Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Grand Luxxe Resort

    3.3 (21 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Grand Luxxe Resort Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Grand Luxxe Resort

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Lobby
    Sheila R.

    Absolutely beautiful and stunning to check in with the grand luxxe portion of vidante. Disregard the errant posts about the resort which are for the other areas, such as grand bliss. Our one bedroom villa was hands down the biggest and most beautiful place that I have ever stayed. Walk in to a full kitchen, living room, and dining room with attached 1/2 bath. Next, the master bathroom with enclosed separate toilet, huge walk in shower, and double sink with large soaking tub. Next, the master bedroom with king sized comfy bed. Finally, extra large balcony with sitting table for 4. In addition there are 2 lounger chaises, a cushioned sitting bench and dip pool. Wow!!! Morning coffee from 6:30am- 10:30am in residence lobby. Gratis and some of the best coffee that I ever had. Grand luxxe visitors also get access to spa facilities and gym. Both are the best free amenities which I have experienced. Spa included steam room, sauna, heated whirlpool, and cold plunge pool. Gym with modern stair climber, ellipticals, bikes, and spin bikes. Great weight section and circuit like facilities. Very clean and with nice water. The premises are widespread and have beautifully kept wooden bridges or a frequent tram to get around. Staff everywhere is exceptional and genuinely friendly. 5 star all the way. Grand luxxe have access to 2 different exclusive areas. The older pool/beach area attached to custom burger and the newer beach club, where you must register and get assigned chaises which overlook pool, beach or both. Negatives of this facility: expensive to eat and drink here. Difficult to leave facilities in taxi or by car. Food good, but not always great. Expensive convenience store. Drinks at various locations expensive, but inconsistent in quality. VIP card extremely difficult/practically impossible to use. Remember to tip the excellent staff...they are exceptional and genuinely awesome.

    Broken door latch after break in

    WARNING, DO NOT bring your family to this resort!!! Our family had an all-around horrible and dangerous experience staying at the Vidanta Grande Mayan and Grande Luxxe in Riviera Maya. After what we experienced at this resort while we were there for a week, we would never recommend exposing your family to the danger, high pressure sales, price gouging, corruption and cover up in this location and specifically at this resort. I would like to precursor this review with a little history of our family's travel experiences over the past 13 years. We have been frequent destination travelers who travel out of the country at least once or twice a year for 1-2 week relaxing and fun vacations along with the occasional semi-local in country extended weekend stays. We have been all over Mexico, Europe, the Gulf Coast, islands in and near the Gulf, the Baja coastal cities amongst many others so I consider ourselves fairly experienced when it comes to travel. I also make it a point to write reviews and post on socials of our travels therefore people we know will often consult us on where to, and not to, travel to. I try to remain neutral on my reviews and just report our experiences during our trips to remain fair and impartial therefore the majority of my reviews are typically positive because we like to stay at four or five star resorts, hotels and cruise ships. We recently decided to travel, again, to Cancun with our children for some beach, water and sun time while our children were on summer break. We have stayed in resorts in Cancun and the surrounding area with our children several times and never had issues like we had on this trip. We decided to stay at the Vidanta Grande Luxxe Jungle in Riviera Maya because we had stayed at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya within the five years with our extended family and the Luxxe was supposed to be the more luxurious rooms in the resort. Prior to arrival, we were informed by the resort that, unlilke other high-end resorts in the area, Vidanta did not provide a shuttle service from the Cancun airport to the resort therefore we would be responsible for finding a transfer ourselves. Not a big deal however the haggling for a reasonable fare at the airport was as expected. Our first quote was for $150 and were told that everyone was the same rates however, being in Cancun several times before, we knew this was not true. The average rate for a taxi/van from the airport to Riviera Maya should only cost between $45 USD for a small taxi to $60 USD for a van and take approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic. After a long 5-6 hour flight from Canada in route from California, we finally arrived in the Cancun airport which is like arriving to the Las Vegas airport with a plethora of shops and restaurants for those that, although it is always a hopping party environment, want to spend over twice what you would pay elsewhere. Upon arrival at the hotel, we took a variety of golf cart style transportation carts from area to area to check in our luggage (make sure to take pictures of the luggage carts and tags they give you for reference in case you misplace them), arrive at the lobby, check in at the front desk to eagerly get the keys to our room only to be pulled away by the resorts' first sales pitch. The Luxxe lobby was very nicely decorated and comfortable and, compared to our stay last time at a Grand Mayan, had very few other guests as others not staying at the Luxxe would have to go through their larger, busier, lobby and check-in and wait in longer lines. Fortunately, the person who initially met with us was very friendly and knew we had been to a Vidanta resort previously. As expected, she mentioned the sales presentation and joked about previously being voluntarily "kidnapped" by their sales team taking away hours from our vacation. We made it clear to her we weren't interested in hearing their pitch again however she informed us the presentation had changed since last time we came. She told us it was a totally different experience and program now and since we had already been to one of their presentations where they put you in front of several salespersons/managers and eventually end up in the "basement" with supposedly another sales team. The whole thing is a sales racket. We told her we would think about it just to appease her and get on our way after a long trip with children. We finally get to our room to change into more appropriate pool/beach attire. As expected in June, it was very hot and humid and everywhere we went we were consistently bombarded by bugs and mosquitoes that love our "International Cuisine" American blood as one of the employees joked about it. While writing this review two weeks after our return, I still have bite marks and scabs on my legs from the blood suckers. The room we had in the Grand Luxxe Jungle was nice and large, perfect for a family of four as my wife and I had our own separate bedroom, large bathroom and small

