Grand Velas Riviera Maya - All Inclusive - Playa del Carmen

Increíble. ... very happy great Food great sevice great everything ... wish i could stay longer. Planning on coming back soon

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel is beautiful, the trip was unforgettable. Great and good restaurants.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Considering this was a five star hotel, there were a number of problems we had, particularly in our room at the Zen Grand Suites. The toilet was constantly broken and needed someone to repair it daily (low flow toilets), broken telephone that needed repair, daily difficulty with the TV remote - unbearable task of trying to change channels and increase […] or lower sound volume was annoying. We also didn't appreciate the fact that the internet was $16 a day or $79 per week PER DEVICE This hotel, at this level and price, should include the internet gratis. We also didn't realize that this was a "down" time of year (slow season), so despite being in Zen (and we would recommend anyone considering this hotel to stay at Ambassador or Grand Class in order to be right at the beach, not 3/4 mile down the road) there was no breakfast service at Chaka the nearby restaurant, so we also had to ride the shuttle for breakfast each day. Really wearing after a while. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Unbelievable Experience!!!! all the restaurant are absolutely incredible!!!! THE FRENCH RESTAURANT WAS THE BEST PLACE I EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE!!! THIS PLACE IS HEAVEN!!!!!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

We had a very good time at Grand Velas. We booked a Grand Class with the balcony pool. The room was very nice and the rooms on the 4th floor have wonderful high ceilings. We did not use the balcony pool as it was very cold and mainly for looks in my opinion. Housekeeping was consistent and overall the room was large and very comfortable with a huge […] jacuzzi bath tub and high end finishes. The staff was very friendly and accommodating although we didn't see too much from the room butler. I'm sure if we needed her we would have been able to contact her. We just didn't try. The beach is much nicer and wider compared to the ultra expensive resorts at Mayakoba and the food here is absolutely amazing even if it wasn't an all inclusive. The mixed drinks were not very good and pool service was not great but the pool itself was beautiful and there were plenty of available chairs. I would tip them well upfront! It was kind of unique that the tipping did not seem to be as we appreciated as we would have expected even though gratuity is included. I gave the waiters at least $20 at every meal and never once did they seem appreciative. We also noticed the restaurant waiter service diminished significantly when the restaurants were busy. The spa is the most amazing we have ever experienced and it was by far the best part of trip, especially since it rained for 4 out of the 5 days we were there. It is a must do! All in all it was a wonderful trip with some polish needed. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

I have stayed in a few hotels in the Cancun area and this hotel was the best I have experienced by far! The staff, the accomodations and the property was amazing. We stayed on the jungle side of the resort which was called the Zen tower that completely describes how peaceful it truly was to stay in. I was somewhat surprised of how many children were […] at this resort during Christmas this was a bit of a problem at dinner so after the first day we realized that we needed to book dinner at one of the two all adult restaurants which were fabulous. The spa was also a great experence! I would definitely go back and they do have an all adult beach and pool section for those of us who do not want to experence others peoples children screaming while trying to relax or have a quite dinner. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Should have one restaurant that made taco's and burritos to order, hide the kitchen for the Italian restaurant , it looks like it was set up like Azul.... That would help with the feel

Genuine Expedia guest review

It was a terrific hotel with EXCELLENT customer service from the entire staff. Our stay met or exceeded our expectations with the exception of the following minor drawbacks... 1) The hot water in our room sometimes varied in temperature. While it was never "cold", a few times we had the faucet turned all the way to "hot" and still needed more. 2) […] The plunge pool on our balcony had surface debris during our entire stay. We never needed or wanted to use it, but it would have been nice to have the housekeeping clean the debris from the surface. In all fairness though, it was fairly windy during our time there so it was easy to have debris fly into the pool. 3) For an all-inclusive, there should have been more alcohol provided in the room mini bar. There was a small bottle of 1 red wine, 1 white wine, 1 bottle of tequila, 2 Tecate beers, and 2 Heineken beers. Anything outside of this needed to be ordered on a "per glass" basis which would be delivered to your room. We did have great concierge service though and when we asked to have a bottle of champagne delivered to the room they did so on a few occasions (even though it was against "policy" to do so). I rated our experience a 5 because I felt that the hotel did deserve this rating. The above mentioned points do indicate a need for improvement, but none of them would make me give the hotel a lesser rating. The friendliness, attentiveness, and hospitality of the staff more than made up for its shortcomings. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Amazing Hotel - Amazing Food, Amazing Staff, Excellent Rooms, Excellent Spa - Beautiful!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is not you typical all inclusive. We were so blown away last year when we went there in Dec, we just went back for a second time. Know this I have traveled all over the world, have never liked a place so much I went back a year later. We have 20 month old twins, so we were there with them at 10 months and .20 months. You will not find a better […] place to go with little ones. The Kids pool is gigantic, about 1.5 ft deep and best of all warm. Restaurants are superb, sylish, and we used Carolina for babysitting 3 nights when we were there, and could not have been happier with her. We love Grand Velas so much we are considering their sister property in PV. Highly recommneded. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

