THE GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA sits within a mangrove jungle that covers most of its 206-acre property. Driving to the Ambassador Section, we passed the Zen Grand Section with its family-friendly suites nestled in the heart of the Yucatán jungle. A short distance later we reached the two beachfront areas: Grand Class Adults Only and the Ambassador Family Friendly.
From check-in onward, the staff treated me with warmth and attentiveness, greeting me by name and always with a smile.
After settling into my suite and spending an afternoon by the beach and pool, I enjoyed a memorable wild mushroom lasagna scented with black truffles at Lucca, one of the resort’s eight restaurants. During my stay I dined at several venues, including Frida, a fine Mexican restaurant inspired by painter Frida Kahlo, and Azul, the beachfront buffet that transformed my expectations of all-inclusive dining. The buffet presented an extensive selection like a curated display, and the dishes were consistently fresh and flavorful.
On the morning of my spa appointment I took the shuttle to the Zen Section for breakfast at Chaká. After savoring French toast with tropical fruit salad, I accepted my waiter’s offer of a mimosa to unwind before my treatment.
The spa spans an impressive 90,000 square feet and provides a serene sanctuary in harmony with the surrounding jungle. As I moved through the spa, I sometimes forgot I was indoors and not outside among the trees.
I arrived an hour before my facial to begin the spa’s signature Water Journey, a therapeutic hydrotherapy sequence featuring water treatments at varied temperatures. The experience began in a traditional wood-lined sauna where the spa butler offered a chilled towel and cucumber slices for my eyes and suggested a five- to ten-minute stay. I opted for five minutes, followed by a soothing rain shower, then continued to the Color Therapy Steam Room. The dark, steam-filled room had a ceiling dotted with small, color-changing LED lights reminiscent of a starry night. I settled onto the tiled bench that wrapped around the circular room and breathed in the eucalyptus-scented steam as it opened my pores.
Next was the Clay Room, which contrasted the steam room by featuring a large window with a bright jungle view. I applied a cool, thick clay to my face and body and let it set. When it was time, the spa butler guided me to rinse the clay off with a handheld shower, applied a soothing aloe vera gel, and led me to the Ice Room.
The Ice Room © GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA
I had some apprehension about the Ice Room, but it proved invigorating. Tiny, sparkly blue tiles covered the surfaces, creating the sensation of a frozen igloo. True to its name, the room was freezing. An icy towel and a steady flow of ice from a fountain helped close my pores and left me feeling refreshed.
Afterward, the sensation shower warmed me and washed away any remaining clay I had missed. Then the spa butler escorted me to the pool area and directed me to the Sensory Pebble Walkway. I walked down the first path and back up the second, repeating the sequence twice. The warm, knee-deep water and smooth pebbles felt soothing beneath my feet. The second path, however, was frigid; plunging into the icy water took my breath away and produced a sharp, pricking sensation that gradually softened into a pleasantly tingling feeling. I repeated the circuit, slightly hesitant the second time but enjoying the invigorating contrast of temperatures.
I left the cold path to enter the warm pool area where targeted massaging jets eased tension across different parts of the body. A water bubble bed and hot and cold plunge pools completed this immersive water experience.
That water journey set the tone for the rest of my spa day, after which I proceeded to a facial treatment.
Virginia, my therapist, guided me back to the treatment pavilion and asked my scent preference before placing my feet in a basin of warm millet seeds. After brushing off the seeds and slipping into warm slippers, she offered the choice of open or closed curtains; I kept them open to enjoy the jungle view. She invited me to disrobe and lie under the sheets, instructing me to gently ring small cymbals when I was ready. In my haste to cover up, I accidentally clanged the cymbals and startled myself, but Virginia quietly checked the door and entered only when I was ready.
She performed the Grand Reserve Facial, designed for very dry, mature or sun-damaged skin, using Esdor wine-therapy products known for their antioxidant benefits and hydrating properties. The treatment helped seal in moisture and softened fine lines.
Afterward my skin felt softer than it had in years, and I left the spa deeply relaxed and eager to continue experiencing all the Grand Velas Riviera Maya offers.
Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Carretera Cancun Tulum Km.
62, Playa del Carmen, Municipio de Solidaridad,
Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo C.P. 77710,
Mexico
tel 52 322 226 8689
rivieramaya.grandvelas.com