Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Going into this trip, I read a ton of reviews here on TripAdvisor and comments on Reddit so went into the vaca with both excitement and some worries the resort would disappoint. Unfortunately, I have to say I left disappointed. The service at the restaurants and our concierge Alexis was spectacular - attentive, caring, and just generally wonderful. If it weren’t for that, I think our experience would’ve been worse. My general take is that the resort costs 35% more than what it should be charging especially compared to other five star all inclusive in the area. If it is going to charge Four Seasons style prices, it should be a Four Seasons experience - but it’s far from it and here’s why. PROS: - There are some real star restaurants - Lucca, Cocina de Autor and Piaf were all delightful (although other comments are below) - The service generally is attentive and memorable - The grounds are lovely CONS: - The dining was inconsistent - we had several times where our entrees were served cold and overcooked - you could tell they’d either been sitting for a while or had generally been hammered. - The only lunch dining options are buffet or poolside - I was actually very surprised that a five star all inclusive has no a la carte sit down options for lunch. It meant breakfast and lunch got very repetitive very fast. I’ve had much better breakfast and lunch buffets at both Sensira and Paradisus Playa Del Carmen. - We stayed in Zen which ended up being fine but the rooms are very dark. Also, one of our rooms had a mildew issue - we flagged and they brought a dehumidifier but I suspect there was an issue in the vents as the AC wasn’t working properly. All my luggage from that room smells like mildew still. - BE WARNED: if you go during “low season” which apparently starts in April, they get rid of a lot of their programming. They had no more evening shows, no foam parties, no big activities for the kids. We ended up being extremely bored. I was stunned at the lack of activities given how much you pay. - Kids clubs: my kids weren’t fans. There was a lot of movie watching and it’s really geared towards kids under 6. - Activities: the rec staff are all great. But the resort clearly hasn’t empowered them to do their best. It’s the small things like their sports equipment is falling apart. They had no golf balls at mini golf. We asked a staff member and they called it in but after 45 minutes, still no golf balls. No one played mini golf the whole time we were there because they couldn’t find any golf balls. The water sports - they offer things like sailing and snorkeling but the water they are on doesn’t lend itself to it. The water is shallow and rocky. They played flag football on a field that had rough metal grates and holes and although several parents flagged it wasn’t safe, the staff said it wasn’t within their control and up to management. Parents ended up pulling their kids from playing. I’d say this is a resort that clearly has built up a great reputation and is now charging inflated prices but has let its standards slip. I think Paradisus Playa del Carmen has better overall dining, activities, service, rooms, kids clubs experiences, and consistency. At a fraction of the price. I think more disappointing is that we shared this feedback, both good and bad, and our concierge said we should meet with the management to share as it’s helpful. But the manager was too busy and ended up not wanting to meet (even though he was standing right there) and they said they would reach out to us via email. It’s been weeks and we haven’t been contacted. We got the sense from staff that this feedback is not surprising and that the management have priorities elsewhere. They’re riding their reputation and stars. As a family that travels several times a year, we’ve stayed at our fair share of all inclusive and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. We would not return.

Carlos Torres is a great person for the teens club because he is nice pools nice and clean and Carlos Torres is amazing and friendly and always is great and he always plays video game at the teens club food is great cafe amat is great and free and amazing

Our 3rd trip to Grand Velas Riviera Maya and it was fantastic as always! My husband and I stayed in Grand Class and our oceanfront room was beautifully appointed, spacious and had an amazing view from the balcony. The pre-arrival concierge service was great and they perfectly set up our airport transfers, dinner reservations, spa appointments, golf at a nearby course, and even had the correct specialty pillows I had requested at the ready on our bed! Since we were celebrating our anniversary, we were treated to a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in our suite on arrival AND then also received another bottle of champagne and truffles on another day AND also were surprised with a bubble bath with flower petals drawn in our jacuzzi tub on yet another night! Housekeeping was perfect every day with both regular service and an evening turn down. Aaron, our concierge, was so helpful and daily kept us informed of available activities. He really went out of his way on several occasions to make last minute changes for several activities for us. Andres, Jose, and Francisco at Bistro were so friendly and service oriented. Donato, Barbara and the other pool concierges at the Grand Class pool were fantastic. The food and drinks were amazing (as always) at every meal and at poolside! We also really enjoyed participating in the tequila and chocolate tasting and also in the gin cocktails class. Can't wait to go back again!