As others have reviewed, this is a gorgeous resort--a stunning beach with turquoise water and white sand, great restaurants with lots of variety and delicious preparations, luxurious spa, and lovely and helpful staff. We stayed in Zen--a little out of the way but quiet (just as we wanted) and surrounded by lush greenery. The pool there IMO is even nicer […] than the main pool. It was easy and never more than a few minutes wait (if even) to get a shuttle to the main section. We travelled with our 7 month old and we were not sure what to expect in term of baby accommodations--while Grand Velas is family friendly, it's not exactly geared for babies. Having said that, we managed around some minor issues (highchairs are not that sturdy nor have straps and the crib provided was a little old-school). When we plan to visit again (we've already decided, it was that great of a vacation!) we can tote a portable seat and a pack and play. Our son had a great time crawling about in the soft sand and splashing in the pool. The restaurant staff were really nice to him and even brought him a toy when he started to fuss. The buffet breakfasts and lunches were great, and there were lots of options that we could feed our son. We even used the Kids Club which is aimed at kids 5yrs and up; as it wasn't busy, we were able to play with him there in the space...and the Fernanda was super nice and interactive with him. This was the perfect prescription for a bit of luxury for these new parents! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We picked the highest rated hotel we could find so this review is not what we expected to make. The worst thing was the food. The only place even half way good was the Asian restaurant and the Azul buffet. The one night we ate dinner at the Azul which is not a buffet at night, my wife got sick. They tell you that a shuttle runs every few minutes to […] go between hotel sections but we had to wait for 20 minutes one night in the dark with the mosquitos. There were a few other times that we had to wait around 5 minutes or so. We made restaurant reservations with our conceiaire and she neglected to make them. You can only expect exceptional service if you tip everyone all the time, even though it is all-inclusive. There are no activities there at all which isn't good since the hotel is so secluded. Very boring unless you like just hanging around the pools. It cost $150 for the hotel to pick me and my wife up from the airport and return us. Then my credit card statement showed where they charged a few dollars more for a foreign transaction fee. Ridiculous! There were other times that the service was lacking which was very annoying, considering the cost and rating of the hotel. Having said all this, the hotel itself is magnificent. It has all the ammenties you could want and the rooms are beautiful as is the hotel grounds. The bottom line is that we left feeling very disappointed in the food, service, and lack of activities. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great Place for a family trip in the Riviera Maya.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The few things that I felt the hotel was lacking was the adult side pool bar shut down every night at 6:00pm. Why 6:00pm? Why not 10:00pm at least? You pretty much had to get dressed up to go to the restaurants or the 24 hour restaurant where you could where shorts to get any drinks. Also the room fridge only had beer and wine no liquor. I have stayed […] at other hotels where they give you large bottles of different type. Entertainment was also lacking, no music/dancing/shows/movies. That part was really boring considering other hotels that we stayed at in Mexico that did offer all of that and was much cheaper to stay at. The restaurants were definitely the highlight of our stay. Awesome food! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

What a beautiful hotel with such great people around it to help make your vacation superb. I hope you are lucky enough to have Armando help you poolside, he really is an attentive & happy guy! I am not crazy about the beaches in this Cancun/Riviera Maya area, but this hotel is so good, it doesn't even matter. We would go back. The pool is amazing and […] the spa is the best!!! Oh, and the resteraunts...yum! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Unbelievable service,quality food and snacks,beautiful surroundings....you won"t want to leave!

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel was everything we expected and more. Having multiple choices for dinner, all with great service and quality made for a memorable experience.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Every hotel staff are so kind and their service is excellent. they call us by last name,and they remember what drink we ordered before. Allincrusive is so nice, no need to pay anything. I will use this hotel again.

