• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Grand Mayan Riviera Maya - Recent visitors?

winnipiseogee

TUG Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
346
Reaction score
13
Points
228
Location
New Hampshire
We've got a trip to the Grand Mayan next month and then the Grand Luxxe in April. We just got a match for thanksgiving at the Grand Mayan. We loved the property when we visited 2 years ago. Has anyone been recently? Any problems or issues (aside from the obnoxious sales effort?)

Thanks
 

T-Dot-Traveller

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
4,644
Reaction score
3,592
Points
348
Location
Canada
Resorts Owned
Mayan Palace Regency
Taranova
Mayan Resort(s) RM

See thread from Jan 16 started by Lingber
Grand Luxxe RM vs NV for good comparisons of Mayan resort properties and area comparisons

Cirque de Soliel is at RM - was it opened when you last visited ?
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,940
Reaction score
668
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
We've got a trip to the Grand Mayan next month and then the Grand Luxxe in April. We just got a match for thanksgiving at the Grand Mayan. We loved the property when we visited 2 years ago. Has anyone been recently? Any problems or issues (aside from the obnoxious sales effort?)

Thanks

We were just there Jan 8-15th. Stayed at Grand Luxxe. The Cirque du Soleil is new, as are several restaurants. Beach Club (Grand Bliss/Luxxe only) is also nice and new. The Spatium Spam is only for Grand Luxxe members (not exchangers, OWNERS only).

But you can now eat at the Burger Custom made (it's all open to everyone) and only until 5:00 p.m. now.

Overhead walkways exist now too.
 

RogerB

newbie
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Denver
Grand Mayan/Luxxe

Have been going down there for 15+ years. Like the Grand Mayan for the lazy river and the upbeat pool atmosphere. They have the kids section which for me does not apply but seems to be good for those who have kids.
Have never had any major problems at the Nuevo Vallarta location over the 15+ years and typically do not get hit by a lot of sales people also. They changed up the drop off area when you first come in but the shuttles run often and have not had any issues.
We are Grand Luxxe members and have had no issues there either. Don't need the sandals around the pool, and it is quieter there with less kids. The rooms are more spacious than the Grand Mayan and it is a simple walk to the grocery/deli area to grab snacks if needed also.
We are happy with the resort but due to us getting older may not be using the property for much longer. If you know anyone that wants a discount deal on an ownership deal send my way. Enjoy your visit.
 

richontug

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
314
Reaction score
34
Points
388
Is the dinner with Cirque de Soleil worth the cost?
 

Lingber

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
293
Reaction score
40
Points
388
Location
Florida
Resorts Owned
Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Hyatt Sunset Harbor
We were just there Jan 8-15th. Stayed at Grand Luxxe. The Spatium Spam is only for Grand Luxxe members (not exchangers, OWNERS only).

We exchanged there in July and the Spatium Gym was open. (Spa hadn't opened yet) We used it everyday. Was it only the spa that is for members or have they closed the gym to exchangers too?
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,940
Reaction score
668
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
Is the dinner with Cirque de Soleil worth the cost?

We did not do the dinner, but in hindsight, we should have. I think the dinner worked out to around $80 US at the time, so we figured we could eat at the "nice" restaurants on resort for less than that. The problem:
None of the restaurants open until 5:30 p.m.

We went to the 6:00 p.m. show which really means the SHOW doesn't start until 7:00 p.m. (the 6:00 p.m. is ONLY for dinner+show).

HOWEVER, the shuttle to the Cirque du Soleil only leaves every 30 minutes at 6:15, 6:45, etc.

So we really had, 1 hour and 15 minutes for dinner. Unfortunately dinner service was slow as there was another party ahead of us, so we had like 15 minutes to wolf down our food, get a shuttle to the Mayan Palace, where we had to pick up the OTHER shuttle to get to Cirque du Soleil.

So unless you go to the LATE show, I would suggest doing the dinner+show. The desserts looked phenomenal, although judging by how many people didn't eat theirs, they were well fed.

Oh, and if you order drinks at the Cirque:

READ CAREFULLY

For example, order a rum and coke. It says something like:
comes with bottle and 3 sides or something.

You get a large bottle (not one of the little airplane sized bottle) of rum and 3 cans of coke.

You can split that among the entire group.

Alternatively you could eat at Nektar which is in the Cirque du Soleil complex, and then would have more time to eat, but the cuisine is Yucatan (good, but different).
 

NiteMaire

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
1,471
Reaction score
1,286
Points
374
Location
Living Aloha in Kaneohe, HI
Resorts Owned
Marriott G. Château
HVC Sedona Summit
VVR The Colonies
We exchanged there in July and the Spatium Gym was open. (Spa hadn't opened yet) We used it everyday. Was it only the spa that is for members or have they closed the gym to exchangers too?
We exchanged into the Luxxe in September. Exchangers can use the gym (no cost) and the spa (at a cost). Owners typically get a few free massages and ability to use spa amenities. I think renters get to use the owners perks, but I'm not completely certain.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 

MuranoJo

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
4,946
Reaction score
186
Points
448
Location
Idaho
We did not do the dinner, but in hindsight, we should have. I think the dinner worked out to around $80 US at the time, so we figured we could eat at the "nice" restaurants on resort for less than that. The problem:
None of the restaurants open until 5:30 p.m.

We went to the 6:00 p.m. show which really means the SHOW doesn't start until 7:00 p.m. (the 6:00 p.m. is ONLY for dinner+show).

HOWEVER, the shuttle to the Cirque du Soleil only leaves every 30 minutes at 6:15, 6:45, etc.

So we really had, 1 hour and 15 minutes for dinner. Unfortunately dinner service was slow as there was another party ahead of us, so we had like 15 minutes to wolf down our food, get a shuttle to the Mayan Palace, where we had to pick up the OTHER shuttle to get to Cirque du Soleil.