    Elizabeth T.

    First time resort stay, and it was phenomenal with a few quips here and there. Thankfully we have timeshare points otherwise could never afford the $1k night master suite rate. From delicious bedding, jungle like view from the terrace, to gorgeous stone shower with separate soaking tub, to daily truffles on the bed, private gym for Grand Luxxe visitors, private beach and gorgeous pools with service. This is somewhat eco-like with conservation areas, acres of green space and more. High quality on-site restaurants including best ever room service --seriously!! Everything ordered was solidly good-- Restaurant prices were normal and below SF prices, on average spending $30-70 on a meal for two which would have translated to $50-150. This is far better than being at Playa Del Carmen central however also leaves you captive and close to absolutely nothing. We rented a car for day trips to Tulum, Chichen Itza, and Cenote. However we rented from down town PDC for $70 for 3 Days total versus the $300 that would've been charged at the resort.

    See all

    Photo of R A.
    1
    15
    20

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Curt L.
    50
    120
    12

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan L.
    26
    2
    2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim A.
    8
    123
    62

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Henry R.
    121
    24
    1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of XYZ Q.
    48
    55
    1

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim O.
    5
    58
    19

    9 years ago

    What a wonderful place to spend a week and had such a wonderful time great amenities and service

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mr. R.
    0
    32
    1

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Review Highlights - Grand Luxxe Resort

    It makes you a target for people in Playa Del Carmen who see it and pretend that they know you.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - Lobby interior

    Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun

    4.0(209 reviews)
    3.8 km

    We had a wonderful time at this resort! I loved every single minute we were here!…read more Beautiful grounds and a wonderful place on earth to be. As long as you are behind the gates that is.... Outside of the gates is a whole different story. It's pretty intense out there with the police being fully militarized. They have machine guns mounted to trucks they stand on and ride around just for the presence, there are tons of people wanting to take advantage of dumb Americans at every turn. Watch yourself if you travel alone in Cozumel. It's designed solely to attract tourists. That draws out some colorful personalities in my experience. Traveled with ease from the oh so lovely Cancun International Airport. Interesting spot to say the least. We were warned not to communicate or accept anything from anyone except our driver. We arrive to the hotel really excited, somewhat cautious, and ready to have some fun. We were greeted at the front door and we handled a little paperwork, and then we were taken to our room by a wonderfully helpful chap. He showed us around the room, gave us a quick run down of the grounds, described the amenities, food situation, and some other pleasantries. He talked about the dining situation and gave us a map tour so we're would know how to navigate the grounds. They have a cool locker system in each room. The service folks just leave your anything in the locker and you don't have to interact with them at all. They just let you know it is there. Nice feature. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous! It is so well kept, the attention to every detail goes so far beyond a normal resort. They comb the beach every morning. I kid you not. They seriously rake the entire shoreline before dawn. They also run a tractor to clear the seaweed from the beach. Insane dedication to making your stay great. The restaurant situation is so fucking rad. They have just about any food you might want covered between the what seemed like a dozen restaurants at the resort. I ate and ate and ate and ate.... I ate between meals, I ate between those meal and snack times. We had so much food!! Every dinner was 5-8 courses. I'm positive I could stay right here forever and never leave. Food heaven!! Spa is great too! It's a lovely relaxing oasis of self care. That's another review, but it's great. Don't take my word for it. Go for yourself! Cold plunges are good for the soul! They have shows every night in the theater and there was some sort of event being held every night in the common area. Some were private, others public. They construct stages, eating areas, weddings, happy hours with bands, and even corporate conferences. It's pretty wild the amount to building and tearing things down the do here. We rented a cabana bed one day and at the end of the day the built and transformed the beach into an elaborate engagement spot with candles everywhere, flowers, and a table for two. Very nice touch! All in all a fantastic experience. My only gripe was that the room smelled of mildew and/or too music moisture. C said something about it when we got there but it wasn't that noticeable to me. When I got home and unpacked my suitcase is when it hit me. There were clothes that I did not wear, just sat in the drawers and repacked, they all had to be washed as they smelled terrible after being packed and transported back home. I would come back monthly if possible. Nice place. '26 - 74

