Viva Mexico

 

 

When it comes to traveling, I’m of the mindset of putting new pins in our map every chance we get. Why go to the same place more than once when there’s so much of the world to see? Well, there’s an exception to my “never repeat a vacation” rule, and that’s Mexico (and Maine…but that’ll be another post)!

When we first got the recommendation to visit Grand Velas Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, we weren’t completely convinced. We fully trusted our well-travelled friend, but we weren’t fully onboard with the idea of an all-inclusive hotel. Yes, unlimited cocktails and vacay go hand-in-hand, but we are self-proclaimed food snobs and weary of being stuck with menus that we may not enjoy for 7 days. Our friend assured us that we would love it all, so we took a chance and booked a trip for February 2018 (and have been back every year since).

We flew from New York to Cancun, an easy 4 hour, 10 minute non-stop flight (non-stop is ESSENTIAL when travelling with young children). The immigration line once landed can vary in length depending on staffing and other arriving flights. We have waited as few as 10 minutes and as long as 2 hours. Always pack a few extra snacks in your carry-on for the possibility of lengthy lines. Once through customs and baggage claim, we made our way outside, grabbed a Dos Equis and found the hotel transportation we had arranged prior to arrival, which I recommend doing (arranging for transportation AND grabbing a roadie). 

After about 45 minutes in the van, it appears! The monstrous white wall and turquoise moat that serves as the entrance to the property of Grand Velas Resort. We drove through a security gate and about a mile worth of jungle before arriving at the impressive, bigger-than-life, open-air front lobby. The staff offers you a cool towel and fruity drink in exchange for your luggage and credit card at check-in, you settle some obligatory paperwork, and then you’ve officially switched on “Vacation Mode!”

Another one of our concerns about traveling to an all-inclusive location is that you would feel “trapped” on the resort. Would you really want to venture outside of the property and pay for your meals and sips when you’ve already paid for food and drink at the hotel? Well, the answer, for us, is YES!! We love exploring, adventuring, and trying something new any chance we get! I’ve detailed our fave Mexico excursions here. But the first year we visited Grand Velas, we spent all 6 glorious days at the resort and there was no shortage of activities to be found. Besides catching up on a good read poolside or soaking in some rays on the sandy shore, there are plenty of happenings to fill your day.

Se Spa by Grand Velas

No vacation is ever complete without a few hours spent at the spa, am I right?! Family time is cherished time, but if any mom says that she doesn’t crave a little time away from the never-ending string of requests for snacks or potty runs…she’s lying through her teeth! Earning the Forbes Travel Guide 5-star accolade (one of only six spas in Mexico able to achieve this award), Se Spa is a true gem. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to experience the Spa Water Ceremony before or after your treatment. This hydrotherapy journey offers a clay room, ice room, polar pool, color showers, and more to fully maximize your relaxation status. Don’t leave Mexico without a spa day (or two)!

Kids Club

So, we have never used the Kids Club the way it is intended (drop-off your kids and spend a glorious afternoon in the sun, cocktail in-hand), but during our 2020 visit we took one step closer to being kid-free for enough time to go to the bathroom solo. I would have LOVED Grand Velas Kids Club (ages 4-12) when I was younger (heck, I’d love the Kids Club as an adult)!! There’s so much on their activity schedule…arts and crafts, hair wraps, make-your-own dream catcher, mini Picasso painting class, the list is endless. Although Gavin and Mia weren’t so keen on staying there without us, the club was super accommodating and let Greg and I hang with the kids so that they could enjoy all the fun they were offering. On top of the activities that were taking place in the club itself, there was also plenty to look forward to around the pool grounds. Magic shows, snow cones, puppet performances, mimes, live music, rock climbing, pool games, bungee trampoline, butterfly release ceremony, RC car racing – it’s a parade of entertainment for these kids! Don’t get me wrong though, this resort maybe everything that a child’s dream is made of, but there are plenty of reasons why adults love Grand Velas too!

Nighttime at Velas

If you can manage to keep your eyes open after dinner, you should definitely check out some of the nighttime entertainment. Our kids are usually tucked in by 8:00 pm, but on vacation, we loosen the reigns a bit. We’ve moonwalked at a Michael Jackson tribute show, watched movies under the stars with popcorn and Mexican candy, were mesmerized at a cirque-type glow show while decked out in glow stick accessories, and immersed ourselves in the culture at an authentic Mexican fiesta complete with churros, mariachi band, and a mechanical bull. But I think our family’s all-time favorite nighttime activity is grabbing the microphone and stepping on the stage for some karaoke tunes. Well…it’s a favorite of Greg, Gavin, and Mia. I take on the role of videographer and biggest fan! 

Beach

If I had one negative about Grand Velas, it would have nothing to do with the resort itself, but rather the beach. It’s a beautiful sandy beach with plenty of room for lounge chairs and umbrellas. The beach, in fact, has never been crowded and we always have our pick of a perfect spot. The drawback? You can’t swim in the water. I mean, you can, but there are plenty of rocks that will present some pretty painful obstacles for you. There’s enough swimmable sea for the kids to splash around, boogie board, and fill up their buckets so it really serves its purpose for us. It hasn’t been enough of a negative to keep us from coming back for three years straight though. 

Time to Eat

“All-inclusive” and “unbelievable meals” are phrases that don’t always go hand-in-hand. At Grand Velas, though, they certainly do! There are 7 ala carte restaurants, all with a specific culinary theme and a expansive buffet to choose from for dining reservations. Two of these restaurants (Piaf and Cocina de Autor) only welcome guests ages 16+…maybe we will get to experience them, someday. In my opinion, and take it for what it’s worth, the five dining options that we were allowed to bring our little gremlins to were OUT OF THIS WORLD AHHHHHH-MAZING!! Besides absolutely mouth-watering dinners, there’s room service, beach and pool concierge for drink and food service, beach buffets, and poolside burger bars. Bring your elastic-waisted pants for the plane ride home! 

If all of this hasn’t convinced you that Grand Velas is worth a visit, then maybe you’ll be turned when I tell you that the Netflix “Love is Blind” series was filmed here! It looked like a dream on television and it’s even more heavenly in person. Put a pin in your map on Mexico! https://rivieramaya.grandvelas.com/

**Note: Grand Velas has three resort locations in Mexico. The one we visited was in Riviera Maya.