Best Family All Inclusive
Grand Velas Riviera Maya

I consider this resort to be one of the best family all inclusive properties in the luxury category. This past September, my husband, son and I were lucky enough to have experienced a week at this breathtaking resort. It is situated along more than a mile of white-sand beach of Mexico's stunning Caribbean coast. The resort itself is an architectural masterpiece and the food is gourmet in ever way but what stood out the most to us was the exceptional service.

Without the staff that they employ, this would just be another great hotel. What sets this place above all the others is their personalized service. They anticipate your every need and take pride in fulfilling it. They are still a young property, but being one of the best family all inclusive resorts, they are well on their way to becoming the next five diamond resort in the Riviera Maya.

My son had a BLAST! He just ate up all of the extra special attention from every staff member that crossed his path. Ok, enough about my experience…let me give you the facts. There is a kids club for children ages 4 – 12 but you can also utilize their babysitting services for a fee. We did this and were extremely pleased.

Kids Club

The Kid´s Club operates 7 days a week from 9:00am to 10:00pm, as part of your all-inclusive vacation package. Grand Velas takes pride in this innovative program where children can play and learn through fun activities in a safe, friendly environment supervised by highly qualified personnel.

The program provides tons of fun activities which include movies, storyteller, drawing and painting with different materials, origami, or board games. There are also classes that teach how to make piñatas, kites, visors, handbags, pinwheels, masks, necklaces and bracelets.

If your child likes video games, they’ll love an entire area decked out with a Home Theater, X-Box and Wii. They will also be able to participate in video games tournaments. The Kid's Club is a great place for your kids to make friends and just be kids.

Another reason I consider them one of the best family all inclusive resorts is that they will adapt their program to fit your child’s age, likes and needs. They’ll have the time of their lives.

Accommodations

Again, living up to the best family all inclusive, there are 491 spacious suites at Grand Velas All Suites & SPA Resort Riviera Maya. They are all elegantly appointed with upscale furnishings complemented by native artwork. The suites range in size from 1184 square feet to 2793 square feet. All accommodations of Grand Velas feature dedicated butler service, indoor whirlpool bathtubs and 24-hour in-suite dining.

These suites are split up into three distinct sections…the Jungle area, the Family area and the Adults only area. Needless to say, if you travel with kids, you’ll be staying in the first two sections. My family and I stayed in the Ambassador family section and it could not have been more perfect.

You can expect all of the following in your room upon arrival:

• Spectacular patio overlooking the Riviera Maya jungle, some with private pool
• Bathroom with interior Jacuzzi
• Sitting area with sofa
• King-size bed or 2 Queen-size beds
• Walk-in closet
• White goose down comforters & pillows
• Pillow menu
• 42” plasma TV with digital cable
• Pay-per-view movies
• Private line/wireless touch-screen telephones
• DVD / CD / MP3 player
• High-speed wireless Internet (additional fees apply)
• Safety box
• Fully stocked mini-bar
• Nespresso coffee machine
• Vanity mirror
• Hairdryer
• Iron & ironing board
• Scale
• Umbrella
• Individual climate control
• Daily turndown service
• Bathrobes and slippers
• Deluxe Molton Brown bath amenities

Ok… getting the drift of this “best family all inclusive”? And that’s just the beginning…..

Services & Amenities

Some the services and amenities you will experience at the Grand Velas include:

• Luxury accommodations in an elegant suite with a selection of luxurious amenities
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner a la carte or buffet at Bistro, Azul Restaurant, and Chaká
• Dinner a la carte at Frida - Mexican gourmet cuisine
• Dinner a la carte at Piaf - traditional French gourmet cuisine
• Dinner a la carte at Sen Lin Restaurant & Bar - Gourmet Asian cuisine
• Dinner a la carte at Cocina de Autor - Signature restaurant from world renowned chefs - Bruno Oteiza and Mikel Alonso. Menu changes each evening.
• 24-hour Butler-Concierge Service
• Concierge service at pool and beach area
• Domestic and International Premium Brands at Lobby Bars and Aqua Bars
• 24- hour In-Suite Dining – definitely comes in handy for that fussing toddler.
• Minibar in suite including snacks – this is great for the kids!
• Life Fitness Center
• Work-out programs with personal trainer
• Exercise programs such as yoga, Pilates, capoeira, tai chi, and meditation
• Recreational activities program
• Grand Kids Activities Program
• Non motorized water sports (kayaks, boogie boards)
• Infinity Pool
• Children’s Pool
• Karaoke Bar
• Live music at Lobby Bar and Sky Bar
• Live music at our specialty restaurants
• Parking lot & valet parking
• Taxes and tips

The Spa

If you like pampering yourself like I do, then you’ll love the Spa. As one of the Leading Spas of the World, this 76,640 square foot sanctuary offers seven spa journeys from around the world. They also offer a water journey free of charge when booking any 50-minute treatment.

Some spas can be kind of pricey for what they offer. Let me say that the cost is well worth it! I visited the spa on two occasions and wished I could have gone much more. The relaxation achieved during my treatment is unlike any I’ve ever experienced.

Gourmet Dining

I’ll be honest, when I thought of the best family all inclusive resort, gourmet dining didn’t pop up in my head. I was very wrong with this assumption. Every restaurant we tried went above and beyond to provide an experience we would not soon forget. They offer fine French cuisine, traditional recipes of Mexico, Asian fusion specialties, Spanish Basque delights, and family favorites like gourmet pizzas. Most restaurants even have a children’s menu and if there is something special your kids like, they will whip it up!

The flavors, aromas and artful presentation rounded out the perfect meal every time. Plus, the staff always surprised us with something new….just because they wanted to. I never got the feeling that every waiter, waitress, hostess or busboy did not love their job. They truly enjoy serving their guests.

GREEN Awareness

Aside from all of the other obvious reasons to love this resort, I think the most impressive feature of the Grand Velas is its dedication to conservation and GREEN Initiatives.

Being surrounded by 86 Hectares of jungle, mangrove and fresh water cenotes, Grand Velas Riviera Maya was thoughtfully designed to harmonize with its environment in so many ways. Some of these include taking part in the Federal Sea Turtle Conservation Program, not offer dishes prepared with animals on the endangered species lists, utilizing Co-generation Electricity Plants and two Reverse-Osmosis Desalting Plants.

They also reforested the surrounding areas with over 18,000 trees, helping to protect the native fauna and flora of the region.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to visit this resort, please do. They know how to treat a guest by making them feel like a part of their family.

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