    best all inclusive resort that we have ever stayed at! we had zero complaints about our entire…read morestay. the check in process was smooth and we were greeted with welcome champagne. they then drove us and our bags to our room, which was beautiful. we got the preferred club junior swim out suite and it was phenomenal. the mini bar was stocked with snacks and drinks and they even gave us a bottle of champagne for the room. i would highly recommend getting the preferred club, as you get access to private restaurants, beach club, private lounge, enhanced mini bar, and a free tote bag. the swim out pool was amazing and well maintained. they had complimentary floaties to float on. there was a lot of mosquitos outside so i would just recommend bringing bug spray. each floor has a designated concierge who has a desk on the bottom of each floor. our concierge, marcelo, was phenomenal. he always reached out via text to tell us about activities going on. my fiance also felt sick on the last day of our trip and marcelo sent gatorade, ginger ale, and salty crackers to our room. he provided exceptional customer service. we came during sargassum season, but this resort handled it so well. they had tractors out on the beach every morning to scoop up all the sargassum and take it away. it did not smell at all and we were able to go into the water without a problem. the pools, food, and nightly entertainment were all incredible. we didn't have a meal that we didn't enjoy. we never had to wait for a table and service was always so fast. the activities department put on such amazing shows every night. we will definitely be coming back and i highly recommend this resort to anyone!

    Photos
    Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - Lobby art

    Lobby art

    Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - Me at the bar.  lol.

    Me at the bar. lol.

    Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun - Heart lock sign

    See all

    Heart lock sign

    JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar - This the beach in front of the oceanfront rooms

    JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar

    3.7(84 reviews)
    1.6 km
    $$$

    This was my first ever all inclusive resort experience. I can honestly say I feel like my life has…read morebeen changed for the better after this vacation. We ventured here with my partner and his family for his 40th birthday celebration, and the entire week didn't disappoint. First, the staff is incredibly kind and hospitable. Each morning you are greeted with smiles and they always make themselves available or attentive to your needs. I barely could open a door during the entirety of my stay. A major shout out to the entertainment team, specifically Bidi Bidi Bum Bum (her nickname), who kept us relaxed and busy during the week. Bidi is incredible. Next, the overall hotel esthetic is quite nice. It certainly has its own unique design decisions, but the accommodations in your room are amazing. Each suite has its own mini fridge stocked with beer and wine that they will refill each day. Every room has a coffee machine and a large bathroom as well. They have three pools, one of which is indoor and the other is a quiet bool. The main pool has a massive bar where cocktails are poured every day from 9 - 7. Not only that, the five restaurants and the buffet have so much food I think I could not eat for a whole week after the large amounts of steak and seafood I ingested. Overall, the price and experience are definitely worth it. I highly recommend this hotel if you're looking for an adults only, vibrant food and drink experience.

    This was remarkable! Unclear how it has been rated this low but I am here to say this was a…read moreworld-class experience. The level of customer service was top notch. As someone that has been to 10+ resort experiences across Mexico, Jamaica, DR, St Marteen and other Caribbean this is up there as one of the best. The price is incredibly reasonable 2 people for 5 days was around $1900 for all inclusive. There was 5+ restaurants, 1 beach restaurants, 1 buffet option on the resort. The Mexican dining restaurant was sensational, the steakhouse was my least favorite. A ton of different bar options around the resort. The liquor options were not bottom shelf, good mid tier options. And direct beach access, the most impressive part was it was seaweed season yet they were pretty clear. The grounds were very pretty and ton nature The room was spacious and the views from the balcony was gorgeous. Be mindful of the nature there are lemurs. They offered shows and night entertainment every night. My favorite was the fireshow and karaoke bar which is open most night. There were various pool options. There was a quiet pool option and a large more lively pool with a swim up bar. It was good vibes and entertainment. BEWARE of the time-share pitch. They will sell you on spending your morning doing this. We got out of it. Its a bit annoying.

