Gourmet dining, pristine beach, immaculate spacious accommodations and exceptional service – what more could any family want? The Grand Residences Riviera Cancun Resort provided the most perfect backdrop for our first international vacation as a new family of 4.  Our private driver greeted us at the airport and whisked us away in a luxury SUV only after providing chilled aromatherapy towels and bottles of ice cold water. Our car was equipped with two car seats for our children and our driver was extremely helpful in getting them settled in their seats and making sure we were all comfortable.  During the short drive from the airport he called the hotel and arranged for the most delicious cucumber margaritas to be offered to us upon arrival. After a quick check-in, we were given a tour of the grounds, ending in our beautiful 2200 sq foot suite.  Much to our surprise, aside from the two cribs we had requested, our concierge had also set up an infant bath tub and diaper genie and left dolls in the cribs for each of our kids. I was also delighted to find the greatest assortment of Bvlgari bath and shower products in our bathrooms in addition to espresso machine in our kitchen and many other amenities throughout the suite.

Although my toddler was too young to be left in the Kids Club (for kids 4+), we spent several hours in the colorful activity rooms with him and were extremely impressed with both the staff and program.  Kids can paint pottery, make t-shirts and jewelry, build with Legos, read books and participate in many other fun activities. The staff members were extremely interactive and kept all kids busy and happy. I wouldn’t hesitate one bit leaving my children (once old enough) in the Kids Club. There is an activity desk across from the Kids Club that provides sand toys for the beach and anything else kids may need, including life jackets, snorkel gear, and body boards.

The Grand Residences Resort is home to Riviera Maya’s largest infinity pool, and their staff goes above and beyond making sure that you enjoy every minute under the sun. The moment you choose your chair at either the pool or beach, a server arrives to set up your chair with towels like a bed and leaves ice waters, chilled towels, and Evian facial mist.

There is a very large children’s pool area in addition to a swim-up bar, a separate lap pool and several hot tubs.

For those who love the beach, this is the place for you! The water is incredibly crystal clear and there are hardly any rocks or seaweed on the beach.  My toddler loved frolicking in the white powdery sand and dipping his toes in the surf.

While my husband and toddler braved the choppy waves, my daughter and I enjoyed exploring the resort and walking along the beach. 

The beach bar, appropriately named Heaven, serves a wide array of menu items including (but not limited to) chicken tacos, salads, burgers and a full children’s menu. The palm trees and tropical flowers were certainly a welcome departure from the concrete jungle. 

If you choose the all-inclusive option like we did, you will be eating most of your meals in their El Faro restaurant, which is truly a fine dining experience from start to finish. Some of our favorite dishes were the lobster and filet mignon, fig and goat cheese salad, and the créme brulée trio.  The service is impeccable and waitstaff will honor any special request. My toddler would become antsy toward the end of our meals and our waiter would bring him crayons or other small toys to keep him happy while allowing my husband and I to finish our dessert. There is almost always live music in the dining room, which really makes for quite a lovely ambiance. 

lobster and filet was superb

The fig and goat cheese salad was truly unbeliebable

Although it didn’t bother us much, the night life is quiet (or non-existent). After putting the kids to bed, we enjoyed sitting on our balcony and listening to the ocean or taking a dip in our private outdoor hot tub.  My toddler was determined to get into the hot tub and we allowed him to join us on our last evening. 

This resort is the personification of five-star hotel service. If there is such a thing as heaven on Earth, it’s at the Grand Residences. After 6 nights in paradise, we returned to the concrete jungle feeling rejuvenated, refreshed and comforted knowing that this tropical wonderland is only a short plane ride away.