A Week at Hotel Grand Riviera Princess on the Mayan Riviera
Relaxing on the Mayan Riviera
Our First Visit to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico
Picking the Right Vacation for the Right Time
We had lots of ideas on the table for a quick winter break in mid-December. We opted for a seven-night, all-inclusive stay with Air Canada Vacations on the Mexican Riviera at the Hotel Grand Riviera Princess Resort.
If you have followed our travel blog in the past, you may have noticed that this is not our usual format of travel. However, after a long stint of work, we were looking for a hassle-free solution—one where we didn’t have to plan much, cook our meals, or pick a restaurant for each meal out.
The alarm was set for 4 a.m., but we were already up at 3 a.m. in anticipation of an early morning flight from Vancouver to Cancun.
Festive musicians perform at the Grand Riviera Princess
Getting There
The Air Canada flight was a bit longer, 5.5 hours, than anticipated, but it was fine on a 787 Dreamliner. It should have been easy to find our Air Canada shuttle to the resort, but we were whisked aside by a convincing airport clerk who claimed she represented Air Canada. She led us to a desk at arrivals, where they asked to see our confirmation.
We complied, but something didn’t feel right. The gentleman at the desk sent us to bay 26, but there were no signs of an Air Canada bus or staff. I looked up and instead found the correct bus and a friendly Air Canada representative without much trouble.
This was a slightly annoying deviation, but it was not entirely unexpected, given the number of people outside the airport trying to hustle us into their taxis or vans.
The Grand Riviera Princess Resort was about a 45-minute bus ride south on Highway 307. It was now dark, and all we saw was one big resort after another, and by the time we finally arrived, we were pretty knackered from the 3 a.m. start to our day.
Traditional dance performance at Hotel Grand Riviera Princess
Check-In
The check-in was flawless and very professional. A bellboy brought our luggage to the room. We had a junior suite with a private balcony, a king-size bed, a full-size bathroom with double sinks, and a great shower.
On the third floor, you had to climb a few steps, but we figured the steps would do us good after feasting on the buffets. Palm trees grew right up close to our suite, which made it very private, but it also did not have much of a view.
The room also had a safe so we could store passports and other tech items we didn’t want to carry at all times. Excellent. All in all, we liked the room.
Marvellous walkways to your room, restaurants, or the pool
An almost jungle-like setting at the Hotel Grand Riviera Princess
The Resort
The Hotel Grand Riviera Princess is indeed an impressive resort, and as daylight arose, we ventured out to familiarize ourselves with the grounds, restaurants, pools, and beach.
Countless dining options are included with your stay, and using the resort app, you can check hours and make reservations at a few specific dinner restaurants. The food selection is astounding, and you can usually find something you’ll like, whether Mexican food or a more North American palette.
And let’s not forget the drink choices. From swim-up bars to the in-room free minibar, or barista coffees to go from any restaurant. There is an abundance here, and you may find yourself drinking more than you would at home :)
Dance party at the beach
The Pools
Swimming is what we looked forward to the most, and there were plenty of choices. With three main pool areas (probably ten pools in total), you could usually find a spot that fit your mood. The elongated pools bordering the swim-up rooms were terrific for doing laps or water aerobics.
The resort is so big that it took us a couple of days to get the feel of it. Finding a spot in the morning was easy, but as the afternoon approached, they cranked the music up in two of the three main pool areas.
This can be fun and understandable if you are at the resort to party and have a good time, but it gets tricky if you prefer quiet time.
We are in our late fifties and loved some of the music, but we got slightly agitated after a while when it turned techno and loud.
We studied the resort map and found a small pool near the main lobby. It was quiet, so we settled in and ordered drinks. After a few minutes, however, our waiter, in a courteous manner, explained to us that we were in the “platinum” area of the resort. She told us to relax, finish our drink, and then vacate the area, as we didn’t have the platinum wristband.
Swim-up bar at Hotel Grand Riviera Princess
We were surprised when she took our second drink order and figured we were okay here for a while. We sat beside a nice couple from Ontario whom we had met earlier, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
After about twenty minutes, a concierge approached us and told us the same story about the “platinum” areas. She did an excellent job and was equally courteous.
She kindly told us to find another spot and showed us on the map some of the quieter spots. We finished our drinks and moved on. Our “Platinum” moment was over.
On our last morning, we decided we would attempt to swim/walk through all the pools before departure, including the elongated pools, and perhaps surprisingly, it took us 62 minutes :)
The Beach
We went to the beach a few times, but it was never a huge success. During our stay, it was quite windy almost the entire time, and especially on our first visit, we sensed a smell of oil or sewer, which was a bit disappointing.
