CaptainA320
TUG Member
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.
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.