# Grand Bliss Riviera Mayan



## CaptainA320 (Mar 29, 2012)

Am I the only person in the world who did not know they were opening a new Grand Bliss at the Riviera Mayan location in November?  I found out about it on Facebook! Go figure.


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## rpennisi (Mar 29, 2012)

SCREWEDBYBLISS said:


> Am I the only person in the world who did not know they were opening a new Grand Bliss at the Riviera Mayan location in November?  I found out about it on Facebook! Go figure.


Where on the Riviera Maya property are they opening this Grand Bliss?  Others have reported that the construction of what was supposed to be the Grand Bliss in the "jungle" near the Grand Mayan was not ongoing (?).  How good is your Facebook source?


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## DaveHenry (Mar 29, 2012)

*Near Building 10 of the Mayan Palace*

I'm at the Mayan Palace now, and there's a building labelled "Grand Bliss" north of Building 10 of the Mayan Palace.  That puts it about as far from the beach as the Mayan Palace Lobby, with the Grand Luxe between it and the beach.


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## pittle (Mar 30, 2012)

Gosh that sounds like it is across from where the 3 buildings that have never opened since 2005 are.  Have they ever opened those or any of the buildings on the far north of the property on the other side of the lazy river that has been almost ready since 2007?


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## mikenk (Mar 30, 2012)

pittle said:


> Gosh that sounds like it is across from where the 3 buildings that have never opened since 2005 are.  Have they ever opened those or any of the buildings on the far north of the property on the other side of the lazy river that has been almost ready since 2007?



Phyllis, When I was at the GB in NV last month, I was told at the update that was the location for the future Grand Bliss; they also said that they were going to actually open one Bliss unit there to accommodate those few who bought. I didn't put much credibility in it at the time, but maybe that is the plan - makes sense actually.

Mike


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## Pizza67 (Mar 30, 2012)

If anyone has Google Earth, you can see the group of buildings next (North) to the row of Mayan Palace buildings (1-10).  It's a cluster of 4 'pods', each with 3 buildings (or 6, depending how they number them).  You can also see the new pool on the beach which, I believe, is for the bliss/luxxe use.

This is in part the reason why I posted the question yesterday about if there were any renewed efforts for completing and opening the lazy river.


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## pittle (Mar 30, 2012)

That makes sense.  Maybe they finished out one of the 3 buildings that was across the street from building 10 and just to the north of building 11.  Those were Mayan Palace buildings, but could have been decked out to be a Bliss. A new building next to 10 would be fairly close to the water filtration plant that you ride past on the shuttle to the pool.

I thought the Grand Bliss was going to be over to the south of the Grand Mayan Jungle buildings.


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## pittle (Mar 30, 2012)

Pizza67 said:


> If anyone has Google Earth, you can see the group of buildings next (North) to the row of Mayan Palace buildings (1-10).  It's a cluster of 4 'pods', each with 3 buildings (or 6, depending how they number them).  You can also see the new pool on the beach which, I believe, is for the bliss/luxxe use.
> 
> This is in part the reason why I posted the question yesterday about if there were any renewed efforts for completing and opening the lazy river.



http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.76653,-86.952856&z=15&t=h&hl=en is a link to a Google Maps picture of the resort.  

The triangle buildings are the Luxxe. The 3 buildings across the street from that area are the ones that I mentioned.  The basic buildings had just been built in 2005 when we were there 3 weeks after Hurricane Wilma.  The other buildings on the north side were nearly completed in February 2007.  The lazy river is between the 2 rows of buildings and as far as I know, has not yet opened.  I have been told that the Grand Bliss will start behind GM building 8 towards the south.

BUT, everything changes from month to month!


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## Pizza67 (Mar 30, 2012)

pittle said:


> http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=20.76653,-86.952856&z=15&t=h&hl=en is a link to a Google Maps picture of the resort.
> 
> The triangle buildings are the Luxxe. The 3 buildings across the street from that area are the ones that I mentioned.  The basic buildings had just been built in 2005 when we were there 3 weeks after Hurricane Wilma.  The other buildings on the north side were nearly completed in February 2007.  The lazy river is between the 2 rows of buildings and as far as I know, has not yet opened.  I have been told that the Grand Bliss will start behind GM building 8 towards the south.
> 
> BUT, everything changes from month to month!



Ah, makes sense to have the Luxxe closer and unobstructed to the beach.  They mentioned the buildings when we were at the owner's 'update mtg.' in NV last summer, but I couldn't remember which they were.

