Grand Velas Riviera Maya :

In Connecticut, we longed for the arrival of spring as New England offered up a cold, dreary and rainy morning for our departure day.  The blue aqua Caribbean waters enticed us as our jet descended onto the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula.  We just so happened to be traveling during Cinco de Mayo, in celebration of our anniversary so we knew that the Grand Velas Riviera Maya all-inclusive Five Diamond rated resort was going to be a wonderful destination for a long weekend getaway! 

The resort is an easy five minute ride to Playa del Carmen welcoming travelers arriving from destinations worldwide.  In recent years, the area has grown tremendously attracting vacationers from Germany, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Argentina, Russia as well as the United States. The Mexican Riviera boasts warm friendly people, beautiful beaches, fun shopping and great dining.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya offers impeccable service with an award winning lavish spa experience complete with two gyms and many daily activities for families, business meetings or intimate, romantic privacy.  We found that we need not leave the resort to experience fine dining as there are five signature restaurants; each with world-class chefs imported from France, Spain and Mexico.  This all-inclusive resort is at the top of our list and we will be recommending it for years to come. 

Fabulous Mexican Hospitality
We were greeted at Cancun airport arrival area with signs that read: BRUCE AND KELLY (transfers $172 round trip and well worth the convenience).  Our driver Jorge was cheerful and fun during our 40 min drive to the resort. Upon arrival, we were offered hibiscus tea, cool refreshing cloths to revive us from our travels and complete kindness.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya Mexico All Inclusive Resort 
Upon check-in we were promptly assigned a butler who was available anytime we needed anything. Our room was at the Grand Class (adult only) section of the resort which was on the third floor offering us a wonderful Caribbean vista surrounded by built in planters overflowing with Bougainvillea flowers.  Our room was a lavishly furnished suite with a large Jacuzzi and a walk in shower with large sliders opening to a grand private marble terrace with a private plunge pool. Automatic blinds are featured in every suite as well as the all-inclusive snack bar. Truly the perfect location to awaken the romance one hopes for on a 17th anniversary getaway.  Perfect!!

Standard special features you can count on are fresh fruit and chocolates in your room.  The beds are extremely comfortable with pillows that will make your nights sleep cozier than you can imagine.  Room service arrives at approx. 6:30 PM to turn your bed down with garnishes of fresh chocolates and a pair of his and her sandals laid out thoughtfully on each side of the bed. I’m not sure how they knew which side of the bed I was on, but they were correct.  

Convenient Dining Anytime 
Quite hungry from a day of travel, we found the Bistro restaurant to be convenient – a bar and restaurant overlooking the adult vanishing pool on the Grand Class section. Our server, Roberto suggested we try the Shrimp Ceviche for an appetizer to hold us over until our 8 PM reservations at Piaf.  This dish was refreshing and made with a fine mix of shrimp, cilantro and lime.  This was only the beginning of our taste buds going into overload.

Piaf – French Dining Excellence
We sipped a glass of wine in the Sky Bar watching the sun set and the moon rise-- reflecting romantically upon the Caribbean.  True relaxation began to set in as one would hope for on a long weekend getaway.

Our waiter at Piaf suggested the escargot and the French onion soup for appetizers. Good choice. Kelly had the Shrimp Risotto entrée and ordered the Filet Mignon. For dessert, we both chose the Chocolate Soufflé, a chocolate lovers bliss. Simply amazing! 

Enhancing the dining experience, Miguel, a French wine expert, provided us with the perfect  wine pairings as dinner progressed as well as imparting some French philosophy.   “Enjoy the food, enjoy the wine but to taste food with a sip of wine is to enhance the flavor and the mood bringing forth true pleasure as the French enjoy.”  C’est la vive!

Gourmet 24 HourRoom Service Included!
The next morning as we slipped into resort sandals and bathrobes, a gentle knock at the door revealed a server bearing a gourmet organic breakfast that ....