We booked through RCI, a timeshare trading/exchange firm. We stayed a week, had the big suite, and another couple joined us a couple days into the trip. After reading a gazillion reviews, I was scared to go almost, but was pleasantly surprised. The whole week, the four of us kept saying to one another, "what are people complaining about?" By the way, was 7 months pregnant and we often walked, (we were in building 9). Nothing ever took more than 10 min., and that is a maximum. Mind you, I'm 7 months pregnant and walk at a snails pace. We enjoyed the walking, especially after dinner! Tramonto's Prime Rib night special was AMAZING; $36 for salad or soup, prime rib, and dessert--we had grand maranier soufflé, all said it was the best dessert they'd EVER had! Skip the buffet, skip the shows--not worth it. Go to NYC or Vegas if you want to see a show, unless you like cheesy costumes and 80s music... I loved the Grand Mayan pool, it was so much nicer, awesome view of the lagoon, much quieter and definitely more relaxing and luxurious. Of course, I wasn't doing much drinking, so maybe if you are a big drinker you might prefer the crowds and swim up bars, but no thank you for me. The beach was rocky, but the pier was gorgeous. I'm more of a beach-admirer, than swimmer, so it was no sweat of my back, to cool off in a big pool instead. We also enjoyed eating at Havana Moon (great views) and room service was awesome, as others have said. We got pizza twice! We definitely under-utilized the kitchen though....Next time, we will hit the mega and stock up on groceries to cut costs. Anyway, we had a wonderful time, the staff was incredible, the resort was beautiful, and the walking was a pleasure, don't believe the nay-sayers. If you go to a resort expecting to be treated like royalty, then sure, perhaps you might have something to complain about. It's great resort, we plan to take the kids back with us next time in 2 or 3 years. We saw lots of kids activities and lots of happy tots & teens having a blast by the pool.

Stayed at the GMR for the week of April 20-27, 2008. Where should I begin...Check In: Since the main lobby for the GMR was burnt down a few months ago they have set up a temp Lobby by bldg 12-13. It is a very large tent with air conditioning. Check in was quick. They offered cold bottles of water at check in.

Shuttles: Yes this place is very large. the grounds are kept in perfect condition. At times the shuttles were a bit of a pain, but we dealt with it and actually got the hang of it towards the end of the week. We were on vacation, we were in no rush to get anywhere.

Rooms: We were put in bldg 8-9 along with our friends. There were 13 of us all together. 6 adults and 7 kids. 3 of which were 2-2 1/2 year olds. The 3 families each had a 2 bedroom accommodations. We requested 2 cribs for our twins. The cribs were larger than most and made of very good quality. Its not the pack and plays that you may get at other resorts. The rooms were wonderful. Clean and excellently decorated. The kitchen had a stove top, microwave and a half size fridge. They also had all the necessary pots, pans, utensils and silverware to cook and eat in the room. This is an obvious convenience if you have young children with you.

We all decided to attend the timeshare presentation. We were not pressured but they offered $85 and 10% off the entire bill. So it was worth it. It did take 3-4 hrs though.

The pool is great. Try to rent the cabanas. Th rental cost is $30, but if you order $30 or more of food/beverage via wait service or the restaurants then they will refund the $30 cabana cost. You can only reserve the cabanas a day ahead, just try to get there early to do so. The cabanas have beds underneath them. Our kids had their naps on it and they loved it. didn't have to shuttle back and forth to the room for their naps. There was a cool breeze coming from the ocean so it felt very comfortable, but this is deceiving because the sun is very strong. Alot of sunscreen is definitely needed.

The set up at the beach is great, they have a sunshade for the beach goers. The beach is very rocky, but i saw a lot of people further out swimming in the water. The water is a clear blue.

We took a look at the exclusive Grand Mayan pool and preferred the larger pool. There were many activities for the adults and kids around the pool. All of our older kids were asked to play soccer on the beach.

Food: I found the prices to be reasonable, considering I'm from NY. There is a market/Deli where you can purchase frozen food, beverages and basic saundries. I purchased a Paninni sandwhich and the fruit salad from the Deli. It was very tasty.

We ate at the Del Largo restaurant for the dinner show buffet. the food was average but the show was nice. The Havana Moon was a bit better. My kids found the chicken nuggets there to be very good. I thought the Nachos was very good. Burgers and chicken fingers and items like that by the pool were very good also. The best it the Tramanto Restaurant. It is located in the Deli and Boutique building overlooking the pool. It is a beautiful place with a great lounge and bar. The prices are comprable to the other restaurants on the resort. I would've made reservations to this restaurant every day if I knew about it earlier. The Shrimp appetizer was excellent. The Tramanto also has a kids menu that is perfect for the kids, pasta and steak. Overall I felt the food at the resort was average to above average, but the service was impecccable. their wait staff was very accommadating and friendly. Especially poolside, "Victor" ran into the Deli to see if he could buy a Churro for my son. "Maria" came by and added extra Ice to our drinks without us asking. Thank you.

