Grand Residences Riviera Cancun Resort

Upon planning my trip to Mexico, I wanted to enjoy a few days in Cancun before heading back home. I knew I was looking for an all inclusive resort that would give me a last taste of Mexico before flying out of Cancun International Airport. I’ve already been to Cancun before so I was curious to know what it would be like to experience a different town and that’s when I discovered Puerto Morelos.

Grand Residences Riviera Cancun Resort

Ideally situated between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, within a half hour from the Cancun International Airport, Grand Residences is a tranquil enclave protected by a coral reef and National Marine Park in the front yard and a nature reserve in the backyard. A beach stroll takes you to Puerto Morelos, the Riviera Maya’s last quaint fishing village and the inspiration for Jimmy Buffet’s song about laid-back Margaritaville.

I am fortunate enough that Grand Residences Riviera Cancun Resort was able to host me for three days and I’m so thankful for my stay because it gave me a peace of mind, comfort and relaxation, three elements that I was looking for after my Tulum leg of my trip.  I haven’t heard of Puerto Morelos before, but my taxi driver informed me that it’s a unique town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula that has retained some of its original fishing village character. It was evident as we were driving close to Grand Residences Riviera Cancun because the area was surrounded by sinkholes and deep water ports. I immediately felt a different ambiance than both Playa Del Carmen and Tulum. I knew that my three day stay would allow me to truly unwind in a serene and laidback atmosphere.

Upon arriving, I noticed the resort had a hacienda-style architecture, which pays tribute to Mexican culture. The resort also offers magnificent amenities and world-class service including gourmet restaurants with incredible cuisine, luxurious, spacious and comfortable suites, private beach access, a spa, a gym, an oceanfront infinity pool, and a weekly series of activities that have been adapted for virtual and/or private options to enjoy (i.e., Zumba classes, cooking demonstrations, tequila tasting, High Tea Service, Spanish lessons and more). Having an all inclusive stay also meant that Grand Residences Riviera Cancun took care of everything to make sure I had the best vacation ever!

One Bedroom Master Suite

I stayed at the master suite and it came with one bedroom that fits up to five people. I couldn’t even believe my eyes when I opened the door because it was more spacious than my New York City apartment! The kitchen was massive and it was fully equipped with utensils, cookware, kitchen sets and anything and everything you could ask for. The living room was so vast that a family would still have enough space to spread out. There were 1.5 bathrooms, laundry with a washing machine, 2 flatscreen TVS, walk in closets, and a terrace with jacuzzi.

The best way to describe the suite would be a summer getaway apartment, perfect for families to enjoy. My favorite part of the suite was waking up to the ocean views of the Caribbean. Since I was on the second floor, whenever I glanced out into the windows, I would see just the water, which felt like I was on a cruise. It was lovely sleeping to the sound of waves as well as waking up to it. With that type of view, I make it a priority to not miss a sunrise or sunset. I started to make it a habit of catching both whenever I am traveling since I don’t often get to do that while I’m back at home.

The bedding was very comfortable and I had no trouble getting a good night’s rest. There was also a beautiful spa bathroom that offered great lighting to get ready in the morning, and was a perfect set up for photos in the room!

DINING OPTIONS

Magical dining moments are a big part of your luxury vacation experience at Grand Residences. Savor gourmet cuisine at three different restaurants and from 24-hour Room Service, enjoy theme nights during the week and order wines from an award-winning wine list for the perfect pairing. Sublime flavors and dishes that are a work of art, romantic settings and sterling service await you. Our menus have something for everyone, including delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes. If you have special dietary needs, ask for options upon arrival.

If gourmet dining is your love language, then you will surely be fulfilled and content with the food at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun Resort! There were three restaurants to choose from including FLOR de Canela (Mexican food), El Faro Grill (world cuisine) and Heaven Beach Bar & Grill (snacks). I tried all three options and enjoyed each meal because it was different every night and delicious in its own right.

