Map of Mexico
The Grand Mayan south of Cancun
One of 4 pools; this for adults only
Living room, dining room, kitchen
Private hot tub on balcony
One of two bedrooms
Double spa bath in master suite
Riviera Maya, Mexico
West Coast: ° Cabo San Lucas
° Puerto Vallarta ° Sea of Cortez
East Coast: ° Playa del Carmen
° Cancun and the Mayan Riviera
The Grand Mayan
The resort is centrally located on the exclusive Riviera Maya about 30 minutes from Cancun and 20 minutes from Playa del Carmen and close to XelHa, Mayan Pyramids, the second most dramatic coral reef system in the world and fine dive sites.
Two years ago while in Cabo San Lucas, the Mayan resorts roped us into a timeshare presentation. The resorts ARE beautiful, and after several hours, we purchased two weeks, got home, realized much of what they said was NOT true -- including that we could NOT stay at a Mayan unless we owned time -- so we cancelled the timeshare after days of haggling via eMail and telephone with their reps.
This Fall, we used a weeks/points program we've had for years through WorldMark/to book two weeks at the Grand Mayan. We are delighted that we did. With our trade, two weeks in a two bedroom suite cost less than $398 plus $38 room tax . . . total.
We are world travellers, have stayed in splendid places in Tahiti (in an over-the-water bungalow costing $700/day), Australia, Thailand, Japan, England, Ireland, Greece, Holland, and elsewhere, and consider the Mayan Palaces among the best of the best.
My daughter did homework before leaving on this trip and said we have to ask for Building One through Five. We got Building One, just steps from the pool and close to all other amenities. We never waited more than five minutes for a shuttle, and found the Grand Mayan Riviera a good central location to visit Chichen Itza, Tulum, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Isla Mujures, swim with dolphins, etc. It was also very easy and inexpensive to get into the wonderful town of Playa del Carmen from the Grand Mayan either through the resort's shuttles or by local bus which stops just outside the Grand Mayan's main gates.
Meals
Food was superb at all of the Mayan Palace restaurants, although we found it best at the elegant Tramonto (and reasonably priced!). The resort featured an excellent band a couple of nights at the Havana Moon, which also became a favorite 'cause of the atmosphere. Fridas near the pool also has a fine menu.
We were disappointed with entertainment at the del Lago during one event as it was somewhat lacking and tasteless: Young women in "traditional" costume, which turned out to be chaps with no bottoms, shook their naked bottoms around the stage. Really, folks. This was supposed to be a family show, not a poor rendition of a Las Vegas lineup.
As noted above, we have stayed around the world in exquisite places, but as resorts go, The Grand Mayan may be the most luxurious and beautiful accommodations we have ever encountered.
It is surrounded by tropical plants, pools, bars and restaurants, and it is close to the best of everything the Mayan Riviera has to offer. Food in every one of the Mayan Palace's restaurant is excellent, whether it was traditional Mexican fare, various pastas, steak, seafood, or typical American breakfasts of bacon and eggs.
Day Tours
During our two-week stay, we booked a tour ever other day and enjoyed the resort surroundings and activities in between sight seeing. A daily activities program is posted in the main pool area. It includes crafts and projects for children, movies, bingo, Spanish lessons, bicycle riding around the property, tours through the jungle and more. Sunbathe on the white sand beach or swim and practice your favorite water sport, including fishing or gliding in a parachute over the Caribbean.
Sian Ka'an Multisports Eco Adventure
Meaning "where the sky is born", Sian Ka'an is a UNESCO World Heritage site covering more than 1 million acres of coastal jungle. The reserve's savannas, dunes, wetlands, mangroves and lagoons are home to a huge diversity of plants and animals, including more than 350 bird species. Before you go, reseve your multisports adventure that will take you through Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, one of Mexico's largest parks. This tour includes kayaking in the wetlands, a snack at the visitor center, hiking through the tropical jungle to learn about plants and animals of the region. The adventure closes with snorkeling at the Beh Ha cenote, with its crystal-clear waters and amazing caves and lunch in a Tulum restaurant before being delivered back to you hotel.
Tulum and Xcaret
Our favorite tours, in case you are heading to the Mayan Riviera, were Tulum/Xel-Ha, swimming with dolphins (with Dolphin Discovery — they are highly regarded), and Xcaret — which was the second highlight of the trip (the first being the dolphins). Xcaret is amazing. We walked everywhere to check everything out, then swam through underground caverns, and loved the evening extravaganza.
