# Guilty Pleasure at Grand Mayan Riviera Maya



## holdaer (Jul 1, 2014)

Recently my family of 12 spent a week at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya June 13 - 20 and had the most amazing vacation.  There were so many negative postings about this resort that I was nervous about going there.  However, once at the resort, I forgot about the negativity and we ALL had a blast.  As Hilton Grand Vacation Club members, I wanted to check out this resort since HGVC Elite members have direct access.  Well, I can see why now.  The place is amazing and I definately would stay here again.  Maybe it's my mindset.  We looked at it as a vacation in a condo but with the amenities of a resort hotel.  I didn't feel "nickel & dimed", I was able to choose what I wanted to pay for. 

Anyway, I just wanted to share my 2 cents since I feel like I'm in the minority.


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## pittle (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks for the report!  We upgraded to Grand Luxxe last year and will go for our first visit to the GL in Nuevo in November.  I am truly looking forward to it!!!  I want to go to the Riviera Mayan GL next year, so am glad to hear it is great.


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## holdaer (Jul 1, 2014)

pittle said:


> Thanks for the report!  We upgraded to Grand Luxxe last year and will go for our first visit to the GL in Nuevo in November.  I am truly looking forward to it!!!  I want to go to the Riviera Mayan GL next year, so am glad to hear it is great.



Your timing will be perfect. By next year, the Cirque Du Soleil show will be in full swing and the new SUPER POOL will be fully functional.  I took pictures of the construction site and it will be AWESOME! Right on the beach with a lot of structures that I think will be restaurants.

I would love to hear what you think when you get back.  My next destination will be NV.


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## LisaH (Jul 1, 2014)

You are not the minority! I was there last Nov with a few of my lady friends. We all had a fantastic time. The super pool seemed to be under construction then. At the time, it did not look like much was going on. Glad to know it will be finished next year.


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## ilene13 (Jul 1, 2014)

holdaer said:


> Your timing will be perfect. By next year, the Cirque Du Soleil show will be in full swing and the new SUPER POOL will be fully functional.  I took pictures of the construction site and it will be AWESOME! Right on the beach with a lot of structures that I think will be restaurants.
> 
> I would love to hear what you think when you get back.  My next destination will be NV.



We are going to the GL in the Mayan Riviera in November and again in March.  When will the Circque de Soleil and the Super Pool be open?


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## MuranoJo (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks, holdaer, for the nice report of your visit.  I really think a lot of people truly enjoy the resorts and locations.

I checked an older email from the resort and it said Circque de Soleil opens November 8, 2014.   Here's a website with more info.


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## Pizza67 (Jul 2, 2014)

The construction of the pool and restaurants is supposed to be the new Grand Bliss beach club (or whatever they calling it).  They told us about it last year when we were there, glad to hear it's coming along.  Would love to see some of your pictures of the progress!

With the construction, they said that they were going to be cleaning the sand and use it as filler along the shore to help the beach restoration, at least in front of where they are building.


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## rpennisi (Jul 3, 2014)

I'll be at the GL RM middle of August.  I'll check out and report on the construction.
Ron


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## pjrose (Jul 3, 2014)

holdaer said:


> Recently my family of 12 spent a week at the Grand Mayan Riviera Maya June 13 - 20 and had the most amazing vacation.  There were so many negative postings about this resort that I was nervous about going there.  However, once at the resort, I forgot about the negativity and we ALL had a blast.  As Hilton Grand Vacation Club members, I wanted to check out this resort since HGVC Elite members have direct access.  Well, I can see why now.  The place is amazing and I definately would stay here again.  Maybe it's my mindset.  We looked at it as a vacation in a condo but with the amenities of a resort hotel.  I didn't feel "nickel & dimed", I was able to choose what I wanted to pay for.
> 
> Anyway, I just wanted to share my 2 cents since I feel like I'm in the minority.