I would like to first highlight the room service because whenever I travel, I love ordering breakfast in bed. Not only is it a great way to start the morning, but I find the simple pleasure of having food in bed a way to instantly improve my mood. As you can see from the photos above, I ordered a little bit of everything and to say that I was satisfied would be an understatement. Definitely order room service the next time you visit Grand Residences because it’s a totally different experience than dining at the restaurant. I would also encourage you to take it to the balcony and enjoy it with the beautiful view of the ocean and beach.

If you’re in Mexico, then obviously you have to try Mexican food! There were traditional recipes and chef’s creations on the Flor de Canela’s menu and I enjoyed the restaurant’s contemporary Mexican art and breathtaking views of the Caribbean. I dined at FLOR and ordered the tikinix fish, milpa vegetable salad, churro nest and tiramisu which was absolutely delicious!

El Faro Grill was also a great restaurant because it included a variety of options including Mexican, Italian and International favorites, fresh seafood, tender prime steaks sand other grilled dishes. I could tell that the chefs passionately selected only the finest ingredients and cooked them to perfection because I had no complaints with my dishes whatsoever. I often ate there for breakfast and lunch and some dinners. Some of the items I ordered included the grand residences greek salad, salmon sashimi duo, burrata, salmon, and the Caribbean coconut cream (my favorite dessert!).

During the day when I often spent time by the beach and pool and I ordered snacks at Heaven Beach Bar and Grill and enjoyed the guacamole, vegetable platter and the organic heirloom tomato and beetroot salad. I loved the service at Grand Residences because the staff were extremely friendly and were always open to strike up a conversation.

ACTIVITIES

Cooking class: Enjoy a cooking class with the chef and learn how to prepare Mexican dishes, perfect pasta, divine desserts and much more.

I was so excited when I found out that Grand Residences offers cooking class because I love cooking and I always think it’s fun to do something at a resort. I learned to make tuna tostada with avocado and lime creamy and tomato habanero pepper vinaigrette. It was so great to watch the chef cook in front of us and walk us through each step. He even gave us the recipe, so we can try t home!

SPA: Moments of bliss in a haven of healing and harmony

If you know me, you know that I absolutely love a good spa because I think it’s part of self care and we should all prioritize that. When I entered the spa, I was transferred to a haven of tranquility. I had a 60 minute Swedish massage, which is one of my go to styles of massage. My massage therapist Monica was amazing and alleviated my tension and knots. I enjoyed every second of it and there were definitely moments where I dozed off here and there.

The massage benefits includes blood circulation, stimulates the lymphatic system and improves the quality of sleep and I could attest to that because that night, I had one of the best sleeps ever! After the massage, I spent time in the relaxation room where I sipped on some herbal tea and soaked in the quiet time as I could tell that my body, mind and soul was rebalanced. I highly recommend getting a spa treatment if you visit Grand Residences and ask for Monica and I promise you’ll thank me later!

AFTERNOON TEA

Grand Residences also offers afternoon tea on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. I jumped on the opportunity to experience it because I am obsessed with tea and I thought it would be a great way to break up my day in the sun. The set up was exactly what a high tea experience is like. There were different desserts, pastries and sandwiches to choose from. I requested for Darjeeling tea and I thought it was the perfect choice to enjoy the afternoon.

COVID-19 tests are available at Grand Residences

I also wanted to point out that US travelers must present a negative Covid test 3 days prior to returning to the states. To help comply with this new travel ruling Grand Residences, through a certified independent laboratory, offers onsite viral antigen nasal swab tests available at no cost. I was very impressed by this convenient service from the resort because it took the stress out of travelers like me and allowed me to simply relax.

It was very easy to schedule an appointment. I did it the first day I arrived as my flight back to NYC was exactly 3 days afterwards. The whole testing process was smooth and the staff was very friendly from the moment of taking me in to the last moment of performing the test. I had my results later that afternoon and since I did it once I arrived, I was fully able to enjoy my stay at Grand Residences.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I couldn’t imagine spending my last part of my Mexico trip any other way than with Grand Residences. It was a great way to unwind, to fully bask in the beauty of the Caribbean and to be present with my soul. I had fun and enjoyed myself, but most importantly, it was a great way to realign, recenter and recharge. The whole experience made me feel confident that I would return to NYC a more refined version of myself because I gave myself the time to unplug and I think we all need that every now and then.