    Photos
    JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar - Mezcal

    Mezcal

    JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar - 2 Tacos to Paradise

    2 Tacos to Paradise

    JOIA Paraíso by Iberostar

    See all

    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites

    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites

    3.3(97 reviews)
    1.4 km

    I'd give this a 4.7 overall. This was one of the best all inclusive hotels I've been to. It isn't…read moreas luxurious as others I've been to but it has a bunch of positives. First off, I love how they have your room key attached to your band so that you aren't ever having to look/remember to bring your key because it's always on you which makes it super easy and convenient. Wish every hotel did this. 2 - The food was truly exceptional and not average like most other places. It's not 5 star quality like at a true restaurant but very very good for it being an all inclusive. For dinner I had the Mediterranean, the seafood and tepanyaki. Seafood was my favorite and was surprised the lobster was pretty good size and the steak tasted great. It's not as perfect as if going to an upscale restaurant but still very very good. Mediterranean had great variety. For the tepanyaki I wish they'd remove the fruit, veggie and Philadelphia roll from their sushi lineup (if I want sushi I want some sort of fish/seafood as I'm sure others prob want too). Also wish I'd gotten a salad along with the soup. For breakfast always went to the buffet and has so many options without losing the quality aspect. Was pleasantly surprised because I'm not a huge fan of buffets typically. 3 - The people who work there are incredible and always greet you with a smile and truly look happy to be working at this resort. 4 - The pool area is incredibly large and have many options on where to go and the beach is good size also. (I was shocked how busy the beach got). In the pool area they constantly have activities for all ages. 5 - The shows at night were pretty good with my favorite being the 80s night singers (Adams groove was just ok and Caribbean wasn't as engaging cause all the lyrics were in Spanish). 6. The slide park is small but imo it's perfect and we had a lot of fun going down them. Didn't go down lazy river but loved that that option was available. 7. The gym not only has almost everything you need for a good workout but also offers multiple classes. I did the kickboxing one and loved it 8. Everything seemed very clean and was always seeing people making sure the premise looked nice. The overall value for the rooms was great but there are some things I hope they work on 1 - The water in the pool was ice cold! Not just cold. Ice cold. It def needs to be a little warmer. 2 - They have a water filtration system where you get your water from but if you want bottled water you can buy but they charge $12. There's no need to be price gouging a basic necessity because even though the filtration system works to make it clean it does have a slight taste to it 3 - The place is absolutely ginormous and wish they had better signs in the front because it's easy to get lost 4 - They put a 2 hour time limit if you check a ball out and find that kind of absurd. I don't wanna have to pay attention to what time it is if I'm out having fun 5 - The room service menu is very limited and definitely needs more options 6 -They have some $25 environmental tax have to pay on checkout. Not sure why they don't just have that when you check in so that it doesn't feel like being nickeled and dimed Overall, it was a great stay and would definitely come back

    By far the best resort I have ever been to! It's like six resorts in one. So many great food…read moreoptions including hibachi and Italian. A coffee shop open any hour you need it. And gelato!!!! The Lobby Bar was fun and bartenders were great. Entertainment was fun although short. Our room was comfy and perfect size. Bed was probably the most comfortable I've ever slept on in a hotel Highly recommend this resort!!

    Photos
    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites
    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites - The room- very comfortable, quiet and clean

    The room- very comfortable, quiet and clean

    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites - One of the pools

    See all

    One of the pools

    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo

    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo

    3.0(46 reviews)
    1.3 km

    I just got from a 6 day stay at Paraiso Lindo, along with another family. Together we had two 4…read moreyear olds and an 11 month old. I must say - we had a fantastic time. The pools are great and the lazy river was a ton of fun for the kids. There are so many options of things to do both inside and outside of the resort. One of my favorite things is that activities just kept coming to us! There's water Zumba and a water fitness class. There's a fun competitive sport in the pool every single day. They set up a really cool obstacle course in the pool for kids. We had a dance party, a foam party, and most importantly for the adults - a swim up bar with bar tenders that made excellent margaritas, daquiris, pina coladas and caipirihnas. The staff here were super friendly and that goes for every part of the hotel. The service at the restaurants. the towel person, the entertainment. Everyone was friendly and attentive to our kids and to the adults in our party. The only negative I would say is the food. But honestly, Ive never had good food at an all inclusive resort so thats just something that is par for the course. There's a grill where you can request freshly grilled meats and fish, and if you stick to that, you'll be good. Otherwise, it was all subpar food. I didnt take a star away because I dont expect food to be good at a resort, and this is based on my experience. how relaxing it felt, how much fun the kids had. the cleanliness of the beach and pool and resort in general. the fun and entertainment, and of course, the well made and delicious drinks. A 5 star experience all around. We will definitely be back!

