Grand Riviera Princess All Suites Resort & Spa All Inclusive

“Grand Riviera Princess - A Great Stay”

When we visit resorts, the brand name is often one of the first things that catches our attention. However, what matters even more are the people who make your day-to-day experience enjoyable and memorable. I visited this resort a few months ago and stayed on the Sunset side, but this time I wante… more

When we visit resorts, the brand name is often one of the first things that catches our attention. However, what matters even more are the people who make your day-to-day experience enjoyable and memorable. I visited this resort a few months ago and stayed on the Sunset side, but this time I wanted to enjoy the afternoon sun exposure on the Riviera side. There is still a transition period while the final renovations are being completed on the Riviera side. When I arrived, Ricardo at reception was extremely helpful and efficient in assisting me with obtaining one of the Riviera Swim-Up Suites. I appreciated the extra effort, although the first suite I received was the last one beside the roadway where the trolleys and housekeeping carts pass by numerous times throughout the day. Since I spend a lot of time relaxing in front of my suite in the water, I felt a little like I was under a microscope. I spoke with Ricardo the following day, and he kindly offered to move me a few doors further north. It turned out to be the perfect location — peaceful, quiet, and much more private. The occasional wildlife visitors in front of my suite only added to the experience and made the stay even more enjoyable. The resort has an app that you can download which allows you to reserve your dinners at the à la carte restaurants. I took full advantage of this and tried a different restaurant almost every night. One thing that really stood out to me was the à la carte restaurants. They feel like true standalone restaurants with their own atmosphere and identity, not just a small section of another building labeled as a restaurant like you sometimes see at some resorts. La Hacienda, the Mexican restaurant, was one of my first visits. My waiter Juan was very attentive throughout the evening, and I really enjoyed both the variety on the menu and the opportunity to sample several desserts after dinner. This was one of the restaurants I visited twice, and the second time I was taken care of by Rodolfo and Manuel, and it was just as enjoyable as the first. At La Vaquería, I again appreciated the range of choices available on the menu and finished the evening with a very tasty steak. Gerardo took very good care of me and made for another enjoyable dining experience. By this point in my stay, Jahaziel at the restaurant reception had started recognizing me each evening, which added to the welcoming atmosphere throughout the resort. Next was Galerie, where Raziel walked me through the menu from start to finish. Interestingly, when the follow-up survey arrived the next day asking about my meal, it referred to the restaurant as “La Fleur,” which I assume may have been the restaurant’s previous name. I noticed on a few occasions during my stay that some of the restaurants seemed to go by more than one name, likely related to the ongoing transition and renovations taking place around the resort. Sumauma is the Brazilian restaurant where the servers slice the meats directly from the skewers at your table. Freddy and Christopher were both wonderful throughout the evening, arriving with the next selection just as I was finishing the previous course and keeping a very smooth flow to the meal, which I imagine takes quite a bit of coordination in such a busy environment. All of the different meats were very tasty, and although each serving portion was relatively small, by the end of the meal I appreciated that I was completely full without ever feeling rushed or overwhelmed. It was one of those meals where everything gradually adds up in the best possible way. To close out the evening, they served roasted pineapple from the spit, coated in cinnamon, which left a very memorable final impression and was the perfect finish to the meal. Just a small note that this restaurant is not in the main lobby buildings but on the south side of the swim up pool on the Sunset side closer to the beach. I had initially left the Italian restaurant, La Volta, for later in my stay because I assumed pasta would probably not stand out compared to some of the other specialty restaurants. It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. As a solo traveler, I enjoy taking the opportunity to have small conversations with the staff whenever possible — always respectfully, knowing they are working hard throughout the evening and not keeping them tied up. I am comfortable conversing in Spanish and enjoy practicing it, but I also appreciate when staff speak English well and are open to a little conversation while still remaining attentive to their responsibilities. Ruben was my waiter that evening and did an excellent job walking me through the menu. For my main course, I chose the shrimp pasta, which turned out to be exceptionally flavorful, rich, and satisfying — honestly one of the most enjoyable pasta dishes I have had in quite some time. By the end of the meal, I found myself wishing I had tried La Volta earlier during my stay so I could have returned for a second visit. While I was enjoying dinner, Raziel recognized me from across the restaurant and came over to greet me by name. Considering the number of guests these restaurants serve each evening, and how busy the dining room was, it was genuinely a very pleasant surprise to be recognized and greeted with such warmth and enthusiasm several days after meeting him. Ruben also stood out because of his friendly personality and conversation, and it was a pleasure spending a few minutes speaking with him during the evening. During my previous visit, the main buffet was located in the Sunset lobby building, so this time I was pleasantly surprised to discover the smaller but fully functional Food Market Maya buffet located on the south side of the Riviera Swim-Up Suites, just before the Platinum buildings. Because of the name, some guests may not immediately realize that it serves as a breakfast and lunch buffet. Since it was located almost directly outside my room, it became my regular stop most mornings and afternoons. While the variety is somewhat smaller than the main buffet, I actually found that to be a positive because it helped me with portion control and avoiding the temptation to overeat. I always left feeling satisfied. One of the highlights each morning was being greeted by Karen, who became a real bright spot to start the day. To help each other practice, we alternated between speaking English one day so she could practice, and Spanish the next day so I could practice mine, which added a personal and enjoyable touch to the experience. Fatima also became my regular waitress during many of my breakfasts and lunches, and we continued the same English-and-Spanish routine. These small daily interactions may seem minor, but they genuinely added warmth and personality to the stay and made each morning feel welcoming and familiar. One additional moment that stood out during my stay involved something small, but important. After switching rooms, I accidentally left behind some sleep medication in my previous suite and did not realize it until the following night when I was trying to get settled to sleep. I mentioned the situation to Karen at the Food Market Maya buffet, and she immediately contacted Miguel at reception, who then contacted Magdalena the concierge. From there the request quickly spread through the team, and by the time I made my way up to reception myself, it seemed like everyone was already aware of the situation and someone was already on the way with my medication in hand. Also one evening when the app wasn't working and I couldn't book my restaurant for my last night, Magdalena helped me out so that I wouldn't be scrambling last minute trying to find somewhere to eat for my last dinner. It was a great example of how well the staff communicate with one another and how quickly they work together to help guests when something unexpected comes up. To close things out, I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere and layout of the property. The swim-up suites are wonderful, with plenty of seating areas throughout, lots of lush greenery, and mature trees that give the resort a very relaxing and natural feel. One of the highlights for many guests — myself included — is the abundant wildlife that freely roams the property. During my stay, I saw large groups of coatis, several deer, and even a mother deer with her young fawn, which added a very peaceful and unique touch to the experience. Seeing the animals moving naturally throughout the resort grounds helped create an atmosphere that felt much more connected to nature than many typical resort properties. Overall, it was another very enjoyable stay, made even better by the many staff members who took the time to make guests feel welcome throughout the day. I am already booking my next stay here.

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