I'd walk by the Lazy River every time we were there and peek through the 'wall', it's just sooo close to being complete!   

As you said, everything changes with them...it'll get done eventually.


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## Tropical lady (Mar 30, 2012)

*Bliss and GB at RM*

When we were there the month of Jan, we were told by the shuttle drivers that 37 rooms by MP building 10 were being used for the Bliss owners.  Sales also confirmed that accommodations were made for those who purchased Bliss, did not want their money back or upgrade to GM. 
Grand Bliss was told to us to be proposed at the location Pittle mentioned by the GM.
We walked over to the lazy river which is there, but obviously not planned for opening and the mayan palace buildings in that location are not open.  It appears that the Ocean Breeze Hotel is using the MP buildings with a pool near the highway.
Pizza67, the pool in front of the 3 GL buildings by the beach is for GL only.  Don't know if Bliss is restricted to MP pool or can use GM pool also.  GB ?? for pool.
Since the GB at Nuevo is getting its own pool it will be interesting to see what happens at RM.
I agree that all this can change in an instant and what we are told in Jan could change later this year if not already.


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## CaptainA320 (Apr 2, 2012)

Hi Michael,

Yes, that is true! We just made the announcement today on The Grand Bliss Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...209220.95800.156830911000199&type=1&theater). 

_Removed phone number--advertising is not permitted in the discussion forum._

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you,
Lizzie

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 4:17 PM, Michael Fairley  wrote:

I recently had reason to speak to one of Vida sales reps concerning a question about our Grand Bliss membership.  When we were finished, I asked if there were plans for any additional Grand Bliss locations.  She told me a new one was scheduled to open at the Mayan Riviera location in November, 2012.  Is that true?  If so, when will we be able to begin making reservations?

Thanks,

G. M. Fairley
-- 
Lizzie Merrill
Social Media Coordinator


Enclosed is a copy of correspondence with Grand Bliss.  I certainly hope it opens as planned because they have $2,400 of my money for a Master Suite for 2 weeks in November!


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## CaptainA320 (Oct 24, 2012)

*Riviera Mayan Grand Bliss*

Well folks, we will know soon!  We leave on November 9 for two weeks at the new Grand Bliss.  That is opening day, so we are counting on everything being complete.  They assure me everything is going to be wonderful.  I will write a full report once we have time to scope everything out.  Fingers crossed!!  I'm hoping to spend most of my mornings in upgrade presentations.:rofl:


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## Asl18940 (Oct 28, 2012)

Based on what I saw in the Aimfair forum, it looks like the Google Earth images support the story that there are a number of Bliss Buildings about to open, with the one closest to the beach being the Grand Bliss.


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## CaptainA320 (Nov 13, 2012)

We are in RM and staying at the brand new Grand Bliss.  It is three stories tall and each floor holds eight Master Suites.  The building is a square built around an open courtyard with a wing off of the north and south ends.  Each side of the square holds two Master Suites and each of the wings holds two more.  So 24 units total.  Next door the next unit, connecting, is slowly going up.  Structural work is done, but not much inside except some cement block walls.  I am told, "Next November??"  It appears the master plan is for a string of six units to be built behind the Mayan Palace Jungle which will eventually include a Grand Bliss pool complex.
     I am going to attend an "Owner's Update" on Friday morning to see if I can get any more information.  It really seems that Grand Bliss is a product they sold and now wish would just go away as they are pouring their marketing effort into Grand Luxxe.  Just what I need.  A 3,000 square foot vacation spot with a formal dining room for 6.  Anyway, I will report back if I learn anything new.  I attempeted to go look at the Grand Luxxe complex and was politely told to go away.  Last year in NV, we ate lunch at the GL pool complex and dinner in their lobby dining room.  But not here.  The hamburger joint is for GL only.


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## rpennisi (Nov 13, 2012)

CaptainA320,
Are you presently closer to the Mayan Palace buildings 10/11, 
or are you closer to the Grand Mayan buildings 8/9?
I have heard of the Grand Mayan Jungle, but not a Mayan Palace Jungle(?).
Thanks, Ron


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## rpennisi (Nov 13, 2012)

I just checked on Aimfair, and it appears that the Grand Bliss *is in* the Jungle behind Grand Mayan 8/9.
That's the construction I saw beginning in February, 2011.  Sure isn't on the beach as potential buyers were told.


