Grand Velas Riviera Maya - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

6103 reviews

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  Lovely all inclusive

  Activity & Pool staff is amazing - esp Jorge & Fatima, Nicolas & Michel. The personal concierge helps makes sure that nothing is forgotten. All of the restaurants are amazing. Our favorite was Frida and Lucca. Bike tours, eco tour and honey tasting are a must as is the spa. Only place for improvement would be the mini golf at Zen, so boring!

  Jul 16, 2025
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  A Perfect Family Getaway – Grand Velas Riviera Maya Goes Above and Beyond!

  We just returned from an unforgettable family vacation at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, and I can honestly say this was one of the best resort experiences we’ve ever had! From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the amazing staff—so warm, welcoming, and attentive at every step. A special shout-out to our Personal Concierge, Viridiana Guillen, who made our stay absolutely seamless. She went above and beyond for our family, making sure we had everything we needed—especially for our little ones. She checked in regularly, helped us plan activities, and always made us feel cared for. Her attentiveness with both us and our toddlers was incredibly heartwarming. The cleanliness of the resort was top-notch—everything was spotless, which gave us so much peace of mind with small children in tow. The resort is also incredibly family-friendly, with thoughtful amenities like high chairs, cribs, toddler-friendly activities, and staff who never made us feel uncomfortable about the chaos that sometimes comes with little kids. One restaurant that truly stood out was Azul. While every restaurant offered delicious food and a great variety of cuisines, the service at Azul was exceptional. We were so impressed by Antonio Cauich Chi, Michelle Espino, and Chef Miguel Leon—they made every dining experience memorable. They were kind, welcoming, and made sure we felt comfortable even when our toddlers made a mess. Their hospitality was genuine and truly appreciated.

  Jul 16, 2025
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  Wonderful! Exceeded expectations. Worth the money.

  The resort is immaculate and beautiful. Food is excellent, far surpassed any expectations of an all inclusive. Service was wonderful - friendly, prompt and our concierge Alexa did everything she could to make our stay special! Gym was excellent and plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy. Top shelf alcohol as well and we never felt like a burden to staff. We have been to many resorts and never had personalized service at this level. The resort was at very low occupancy so I bet that helped but we loved it. The employees work round the clock to clear the seaweed and we know it’s out of the control of the staff so it didn’t affect our stay but if you are strictly ocean swimming people, this might not be the right resort.

  Jul 15, 2025
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  Overall great experience

  We had a great family trip to the Grand Velas. The service is some of the best we’ve ever had, particularly our concierge, Braulio (“Lio”), who was amazing. He was fun and helpful and made sure we were not lacking anything. The pool side bar service was top notch too. The resort feels both spacious and cozy at the same time and we really enjoyed the pool. Other than the karaoke bar, it was fairly quiet in the evenings. I wish the buffet had been open for dinner so we didn’t have to make a reservation every night, but the food was good overall. We were disappointed at our experience at Cocina De Autor. We were very excited to have a Michelin star worthy dinner, but it was like the food was trying to be too artistic. Some of it was weird and several courses were just not good at all. We really loved the whitefish course. Had the whole dinner been like that it would have been an exceptional experience. The kids loved the teen zone, which was nice because all family was welcomed until 9pm. That was helpful to know because the kids zone is really geared toward preschool aged kids and our mid-elementary aged son wasn’t interested in it at all. Fortunately, they had some fun poolside activities for the kids during the day. I also enjoyed the gym a couple of times while we were there and thought it was great. I felt like excursions and other experiences were very expensive and not worth the price, so we mostly just hung out at the resort. If you’re looking for a low-key relaxing vacation, this could be a good place to go.

  Jul 14, 2025
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  Can't wait to visit again! Most relaxing vacation...EVER!

