Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso

Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso
Playa Paraiso, Mexico
Site Inspection 2/20/09


Introduction:
Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso is an adults only (18+) resort located in Playa Paraiso (20 minutes from the airport). The Grand is the newest and most luxurious hotel in this complex that contains 4 other Iberostar hotels.

Best Features:
• Butler & Concierge service
• All suites
• Outside dining in every restaurant
• 18 hole Championship golf course (P.B. Dye)
• Adults only
Overview:
• 310 suites & 10 Honeymoon Villa Suites
• Every room is assigned a butler
• Opened 2007
• Full access to all neighboring Iberostar resorts
• Fresh flowers in every room
• Wireless in every room
• 4 specialty restaurants - reservations required
• Playing privileges at Golf course. (currently 1 round with 3 night stay, 2 rounds with 5 nights)
• High ceilings, teak floors on balconies, ipod dock, safe, closet with wood hangars, bathrobes and slippers in rooms
• 6 pm cocktail wagon (exactly what we all need!)
• Mini-bar with no limits
• 24 hour room service
• 3 pools - 1 large saltwater infinity pool overlooking ocean, 1 lake “tranquility” pool, 1 indoor pool at spa with retractable roof.
• 4 hot tubs integrated into main pool
• Snack bar and swim up bar
• Gym with state of the art equipment and flat screen TV’s (yoga, spinning, Tai Chi classes)
• Spa
• Coliseum theatre with lights, sound, and stadium seating (nightly shows)
• Music Bar, Cigar Bar
• Beautiful wide white sand beach with complimentary snorkeling and water sports.
• 24 hour room service
• Jetted tubs

Spa:
• The Spa at The Grand is centered around couples treatments.
• Guests can also access the main 36,000 square foot spa that services all the Iberostar Playa Paraiso guests.

Outdoors:
• Very large white sand beach with drink service
• Beautiful infinity edge pool which is kept clear of chairs so as not to block the view.
• Immaculate grounds and well-kept gardens
• Sheltered areas to get out of sun.

Indoors:
• Honeymoon villas are in a secluded area away from the main buildings. They have large baths, gardens and extra space. (All were occupied so no tour.)
• I toured a junior suite. The rooms were very spacious and elegantly appointed. The sitting area leads out to the balcony.
• The teak floored balconies have a suspended chair and a love seat.
• The ocean front room are literally right on the beach. The two ocean front buildings contain 60 suites a piece. The upgrade to oceanfront is well worth the $$$.

Summary:

Absolutely stunning 5+ star resort! This resort has everything for the luxury client: opulent neo-classic/art deco styling, high-end amenities, world class golf, amazing food and attention to the smallest detail. They have a keen understanding of the luxury client and they deliver 100%.

This is a newer resort that has been meticulously maintained. Gourmet specialty restaurants with only the finest ingredients (and beautiful imported, hand carved doors), butlers for all rooms, and plenty of activities including some unique ones (i.e. star gazing activity at night). Even the grill by the pool serves only ground Kobe beef in the “hamburgers”.

Great resort for weddings and the secluded honeymoon villas are a nice touch.

This resort is fabulous! If you are planning a trip to the Riviera Maya and would like to stay at a beautiful luxury resort, this should be on your short list of resorts to consider.

Valentin Imperial Maya Site Inspection

Valentin Imperial Maya
Playa Del Secreto, Mexico
Site Inspection 2/20/09
Introduction:
Valentin Imperial Maya is an adults only (18+) resort located in Playa Del Secreto (north of Playa Del Carmen).