    I am going to do my best to provide a fair and honest review. However, this resort is a classic…read more"lipstick on a pig" situation. If you value any of the below, reconsider booking here. - Customer Service - Value for your money - Food Quality I will touch on the aspects of all below. First I must say, with customer service, if a tip is expected or you are in a situation where a tip is appropriate your service will be exceptional. However, if it is simply an issue you are having, they do not care. For example we are 1 week in to our 2 week (12 day) stay, and the internet died In our room. Not really a big deal, but when brought to their attention they assumed we simply didn't know what we were doing, and didn't know how to connect. They made us feel like idiots for an hour, before they finally looked into the issue. Despite multiple screenshots being sent that we were indeed connected, but had no internet connection. It's so wonderful to pay $35,000 to stay here and be treated like a moron. For my next example, the "service" at the buffet. Breakfast service is fantastic, never have we had poor service at breakfast or lunch in fact. However we have been through now 3 dinners where a server never appeared. I had to get my own water canisters from the serving stations so that my family and I could have a drink, and our plates were never cleared. Once we were sat with 6 place settings for 7 people, and they actually argued that there were 7 there. I am not blind, and I can indeed count to at least 10 regularly. Finally the host set down a single fork, knife, and spoon and tossed a napkin at our 7th guest. Again, merely two examples of continuous bad experiences. - Value for your money ties into service and food. The food on the buffet is subpar, and always cold. It appears there is a lot of options, but they repeat frequently and a lot of the time dinner is what's for breakfast. For example the day before yesterday I had mushroom stew, which wasn't bad, but then it was what was for breakfast the next day. Not many fruit options, in particular for a tropical destination. We have more variety in the middle of winter in Canada on a fruit tray from the grocery store than what they offer here. - The food ... ah the food. I chose to write this now because my daughter seems to have gotten food poisoning from here. Initially I was going to wait until the end of our stay but I am done. All of the seafood has been overcooked and dry, while items like Lamb and Pork are undercooked. Due to the humidity the cereals are not edible, as they are completely soggy. You can't bite through it even, again we're talking cereal here. Proper storage is for sure not happening in my opinion. Things are readily available here, which is nice, however it does not make up for everything else. We also wanted to plan a beach dinner, and despite the friends and family dinner being listed at 1500 pesos on their own app, they will only offer us the Romantic option, which is over 4000 pesos per person. We were quoted $2300 USD for a dinner for 7. We have had their food, and service so this price is quite laughable. *** Edit to add*** They have now given my full name and room number to total strangers. This is a major safety issue for my family. We are also up to two people with food poisoning now. Just found out accidentally that you need to have a reservation to be able to eat on the 24th, then they told us that we also need one the 25th. So I go to guest services and I am once again told I am stupid (Alfred literally spelled open out like O P E N to me like I'm dumb) because apparently you do not need a reservation to eat the 25th. I am apparently just supposed to take their word for it. ***Second Edit*** The hotel is insistent on doubling down that they are perfect. Please do not waste your money and stay here. We were seated at their Christmas dinner, to a table that quite literally had dirt on it. The food was disgusting as well. Mashed potatoes tasted like smoke, the cranberry sauce (yes labelled was cranberry sauce) was made with Apples. On top of the lack of food safety here, they are going to cause someone to die of an allergic reaction, if not just food poisoning. The room above us continues to scream and move furniture back and forth all night and day (I really want to know what they're doing?!) and the hotel won't do a thing. It took us 2 hours to get bedding and a cot for our son, and then when it arrived it was disgustingly dirty. Now we are trying to finally leave this craphole, and we have private transfers booked. The bell man took it upon himself to come and scream and argue with me that we need to be on the bus, despite us telling him we have a transfer. Please use caution before booking here.

    Photos
    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo
    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo
    Iberostar Selection Paraíso Lindo

    See all

    The Grand Mayan - Room

    The Grand Mayan

    2.3(161 reviews)
    0.3 km

    We love The Grand Mayan at Vidanta Riviera Maya! The plunge pool on our patio was fabulous. The…read morerestaurant options and outstanding food are one of the many reasons to keep coming back, with Havana Moon, Balche and Cafe Del Lago being our casual favorites. Balche also services the mail pool area with drinks and eats. The entire staff is always friendly and ready to help. The Cirque Du Soleil show, Joya, is wonderful. We recently enjoyed it with dinner, which was a delicious fantasy come to life. Jungala has Latin America's longest lazy river and we had the best day there. It was such a convenience to charge our drinks and food to our room when we landed at the swimup bar. We really enjoyed the Infinity Pool, exclusively for GM members. The Jade Boutique has most everything you might need, from groceries to souvenirs. Be sure to check out the Monoi Coconut Fig lotion sold at Jade. It's the intoxicating lotion samples provided in the suite during your stay to help you relive the memories of your trip. We visited in early May. There were no crowds and the weather was great! We will return soon!

    The Grand Mayan is located at the Vidanta Resort in Riviera Maya (south of Cancun). This is one of…read moremany 'hotels' on the resort. Our room was spacious and even had a small pool plunge on our deck. We ordered room service a lot which was convenient in between meals. The resort is huge. Lots of walking. The staff were so so nice and accommodating. Super clean and so many wild animals and plants call it home, I can see why! The Coatis are the cutest and the iguana / lizards are huge and just hang out by the pool sunbathing. They had a water park on site, a huge PGA golf course, and also cirque's de soleil - "Joya" - the only one on the east coast of Mexico. The show was outstanding and highly recommended doing the dinner before the show! There are shuttles from place to place, but there is still a lot of walking. My favorite was the flamingos, and crocodile tour! The easiest way to navigate around is the Vidanta app. It was fun checking everyday to see the daily activities and where to eat (I also planned ahead before the trip). They had a lot of evening festivities and loved getting dressed up and having all the local food. All the pools have a bar which was so convenient. The main pool was near the beach and easy access to the water! They have a grocery mart with the best crepes, along with a gift shop and some snacks and food and alcohol. We went during Halloween week and they had everything set up for Halloween and also Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It was gorgeous with the decorations. This resort is for time-share holders only! They had a lot of security to get in and out which made us feel safe that no one was wondering around. Your room key is a wristband which was good because we never lost our room key! Really have to give it up for the staff. Everyone was awesome & great!! Made a great memorable trip!!