Room service: Good food and reasonable prices. The Pizza was actually better than what i would expect in Mexico. We also found the salads to be very good.

Hint: Unlike alot of timeshares this resort does not have washer or dryers in the units. But there is a laundry service available in every building. It cost $8 for a wash and dry of clothes. You can either do it yourself or have the attendant do it for you for $3. She did 3 loads of laundry and it cost $27. Wash, dried, folded and delivered to our room. A bit costly but worth it.

We spent and afternoon evening in Playa Del Carmen. We rented a van to take us and pick us up. total cost for 6 adults, 4 kids and 3 toddlers $86. So it came out to $6.60 per person with tip. Just go see your concierge in the lobby of your building and they will set you up.

We also spent a day at Xcaret, which is a theme park. It was OK. Just to get through the admission at the "Family Plus" center, the lockers and the snorkeling equipment took a very long time. Don't know if since we had alot if kids with us that it took a longer time, but by the time we were all done it took 2 hrs. Pack light if you decide to go. Did the Sea Trek there it was nice. They have a beach lagoon. Very nice, can order drinks and hang by the beach. The Lunch buffet was very good and a variety of selections. Try the grilled skirt steak.

There is a WalMart in PlayaDel Carmen and there is a Costco nearby. We were going to purchase items for the week but for one reason or another we didn't. which was fine, the Deli Market had ample supplies. The only thing I would suggest is to stock up on the drinks if you go to walmart or costco.

I hope my report helps.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Grand Mayan from April 19th to April 26, 2008. We read all of the reviews beforehand, so knew what to expect more or less.

Yes, the resort is HUGE. We were in building 6 which is one of the closest buildings to the pool and beach, as well as the restaurants. Still, it was alot of walking. I cannot imagine being in one of the farther buildings! Let me start by saying that the accomodations were amazing. We had a huge 2 BR unit with kitchen, and a private wading pool on the patio. There was a huge garden tub in one bedroom and a jacuzzi in the other bedroom. It was decorated very contemporary and tasteful. We couldnt say anything negative about the unit. The housekeeping service was great, also.

However, the beach ........... Nothing is going to prepare you for how rocky and unswimable the beach is. We brought water shoes and were able to finagle our way through all of the sharp and slippery rocks. Once over the rocks, we were able to swim a few times. Finally, by the end of the week, we had bought a snorkel and mask and snorkeled at the resort beach. We wish we had discovered this sooner! The snorkeling right there at the resort is amazing. Because of all of the rocks and reefs in the water, there is significant marine life. We had so much fun swimming once we discovered snorkeling there. So, if you want to use this beach, definitely invest in a mask and snorkel. And Water Shoes!!

The service is amazing. The staff is constantly waiting on you, making sure you have everything you need, even on the beach. Happy hour from 11-1:00 everyday is the best. Two drinks for the price of one is a huge savings at the end of the week.

The buffets at the restaurants are awful in our opinion. Overpriced and not very good food. We got sucked in a few times, and regretted it. However, room service is amazing. The pizza was great, and the soup was good. The burgers were good. All in all, the best food we had at the resort was room service. Also, the Belche snack bar had really good food, too. Besides those two places, dont waste your money.

The best day we had was taking the ferry over to Cozumel. We rented a few scooters, and saw Cozumel on our own. We ate at a little outdoor restaurant called coconuts, where my boyfriend says the beef nachos were really good. The views were amazing in Cozumel, as well as the most beautiful beaches you can imagine!!

We also went into Cancun one night and ate at Bubba Gumps Shrimp on the water. The food was great!! We really enjoyed that alot.

All in all, it was a nice time. Last year we went to Ocho Rios in Jamaica to an all inclusive resort. We prefer Jamaica and the culture there, as well as the beaches. But live and learn.

Oh, and if you want to jetski, dont try jetskiing on the beach at the Grand Mayan. The water is so choppy and rough. You feel like you have been hit by a train by the time you are done. You will be sore for days.

But if you go with someone you love, I guess anyplace is going to be good, so ENJOY! :)

Stayed at the Riviera Maya in December of 2007 and had a wonderful stay! The grounds were well-kept, the staff helpful, and the pools relaxing. There were tons of activities going on throughout the day for both adults and children and gave the Riviera Maya a wonderfully active environment. There are numerous restaurants on the grounds, and small shops and boutiques with very helpful staff employed. I would definitely recommend the Riviera Maya for almost any traveler, including honeymooners and families. Would definitely go back!