  Gosh, I don't even know where to begin with this review! We had the most amazing time at Grand Velas Playa del Carmen and we seriously can't wait to return. I will break down my review in categories: Hotel (check-in/room): I will start with the arrival. First, entering the property you go through a security checkpoint. They have a list of arrivals and will check to see if you are on it before you allowed through. That made us feel really secure. When we arrived our lobby (Zen section) we were greeted with heavenly scented cold towels. It was amazing after traveling and going through the airport. Our check-in was a breeze and we got to meet our concierge Gilberto right away. He walked us to our room and gave us a mini tour of the property along the way. (more on Gilberto and his services in a few). Our room was very spacious, clean, and had a well stocked fridge. It had all the amenities we needed for our trip. Meals: Most of our breakfast meals were at the Bistro at the Grand Class section. Our host, Miriam, was always so lovely and remembered us after this first meeting. Food at the bistro was great and they catered to our requests that were off menu. We had lunch at Bistro our first day and that also was great. The fish tacos are a must! We had dinner and Frida, Lucca, Piaf and Cocina del Autor (Michelin star). My favorites were Piaf and Cocina del Autor. Services was great at all the restaurants but stand outs were Piaf and Cocina del Autor. Cocina del Autor was amazing and Chef Nahum was gracious enough to chat with us for a bit. On the 2nd day we were there, my husband and son went on a fishing charter and the chef at Lucca prepared the fish they caught for our dinner. That was amazing! For the most amazing drinks, go to Sky Bar! Perfect for a night cap or pre-dinner drinks. My son and husband went to Chaka for lunch one day but they thought it was just ok. We did order food at the pool and that was pretty basic. Pool/Spa/Beach: We stayed mostly at the Zen pool since that is where we stayed and that was so nice. We didn't have to fight to get a chair and service was great. Oscar was our attendant during our stay and he was awesome. He brought along cold towels and popsicles to cool off and was always very attentive. The Zen pool. is just that...zen. That is exactly what we were looking for. We were there to relax and it was perfect. Very few kids in this pool, music was at a decent level and service was amazing. In regards to the spa... My husband and I did the water ceremony (it was included in our Costco package) and all I can say is ....wow! I didn't book anything more and I regret not doing so. The spa at Gran Velas is very big and it felt like I had the whole place to myself. It was very clean and the attendants were walking around making sure If I needed anything. I will definitely be booking the spa when I return. Ok now onto the beach... the beach was ok. I know they do their best to keep the area clean of the seaweed but it's still not a beach I wanted to get into. They are out there cleaning all day pretty much but there is nothing more they can do this time of year. We still had the most relaxing time in beach bed and the hammocks on the beach while my son played beach volleyball. Activities/Entertainment: So my son played volleyball a few days and got to meet some other teens. The staff does a great job including everyone and facilitating the games. We also did the bike tour with Michell and that was so fun!! He was so nice and helpful. I would do that every day, that's how much fun we had. Only comment on the bike tour, is that you probably should be an intermediate level rider. The tour goes kind of fast and there is one section of uphill that maybe a beginner would have trouble with. Please make sure to book this reservation ahead of your trip. There is no extra cost. One comment that I did give our concierge is that the nightlife needs a little boost. There was only a sax o violin player at night in the lobby. While we appreciated the tranquil vibe, we would have liked at least one night of more livelier music (to dance to). They did have a karaoke bar and we did stop in for a drink but it was filled with families with younger kids. We were there during 4th of July and they did have an awesome set up on the beach with food and they had a fire show. Getting around the hotel: There are sprinter vans at every lobby to get you around each of the hotel sections. I don't think we waited more than 2 min ever for a ride. Rides between sections are no more than 3-4 min. Everyone is super helpful and friendly and are so willing to help. Concierge: As I stated before, Gilberto was our concierge assigned. He was heaven sent. Every morning he would send us the activities for the day. He made suggestions for meals and checked in to make sure we were ok throughout the day. He arranged for our transportation off the hotel for our fishing charter as well. One evening he had a surprise for us in our room. He was just phenomenal. On our way out after check-out, I asked the staff what scent they used in the cold towels at arrival and the captain Antonio gifted me a bottle. I was so touched by his gesture and I will always remember him and everyone's hospitality. I can understand that Gran Velas can be a big splurge for some families but I can assure you that this has been one of the most relaxing families trips my family and I have had. My family and I were able to reconnect, slow down, and spend quality time together. Every single person on staff was so helpful, hard working and just so friendly. I wish I could remember everyone's name but I hope they read this and know that we are grateful to them for making this an unforgettable family memory for us.

  Jul 14, 2025