OPTIMAL for:

Family — plenty of space and activities for all ages and places to visit in the area, including parks, shows and ruins

Party — events and dancing at night, and short trip to Cancún and Playa del Carmen

Relaxation — quiet and exclusive places throughout the resort, and a beautiful spa hidden in the jungle

Site-seeing — there are many parks and ruins to visit on the Riviera Maya, and the Yucatan peninsula, and can visit Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum

*map incomplete; more construction completed to the left

Personal Note

“Vidanta Riviera Maya has the benefit of being near Cancún and many ruins. So it is a great place to take trips outside of the resort. However, you might still be satisfied just staying in the resort and utilizing all the property has to offer. It’s a good place to relax, party and travel. Wildlife is also huge theme in the area, and the convenience of the Cirque du Soleil show is very appealing.

There are complimentary shuttles from the airport, and after doing some commuting once on the property to check-in, your things will be brought to your building and room. From there, you will have your own concierge for the building and shuttle service to the many places on the property. There are many pools around and exclusive areas for the Grand Luxxe guests. You can do almost anything you want, and will meet many international people.

You will gain access to everything on the property, but there are just a couple catches. You will need to pay for food and drinks, golf, spa days and Cirque du Soleil. Unfortunately, guests will have a difficult time swimming in the sea water either since it is rocky and the coral reefs are all over the place. Developers and guests have wanted to change this for a long time, but this will likely not change because the people really care about preserving the natural habitats and ecosystems. They refuse to dismantle one of the most important coral reefs in Mexico and cut down their jungles. And I agree with their stance.

Once you visit, you will realize how these are only minor issues anyway. We go to the supermarket in Playa del Carmen for a day-trip, come back with very cheap groceries and alcohol, and we enjoy cooking for ourselves most of the time. You can request to have the pantry filled before you arrive as well. We come with a budget to enjoy evening dinners at restaurants, lunches at the pool and happy hours, and pay when we feel like golfing or getting massages. Everything can be charged to the room. All the pools and amenities are also so plentiful that it never really matters if we go into the sea. The beach is perfectly sandy and the water becomes the last thing on your mind. If you want to go beach swimming, plan day-trips to enjoy beaches in Cancún, Playa del Carmen and more down the coast.

In the end, booking a week is like gaining access to a little secure paradise town. You can relax and walk everywhere, and truly leave your worries behind while enjoying your room in a place of luxury.”

— Nick B.