Right. Good question. Those are indeed incredible, exclusive resorts with independent vibes and polished service, whereas Mexico’s all-inclusives are typically mass-market, inauthentic, herd-minded tourist traps with awful food and nonexistent service. So isn’t comparing Grand Velas with the likes of Four Seasons and Rosewood a case of apples and oranges? Um, no. Not at all—because Grand Velas is different. Way different. Grand Velas is a game-changer for the all-inclusive concept.
For starters, the food is truly remarkable. The restaurants are absolutely some of the best in Mexico—heck, North America—and if you’re staying here, it’s all included in the room rate. Take a look at some of these restaurants and judge for yourself:
Piaf is the resort’s French restaurant. It’s a bit over-the-top design-wise, an elaborate riff on a vintage Parisian cabaret. But with a talented French chef in the kitchen and with the music of Edith Piaf softly warbling from the sound system, it somehow works. Just look at this seared tuna, and that foie gras!
There are eight restaurants total, including one that serves casual regional Mexican cuisine (venison tacos, beef tongue sopas, etc.) and another that serves some of the best Italian food in the Riviera Maya (and if you know anything at all about the Riviera Maya, you know there are lots of amazing Italian restaurants in this region). But it’s not merely the food that lands Grand Velas in the same company as Four Seasons and Rosewood. It’s the accommodations. It’s the butler service. It’s all the little extras and surprises. It’s that magnificent beach! And the mother of all spas. Here’s a quick look around: