Money exchange for GM Riviera Maya

[wheaties]

Headed to Grand Mayan Riviera Maya next weekend. It's been some time since we've been to Mexico. I understand the Grand Mayan requires you to sign everything to your room and you can pay at checkout with a credit card. We will take our card with no foreign transaction fee. However, we will be doing some traveling into Playa del Carmen and also attending the Mayakoba PGA event. I've seen many stories about not using ATM's in Mexico. Where is the best place to exchange dollars for pesos? Any other suggestions about our upcoming visit would be appreciated as well!

 

[raygo123]

In 2008 the best place was the airport. And be ready for the gauntlet. At LEAST one hundred TS offers. The resort is somewhat isolated. It's next to el cid. Have you been to the cave that's in Playa del Carmen? Back to the future VII (1956) the guy was so happy to see us. He took us on a full tour. NUTS!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Karen G]

Where is the best place to exchange dollars for pesos?

Use an ATM at a bank during banking hours but beware of free standing ATM's not associated with a bank.

 

[DaveNV]

There are ATMs behind the Registration counter at the GM Riviera Maya. I used those with no trouble at all. I doubt they are fee-free, but it couldn't have been too much or I wouldn't have used them. I did not exchange money in town.

As to using the credit card on site, it is a cashless resort. You register your credit card on check-in, and everything is charged to your room. On check out, you settle your bill, either against that card or another one. If you have any disputes, they are quick to be able to track the transaction in question, and produce a receipt for the charge. I recommend you save all your receipts, just in case you have a question.

When we stayed there, we were five adults with four credit cards registered. The only questions we had about the bill was when one of the other person's purchases was placed against a different credit card. It was quickly corrected, once we figured out what was going on.

Dave

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

FYI - Mayan charge receipts - are in pesos

All the charge receipts are in pesos and you are able to add tips to the total .

The poolside food and bar service staff do a great job and tips are a important part of their income so try and be generous . IMO a 30 peso diet coke deserves a 20 peso tip . A couple of times my wife has mixed up the exchange rate in her head and tipped ( 2 ) pesos . We compensated the staff member double the "correct" tip on the next round .

Also - the staff that clean the suites daily can be tipped in cash / and you should !!! .I also try and pack one of those fold flat disposable coolers so that I can offer her all the left over food from our fridge . It has always been accepted / including half used items . I will sometimes even buy the larger jar of jam etc.
and buy name brand instead of Walmart house brand so that I can pass on (more ) of what we do not finish.

 

[hurnik]

Headed to Grand Mayan Riviera Maya next weekend. It's been some time since we've been to Mexico. I understand the Grand Mayan requires you to sign everything to your room and you can pay at checkout with a credit card. We will take our card with no foreign transaction fee. However, we will be doing some traveling into Playa del Carmen and also attending the Mayakoba PGA event. I've seen many stories about not using ATM's in Mexico. Where is the best place to exchange dollars for pesos? Any other suggestions about our upcoming visit would be appreciated as well!

Depends on what you mean by "the best". You mean the best rate? That won't be anywhere at the airport or the resort.

You'd have to go downtown Playa to get to a bank/cambio to exchange at the best rate.

Usually the resort will exchange cash for you (bring cash?), and their rates are about 1 to 1.5 lower. Example, current rate is 16.5 to 1. They'll probably offer 15 to 1.

I think last time we were there, we went into town to get groceries and just exchanged like $60 US for pesos, went into town and got a better rate at the cambio down at the end of 5th ave. But that was a while ago.