On previous visits to Mexico, in Zihuatanejo and Cabos, we had long, wide beaches where we could go for walks. We realize that we have been spoiled.
At the Grand Riviera Princess, the narrow beach is crammed with beach chairs. We went to the beach in the evening and at sunrise for a more serene experience, which was quite nice.
One day, as I took a walk with my camera, there was a dance party and beach volleyball in progress, and the mood was excellent if you were looking for an upbeat atmosphere.
The beach at Hotel Grand Riviera Princess
Drinks anyone?
Daytrip to Playa del Carmen
There were a few tempting day trips we could have taken during our time on the Mayan Riviera. The cenotes looked inviting, as did the ruins in Tulum. In the end, however, this was more of a trip of relaxation than exploring, so we settled for a brief visit to Playa del Carmen.
The 15-minute shuttle to and from the hotel was inexpensive and worked well for us. It drops you off right on 5th Avenue, Playa del Carmen’s busy shopping street. If you are looking for souvenirs to take home, this is the right place. If you don’t like shopping, it’s the wrong place for you.
During our short four-hour visit, we were probably approached more than a hundred times by vendors trying to lure us into stores, guys offering taxi rides and offers of day tours, guys calling me paparazzi because I carried a camera, and people selling ferry tickets to Cozumel.
The pier in Playa del Carmen
We have witnessed this in Mexico on earlier trips, and it was expected, but it was over the top in Playa del Carmen.
By veering off the main path, 5th Ave, and zig-zagging our way through the city's core, we avoided the worst tourist traps, but only to a certain degree.
If you step back just one or two streets, you will find more authentic shops and a calmer atmosphere. Whenever we found a nice street leading to the beach, we would pop down and check out the waterfront.
There was a nice, lively atmosphere around the park square by the Cozumel ferry terminal and a beautiful beachfront. Unfortunately, the weather was not optimal; it was windy and rainy.
We stopped for ice cream, and despite my gripes about it being very touristy, Play del Carmen was a nice break from the resort. We did manage to find a couple of souvenir gifts to bring home.
Walking along the beach in Play del Carmen
Mayan Riviera Summary
Judging the entire Mayan Riviera on our limited exposure is unfair. We spent most of the time at the resort, except for our brief visit to Playa del Carmen and bus rides up and down Highway 307.
Weatherwise, we had a mixed bag, with a fair share of cloudy days and, at times, rain. Despite the cold weather warning that popped up on our phones, we were never cold, and I don’t think the temperature ever dipped below 25 degrees Celsius, 77 Fahrenheit. We also had plenty of sun.
We were mostly pretty content, out of the wind, by the pools with a mix of sun and clouds. We should mention that the free Wi-Fi was excellent and available almost everywhere at the resort.
As a surprise, we saw some wildlife at the resort, including hundreds of coatimundis, geckos, birds, deer, and a couple of resident monkeys.
Resident monkey posing nicely for a portrait
Mexico City, Zihuatanejo, Cabo San Lucas, and San José del Cabo are other destinations we have visited in Mexico. So, how does this location rank in comparison, you may ask? Or as a habit of being a travel blogger, we asked ourselves.
The Hotel Grand Riviera Princess is probably the nicest resort we have stayed at, with superb pools and beautiful grounds. It was sometimes a bit loud (remember, we are in our late fifties).
The beach was slightly disappointing; on this front, we favor San José del Cabo and Zihuatanejo.
Culturally and regarding an authentic Mexican experience, the Mayan Riviera did not score high points for us (arguably, we did not explore much), but Mexico City, along with Zihuatanejo, was excellent, with countless intriguing restaurants, small cafes, and art shops to explore.
A wonderful view of palm trees all-around
Hotel Grand Riviera Princess on the Mayan Riviera was the right choice for us at the time. It allowed us to lie back and relax without being overwhelmed by logistics, which we were accustomed to during our 5050 travel project, but wanted none of on this trip.
I regret not exploring the area more, but you cannot do everything in seven days, especially if your main objective is to wind down and relax. As a rule, we rarely return to the same place twice, as we constantly aim to expand our horizons.
We are already contemplating our next Mexico trip, and think we’ll aim for a slightly less commercialized destination if it still exists. A place with a quiet bay, a local coffee shop where you can hear the town wake up, and an authentic restaurant for a hearty meal and a tequila. Salud.
Pool time :)
Up early for the sunrise
5050 Travelog Destinations
All Travel Destinations
Europe
Southeast Asia
Middle East
Canada and USA
New Zealand
The photos in this article are made using a Nikon Zf and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Asperical lens. (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Ligthroom.
