Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

I think our first visit to this wonderful place was in 2007. That is when we initially went to Grand Velas, not really knowing what to expect or that it would be the beginning of a relationship with a fantastic group of people on the Pacific coast of Mexico. In 2007, we had never been to a place like this so it was a new experience. We enjoyed the visit so much, we went back again a couple of years later and were so pleased that many of the same people were still working there and remembered us. They made it very difficult to leave. So a long term relationship had begun and we determined that as long as we were able we would try to go back for vacations and visit what quickly became our "home away from home" and our "family" in this beautiful setting. For the past 17 years, as often as possible, we have tried to spend at least a week in this beautiful setting -relaxing, rejuvenating, and enjoying the place and the incredible people. I am hesitant to mention names because I don't want to leave anyone out who deserves special recognition. The entire staff here is awesome. I am sure that there are times they must be tired and weary from another day of hard work but they don't show it. They bring smiles and good attitudes and go the extra mile to make sure their welcomed guests have the best experience possible. There are so many seemingly small, but unexpected, things that amaze me even after all these visits - things like the petal of a flower on your lounge chair (Gustavo, Leonel, and Diego), balloons in your room because of a birthday (Chepe), a pot of coffee and fresh-baked pastries early in the morning (Julio, Francisco, Carlos) while you are doing your morning reading an hour before the restaurant even opens. There are all the waiters in Azul who have worked together as a team for years and never tire of meeting a standard of excllence I haven't seen anywhere else (Edgar, Ricardo, Ricardo, Litui, Carlos, Eduardo, Pablo, Pablo, Luis, Francisco, Julio, and others). There are waiters in the more formal restaurants in the evenings who are as good as any in the world, some who have been at Grand Velas over 20 years (Francisco in Piaf and Oscar in Sin Lin). There are other things that stand out like the chef (Raul) preparing a special dish at lunch or dinner that he thinks you might enjoy, or the maitre'd at Azul (Fidel) making sure that you have things you need on time and that you get to sit at that special table you enjoy by the water. Then there are the hotel management people (Pilar, Ler, and Sebastian) taking time to stop by your lounge chairs in the middle of the day to make sure everything is going well and that you are enjoying your visit. There are also so many people who don't necessarily interact with the guests but are more than willing to if you acknowledge the beauty and perfection of their work by offering words of appreciation and encouragement (Eduardo the gardener, Carolita who keeps the walkways clean and spotless, and Brianna who never passes a dirty window that she doesn't clean). Who can ever forget Carlos or Mariano who stop by to chat before they go out to lead more water sports or recreational activities? And the pool concierge staff (Jose, Lemuel, Francisco, Saturino, Gustavo, Enrique, Diego, Nadia, Kenia, and others like Raymundo and Gorge) make sure there is never a moment that you need anything while you enjoy your day. There are many wonderful concierge people (Chepe, Luis Mateo, Manuel, Ramon, Daniela, Maria, and Gabriela) who are all excellent an handle details. On this trip Chepe assisted us and was a pleasure to see every day. There are other fantastic people who often work behind the scenes (Fabiola and Guadalupe come to mind) who always make you feel appreciated and welcomed even though you may not see them as often. Antonio and Maria in room service are two other examples. All these people, and more (including the people who maintained our suite to perfection - Marsela and Diana) make every visit to Grand Velas memorable and make sure that when you leave you will want to return many times in the future. There is one thing I do not enjoy about visiting Grand Velas - you have to eventually leave and go home! However, as painful as that feels, I can assure you that if you have taken time to get to know the wonderful people you just met and took time to be enriched by the beauty of the property, stunning sunsets, and the sound of endless waves coming ashore, you will leave with hope of returning and confidence you will not be forgotten the next time you arrive.

Our stay was amazing. The restaurants at the resort are top notch! Room service menu was the best we’ve ever come across. The steak tacos by the pool were my go-to lunch!! We had a suite plus and it was perfect for our family of 4. 2 bathrooms, large living area and a nice balcony. All rooms face inward (no parking lot views!) and we were lucky to get an amazing view of the beach and pool. My daughter loved playing beach volleyball each day. The activity crew (Carlos!) did an great job making sure everyone was included. All staff member were fantastic and knew us by name within the first day. Made us feel special!!! I know ratings and vacations are subjective, but I definitely think 5 stars is accurate.

For 10 years straight, our family has been staying at the Grand Velas during the holiday season. We continue to be amazed at the quality of the service, food, and experience. The staff goes above and beyond to provide an amazing experience to allguests. There is no request that cannot be accommodated. Our family has even built long-standing relationships with the staff, including Luis (concierge), Jorge Ramos and Raymundo (pool concierge), Leonel, Zenon and Enrique (pool service), Ricardo (Azul) and Carlos (beach activities). The menu enhancements at the restaurants this year show that the resort continues to find ways to improve in all ways. We cannot recommend the resort enough.

This is the nicest all inclusive we have ever experienced. It was my husband’s 50th birthday and we were upgraded to a beautiful remodeled room on the oceanfront. The service and attention to detail from the staff is superb. A special thank you to our personal concierge Ramon, our pool concierge, Raymundo, and our pool servers, Leonel, Enrique, & Miguel. They were all so wonderful and made us feel very special!! One of the things we really appreciated is that there was not up-charging for food or beverages that we have encountered at other all-inclusive properties. Everything is included unless you want uber fancy bottles of liquor or wine at dinner. The food is AMAZING and many top shelf drinks to choose from. You feel like you are definitely getting what you paid for. While it is more expensive than some other resorts in the area I would say that it is well worth it. Tip well, they deserve it!

Ah this place is like heaven. If you are looking for a relaxing stay with gourmet food and incredible service look no further. We took our second trip as a couple with an 8 year old this week and loved every moment. Luis Mateo was our very helpful concierge, who assisted us with arranging our dinners and always checked in with us. Our son is a very active kid who loved all the sports and activities. Thanks to Carlos and Mariano at the beach for playing volleyball and soccer and teaching us to boogie board. As for the restaurants, our favourite was Sen Lin (the dumplings and steak salad are so tasty!) followed by Lucca (who knew you could get such amazing pizza in Mexico!). Our only slight complaint is that the nightlife is a bit lacking, there were only two shows there in the week we stayed but that may have been because of low occupancy. The lobby is so huge and gorgeous and it seems a bit of a missed opportunity that there isn't a bar there for people (families) to congregate and socialize.