Misc questions including: can you bring meat into Mexico?

[luv_maui]

We were thinking about bringing some food items with us on our trip the Grand Mayan NV, but had some questions:

1) can you bring meat into Mexico (i.e. steaks, chicken)?

2) are the kitchens at the Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta equipped to cook steak and chicken? I've read there are no grills on site, is that correct?

3) where would you go to buy milk to go with cereal?

4) I read that there is no cash accepted while at Grand Mayan NV and everything is charged to your account with 15% gratuity, is this correct?

5) what things do exchangers get charged for that owners do not get charged for?

6) how many pools are there at the Grand Mayan NV?

 

[BarCol]

1) can you bring meat into Mexico (i.e. steaks, chicken)?

1) not when we went last year - there is very good meat at the Grocery stores Mega (a new one new Bucerias I think) and at the Paradise Mall, just across from the Marina entrance and at Wallmart in PV

2) are the kitchens at the Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta equipped to cook steak and chicken? I've read there are no grills on site, is that correct?

2) Correct, no grills, but you could bring your own grill pan in your "timeshare kit" as we do and there is a frying pan in the kitchen (no teapot though). There are no grills on the property but we have had no problem cooking both chicken and steak

3) where would you go to buy milk to go with cereal?

3) Milk for cereal - either the grocery stores as mentioned above or there is a fairly well stocked, though a bit expensive commissary store at the north end of the Mayan property near the Sea Garden

4) I read that there is no cash accepted while at Grand Mayan NV and everything is charged to your account with 15% gratuity, is this correct?

4) That's typical of the Grupo Mayan resorts. The only thing I've found they accept cash for is internet time (sometimes) everything else is charged to your room with a 15% gratuity

5) what things do exchangers get charged for that owners do not get charged for?

5) Hmmm, charged extra for.... I believe the gym, golf

6) how many pools are there at the Grand Mayan NV?

6) How many pools? The main GM, the lazy river, a wave/beach pool and the 1 Sea Garden and 1 at the Mayan Palace - which is a great huge pool, but farther from your rooms, oh yes and the Pacific ocean...a REALLY big pool

Enjoy- it's a really terrific resort

 

[Barbeque]

We were there a year and a half ago and I thought we would be charged for the gym. As we were leaving I took a shower in the gym and they told me I would not have been charged had I taken advantage of the use of the gym. But I guess I just used that as an excuse to take the week off. By the way we exchanged in with SFX that may work differently than RCI.

A couple of things I would warn you on:
The surface of the pool decks was very rough if you have tender feet. A good pair of thongs or sandals may be helpful.

They would not let anyone take their pool towels back up to the rooms even ladies had to turn them in first instead of using the towel as a cover up. I blasted them on their review for this I said Mexico is a modest country they need to treat their guests as such, they wouldnt want their wives and mothers treated that way. Make sure the ladies take a towel or cover up for going back to the room if they want one. We weren't going to steal their stinking towels. Security was posted at the entrances to the buildings. I hope they have changed this policy.

Security kept American families from taking even small ice chests to the pool areas. We were able to sneak some in a beach bag. They are protecting the overpriced bars. They did not seem to apply the same rules to the Mexican families. We were there at spring break and there were a lot of Mexican families at the resort.

It was a great resort and we had a great time but these were a couple of things that bothered me.