Grand Mayan

I’m staying here now because my parents were talked into a timeshare years ago and have a membership. I came with an open mind, hoping to spend a few nice days with them, but it’s been a mess. Vidanta’s reservations number gave me the wrong room type and never sent a confirmation email. I only booked three nights, yet my parents and I have spent a day and a half chasing people by phone. The room I got doesn’t have the kitchen we booked, some lamps are missing bulbs, and the TV doesn’t work properly. It’s also generally dilapidated. Calling this a five-star resort is laughable. The prices are five-star, though, with a cup of tea close to $6. I’m on the first floor and can hear every conversation in the hallway, even from far away, through my room and earplugs. When I arrived, they put me on a giant 30-foot golf cart to get to the right building, then told me to walk through the dark to find the lobby. No one helped with my two and a half bags. It was late, and I mostly felt bad for my elderly parents, who had to wait while I was driven around the huge resort on very slow public transport. At the lobby I asked for bottled water. They said they didn’t have any there, but there’d be some in my room. There wasn’t. It’s hard to believe they couldn’t offer a bottle, complimentary or otherwise. I’m still waiting for a call back from Vidanta’s main number about the room. Everything seems needlessly complicated and poorly organized. The front desk can’t help because issues have to go through some central office somewhere. I feel bad for anyone who has saved up for this as their one vacation of the year. The accommodation and service don’t come close to matching the prices. A lot of the reviews here also seem fake to me. Book at your own risk.

The best day of my stay came from getting away from Vidanta. I booked a tour with Maurice to the beautiful 4-hole water springs and caves, and the setting was stunning and peaceful. It was absolutely worth the trip, authentic and refreshing, and easily the highlight of my visit. I’d highly recommend the excursion. Sometimes the best experiences are beyond the resort. That bright spot aside, the stay was disappointing for the price. I left exhausted, in pain, and sad. The first and last days of my seven-day visit were effectively lost. The resort seems built for couples and families. As a solo guest, I often felt out of place, since many services and experiences assumed I was with someone else. There were plenty of practical problems. The coffee, one regular and one decaf, was never replenished after the initial setup. Everything felt overpriced for what you got. Tiles were missing from the suite’s plunge pool, and it needed maintenance. A broken patio door lock left me locked outside on the third floor. Maurice was the only person I could reach then, and I was grateful for how calm and helpful he was. The mattress was completely worn out, soft and sunken like a hammock. Instead of replacing it, they just flipped it. Housekeeping washed dishes for the first two days, then stopped; cleaning supplies only showed up in the final two days. The cleaners themselves were kind and professional, but communication overall was poor. Nobody answered my calls all week, and no one told me there were better transportation options. Since I wasn’t in a “deluxe” category, using resort transport felt awkward, and the little train was physically hard to manage with my neck injury. The beach is lovely, but swimming is very limited. Large rocks make entering the water something you have to do with great care, and it can be unsafe or impractical for many guests, especially those with mobility or other physical issues. For what I paid, I expected much better upkeep, communication, and care for guests.

Getting around was the one problem. The resort is huge, and the direction signs were confusing enough that we sometimes walked in circles. Otherwise, everything was perfect: the rooms were extremely clean, the food and entertainment were on point, and the staff were so kind and always did their best to help.

The grounds are what make this resort special. They’re huge, green, and immersive, with walkways looking out onto the jungle and little corners to sit and lounge all over. We kept wandering just to take in the scenery, and saw animal life everywhere. It has a great family feel too, with fun animals around and pools and areas that are kid-friendly. There’s lots to do. We enjoyed dancing on the beach, live music at Havana moon, karaoke, and the Mexican fiesta. Isabella with Joy club was friendly. Angel from the waiters service was kind and welcoming, and most of the staff seemed to enjoy working there and treated us warmly. The atmosphere is unusual and makes dealing with the timeshare presentations worth it. A couple of downsides: small things cost more here than at the resort in Puerto Vallarta, and the expanded water attractions cost extra. The beaches are okay, but rocky, so they’re not great if you’re looking for white Caribbean sand. About the timeshare pitches: saying no firmly right when you arrive can make the stay much more enjoyable. They offer a free drink, explanation, breakfast, and other things, then keep asking, including by calling your room. My family bought a timeshare in the 80s, and we still get asked to upgrade.