Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

This was our fourth time at this luxurious all inclusive resort on beautiful Bandaras Bay. We have enjoyed different resorts on both coasts of Mexico, including other Velas properties, but this one resonates best with us. Why? The staff everywhere is gracious and can’t do enough to insure a pleasant and relaxing stay yet they are never intrusive. There are many long service employees at Velas, which says volumes about the management. The grounds and buildings are impeccably cleaned and maintained. We had a newly redecorated room this year. The food in all four of the themed restaurants is wonderful, the ambiance is “date night” worthy complete with soothing live music. The service is attentive but never rushed. Velas even assigned a personal concierge who checked in with us daily with the day’s events and then stands by to make sure that your stay is enjoyable. The water is warm for swimming, the surf is manageable and the beach is soft level sand perfect for long walks in both directions. Special bonus this visit: a fresh caught tuna expertly carved into luscious sashimi beach side. From arrival to farewell Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit has been the perfect antidote for our long and bleak winter.

We spent 2 glorious weeks at the Grand Velas in early December 2025. We find it is an oasis of peace and tranquility in our busy world. This was our 3rd visit and it continued to provide a very restful break for us. We felt very much at home. The property is very well maintained and cleanliness is consistent throughout. The rooms are so well appointed and so very comfortable. The housekeeping staff make sure everything is just perfect. The food offerings at all the restaurants are truly the best. The specialty restaurants provide distinguished authentic cuisine. Azul’s buffet is exceptional for quality and variety of foods. Special mention to the superb Azul soups at the lunch offering. The entertainment is wonderful and comes in many forms from the afternoon children’s presentation through the evening music on the terrace among others. And the truly outstanding component of the Grand Velas is the staff. Everyone you encounter is friendly, hard working and proudly doing their best to make our stay enjoyable. Theirs is an amazing team of people. We do have to give an extra nod to Luis(our concierge), Dulce, Gustavo & Eduardo(pool concierges), and Francisco (sommelier). We truly hope to return in 2026.

Return trip to Grand Velas PVR. It was awesome, that’s why we keep coming back. Grand Velas gets it right, on all fronts. Concierge Maria did a great job arranging reservations for our group of 12. We dined as a group most nights, even though we told her it wasn’t necessary. Zenon at the pool got to know each one of us, and took great care of us. He’s a real asset! And the morning barista at Amat coffee bar was super too. (sorry I don’t recall his name). The entire staff was great. Facilities are beautiful, drinks just the way you like them…. but it’s the food that sets GV apart. All 4 dining venues were very good. And Akul is solid for breakfast and lunch as well. This is not just an ordinary All Inclusive experience, it’s in the top tier.

I’ve traveled a lot, and this is the first resort I’ve ever said I would gladly return to. Not that the others weren’t great, but this one stands out. Where to begin? First, the rooms were all renovated in December. They are classy and elegant, not the typical terra-cotta tile you expect in a Mexican resort. The rooms are large, well appointed, and extremely comfortable. There’s more storage than I know what to do with. And the bathroom vanities are large, so you’re not tripping over each other and have plenty of room for all your stuff! For an all-inclusive resort, the restaurants are truly phenomenal! I’m not kidding. Each restaurant has a fantastic menu of artfully prepared and presented, and very delicious food. The menus are so enticing I started ordering half portions after a few days so I could try more variety. They always gladly accommodated me. Even the buffet restaurant is awesome. One day they had a huge 4 foot long tuna that had just been caught off shore and were serving up fresh tuna. Another night they offered an amazing seafood feast on the beach, complete with king crab, oysters, shellfish, salmon, and about 100 other dishes. Today my husband enjoyed a huge rack of lamb and said it’s the best he’s ever had. And this is all at the buffet! Another night, they had a lovely martini cart set out at sunset for people to enjoy fresh made drinks. Another nice touch. The gym is large and offers a lot of equipment. The water experience in the spa is heavenly and well worth it! The pools are beautiful and never crowded. And while they don’t specifically have an adult pool, there is an adult area at the infinity pool, which is really nice. And again, never crowded. The thing that puts this resort over the top is the fantastic staff. They are genuinely warm and friendly and demonstrate that they really care about your experience. A special shout out to concierge Perla Rodriguez, who always checked in with us and made sure we were having a phenomenal vacation. She even surprised us with fresh rose petals in the shape of a heart, and a bottle of wine with cheese and fruit, to celebrate our anniversary. What a sweetheart! Every restaurant’s wait staff, every pool concierge, and every bartender greeted us with a smile. Luckily, we have a few more days before we have to depart. The only teeny tiny drawback, is that the grounds aren’t as lush and tropical as I would have expected. I’ve stayed at other resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo, and Cancun, and I’ve gotten used to outdoor waterfalls, flowing rivers, and tropical flowers and trees. They don’t have as much of that here, but that’s OK. They put all of their effort into the rooms, and the restaurants, and that’s just fine with me!

My wife and I came on our honeymoon from the 2nd to the 9th. Gabby was our concierge and she was fantastic. Jose in the bar was incredible, Enrique & Abi took amazing care of us in the cabanas. Carlos and Eme were awesome hosts for bingo and volleyball. The good and drinks were 10/10. Overall it was a truly special and unforgettable experience.