Genuine Expedia guest review

BEAUTIFUL HOTEL ,excelent gourmet food, room service,all on time,good transportation service,nice service and sport activities on the beach and very nice people help you any time.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Most awesome place ever! Food was AMAZING! Service was one of a kind!

Genuine Expedia guest review

Go to this property for exceptional food, surroundings and accommodations...customer service is excellent but sometimes hit or miss but never poor.The spa is exquisite like none other a must experience. It is a large property but there are many places to go and you don't feel like you are just a number. It is an all inclusive, but the quality of food […] and drinks are just as good as staying at some of the other Five Star Five Diamond award winning boutique hotels. I love going to this place with my family and by myself and definitely romantic and private enough for couples. Some of the fine restaurants don't allow kids (nice) and there is an adult only part of the hotel and pool area (very nice). I have been here three times and will keep coming back (it takes a lot for me to return to a property) Some of my other favorites in the area are: Maroma Resort and Spa (orient express award winning boutique property), The Tides (part of Viceroy Hotels), Esencia Hotel in Playa... Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

WONDERFUL HOTEL! We stayed here for the first part of our honeymoon and could not have been happier. We stayed in the Grand Class tower which was gorgeous (and 18 and over so very peaceful :))...our room overlooked the ocean and the plunge pool was great. The room was super luxurious and very comfortable. The hotel even had champagne and chocolate strawberries […] waiting for us. The restaurants were amazing as well...truly 5 star dining. Make sure to not miss Frida and Piaf...delicious! The value of this hotel for the price was well, well worth it. The staff would cater to our ever need and made us feel like VIPs every, single day. We can't wait to go back! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

My wife and I have recently stayed at Capella Pedregal in Cabo, and Four Seasons in Punta Mita. We stayed in a Grand Class room on the 4th floor, and this is the nicest room and accomodations of the three. This is the best beach we have seen South of Cancun, way better than Fairmont, Rosewood, etc. Service is on par with the others, which is outstanding. […] The Spa is by far the best that we have ever visited. The food is very, very impressive for an all-inclusive resort, but is not for everyone. I almost didn't choose this resort because we avoid all-inclusives like the plague, but decided to give it a try after reading the favorable reviews. In my opinion, they push the limits of gourmet a bit too far, perhaps even for "foodies." However the chefs are very good, and the kitchen is well trained in exquisite presentation, although sometimes a bit over-the-top. Restaurant decor and lighting was very impressive, although they are too large and spread out. AR-111 light fixtures used almost exclusively with the exception of the "Italian" restaurant which was poorly lit. Overall, the property is magnificent, the rooms, bedding, service, food, pool, and beach are all magnificent. My wife and I are snobs, so it should tell you something that my biggest criticism is the lighting in the Italian restaurant, although the Italian menu was my favorite overall #don't miss the Lobster Risotto.# Also I think they should run something besides mini-vans to shuttle between the buildings. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This was our first stay at the Grand Velas-Maya Riviera and it was MORE than we expected. I can't say enough about the level of service we received. We felt as if everyone truly wanted to serve and make our stay the best it could be! There were plenty of beach chairs, towels and staff to help with any need we had. The restaurant staff was outstanding […] as well as the food. Our family had everything we could possibly need-All Inclusive! Improve: Clarity on Spa Credit and communication that pants are required for men in the restaurants. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We are a 54 yr old couple. We wanted celebrate our 30th anniversary someplace special. We had never been to an all inclusive and wanted to be away from kids.We stayed in the Grand Class section which for adults or families with children 12 and older. Oceanfront room, marbled bathroom with a huge walk in shower, two person jacuzzi, 1200 sq ft room, balcony […] with lounge and plunge pool. Expensive, but worth it. The Grand class section also has an adult lounge area with pool and swim up bar. The resort is huge so staying in the adult area limits you very well from families so you can have peace and quiet. The beach section in front of the Grand Class is adult only too. Although grand Class experience does allow children 12 and over I rarely saw any. Mostly couples 30 on up. The food is wonderful. I don't think you can go wrong but I will say we loved Piaf which is French style. The room is dark, live music and is adult only. We ate there 4 out of 7 nights. In fact the head chef came to talk to us on our last night. I can not say enough about the staff. Over the top classy, friendly and just wan to make your stay special. You will feel special at the Grand Velas. The beach is beautiful and the water warm. It is a little rocky in the water but a pair of water shoes will take care of that. Although all inclusive we tipped the beach staff. We also made an effort to learn the language as I feel that was appreciated. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The only disappointment was that our out side pool area had bird poop on it and there were ants in our room. The ants tore me up :( Other than that, the services was great and we had a wonderful time :)

Genuine Expedia guest review

We usually like to try different hotels, but next trip to Mexico we will be returning to the Grand Velas. There is no need to improve on perfection.