    Photos
    The Grand Mayan - Games!

    Games!

    The Grand Mayan
    The Grand Mayan - Stage for most of the evening festivities

    See all

    Stage for most of the evening festivities

    Valentin Imperial Maya - Restaurant seating

    Valentin Imperial Maya

    4.2(208 reviews)
    0.4 km
    $$$

    My wife and I travel a lot, and I must say this place is definitely at the top of our list. She's a…read moretravel agent, and I travel around with her, trying the resorts so she can recommend them to her customers. From the time we got here, with the ease of the check-in, to the rooms, the food, the amenities, and just the overall service, this place is run like a well-oiled machine! This is an older resort that still has the older Mexican Hacienda feel, with all of the modern upgrades and additions. You can tell they've put a lot of work into keeping this resort as authentic as possible. There was clearly a lot of thought put into every change and upgrade that was made to this resort. Our room was a corner suite at the end of the resort overlooking the ocean, the Dunas Suites. We thoroughly enjoyed getting up every morning to watch the sunrise, drink our coffee, and start the day! We had our own private pool, which was great to come back to and just soak and talk at the end of each day. The room and accommodations were absolutely top-notch! The food was absolutely amazing! We typically don't do the buffet, but we tried it, and it was the nicest buffet we have ever been to. We tried a variety of the different restaurants, and they were all absolutely amazing! For anyone that is a foodie, this is probably the best food I've ever had at an all-inclusive resort. They have three pools here: the Silver, which is a smaller pool in more of a natural setting; the Golden Pool, which has a lazy river and goes from Building 6 to 8; and then the main pool, which is one of the largest pools we've ever seen at a resort. It's HUGE! What I liked about it is they had two different bars there, and they have rafts available, which is super convenient as we usually bring our own. And yes, they have a lot of high-end booze and make some really good drinks at the pool bars! Each night after dinner, we would end up at the Plaza España! On our way, we would stop and get a churro at the churro cart, which I highly recommend, and then we would finish with a few drinks from the La Plaza Bar and live entertainment, which was usually a DJ or a live band! The later it got, the livelier it became, as the dance floor was a pretty hot attraction! A must-stop is Café Sisal, which offers hot and cold coffee drinks, fruit drinks, a variety of different sandwiches and pastries, and of course, their ice cream! This is a big resort, and if you are staying toward the oceanside, I would strongly recommend utilizing the golf cart services. We would at certain times, but a lot of the time we found a shortcut by the big pool that cut the walk in half. They have so much to offer, with a variety of different daily activities. Overall, this place is absolutely amazing, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for an all-inclusive resort in Riviera Maya.

    It had been many years since I'd stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, so I wasn't quite…read moresure what to expect at the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya. I was very pleasantly surprised with everything! From the food to the staff, to the activities and variety of spaces, it was really a wonderful experience. I also LOVED all the wildlife we saw! Especially the coatis. Once you arrive, you are greeted with a welcome drink and they take your luggage to your room. Our rooms weren't quite ready but we were able to head to the buffet and get some food. We had the deluxe junior suite, which was the cheapest room option. It was very spacious, with two double beds, a small couch, table and chairs, and a large bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and separate shower. We loved the location of the building as it was near the pools and all the restaurants. It's a bit further from the beach, but we didn't spend much time there. The resort features several restaurants: French, Italian/Mediterranean, sushi, Mexican, Thai/Asian, a buffet, and a surf & turf restaurant. There is also a coffee shop that's open late, and food trucks at the pool areas. The food was quite good, with lots of options and incredible care when it comes to food allergies. I loved the Petite Alsace experience (a private dining experience at the French restaurant), and at $59 per person extra it was totally worth it. The only food I didn't love was the room service - it was almost always cold. But the wings were tasty! The staff at this resort make it so fun - they were always smiling and friendly, and so entertaining. Sonia at the main pool bars was the best, mixing up all the best drinks! Speaking of drinks... they have everything you could possibly think of (except aperol). The specialty shots are very fun. The afternoon pool events were a blast - we watched the mechanical bull competition, participated in aqua yoga at the pool, learned about Mexican produce at the cooking class, and more. They have nightly entertainment like DJs and karaoke in the courtyard, as well as a show every night. We loved the magic show! We also did a yoga class and the bike tour - I highly recommend the bike tour on your first day as it helps get an overview of the layout of the resort. The Golden pool area is super quiet and calm vs. the main pool area. It was nice to switch it up mid-week with a more restful afternoon on the "lazy river." Tips: -Bring an insulated mug/cup for the pool (and a larger straw for frozen drinks) -A waterproof holder for your phone/tipping money at the swim up bar is nice to have -I went back and forth on bringing inflatable loungers... I didn't pack them but wish I had. You can find the resort's blue floating pads pretty easily but they are not very versatile (I prefer ones where you can sit more upright) -Bring a game/deck of cards to play while waiting for dinner. (There is a lot of entertainment too, but it was nice to have) -Large groups (more than 8) will likely have to split up for dinner at the restaurants I'm so glad I got to experience this resort. Some of the guests we met have been there 20+ times!