I'd estimate 99% of the negative postings are about the sales pitches, not the resort itself.  I don't think you are in the minority  - it sounds wonderful!


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## DaveNV (Jul 3, 2014)

pjrose said:


> I'd estimate 99% of the negative postings are about the sales pitches, not the resort itself.  I don't think you are in the minority  - it sounds wonderful!



I have the same opinion.  We stayed at GMRM in 2012, and had a fantastic time.  I opted out of the sales pitch, and we had zero negative experiences on the property all week long. It was awesome, and I'd gladly stay there again.  Every person I've heard of who didn't care for it was upset about the high pressure sales pitch.

Dave


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## PigsDad (Jul 3, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> I have the same opinion.  We stayed at GMRM in 2012, and had a fantastic time.  I opted out of the sales pitch, and we had zero negative experiences on the property all week long. It was awesome, and I'd gladly stay there again.  *Every person I've heard of who didn't care for it was upset about the high pressure sales pitch*.



Bingo!  We've been to Riviera Maya once and Nuevo Vallarta twice in the last three years, and have had a fabulous time each visit.  Never once have done the sales pitch.  I really don't understand why people go through that while on vacation -- seems like a total waste of some well-deserved vacation.   Are that many people so hard up that they will waste a 1/2 day of their trip for a few hundred pesos???

Kurt


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## lily28 (Jul 4, 2014)

They offer more than few hundred peso. I was offered 3000 for s presentation in 12/2012.


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## PigsDad (Jul 4, 2014)

lily28 said:


> They offer more than few hundred peso. I was offered 3000 for s presentation in 12/2012.


So for a total of $231 (at today's exchange rate), people are willing to give up a half day _or more_ of their vacation.  Plus all the added stress of a high-pressure sales presentation.

I guess to each their own, but I can't fathom a case where I would do that.  If I were that hard up for $231, I don't think I would be vacationing, let alone travelling all the way to Mexico with airfare costs, etc.

Kurt


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## pammex (Jul 5, 2014)

I think the Grand Luxxe resorts are incredible as are the grounds etc. I did have an issue upon check out at Grand Mayan in Nuevo with a missing Ipad so my thoughts are a bit tainted on their security of luggage carts but otherwise the resorts are just uppercrust, and beautiful.  I am due at Grand Bliss in a few weeks in Nuevo and will most likely use our Grand Luxxe upgrade in 2015.


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## BC Bum (Jul 7, 2014)

I recd $3000 pesos and 10% off my bill for attending the "owners loyalty meeting." Also breakfast at Del Lago. Then I got to hear how they plan to screw the original Mayan Palace owners over.


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## pammex (Jul 8, 2014)

Owners Loyalty Meeting??  Is where?  In Nuevo?  hmm.


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## Tropical lady (Jul 8, 2014)

*why do that.....*

BC Bum,
Instead of dangling some ? info for MP owners, wouldn't it be kinder to at least briefly describe what info you were given?
There have been remarks in the past about problems for MP and I am sure that changes are expected, but making a statement with no qualification is unkind IMHO.


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## travs2 (Jul 8, 2014)

*Vida*

Thank you "Tropical Lady".  Exactly!  This forum is to help other TUG members and we should all strive to help out one another.  I am one of those original MP owners (1988) and have supported this organization through ALL of its metamorphosis and believe me they really were disorganized in the early years.  Not everyone can afford to upgrade or want to upgrade for one reason or another.  Vida should disclose with honesty what their intentions are with the MP.  Although with all the shrinking of MP units going on it's not too hard to figure out that they want us to "go".  I would appreciate it if someone would disclose what they said about the future for us LOYAL MP owners.  Seriously, we supported the resorts through all the horrible press on Mexico safety and slow economic times.  Surely they can give us a break!


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## rpennisi (Jul 8, 2014)

Well said...come on BC spill the beans (my crying towel is nearby).


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## MuranoJo (Jul 9, 2014)

Doesn't surprise me--remember, this was a SALES presentation (and perhaps they knew about his portfolio).  But I'd still like to hear what they said.