Genuine Expedia guest review

I usually do not like recommending an hotel, as we all have a different taste; however in the case of the Grand Velas, there is nothing not to like and praise. Even better, we experienced a little difficulty with a waiter, which was immediately addressed and solved by the management in a very elegant way

Genuine Expedia guest review

Everything was outstanding. The beach is beautiful and extremely clean. We walked the beach in both directions beyond the hotel and there was seaweed everywhere. There was no seaweed at all on the beach at Grand Velas due to the rock barrier out in the ocean. The food was also wonderful. We will definitely be coming back.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Our stay included a beautiful room with a great view of the ocean, great food at every restaurant, and a relaxing message at the spa. Combine this with the helpful, attentive, friendly staff and you have everything we wanted from an all inclusive luxury resort. We will be going back.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Best resort ever, 5 star restaurants and many of them. Staff cater to every need, I even had a personal butler service! Beach fantastic, not to mention the various heated and unheated pools. I definitely will return to this hotel! 5 stars all the way!

Genuine Expedia guest review

I was completely satisfied and blown away with our stay there. Service, food, cleanliness, beach etc. If you are a foody this is the place to stay!!!!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

Everything exceeded our expectations. From the first welcome until the last goodbye the staff was more than nice, we felt pampered like never before and we have stayed in other 5 star resorts, but nothing compares to Grand Velas. The gourmet food was excelent, the pools are so nice, especially the one in the area of the ZEN suites. The beach is very […] well kept with choice of cabanas or umbrellas and chairs. The staff was always present on the beach to serve us with drinks and food. The suite was so spacious with a nice jacuzzi and a superbly furnished balcony. My husband and I had a perfect honymon here and we'll be back for sure. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We had a great stay, my wife (76 yo) fell down and broke her leg during the first day and spend almost all the trip in a wheal chair... The staff did there best to help us having a great time. Don't miss the spanish Restaurant, and the Swimming polo in the forest.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Amazing place! The hotel was beautiful and contemporary. My 2 year old loved the kiddy pool, my husband loved the food and I LOVED the spa (other worldly). Very happy customer:-))

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great vacation experience, it really exceeded our expectations!!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

Pros: They have 3 buffet style and 5 ala-carte restaurants. They are all very good, but Piaf (French restaurant) was absolutely amazing. Their staff is extremely helpful. This hotel is good for both couples and families with children. Cons: It is hard to find something to do at night. We ended up going to Playa del Carmen. Internet services are really […] bad. We paid $15 day (only good for one device) and the wifi quality was bad in most locations. In these kind of all inclusive resorts, they shouldn't bother customers with bills and tips everytime they try to eat or drink something. Those costs should be all included in the overall price. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great food and beverages, the restaurants are amazing, and the service is unique.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We just returned from a fabulous vacation at Grand Velas resort in Playa del Carmen. The ambience of the resort, service, facilities, and the food were outstanding. The resort never felt crowded and the staff seemed eager to please. We would highly recommend this resort to any family looking for a relaxing vacation in Playa del Carmen.