So unless you go to the LATE show, I would suggest doing the dinner+show. The desserts looked phenomenal, although judging by how many people didn't eat theirs, they were well fed.

Oh, and if you order drinks at the Cirque:

READ CAREFULLY

For example, order a rum and coke. It says something like:
comes with bottle and 3 sides or something.

You get a large bottle (not one of the little airplane sized bottle) of rum and 3 cans of coke.

You can split that among the entire group.

Alternatively you could eat at Nektar which is in the Cirque du Soleil complex, and then would have more time to eat, but the cuisine is Yucatan (good, but different).

BTW, how was the show? The rum & coke set-up sounds great for a group.
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,940
Reaction score
668
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
We exchanged into the Luxxe in September. Exchangers can use the gym (no cost) and the spa (at a cost). Owners typically get a few free massages and ability to use spa amenities. I think renters get to use the owners perks, but I'm not completely certain.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Not necessarily.

The Gym and Spa at Brio is open to exchangers for a fee (unless you have a spa treatment, then the spa stuff and more is included in your treatment). If you want just the spa (no massage), then you don't get all the spa access.

The Spatium gym/spa is only open to Grand Luxxe owners.
 

hurnik

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,940
Reaction score
668
Points
473
Location
Albany, NY
BTW, how was the show? The rum & coke set-up sounds great for a group.

I liked the show, especially the closing act.

They do a little spanish/english so you can get the general going on (not much dialogue, obviously).
 

NiteMaire

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
1,471
Reaction score
1,286
Points
374
Location
Living Aloha in Kaneohe, HI
Resorts Owned
Marriott G. Château
HVC Sedona Summit
VVR The Colonies
Not necessarily.

The Gym and Spa at Brio is open to exchangers for a fee (unless you have a spa treatment, then the spa stuff and more is included in your treatment). If you want just the spa (no massage), then you don't get all the spa access.

The Spatium gym/spa is only open to Grand Luxxe owners.
Maybe we were just lucky, but we were given free access to the Spatium Gym. We were told we could use the Brio Gym at no charge as well, but took advantage of Spatium since it's much closer.

The spa is a different matter...your comment is mostly in line with what we were told; however, we could have purchased treatments at the Spatium spa (or so we were told when we asked at the spa's front desk).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Lingber

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
293
Reaction score
40
Points
388
Location
Florida
Resorts Owned
Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Hyatt Sunset Harbor
Maybe we were just lucky, but we were given free access to the Spatium Gym. We were told we could use the Brio Gym at no charge as well, but took advantage of Spatium since it's much closer.

The spa is a different matter...your comment is mostly in line with what we were told; however, we could have purchased treatments at the Spatium spa (or so we were told when we asked at the spa's front desk).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

That was our experience as well. I just emailed the concierge to see if that has changed. My understanding was the $75 per week resort fee paid by Grand Luxxe exchanger's included access to the Gym. A big reason for booking Grand Luxxe in RM is the Spatium Gym. The facility and the proximity are very important to my husband. I am really hoping that hasn't changed since we were there in July.
 

Lingber

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
293
Reaction score
40
Points
388
Location
Florida
Resorts Owned
Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Hyatt Sunset Harbor
With regards to the use of the new Spatium Spa at RM by exchangers, here is the reply from the concierge.

"Thank you for contact the concierge service. The Spa you have to get treatment in order to use the hydrotherapy facilities and for the Gym there is not cost,

Best Regards,

Gianeli velazquez

Concierge Grand Luxxe / Grand Luxxe Concierge"
 

richontug

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
314
Reaction score
34
Points
388
What inputs to TVs have? HDMI?

:hi:
 

Passepartout

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
28,462
Reaction score
17,213
Points
1,299
Location
Twin Falls, Eye-Duh-Hoe

jlp879

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
1,147
Reaction score
338
Points
443
Location
SF Bay Area
Is the dinner with Cirque de Soleil worth the cost?

I'd say "no". The show is great, albeit one of Cirque's shortest shows.

The dinner is beautifully and artfully presented. It is food theatre. By buying the dinner package you get better seating, along with a cheap bottle of champagne, but it isn't necessary. The theater is so small that there isn't a bad seat in the house. Go for the least expensive. The dinner is a set dinner, your only choice is meat or fish.

I think you'd have a better experience choosing the Nektar, Cirque's onsite restaurant that serves Yucatecan cuisine. There is a regular menu for you to choose food and drinks from.

I'm glad I tried the Cirque dinner theatre, but I wouldn't recommend it. The food is bland and limited, your only entree choices are short ribs or salmon. It's like the chef spent all his effort on creativity and not taste. The appetizers were presented in a bowl of liquid nitrogen. Desserts were served in a book (a tie in to the show). Gorgeous presentation, but short on flavor.

Dinner was actually inside the theater, an hour before showtime. They have skilled musicians and singers entertain you while you dine. Even the menu was edible, but it is basically a large, tasteless communion host. The food was all art, no substance.
 

NiteMaire

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
1,471
Reaction score
1,286
Points
374
Location
Living Aloha in Kaneohe, HI
Resorts Owned
Marriott G. Château
HVC Sedona Summit
VVR The Colonies
Returned end of May -- Same experience

With regards to the use of the new Spatium Spa at RM by exchangers, here is the reply from the concierge.

"Thank you for contact the concierge service. The Spa you have to get treatment in order to use the hydrotherapy facilities and for the Gym there is not cost,

Best Regards,

Gianeli velazquez

Concierge Grand Luxxe / Grand Luxxe Concierge"

We just returned last week (end of May 2016). Exchangers can use the gym for free, but must purchase from spa to use any of the facilities.
 
Top