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## pittle (Nov 14, 2012)

rpennisi said:


> I just checked on Aimfair, and it appears that the Grand Bliss *is in* the Jungle behind Grand Mayan 8/9.
> That's the construction I saw beginning in February, 2011.  Sure isn't on the beach as potential buyers were told.



That is where it was shown on the map someone posted last year. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Zm0efoF_D2RKrB0HOzP-_dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink   Photo Map

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZlPHaocVHk6jqePLfy7JjNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink   Resort Map


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## CaptainA320 (Nov 14, 2012)

I stand corrected.  The string of Grand Blisses is behind the Grand Mayan Jungle.  Also, there is both a Bliss  and a Grand Bliss.  I do not know what the difference is.  I do know we ran into a couple yesterday who said they have been Grand Bliss owners for three years and have never been able to stay in one.  When they checked in here, they put them in either the Grand Mayan or Mayan Palace, can't remember which.  They asked if they could at least get Grand Bliss wrist bands to get the stuff which goes with membership and were told no.  That's why I bring my contract with me every time I come.

Michael


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## pittle (Nov 14, 2012)

CaptainA320 said:


> I stand corrected.  The string of Grand Blisses is behind the Grand Mayan Jungle.  Also, there is both a Bliss  and a Grand Bliss.  I do not know what the difference is.  I do know we ran into a couple yesterday who said they have been Grand Bliss owners for three years and have never been able to stay in one.  When they checked in here, they put them in either the Grand Mayan or Mayan Palace, can't remember which.  They asked if they could at least get Grand Bliss wrist bands to get the stuff which goes with membership and were told no.  That's why I bring my contract with me every time I come.
> 
> Michael



I have scanned mine and made PDF's of contracts and addendums, so that I do not have to bring the contract as I always have my computer.


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## rpennisi (Nov 14, 2012)

CaptainA320 said:


> I stand corrected.  The string of Grand Blisses is behind the Grand Mayan Jungle.  Also, there is both a Bliss  and a Grand Bliss.  I do not know what the difference is.  I do know we ran into a couple yesterday who said they have been Grand Bliss owners for three years and have never been able to stay in one.  When they checked in here, they put them in either the Grand Mayan or Mayan Palace, can't remember which.  They asked if they could at least get Grand Bliss wrist bands to get the stuff which goes with membership and were told no.  That's why I bring my contract with me every time I come.
> 
> Michael


I have met people who bought the Bliss and were put in the Mayan Palace, and people who bought the Grand Bliss or Grand Luxxe and were put in the Grand Mayan while their buildings were either unfinished or still having construction done.


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## CaptainA320 (Nov 17, 2012)

*Vida Resorts Owner's Update*

Owner’s Update, November 16, 2012, Riviera Maya
     We have been in the new Grand Bliss in Riviera Maya for a week and attended an “owner’s update” yesterday.  We have owned two “red” weeks and two “FV” weeks since 2008 and this is our third stay in a Grand Bliss, the other two having been in NV.  This GB is lovely and the suites are carbon copies of the one in NV.  The building is only 3 stories tall and each floor has only 8 Master Suites, so it is going to be very difficult to get in here I would imagine.  The “plan” is for there to eventually be six connecting, identical buildings running from east to west located directly behind the Mayan Jungle buildings.  The GB will eventually have its own pool complex, but who knows when.  So, you use any of the other pools with the exception of the Luxxe complex.  That is not an issue as the little golf cart buses are always available very quickly.  There is really no view other than the jungle.  There are also no food facilities.  The staff is wonderful; very accommodating and very friendly.  The bus stop for the van to Playa del Carmen, 30 minute ride, is practically outside the front door and is $5USD/$50MEX.  Starts at 9am and goes south every 2 hours.  Not sure about the return times.  Drops you at Wal-Mart which is dirty.  Take the quick 5 minute walk to MEGA which is huge, clean and has everything under the sun.  Then take a cab back for $25 with all your stuff.
     The update:  We were told that the Bliss had been created as a “bridge” between Mayan Palace and Grand Mayan and Grand Bliss was the “bridge” between Grand Mayan and Grand Luxxe.  Obviously, the game is to lure you over the bridge to the other side at ever increasing cost.  There are also several other brands which are holdovers from as long as thirty years ago which they will phase out as folks die, I guess.  Due to changes in Mexican tax law, Vida was able to convince Grupo Mayan that selling to them was their best option.  So, Vida now owns the company and assets are being transferred from one company to the other.  Vida is a huge entertainment company and owns corporations all over the world.  They have plans for NV and Riviera Maya which seem to be a combination of Epcot/DisneyWorld/Las Vegas/Kevin Costner’s Waterworld all wrapped into one gigantic complex at each site.  Because of the huge waterpark plans, there is no intent to ever open the Lazy River at this site.  There is another site, located across highway 305 west of this complex, which will be developed with all sorts of amazing things.  It is a very slick presentation, all shown on an IPad.  Completion is scheduled for NV in 2014 and MR in 2016.  As GB owners we were “supposed to have received” an offer to: 1: sell our unit (65%) and receive a US 1099, 2: sell our unit (65%) and leave the money in Mexico at some fixed rate of return, or 3: invest our money in an IPO which was to be used to finance construction of the Grand Luxxe complexes.  Strangely, we never received such an offer.
     The pitch:  As you know, every five years you receive a bill for a renovation fee of:
“Then current maintenance fee” X 1.5 X weeks owned = Billed amount.  The interesting kicker here is that the maintenance fee now goes up 16% each year as they pass on the Mexican resort tax.  It was 5% when we purchased.    
Then, every twenty five years, you receive a bill for a renewal fee.  That formula is:
“Then current maintenance fee” X 5 X weeks owned = Billed amount.  And that’s after 25 years of 16%/year fee escalation.
     While this is a major mea culpa on my part, I certainly did not understand this ever escalating maintenance fee when we purchased this timeshare.  So the bottom line for us is that over the next fifty years, we or our kids are going to pay $160K in fees, on top of our usage fees.  The way out?  Simply give us another $31K and we will upgrade you to Grand Luxxe and waive all those ugly renovation and renewal bills.  I don’t know our solution, but I’m pretty sure it’s not an additional $31K.


