Plaza Caracol

Staff were amazing. Food was great. Everything was super clean. Only one discomfort was the weird smell in the room. The smell was there the whole time maybe due to rooms being too old or not well maintained. That smell just grossed me out the entire time going to the room. However, rest of the things were amazing, staff, food, services etc.

Love at first sight The sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the warm sun on my skin, the taste of an amazing cocktail great sunsets,… it all comes back when I close my eyes. What an amazing vacation! I can say that as well personally as professionally I have stayed in many hotels. But this one …. Oh my God! A new love is born. After being a loyal Palladium/Royal Suites Riviera Maya guest (6 times), and a great disillusion in the Royal Suites in Punta de Mita the week prior to coming to Grand Velas, I have found a new love! Many (good and even great) reviews have been written about the Grand Velas, so I will try to highlight some things you may not have read in most of the reviews. It all starts with ….. people! When we arrived, immediately a bell boy opened the door of our cab. This is indeed the least you expect when you book in this kind of hotel. We were asked to take place in the nice sofas where someone would come to check us in (no need to go to the check-in desk). We were brought a welcome drink in the meantime. Check-in went very smoothly and we even got a welcome massage (shoulders and neck) from 2 ladies of the Spa. So far, everything you would expect from this type of hotel. But then comes the bell boy, a young guy of about 22 years old. He would show us our room and bring the luggage a couple of minutes later. On our way to our room he stops and asks us if we want to go directly to our room or if we want to take a look at the hotel and its facilities first. So far quite normal, but what impressed me greatly that he made a tour with us throughout the hotel, the Spa, the à la carte restaurants, buffet, tennis court, …. With a lot of information. He was really proud of ‘his’ hotel! And this is something we noticed throughout the 11 days we were there: all staff is very well trained and the management really has the confidence in all its staff, from bottom to top, to take care of the guests. I do not know how many companies would have the confidence in and would empower an ‘ordinary’ (absolutely no offence) employee to guide visitors around. I have hardly seen in any of the hotels or resorts that we have been that staff is trained with only one purpose: you put our guests – each individually - at the center of everything you do! It is by the training of these people, by empowering and trusting them, that they reach this kind of service level. A service that makes the difference. A huge difference! Every single staff is so proud to be part of this hotel. Great management! Our room: We had a great room and an even greater view. Our only concern was the rather small closet (3 adults – on the road for 31 days, we had quite some clothes). So we asked if it there was an alternative and the next morning, we had a rack and extra clothes hangers in our room! Maybe next time we will ask a room in the ‘middle’ of the hotel so that we can enjoy the sunset from our terrace. But is not, absolutely no remarks on the room: great beds, great terrace, great bathroom with jacuzzi and shower,… One small issue though, my daughter’s headphones (apple ear-ins) got lost. Though she never took them out of the room, one day they were ‘gone’. A complaint was filed and an investigation conducted but they were not found. The pool. What an amazing pool! 3 pools in fact – each with a different temperature. And another ‘pool’ with jacuzzi’s (a small adults only part). More than enough sunbeds. And a great rule … you cannot reserve sunbeds.