The drive to Chichin Itza through non-varied flat terrain was long and dreary. However, seeing this important ancient capital of the Mayan Empire is worth the trip, especially if you are on a quest to visit all UNESCO heritage sites (which would be a wonderful around-the-world-trip).
Busses run daily from the resort into Playa Del Carmen for less than $5 each way, which is a great bargain (taxis are $25 each way plus tip).
Rates for the The Royal Mayan are fixed, but the Mayan Palace rates are all over the map. They are posted in the lobby at $1,000++ per day for the type of suite we had . . . which was luxurious at approximately 1100 square feet with two bedrooms, two spa baths, a living/dining room and kitchen, a private spa on the deck overlooking the tropical gardens, one large screen television in each room and within feet of a pool reserved for Grand Mayan guests with floating bars, pool bars, shops, etc.
We used a timeshare trade we have and paid less than $400 for the suite for the full two weeks we were there. Our low rate revived my faith in timeshares/weeks/points for travel. Again, everyone we talked with said this was the most beautiful property they had stayed at and we agree.
The pool area reserved for the The Grand Mayan side of the resort is exceptional. The pools are among the nicest pools we have ever seen/enjoyed. Service is excellent. Pools near the Mayan Palace side are also beautiful, but more family oriented and not as large as the Grand Mayan pools.
Our biggest disappointments were:Of course, I'm still on my non-smoker band wagon. I do not understand cigarette smokers. Valuable historical sites around the world are filled with ages-old artifacts and treasures. . . and cigarette butts. These world treasures took years to unearth and resurrect at great expense. Why do caretakers of valuable historical sites put up with half-smoked cigarettes dropped all around?° Bug spray: Each night around 5 p.m., Mayan staff sprays surrounding vegetation to kill mosquitos. The smell is toxic and raises concern for their staff. Such sprays are poison; it must have health consequences for resort employees who breathe it every day. The other downside in killing all crawly, flying creatures is that the richness of the jungle suffers: Birds, iguanas, and whatever else might be around are gone because the bugs are a food source. Costa Rican jungles are rich with life; Mexican jungles around the grand hotels are virtually desolate.
° One show at the Mayan's Lago Restaurant was pitiful, as mentioned above. It was purportedly a family show; however at one point a dozen young women danced onto stage wearing bottomless chaps and another dance troupe had giant half-watermelon slices perched on their heads. The watermelon "hats" were silly, and we don't care one way or the other about bottomless chaps, but this was supposed to be a traditional event of Mexican entertainment and this was nothing short of tacky.
During a mid-way stop to Chichen Itza, we talked with a lovely family from Guyana (former territory of Jim Jones and The People's Temple). This family was sophisticated, well-dressed, obviously well-traveled, had beautiful daughters, and they all smoked. At this particular stop, ashtrays were conveniently placed around the courtyard. What did these lovely people do? Dropped their butts on the ground enroute to the bus. Worse, the father of the group dropped his still-lit but into a live plant.
Where does the total disregard for all life begin and end? How does anyone manage to stay oblivious to the dangers of cigarettes to self, family, friends and our planet? Does anyone remember the Russian book "The Secret Life of Plants?" I could not bear to think of the plant dealing with that burning heat at its base.
What about levying serious cigarette taxes (perhaps $5 per pack) to offset:
- Medical expenses for children and/or anyone else in the home who have illnesses relating to their parents' smoking;
- Cleanup of all heritage sites, all beaches, all walkways . . . some of this is being done now, but it is being done by tax dollars. There is no reason on earth for taxpayers to pay for the sloppy habits of smokers;
- Ban smoking at all historical sites, national parks, regional parks.
- Cite people who hang their cigarettes out the window as they drive through dry-grass areas along freeways and country roads. This does start fires . . . we have seen this. Why is this allowed to continue?
Before You Go . . . Click Here to Learn Spanish FAST!
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mexico
- Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco (1987)
- Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán (1987)
- Historic Centre of Puebla (1987) Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque (1987)
- Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (1987)
- Sian Ka'an (1987) (near Cancun)
- Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines (1988)
- Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen Itza (1988)
- Historic Centre of Morelia (1991)
- El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City (1992)
- Historic Centre of Zacatecas (1993)
- Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco (1993)
- Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (1993)
- Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (1994)
- Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro (1996)
- Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal (1996)
- Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara (1997)
- Archeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes (1998)
- Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan (1998) Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco (1999)
- Historic Fortified Town of Campeche (1999)
- Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche (2002)
- Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro (2003)
- Luis Barragán House and Studio (2004) Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (2005, 2007)
- Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (2006)
- Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (2007)
- Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (2008)
- Protective town of San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco (2008)
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude