Grand Palladium Riviera Maya Resort & Spa

 
 
 

LOCATION

The Grand Palladium Riviera Maya Resort & Spa is located in Riviera Maya, Mexico. It is located South about an hour from the airport (Cancun). It is about 30 minutes South of Playa del Carmen and 30 minutes North of Tulum. Also, the resort is about 15 to 20 minutes away from Puerto Aventuras, which is a port that can you take to the island of Cozumel.

AMENITIES & UNIQUE FEATURES

The resort is home to three properties, the Kentenah side, the Colonial side & the White Sand side. There is also a fourth property of the resort, the TRS Yucatan Hotel, which is the Adults-Only part of the resort – exclusive to TRS guests. Having three properties (four including TRS), there are so many options for all aspects of a vacation, from food to activities to shows. There is a fitness center & Zentropia Spa, but there is no night club (see Review for explanation).

Stand-out Features at the Resort:

  • Between the three, you have 12 a-la-carte restaurants (including a Hibachi Japanese steakhouse, Brazilian steakhouse, American BBQ, & more!)

  • Over 25 bars, including 2 swim-up bars

  • 2 Main pools, 1 kiddie water park, 2 smaller pools & 2 Adults-Only pools

  • 12 Bungalows on the river with private canoes

  • Alligator pit (completely fenced!) with a weekly show

  • Beach bar open 24-hours for late-night drinks & snacks

  • Transportation is provided via mini-train or golf-cart between resort lobbies

  • Fitness center that has 2 football (soccer) turf fields & 2 basketball courts

MUST-DO’S

  • Spend a day at each of the main pools! Both have different activities and vibes, so you may seem to like one over the other.

  • Try as many restaurants as you can, even if it means an early & a late dinner!

  • Day-trip or excursion to Tulum (Ancient Ruins), Playa del Carmen (shopping & nightlife) or Cozumel (island & snorkeling).

  • Watch the sunset from the beach!

  • Try a frozen margarita or mojito – they make it that much better in Mexico!

REVIEW

My first impression of the resort was that it was massive! Having three different parts connected into one big resort, I knew there was never going to be a dull moment. It meant I was going to be able to try different foods & activities, hang at different bars & pools during the day and at night, and be able to walk around a lot – a nice change of pace compared to driving everywhere in the States. The gym & fitness center with the courts and fields was really nice, so if you are into sports and getting a workout on your trip, you would be impressed! The food across the resort, breakfast, lunch and especially dinner, was phenomenal – favorites were El Dorado (Steakhouse), La Adelita (Mexican) & Ribs & More(American BBQ). You definitely will get enough steps in for the day, and if you ever feel like sitting back, they have golf-carts and mini-trains that transport you between lobbies so you do not have to walk! Both pools are really big and have swim-up bars & regular bars, and the 24-hour Sports Bar is pretty nice for late-night snacks.

The only downside is there is no nightclub. When they renovated a year or so ago and added the TRS Adults-Only Resort, they turned the nightclub into a Cabaret Show for TRS guests. Their alternative, instead of adding a new one, was to turn the lobby at night into a lounge with an area to dance. Definitely not the same, so if you are looking for that specific amenity, keep that in mind. However, Playa del Carmen, known as having a very active nightlife for tourists, is about 30 minutes away and they have regular transports you can set up with the resort.

 
Ryan HarrisonComment