Best Features:
• All suites
• Relatively new and it looks it!
• Huge pool with 2 swim up bars
• Wedding Chapel

Overview:
• 424 junior suites & 16 Diamond Suites
• Opened 11/07
• Private reception desks
• Guests are greeted with a cold towel and drink (even me!)
• Wireless internet in lobby and lobby bar (complimentary)
• 8 Restaurants (1 buffet) - No Reservations needed
• Cooked to order food at buffet
• Private dining available
• Meeting rooms for 30
• Banquet facilities
• Groups department for special group requests
• Theatre with nightly entertainment
• Wedding chapel - this is one of the few resorts with true chapel.
• Wedding coordinator on site
• Sport bar with pool tables
• Cigar Bar
• Fitness Center
• Game area with ping pong, bikes, and billiards
• Expansive pool with 2 swim up bars
• Separate “quiet pool”
• Massages by pool available
• Bathrobes and slippers in rooms
• 24 hour room service
• Jetted tubs
• Flat screen TV with premium cable
• Business Center
• Business services

Spa:
• Alas, we were running short on time & I did not get a chance to see the spa. I understand it offers massages, steam room, sauna, spa tub, etc.

Outdoors:
• Very large white sand beach with bar, drink service, & lifeguard
• I liked the little bar tables at the beach bar.
• Well-kept grounds with clean pools
• Lots of pool chairs
• Sheltered areas to get out of sun.

Indoors:
• Diamond Suites are on the 3rd floor, have a separate bedroom, outdoor Jacuzzi & indoor Jacuzzi, living room & kitchenette
• I toured a junior suite in the new section which recently added 108 more rooms to this resort. The rooms were spacious, elegant, and nicely appointed.
• All rooms have furnished balconies or terraces.

Summary:

Oh my gosh - What a hidden gem this resort is! I was absolutely charmed by the entire experience.

This is a newer resort and it certainly shows. No wear and tear here. Great restaurants, happy/animated guests, helpful staff, lots of adult activities. I was treated to lunch in their buffet restaurant which had two stations with tepanyaki (sp?) style grills. Fresh food is there to select and is cooked for your order. I had the fresh grouper and it was delicious. Shrimp, steak, chicken, etc. were also available. One of the best buffets I have ever seen!

Sparkling resort + fabulous food + all-suites + adults only = Great Luxury Resort. Perfect for weddings (with the nice chapel and the gazebo) and able to accommodate meetings and business groups. The diamond suites would be perfect for honeymooners/romance guests.

Site Inspection Gran Bahia Principe

Wondering about the Gran Bahia Principe in Riviera Maya?

Gran Bahia Principe
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Site Inspection 2/20/09

Introduction:
Grupo Pinero owns the 3 resorts located at this site just south of Akumal. The Tulum was built first (1998) and is rather stretched out along the beach. The Akumal was next in 2001, and is contained on a shorter span of beach. The Coba is “off beach” - built behind the Akumal resort in 2005 - with a fairly small stretch of beach allocated as “Coba Beach”. Shuttles whisk the guests to and from the beach area and among the 3 properties.

I was originally scheduled to inspect the Gran Bahia Principe Coba. The Sales Executive conducting the tour asked if I would like to see the Coba in depth or get an overview of all 3 resorts. Since I had never inspected this property, I asked for the overview of all 3. Quite a tour to squeeze into 1 hour, but I’m glad I did!

Best Features:
• 1.5 Kilometers of gorgeous white beach
• Expansive pools
• Shopping area with little shops

Overview:
• All 3 main pools have a swim up bars
• Kid’s section in all main pools
• Gourmet restaurant at each resort
• Spa at each resort
• Fitness Center
• Guests are able to eat 3 times in 7 nights at the a la carte restaurants
• Main buffets have cooked to order eggs, kids section, fresh fruit, theme nights for dinner.
• Reservations are required for the a la carte restaurants.
• Free scuba in pool for 1 hour each day
• Kids club 9-5
• Babysitting Available
• Tennis courts
• Dive Center
• Nightly entertainment
• Same standards in all hotels
• Majority of facilities are handicap accessible

Bahia Spa:
• Nice spa with hydrotherapy area - massages, facials, Jacuzzi, cold plunge pool, spa shop, etc
• Couples massage rooms available

Outdoors:
• Gorgeous and very large stretch of beautiful white sand beach
• Well manicured grounds and sparkling pools

Indoors:
• Clean, well-kept indoor areas and lounges
• I toured a junior suite (in the Akumal resort) which included the sofa & sitting area.
• All rooms have balconies or terraces.
• Coba has all (1080) Junior Suites
• Akumal has 588 junior suites and 72 Double rooms
• Tulum has 474 double rooms and 384 junior suites

Summary:

Please note on the photos that I took a lobby photo in each resort to delineate them. Coba was first with the Mayan theme, Akumal had the Large Mayan “Poseidon” in the fountain, and the Tulum resort had the large palapa with the single stone column.