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## pittle (Nov 17, 2012)

Interesting report.  I personally think that the Vida is Grupo Mayan.  Back in 1999 when we bought, the name of the company was Vidafel.  Then it became Mayan Palace, and when Grand Mayan came along, it became Grupo Mayan and several years ago we started getting mailings from Vida Vacations.

We are keeping our contracts that have a 1MF renovation and transfer fee.  Our GM already has the 5 MF to transfer and the 5MF to renew for 25 years.  We are not going to do that, so no problem.  I picked up on the 1.5 MF per week for reno when they made a presentation to us in November 2008 and we passed on that.

We are at the MP PV right now and the guy sure was trying his best for us to go to the update.  We kept saying no because we did an update in Puerto Penasco last month. My husband finally walked away but the guy kept after me.  I said that we were not going to NV for an update and he wanted to know if we would do it if someone came here.  We still said no.  He did offer us more than anyone at MP ever did - 3000 pesos and 10% off what we charged to the room.  We still said no.  When our son and d-i-l got here a gal that had witnessed our dealings with the guy was the one who was giving them the wristbands and I told her to not even start on them.  She smiled, gave them their wristbands and said to have a great week here.  There sure is a difference in staff!


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## mikenk (Nov 17, 2012)

Thanks for the update; Several comments.

- Daniel Chavez and family owns Grupo Vidanta as they did Grupo Mayan. Ownership of all the resorts have not changed hands; just changed names.

- I was not aware that the Grand Bliss contracts were still the same as before with large 5 year renovation fees and 25 year renewal fees. I had just assumed that they had also changed to the Grand Luxxe plan of small 10 year innovation fees. Interesting.

- I believe the 16% year MF increase per year is just a sales scare tactic. Check your contract; I don't think that is allowed nor will it ever play out in the market. Do you have the clause that if you don't go you don't pay?

- IMHO, all the grandiose plans showed are nothing more than pure speculation; until it is built, the plans are all pure fiction; makes a nice presentation though.

- It is amazing to me all the new tactics being tried by the sales sharks to separate us from our money. That supposed offer sent out to buy back units is a doozy. 

Mike


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## pittle (Nov 18, 2012)

They always have new plans and speculation which change each year.  Yesterday they guy said they were going to build new MP units on the other side of the road where the Sea Garden used to be and being able to use the Marina location was changing (that was why he said we should go to the uppdate).  He did not say if they were tearing this one down, but there is just not enough space here for a GM or GB with the amenities that go along with it in my opinion.  They never built the GM where the Sea Garden was and I was suprised at they even said ithey would because it does not have a beach and even smaller than this space.  Westin Regina (Raintree) has the land here.

