Yahoo Finance What a luxury Mexican resort offers that your average one won't
At Grand Velas in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, there’s no shortage of excellent services that guests can indulge in.
The luxury resort, which has four locations in Mexico, focuses their attention on three main values: service, food and spa.
“You have to live it to believe it,” says Vice President of the properties, Juan Vela. He’s referring to the type of experience you get when you stay at one of the resorts that him and his brother, Eduardo Vela Ruiz, built and operate.
After staying at Grand Velas Riviera Maya for four days, it’s hard to deny the exceptional service that Vela refers to. There’s a concierge for every floor, each suite has a balcony (some come with private plunge pools) and bathrooms that include a walk-in glass shower and deep soaking Jacuzzi tub.
[Shower in presidential suite at Grand Velas Riviera Maya. / Mariam Matti]
There's nothing that makes me feel more lavish than relaxing in a Jacuzzi tub in my own room (since the possibility of that happening in my own home is out of reach, for now). As luxurious as my bathroom was, the group I was travelling with got a tour of the presidential suite at Velas, and that bathroom is to die for. There’s a Jacuzzi for two people, a double shower, one with marble walls and the other with woodwork.
It’s safe to say that I'm not the target market, a single 25-year-old woman, as it's well beyond what I'd typically spend on an average vacation. For a stay in the Ambassador section of the resort, you'll be paying USD$800-$1000 per night (depending on the number of people in your room, their ages and the dates you're travelling), while those who opt for the quieter Zen section will be looking at USD$600-$800 a night.
The real target market for this all-inclusive resort is families and couples, according to Vela.
[ The teen's club has games including a foosball table. / Mariam Matti]
Kids get the VIP treatment too
At Velas, Vela says they want to make “kids feel like they are adults,” offering the same luxury treatments as the adults get, like message and manicures. And if they feel like acting their age, there are clubs for kids and teens filled with games and entertainment. The teen’s club has disco nights with a dance floor and the room is equipped with a bar that serves mocktails and soft drinks.
For parents with young babies, Grand Velas offers ‘baby concierge,’ which means mom and dad don’t have to pack a stroller, high chair, baby bottle sterilizer, crib, baby bathtub or baby bouncer as all that is offered on site at the resort.
[Guests relax by the pool in the Zen section of Grand Velas Rivera Maya. / Mariam Matti ]
Mend a broken heart on vacation
If you happen to find yourself recently divorced or newly single, Grand Velas offers a package to help you get over that ex. The 'Divorce Package' at Riviera Maya starts at USD$932 per person, per night, and includes a stay with up to five friends in a more private getaway (with the Presidential Suite as an option) and activities such as spa treatments, ‘ladies night out’ or ‘guys night out,’ or cocktail-making lessons. And if you're really having a tough time getting over that ex? There’s an option to bash a piñata in honour of him or her.
[Guests have the option of pre-ordering room service the night before. The resort leaves cards in every suite with a variety of breakfast items. / Mariam Matti]
Service at every turn
On top of the fully stocked mini bar, there’s a complimentary tequila and champagne bottle in every room. If you don't finish the alcohol provided for you in your room, the resort welcomes you to take it home, which I gladly did at the end of my stay.
Pillow service is another luxury available for every suite. If you think the pillow in your room is too hard or too soft, you can order another one more to your liking. While I'm not too picky when it comes to what I sleep on (especially when I have a king size bed to myself), I thought I had to try this service. On the Saturday of my stay before dinner, I called the floor concierge and asked them if they could bring pillows that were firmer than the ones I had. When I got back from dinner, there were two firm pillows waiting for me on my bed. The verdict is still out on which I preferred but to have the option of picking was a welcome change.
With all the accommodations at Grand Velas, I don’t think I’ve felt more spoiled on a vacation. It’s no wonder why celebrities like Tom Cruise, Robert Redford and Kate Winslet have previously enjoyed stays at one of the Grand Velas resorts.
Experience different vacations without leaving Velas
It’s rare that you get a chance to experience different ambiances in one vacation but at the Grand Velas Riviera Maya, there are three properties visitors can pick from to enjoy their stay. The Ambassador, which overlooks the pool, is livelier than the Zen Grand, which offers a quieter, more private experience. The third is Grand Class, which is adults only and the rooms have an ocean view.
My four-day stay at the Riviera Maya location was in the Ambassador section. My room included a balcony that overlooked the pool, which was perfect for seeing how busy the section was and if there were lounge chairs available. I could see how this section can get noisy and why adults could prefer a much quieter atmosphere, which the Zen Grand offers.
The presidential suite at @gvrivieramaya is dreamy. #visitingvelas pic.twitter.com/MKRfhJzzbW
— Mariam Matti (@mariammatti) January 24, 2016