Maybe it’s just me, but for some reason, I thought this property was closer to Tulum. It’s actually just south of Akumal (quite a bit north of Tulum) which makes it a little easier and quicker to get to from the Cancun airport. It’s still about an hour and a half to this resort because at this point in time, there are 2 Police Filters along route 307 (traffic crawls through a designated point for the police to check each vehicle) and two areas of construction - an overpass is being built in Puerto Aventuras and another in Akumal. Traffic funnels to one lane for both projects.

Spotless and well-kept resort(s) with one of the largest, nicest stretches of beach in the Riviera Maya. This beach is gorgeous! Note in the photos how many people are out and about ON the beach (not at the pools) and I certainly understand why.

Even though the Coba is “off beach”, they have constant shuttle service to their beach area, and it is easier to access than I thought it would be (see resort maps included with photos).

We were treated to breakfast at the Coba’s main buffet restaurant and the food as well as the service was very good.

Overall, this is a huge, spacious resort complex with 2568 rooms (among all 3 properties). In January 2009, they had a 98% occupancy rate. That’s a lot of guests! The rooms are grouped into smaller buildings - 6 to a floor, 3 floors to a building. This tactic actually succeeds in making a very large resort seem more manageable.

I would rate this as a solid 4 star property. For customers looking for a great beach & a well-kept property, this resort could be the perfect match (especially if they like to dive and/or snorkel). The on-site dive center is a nice plus.

The Royal Playa Del Carmen

Hola!

I was recently in the Riviera Maya, Mexico to conduct some site inspections. One of the nicest 5 star resorts with a great location (right off of Fifth in the heart of Playa Del Carmen) is The Royal Playa Del Carmen.

Here is my report:

The Royal Playa Del Carmen
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Site Inspection 2/18/09

Best Features:
• Fabulous Spa
• Award winning food
• Gorgeous stretch of white sandy beach
• Location, location, location!

Overview:
• Adults only (16 & older)
• Palatial styling
• 477 suites including swim up suites and presidential suites with private pool. This is very large all-suite property.
• Concierge in every building so there is no need to go to the lobby.
• 6 Restaurants: Spice (main buffet), Maria Marie, Asiana, Chef’s Plate, Tapas & Pinxos, Pelicanos - no reservations required
• Sommelier at specialty restaurants
• Access to restaurants & facilities at Gran Porto Real
• Several snack bars and lounges
• Cigar bar
• 24 hour lounge
• Nightly entertainment
• 24 hr. Room Service
• Ballroom that seats up to 600 guests
• Wedding Gazebo
• Wedding coordinator on site
• Complimentary beach service via cart that includes lotion service, magazines, beverages.

Spa Zul:
• Amazing spa with hydrotherapy area - massages, facials, Jacuzzi, cold plunge pool, Temazcal, in-suite service, sauna, spa shop, and more!
• Serious gym with instructors on site. Spinning and Pilates classes.

Outdoors:
• Gorgeous and very large stretch of beautiful white sand beach
• Olympic size quiet pool with 50 meter lap lane
• Oceanfront activities pool
• Well manicured grounds and sparkling pools

Indoors:
• Sparkling, expansive indoor areas and lounges
• Alas, they were at 100% occupancy and were not able to show me a room

Summary:

This resort was absolutely a 5 star property. Beautiful and well-kept, catering to a luxury clientele. During my visit, they were preparing for a celebration of their 5 Star Diamond Award given by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Chef after chef paraded by carrying large trays laden with amazing concoctions (see photos of display).

The Spa and the Gym were “to die for” with fabulous facilities and attentive staff.

In the case of this property, the location is great but not its crowning feature. The beach? The food? The suites? The service? So hard to choose.