    Photos
    Valentin Imperial Maya - Christmas tree in the lobby

    Christmas tree in the lobby

    Valentin Imperial Maya
    Valentin Imperial Maya - Till the next time!

    See all

    Till the next time!

    Catalonia Playa Maroma - Buffet, pajaro

    Catalonia Playa Maroma

    3.5(43 reviews)
    3.5 km
    $$

    Big and spacious hotel. Everything that you need is on site. The staff is extremely friendly and…read morewilling to accommodate all of your needs. Special shout out to Citali, Laura, and Yazmin for all that they did to make our stay special. They constantly checked with us to make sure everything was perfect. Buffet food was good. Better than many I've had. Beloved and The Grill had very good food. The Gold member room was nice and updated. Just minor overlooked details here and there. The spa was great. The staff there are very nice. The facilties are clean and functional. Just beware of the coatis everywhere. Don't leave your food unguarded outside or you won't have any. The beach is nice. Wide with trees and soft sand. The perfect place to relax.

    We had our wedding at this amazing resort and I couldn't be more happy with how everything turned…read moreout. From the moment we walked in to check in, to the moment we checked out, the staff was fantastic. They are the nicest and most accommodating staff ever and that's what drew us to the resort in the first place. I'm also so impressed with how clean everything was. This resort is unique in the sense that there was also wildlife living on the property and despite the number of Coati, raccoons, boars, and other animals, the resort was nearly spotless! The restaurants were also clean and had really delicious food. Big shout out to Karen Baez, Erika Varela, and Alejandra Arceo for helping us finalize the details of our wedding. All three ladies were so great to work with and so accommodating with everything. They were all very communicative, thorough, and helpful to make the planning so easy. There was no pressure or stress at all, even in the day of the wedding. Overall, I would recommend anyone to work with the Hotel Catalonia staff for a wedding or even just to stay for leisure. All the guests for the wedding were so happy with the stay at the resort and cannot wait to come back. I'm grateful for the staff to make this the most unforgettable experience. This truly was a dream wedding!

    Photos
    Catalonia Playa Maroma
    Catalonia Playa Maroma - Privileged beach area

    Privileged beach area

    Catalonia Playa Maroma - Orchid Garden

    See all

    Orchid Garden

    Grand Bliss - Poolside cabana

    Grand Bliss

    3.2(27 reviews)
    0.8 km

    While I had reserved a king bed for the week, getting 2 doubles and just pushing them together must…read morebe something people do regularly because the maids made up the bed for us that way every night after we did it. Room itself was very nice but when staying at a Time Share and not having a kitchenette at least was disappointing. Shower pressure gets 2 out of 10, while there is a soaker tub that looks like it's meant for 2, it's really not. Also, the AC worked at night but I think they turn it off during the day. The biggest let down was exchanging for Mexican $ while there. My experience was bad enough. If your money from other countries isn't PRISTINE, they will not exchange it. I had one $20 with a piece missing smaller than 1/2 a grain of rice and they wouldn't take it. I also had 5 or 6 bills that had a minuscule out of ink on the edge of a bill and it wasn't until the manager could sense my frustration that he stepped in and did exchange those bills for me. Do look up exchange rates before coming to Mexico, I saw the rates anywhere from $15-20 Mexican to American. The airport was the lowest and some retail shops were the best. THE ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE exchange came when my SO tried to get pesos for $400 American. He his $200 under his keyboard and then came back to her and said "here's your $3200 for your $200." She had handed him 4 $100 bills and tried to give her change for just 2 it wasn't until she called him on it and lifted up his keyboard that he said "oh, not sure how that happened". We filed a report with management and left it at that. They may have sent a fruit bowl and chocolate strawberries to apologize but that was not sufficient seeing that Management never even apologized to us. That's all we wanted. They have central parking and a team service here because it's 5 hotels in one resort. Advantages and disadvantages to both but the tram drivers and bellmen were the stars of the shows here. My SO broke her ankle halfway thru our trip and they lent us a wheelchair and they have a special tram to haul them around. The VALET service sucked! While being told to call ahead so they were there when the tram brought is good in theory, we still waited upwards of 30 minutes longer than they said it would take. Not once was our car ready when they said it would be. Also, having the car just sit in the hot sun when not in use makes it very uncomfortable during the summer when you get in. If you're going to the beach club you can't bring food or drink and their prices are very steep. Pro level cheat is to bring a Hydroflask filled with whatever adult beverage you want for the day and just get your water from them. Also, if you want a Cabana at the club and aren't Platinum, go to the reservation booth there at 11am and let them know you'd like to wait for an unclaimed Cabana at noon. Also, the sand on the beach is nice and you can lay there but the shore at the waters edge in all rocks for quite a way and makes it very difficult to enjoy the ocean waters. Overall, this place has some great qualities but I think coming here for just a meal will be the way to go when I come back at Christmas time.