When we were in Puerto Penansco, we would have gotten the 10 year deal on GM or GB and no 5 year reno fees.  But, there was a 1/2 MF  for reno fee every 10 years.  They wanted too much to update - about 15% more than what we would pay for our MF & Reno fees from now until the 25 year contracts expire.  We would have had all Grand Mayan units, instead of just 2 GM & 4 MP.  The cost was around $40,000.  To just do our 2 GM units, the cost was $10,000.

I agree with Mike - if you contract says that 5% is all they can raise your fees each year, then that is what they can do.  If you change contracts, they can write anything into the new one and if you sign it.  That is what you have.  One of our contracts has a 3% max for MF increase.  All have the 5xMF per week reno fee.  We have 2 reno fees remaining on our MP units, so 10-14 years before the 25 year deal comes up.


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## CaptainA320 (Nov 18, 2012)

Good info from Mike and the Jayhawk (Rock-Chalk!).  I do hope you understand I did not believe a single word of the presentation.  I don't believe they could finish what they told us was coming here in two years if they had the Army Corps of Engineers and the entire SeaBee team involved.
   I also agree that all the name changes are nothing more than the old three card Monty.  So you take what you bought, for whatever you paid for it, and come down here for a couple of weeks each year and enjoy it and appreciate how fortunate you are to be able to do something like this.


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## CaptainA320 (Nov 27, 2012)

*Post Vacation report from GB Riviera Maya*

Well, back in New Hampshire where the weather is nowhere near as lovely as it was at the Grand Bliss.  What follows is a short report of what we saw and experienced at the Riviera Maya location.  
1.  The best reference I can find is to use the PDF map attached to a post on this thread.  It is a photograph with an overlay of future plans.  On the right side of the site plan, there are now, I believe, three Grand Luxxe buildings.  They take access very seriously and I was not able to get past the check points.  The Bliss building is complete and occupied.  The Lazy River complex which is up by the Sea Breeze will never open and will be replaced with something else as Vida moves forward (?) with their rather grandiose expansion plans which include another large complex on the west side of highway 305.  The Hamburger Cafe by the Grand Luxxe pool is for GL use only.
2.  On the left side of the site plan, Grand Bliss building number 1 opened on November 9 and contains three floors of eight Master Suite units on each floor.  The rooms are identical to the ones in Nuevo Villarta, right down to the artwork.  The second half of that building, labeled #2, is structurally complete.  During our two weeks  there was daily activity cleaning out construction material, broken cement block, chunks of mortar, scraps of re-rod, etc.  So it appears they intend to begin completion work on the building.  There is considerable site prep work being done to the west of the building which indicates to me that the intent, at least, is to complete all three double Grand Bliss buildings as indicated on the site map.  I assume they will open them one at a time as they complete them.  We were told the second half of the first building is scheduled to open in November, 2013.  I am encouraged by the fact that their first step in construction is to clear away the jungle and then jackhammer a large trench through the limestone.  In that trench they construct a concrete "tunnel" which carries water, sewer, electric, ect.  That project is in various stages of completion probably as far west as the Grand Bliss complex is expected to extend.  There are no signs of the two lakes and/or pool indicated on the site map.  However, it really would not make much sense for them to be working on them now.  The site map indicates a paved road which will curve around behind the Grand Bliss complex and run the length of the complex on the south side of the property.  That road is paved behind the first unit and graded for a considerable distance further.
3.  On the site map there is a location labeled Playa/Beach The Grand Bliss.  We were told by one of the sales people that Vida had just purchased that piece of beach from someone for $20 million.  Normally I would have just considered this more of the same old line, but during our stay they did begin work clearing a large amount of accumulated trash and debris from the beach.  So, who knows?
4.  General information:  We took the van, $5USD/50MEX, from the complex into the MEGA in Playa del Carmen.  MEGA is great and is much cleaner than Wal-Mart.  If MEGA does not have it, you don't need it.  Large selection of wine.  Then we took a cab back to the complex , $25+$5 tip, because we had so much stuff.  Food in the complex was generally quite good.  Tramonto and Gong are expensive, but not crazy.  If you are looking for someplace special, the concierge at the GB made us a reservation at a tiny little restaurant a couple of miles south.  It is the restaurant, Pavo Real by the Sea, for a hotel named Villa Angela on Maroma Bay where the 6 rooms start at $1,000/night!  www.villasmaroma.com  It was wonderful and dinner for two with wine was $130.  They will pick you up in the Mayan complex and return you after dinner.


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