Sky Bar is one of five bars located at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an all-inclusive luxury resort in Playa del Carmen. We enjoyed our time here. All of the drinks were super creative and consistently delicious, service was great, the bar had a cool vibe, and we liked the concept. The concept being this bar is perfectly and conveniently situated between two of the resort's fine-dining establishments: Piaf (French) and Cocina de Autor (tasting menu). The cocktails at Cocina de Autor come from Sky Bar (and that may be the case with Piaf too; I don't know because we didn't order cocktails at Piaf).
Sky Bar, Piaf, and Cocina de Autor are located on the second level of the Grand Class section of the resort, which is generally for adults only. The dress code for Sky Bar and the two restaurants is more formal, so the ambiance is classier and more sophisticated as well.
Cocktails we tried included:
* Terrenal - turmeric syrup, passionfruit, lime, mezcal, coconut, and activated carbon foam
* La Raiz - blue spirulina, pineapple juice, cardamom, and Sabroso Brebaje (virgin cocktail)
* Fresco - pear syrup, matcha, pineapple and mint, St. Germain liqueur, gin, and lemon foam
We actually had the Terrenal and La Raiz twice. First, as cocktail pairings with my multi-course dinner at Cocina de Autor (my wife opted for wine pairings there). Second, as part of a separate visit to Sky Bar before being seated for dinner at Piaf. Having the same cocktails a second time, the presentations (glasses) were slightly different, but the execution and taste were the same. All of the drinks were well balanced and excellent.
One of the fun things about hanging out at Sky Bar was watching the bartenders at work. We observed as they churned out orders for Cocina de Autor. They lit several cinnamon sticks on fire for one of the drinks and they delicately placed garnishes on many cocktails with tweezers. It's not something I see often and it reminds me of the attention to detail that many of the chefs have at Grand Velas when plating their dishes. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less at Sky Bar. Not only did the cocktails taste amazing, but they were works of art.
As far as the service goes, our server promptly brought us a nice tray of assorted warm nuts. It's just another example of Sky Bar setting itself apart. Overall, the service at Grand Velas is exceptional and it was no different at Sky Bar. Our server was friendly, attentive, and on top of her game.
Finally, Sky Bar has a swanky, modern atmosphere. It feels more like an upscale lounge than a bar. There's sleek lighting, above and below. We felt very comfortable here while waiting for our table at Piaf. Additionally, there's an elevated outdoor patio that faces the ocean. This is the best bar on the Ambassador side of the resort. Koi (sports bar) and the bar at Sen Lin (Asian restaurant), on the Zen Grand side, are very nice too, but they lack ocean views. read more