    This place was well worth the trip there is 4 different resorts inside. They offer great food and…read moremy favorite night was the Mexican show night that they had. Let me just say there food was really good but completely different from what I am used to in southern California and Tijuana. The place itself is just magical swimming in the clear coral blue waters is just something amazing.

    Photos
    Grand Bliss - Beach Club pool

    Beach Club pool

    Grand Bliss - Coati wanting a ride on the trams

    Coati wanting a ride on the trams

    Grand Bliss - Guacamole at Tacos N Beer

    See all

    Guacamole at Tacos N Beer

    Iberostar Waves Paraíso Beach - View from the beach

    Iberostar Waves Paraíso Beach

    3.3(91 reviews)
    1.6 km
    $$$

    We enjoyed our stay here very much. We found the staff very hospitable and always willing to…read moreassist. The room was always cleaned when we returned from a days outing. This is a homey type of place. Very comfortable. We took a room with a pool view. The walk to the ocean was just under five minutes. We had fun dining at the various restaurants. The food was ok - nothing memorable. The service was always warm, welcoming and professional. We went with a pocket full of dollar bills so that we could easily tip where we needed to. Sometimes, we would call for a golf cart pick up to take us where we wanted to go, and those guys appreciate the tips. I also visited the salon and had a perfectly lovely facial. The gym was also well equipped.

    It was a short stay of 3 days. The employees were great and they were always very helpful in terms…read moreof providing information and super friendly. The activities were decent and the bedrooms were nice. Some things that my family didn't like about was the food. It didn't seem fresh and it was worrisome to eat as raw fish or milk or yogurt wasn't cold. We were also very excited with the selection of restaurants but all the food wasn't good and the wait for food was too long especially in the 90 degree heat with no air con. As well, we got coax into attending a 90 mins tour from Iberostar which was fine and willing to a point until the tour got very hostile from the tour guide who was quite rude. They were quite unclear of what was intended in the tour and when the 90 mins begun as it took way over 90 mins which was a waste of our vacation time. They will take you to breakfast and make a sales pitch but the hour it takes for that doesn't count towards the 90 mins. I think that was the worst part of this experience for us as we felt like we would have been verbally attacked by this tour guide and we didn't feel comfortable to stay. We consistently asked him to let us leave but he wouldn't. They didn't take a no from us and it seemed like they were trying to force us to say yes to whatever they were selling.

    Photos
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso Beach
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso Beach
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso Beach - Pool side

    See all

    Pool side

    Iberostar Waves Paraíso del Mar

    Iberostar Waves Paraíso del Mar

    3.2(46 reviews)
    1.1 km

    12/25/23 - 1/1/24…read more This was my first time staying at an all-inclusive resort and it did not disappoint. My fiancé and I met up with his family at Iberostar Waves Paraiso on Christmas day of 2023. The service is impeccable, it is very clean no matter where you look. The fragrance they use to scent the lobbies and hallways really put you in a relaxing mode. The pools are large, clean and clear of debris. The beach is also clean and so relaxing to watch either the sunset or the sunrise. The property has many restaurants with different cuisines, a shopping area, a pristine gym (you have to pay extra to rent equipment though like tennis and pickleball rackets; and pay extra for certain classes), and there are other resort buildings that you can access as well. The staff are very friendly, polite and will ensure you get the best service possible. They have a huge buffet and room service is available 24 hours a day. There are activities planned all day and during the night as well. Thank you for the hospitality Iberostar!

    The breakfast buffet was amazing. I had two, tasty, orange yolked eggs cooked to order. I also ate…read morea hotdog on the beach accompanied by perfect fries. All of this was included with my day pass while on the island during a Carnival Cruise. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find bottles of water- which I expected to happily overpay for. You see, I'm a five star girl and the cranberry juice and ice are just different than I'm used to-not bad- just different. What I mean: The juices aren't Ocean Spray, the coke isn't Coca Cola Classic. It happens. The vodka was Sky or Smirnoff and I couldn't choke it down. I suggest Fire Ball shots and call it a day. There were many fish in the water, a swim up pool bar, and fresh towels if you show your ID. There are bottles of water at the lobby store. Most of the hotel is outdoors like many Iberostar hotels around the world so the lobby store A/C is a nice reprieve.

    Photos
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso del Mar
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso del Mar
    Iberostar Waves Paraíso del Mar

    See all

    Grand Luxxe Resort - resorts - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...