiful, all ingredients super fresh, everything made to order), I respect they wanted everyone's dining experience to be excellent. Just expect a long-ish meal. Other dining options included breakfast every day at The Bistro which was consistent and delicious, plentiful. Lunch every day was also at The Bistro and they had a daily special where the chef cooked on the patio (Weds paella, Thurs pasta, Friday steak, Sat tacos, Sun mariscos). We also had poolside service which they were nice enough to get food from the bistro served poolside by request. Lastly we took advantage of 24 hour suite service (room service) where we'd take food to our private beach late nights. All inclusive alcohol was all very good, nothing ever tasted like well alcohol and service kept it flowing always! We also spent a day at the spa which is located at the Zen Suites. Quick shuttle ride from the beach resort. The spa is NOT TO BE MISSED. The location of the zen suites really suites a relaxation vibe even more so than the beach. The spa complex is IMPRESSIVE. If you make a spa appointment, you can not miss the 80 min water ritual that is included with every spa appointment (cost is $80 if you don't get a spa treatment). The water ritual would be something I would come back just for the experience. SOOOO amazing, won't spoil but must do for sure. My hot stone massage was amazing, would have been impressed if I got it anywhere in this world, thank you Sebastiana. Lastly I think Grand Velas excels at the details. With any business, you can tell if the people who work there are happy and well adjusted, then the owners are doing something right. There are landscapers working on manicuring every inch of this resort all hours of the day. There are beachcombers keeping the beach pristine. even though quiet, they offered cocktails of the day, michelada cart, paletas cart, no holding back! Of course this all comes at a cost, hence the cost of staying here. From COVID standpoint, everyone had a surgical mask and face shield at all times. Felt 100% safe. They also offered complimentary COVID testing back to the states which was seamless. Will return on day, or probably try another Velas resort. Special thanks to the following staff who made our stay amazing: Carolina, Ernesto, Tayde, Alex (from teens club), Israel.…
this property was great. hands down the best food we have ever experienced at an all inclusive. the staff.. especially Nara our pool attendant were amazing. our concierge Santiago went above and beyond to make our stay legendary. we would like to go back when all the restaurants are open for sure. because of covid only a handful of the restaurants were open and a good percentage of the property was closed.
We loved our stay at GVRM! Everyone was welcoming and had a high level of service. We especially enjoyed our time at the pool with service from Tayde, Luis, Israel, Beatriz & Humberto. Bartenders Felipe and Daniel were fantastic too. We enjoyed watching the Hawk Lupido chase away the black birds and the handler even let us pet him, which was a fun memory. Also, Francisco from the Koi Bar did a great job. Overall, everything was amazing and we cannot wait to come back and enjoy the delicious food, gorgeous spa and hardworking employees.
We were very pleased with the quality of everything. The rooms and views to the food were all top notch. The surprising component of our stay was the staff. They were genuinely friendly. Jose was refinishing the boardwalk, yet each day he took time to visit and laugh with me. Nora served was a few days at the pool, she was delightful. My wife and I feel like we made a new friend. Were were greeted at the Spa by the manager, once again, she was genuine. She made us hayseeds feel welcome and special. Sebastiana gave the best message ever. Our concierge, Nicole was always available and spot on meeting our needs. It seems obvious to us the resort not only hires the most competent staff, but also the the most genuinely friendly staff as well. Well done!
We have visited GVRM more than once in the past year. We felt 100% comfortable visiting during Covid knowing that the resort and staff keep an immaculate property to begin with pre-Covid. Our visit in January required that we would have to test on the day of our return to the US with a negative test. GV has that taken care of! We didn't spend more than 20 minutes testing in the days ahead of our departure. Honestly, I can't imagine going to any other resort especially at this time. The food quality has not been compromised. The service is still on point! The grounds are beautiful. When you are there you forget that our real lives are spent in masks and being apart from our friends. Sitting on the beach at GVRM is just what we all need! We were thrilled to have our concierge again, Diana. We have traveled to quite a few resorts and by far Diana is our favorite. She is fun to talk to. Makes certain we are taken care of without being imposing. We literally want to take her with us on all our trips. We were fortunate enough to have one day of Oscar with us on the beach. We never want for anything when Oscar is there. We actually do not want to book again unless we know for certain he is there. Our kids love Oscar and look forward to the next visit just to see him and Diana. I am terrible at remembering all names....Luca, Eduardo were both attentive. Fanny in the karaoke bar is a gem! She is so much fun! There is not a single person that works at GVRM that we wouldn't rave about. For anyone that wants to travel, is scared, concerned here is my advice or thoughts. I totally understand. But, I also think if you are a person used to travel, book it! You will not regret it. Book GVRM. Flying is safer than it's ever been. Take the private car service offered with Blue Dreams where they have special filters in the car and make it clean and an enjoyable experience on that drive. You will have your temperature checked before you enter the gate for everyone's safety. Then upon check-in, your bags are whisked away to be sanitized. Again another health check. You are checked into a room that has been cleaned from top to bottom. Everyone at GVRM wears a mask and shield. They need us to visit! We need to support as much as we can. The anxiety you will have traveling is worth every second of walking on that white sandy beach and hearing the ocean waves. Keep in mind that not all resorts are operating normally. Occupancy rate is down for resorts in Mexico due to the government. Luckily at GVRM it's business as normal. You don't feel that they have compromised the quality of service.…
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