Genuine Expedia guest review

My wife and I stayed at the Grand Velas for a total of 6 nights as our first four days were paid for by our company. We bought 2 more nights through hotels.com . The service, the service, the service, 6 gourmet restaurants, the comfort of the rooms, attention to detail and the wonderful staff are all second to none. Wish they had a night club with […] dancing and/or entertainment as the evenings were a little boring with only a piano bar and karioke. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Had a great time. We went in off season time so it was very quiet and had awesome service. They have awesome food. We were told by the locals that the Grand Velas and the Banyan Tree Mayakoba are the top two choices. But the Grand Velas is the only one with all inclusive offerings so this was a much better deal for us. Would definitely go back.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We arrived to Grand Velas exhausted from our flight and was told that our double bed room could not be honored because the hotel was full. We are a family of four and the double bed room is a must. After fighting with the manager for an HOUR, he relented in giving us a room the next day with two double beds with an ocean view but not the ocean view […] we had paid for). He did NOT treat us with the respect you would expect from a 5 star hotel. We were so upset to have to argue with him on our first night there. It is unacceptable to give our room away when we had made reservations in MAY. I was expecting him to make it up to us with a kind gesture but no such thing happened. Besides that the hotel is beautiful and the food is good. They have some really great resturaunts although some of them were closed on some days. Also they did not have anything for teenagers to do at night and they wont even let them into the one activity(karoake) they do have at night. Beutiful hotel but I dont think I would go back there are too many other beautiful hotels with much better treatment of their guests. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This place was amazing! Flowers/plants, hotel grounds, decor, attention to detail, everything was beautiful! Pool was huge! Rooms were clean. Had a ceiling fan above bed, which was very nice. Stocked fridge with wine, beer, candy, snacks and a great bottle of tequila. We went mid August when it wasn't as busy (low season) and the service was impeccable! […] Waited on hand and foot and treated like royalty. Staff was super friendly. The restaurant Freida was excellent. Shopping in Playa del Carmen was a 15 minute cab ride away with tons of shops and places to eat. Felt very safe. I did not do any spa treatments, but it looked awesome and I heard that it is one of the best. (Will have to save that for next time) I would definitely go back and even take my toddler with us next time. Very kid friendly. Great place to relax and get away from the daily grind. There is no nightlife, clubs or partying here. You get what you pay for and even though this is a little more than some of the other resorts it is totally worth it. We have been to Cancun and Playa several times and to a different resort each time and this was the best by a landslide! Can't say enough wonderful things about this place or staff. You will not be disappointed! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were pleasantly surprised by the level of quality in this all-inclusive resort. Would not suggest going during the low-season though, as they appear to cut their staff then, and the level of service declines - plus some of the restaurants close.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We were pleasantly surprised by the level of quality in this all-inclusive resort. Would not suggest going during the low-season though, as they appear to cut their staff then, and the level of service declines - plus some of the restaurants close.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is the first review I write on anything. Felt the need to do so, as I am not easily impressed with hotels amd service. This all inclusive is top notch! Very good food, rooms are large and comfortable. Service is also very good... We came with family and not all places accept kids, but that is ok.. Most places do, and the places that don't are somewhat […] separate... The beach has some corals to enter and there is a small area to enter where they did some job, so as per bathing in the ocean, there is a small handicap... The pool is awesome, huge.... I mean huge! Came just in betwen high and low season, so it is not crowded.... Love that too. All in all, did not think I would be so satisfied! Specially at these prices, but.... VERY SATISFIED!!!! By the way, found better deal with expedia with flight included, so thanks Expedia too!!! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

My family of 4 wanted some time away. We had been to other Caribbean islands before but never to Mexico. What a pleasant surprise! Grand Velas is a MUST do if you enjoy great service The attention to details was amazing; we were greeted with washcloths to freshen up and refreshments.The suites are equipped with beach bags, wines and snacks Upon arriving, […] our personal consierge escorted us to our rooms and took care of our dinner reservations for our stay. We stayed on the Master (jungle) side, which worked out great; You pay slightly less than you would for the Ambassador (ocean) side and enjoy the same amenities and service. They provide around- the- clock shutlles to the beach and it's really only a 3 minute drive.The pool on the jungle side is also a lot quieter. The restaurants were simply awesome! Our favorite was Bisrto- it provided great family friendly options and a view of the beach that will take your breath away. Try the spa- the water journey is one that you will not soon forget.Two recommendations for improvements: 1) the pools close at 7PM- way too early in my opinion 2) the in-room resort info boasts about it's piano bar- well the pianist was there only from Thurs-Sunday; when we arrived to the piano bar at 9:30PM on Thursday, he was already gone. This is a great place to de-stress and unwind, but don't expect much excitement after dark-head to Playa De Carmen for late night fun. Overall, it was a fabulous experience and we will definitely go back. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

best hotel experience ever!!!!!!

Genuine Expedia guest review

This resort surpassed all ourexpectations. Highly detailed oriented management an a design with a perfectly proffesional and friendly staff. Food was the best i've had in a long time.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Most amazing resort to estay with family

Genuine Expedia guest review