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## BC Bum (Jul 9, 2014)

relax- the owners loyalty meeting at MPRM was simply another sales meeting. They were calling it an owners loyalty meeting in honor of their 40th anniversary. The spiel was the same as usual and I have told about it on other threads. They claim to be phasing out MP. They claim to be converting bldgs 1-8 of MP into Bliss. No big news to report.


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## MuranoJo (Jul 10, 2014)

I've told myself that when/if they eventually phase out the MP units, they'd better come up with an upgrade for me when I visit, as my contract still has another 10 or so years on it.  And I don't plan to upgrade.

Yeah, as another poster noted, the older contracts have certainly played a part in financing the continuous upgrades of various levels.  I guess I can live with it, knowing my m/f is significantly lower.


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## BC Bum (Jul 10, 2014)

They won't phase it out entirely -they will put you by the highway


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## MuranoJo (Jul 11, 2014)

BC Bum said:


> They won't phase it out entirely -they will put you by the highway



Figured that would be what would happen down the road.
But to tell the truth, we're so rarely in the room, I'm not sure it's that big of a deal.  Certainly not worth the upgrade cost, IMO.  Plus, I've heard others say (depending on resort location) that some of the units in the back actually have an advantage as it's easier to get offsite (given they're so spread out these days).


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## BC Bum (Jul 11, 2014)

I have 10 years left on my 25 year contract. I'll just squeeze whatever I can out of it. I am not comfortable giving them any more money. They can't be trusted.


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## musictom (Jul 14, 2014)

As an MP owner since 2001, I am wondering what exactly they have to legally offer us? I need to look at the contract, but I wonder if we were promised the buildings as originally built (I'm talking about the MP campus currently). 

I too have no intention of giving them any more of my hard earned money, but the thought of being stuck in the jungle the last 12 years of my contract just doesn't sit too well. In fact, one of the reasons we haven't been tempted to upgrade is because all of the other developments (GM, BLISS, GL) seem to be way deep away from everything. I love being able to walk to the pool, and not have to wait for a tram. 

But then again, I remember when we were able to park our car right in front of the buildings!


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## MuranoJo (Jul 15, 2014)

Re. the contracts (honestly haven't checked this in a while), I believe we are promised a unit, 'depending on availability.'  So I guess that offers them some wiggle room. But, after all, with floating weeks, you can't expect to call 30 days before your trip and expect them to be holding a unit for you.

However (as I previously posted), never have I been told there is no availability, and only once was I told there were no 2 bd's at the location & time I wanted, so I settled on a 1 bd + HU that one time.  I got a little worried when they started adding higher levels, as the new higher-level owners were given the next lower level until the new developments were completed--but still I was easily able to get a unit, even at the 6-month mark.  Bottom line, I think they'd have to give me a fantastic deal to get me to upgrade.

Here's how I look at it:  For us, MP is only a small fraction of what we do with travel.  We like to exchange to other timeshares, or move around in our travel trailer, or visit & stay with others, stay at hotels now & then depending on the occasion, or even stay here at home, as there's so much to do here.  Bottom line, we're not 'every year' visitors, so I rent our week out or deposit it when we don't use it.  Luckily, we have holiday weeks, and so far can easily rent those. 

For others who love to spend their time there every year, it would probably be worth it to upgrade (but negotiate hard!).


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## BC Bum (Jul 16, 2014)

Last year I thought I had struck a deal with them to upgrade to GM. I said, "great, type up the contract, I'll read it and sign tomorrow." They said they don't do it that way. I put a deposit on my credit card and sign some deal sheet. I said no way, I'll read the fine print. So we couldn't get a deal done. I was willing, but they wouldn't let me see the contract first. 

I am very attached to the place and some of the people working there. So I'll have to see. But I really don't trust them at all. For the money they are asking, I could rent an apartment in PDC for the rest of my life.


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