Grand Velas Riviera Maya — Caribbean Mexico’s Mosaic of the Senses

Grand Velas Riviera Maya — Caribbean Mexico’s Mosaic of the Senses

Arial View of Grand Velas Riviera Maya Photo: Grand Velas

Posted January 14, 2025

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Until my daughter graduated from high school, I enjoyed assignments at all-inclusive resorts because they assured her safety while abroad. After a four-year resort hiatus, I embarked on a memorable solo Mexican getaway—and very much in style.

Mexico is comprised of 31 states. One of them, Oaxaca, is known for its indigenous culture and its enormous impact on Mexican cuisine and culture. Quintana Roo, another state on the Yucatán Peninsula, boasts a 206-acre Caribbean-seaside resort, the jungle-surrounded Grand Velas Riviera Maya, which celebrates all of Mexico’s charms with the luxury-VIP vibe turned all the way up. Here, boardwalks sprawl over mangroves with resident alligators. A pure white-sand beach beckons. Recently, Grand Velas Riviera Maya held its first Oaxaca Festival, bringing archetypal Mexican cuisine and mezcal to the forefront. And yes, you can belly up to three different pool bars. Mother Nature’s soundtrack, whether it be the ocean’s roar or singing birds, is always present. You’ll likely see a coati, also known as the Mexican raccoon, confidently roaming about the premises.

WF Mexico Palm Trees

My bid for a Mother Nature pin-up shot just steps from my seaside digs Photo: Bruce Northam

Grand Velas Riviera Maya Elevates the All-Inclusive Experience

This all-suites and spa resort is a world unto itself, and the all-inclusive atmosphere makes relaxing a cinch. The resort campus offers three ambiances. The three amply spaced complexes make it so you’d never guess there are 539 suites, all featuring stunning Caribbean Sea views or connect-with-the-wild watery jungle views. The airy, well-lit suites range in size from 1,184 to 3,767 sq. ft. The 24-hour room service syncs with the inclusive, dedicated butler and concierge services.

The breathtaking setting doubles as a first-rate gastronomic adventure with gourmet cuisine and premium cocktails served in five signature restaurants. The property also boasts casual lounges, bars, and beachfront bistros. With 15 food and beverage options, you’ll be enthused to keep exploring. The resort maintains a 3-to-1 staff-to-guest ratio. This highly trained team, from maintenance to waiters, takes hospitality to another level.

Moonlight Illulminating one of the Grand Velas Pools

Moonlight illuminating one of the Grand Velas pools Photo: Bruce Northam

Adults-Only in the Grand Class

I stayed in the Grand Class, the resort’s adults-only accommodations. My luxe suite overlooked the blue sea and had a knockout bed, a private terrace with a plunge pool, and every possible amenity, including a stocked beverage fridge. Also in the Grand Class area was the poolside and oceanfront Bistro restaurant where, for lunch, I enjoyed the catches of the day—expertly prepared sea bass and grouper, both paired with an earth-shaking Asian-fusion chicken meatball soup.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Juicing up life in Grand Velas’ Azul restaurant Photo: Bruce Northam

Juicing Up My Life

One of my favorite eateries was the buffet-style Azul located on the waterfront section of the central Ambassador complex. The enormous variety of breakfast and lunch options was truly impressive and included a medley of fresh-squeezed juices. Here, massive uninterrupted windows invite the sea into your dining experience. Unsweetened watermelon juice: what a way to start a day!

My trip timed with a resort focus on Oaxacan culture. Enter the mezcal tasting in the karaoke bar, where my new group of friends all sampled mezcals from Oaxaca while our host explained the minutiae of each sampling. Also revealed at this highly social event was that, unlike tequila, mezcal is always pure. I should also note that I hit this karaoke bar twice, and it brought out the stars in everyone.

Mezcal pride was on full display throughout the resort, where a bevy of bartender-historians at various bars served and waxed poetic about the classically smoky mezcal. It was paired with oranges and worm salt to enrich the full agave flavor profile, as opposed to tequila, which is traditionally paired with lime. Note: A signature bottle Olvidame Si Puedes, an artisanal mezcal, is among the guest room offerings.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Oaxacan chefs passing down generational cooking traditions Photo: Bruce Northam

The Oaxacan Journey Continues

The next day, I kept the Oaxacan journey going by joining an open-to-everyone cooking class as part of Oaxaca on the Riviera (or, more precisely, a corn workshop). With three guest chefs brought in from Oaxaca, we learned that corn is the core of Mexican cuisine. We made tortillas from scratch, quesadillas, hand-ground salsas, and an amazing yellow-mole vegetable soup. The ebullient three-woman cast shared their ancestral cultural traditions passed down for generations. The following evening, I dined at Frida for an authentic hours-long Mexican dinner that included tasty insects. It was prepared, once again, by that same dynamic trio from Oaxaca.

At Grand Velas, the jungle-immersed Zen complex overflows with options ranging from dining to dancing to mind-decluttering in a world-class spa. The entire resort is an architectural marvel, but the standout was the inspiring Zen lobby where the domed palapa-style ceiling soars 100 feet above.

The Sin Lin restaurant specializes in seafood, and it’s where I free-fell into a mighty miso soup and a shrimp and veggies wok doused with green curry. That evening, a live solo instrumentalist switched between guitar and violin. This part of the resort is also home to Chaka, another first-rate buffet that’s adjacent to the Chaka Garden, where I joined a class that encouraged each participant to hand-paint their own wooden spirit animal.

The Zen zone is also home to Koi, a chic bar lounge with a powerful sound system that goes into overdrive and inspires disco dancing. And, lucky me, I ended up dancing with the trio of Oaxacan chefs!

 Grand Lobby (credit Grand Velas)

Zen Grand Lobby Photo Grand Velas

Relaxation Abounds in the Grand Velas Spa, SE

I also dove into the 90,000-square-foot Grand Velas Spa, SE, a haven for modern and traditional practices. My therapist embraced ancestral Oaxacan practices via the Piedras Mixtecas treatment, a massage incorporating cocoa oil with hot river stones. Bring on the chilled chlorophyll water! I also enjoyed the Water Ceremony, an hour-long rejuvenation ritual where a personal spa valet guides you through the hydrotherapy lineup, which features a dreamy and multihued pool, whirlpool, cold plunge, dry sauna, steam room, ice room (yup, in your bathing suit), and a pebble water walk that graduates from hot to cold.

What You Need to Know

Uniquely isolated, the resort exudes world-class all the way. Indulgence thrives in its three interconnected worlds where you can redefine what it means to be on vacation. Parent alert! At no additional charge, the Kid’s Club (ages 4-12) safely entertains kids every day from 9 am to 11 pm.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya is a 35-minute drive south of Cancun Airport. It is a buzzing, festive club all day long, and Playa del Carmen sits just five minutes away.

 

Click here for discounted accommodations in Oaxaca, Mexico

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  • Bruce Northam

    Bruce Northam is a veteran and prize-winning travel writer and five-time author. Here are his recent features. His talk, Directions to Your Destination, reveals a new way of evaluating tourism. Bruce is the author of THE DIRECTIONS TO HAPPINESS: A 135-Country Quest for Life Lessons as well as a renowned Lower East Side NYC walking tour guide. Bruce’s show, American Detour, bares a travel writer’s journey to 150 countries.