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Re: quality (by Robert M.):

billc155 wrote:

Does any one have an oppinion of the resort and entertainment ideas. Are there other resonable golf deals in the area. Any ideas on transportation and what will there be fo 2 teenage girls to do ages 16

Bill,

The Grand Mayan between Cancun and Playa del Carmen is a great place for families and couples. My wife and I have been happy owners there for over 3 years. We upgraded our ownership to "Elite" status on our last visit in October. We started going to that area of Mexico about 10 years ago and have stayed in several resorts in the Mayan Riviera area and on the Pacific coast. This Grand Mayan is the nicest resort we have stayed in anywhere. The only objection (by some people) is that you have a 5 to 10 minute walk from your room to the pools and beach. We got used to it quickly and enjoy the exercise. You can read detailed accounts by dozens of various people about anything you could imagine to ask about the Grand Mayan at "tripadvisor.com". Be sure you look up "Grand Mayan Riviera Maya". These reports will inform you in great detail how to get to Walmart at Playa del Carmen and to the many Mayan sites in the area using busses, vans, or rental cars. They report on all the various restaurants in the Mayan Resort complex and where the best places are to buy groceries.

We stayed 3 weeks this year at the Grand Mayan, in Buildings 5, 6 and 7 with the lagoon view. The resort swimming pools are huge and wonderful. There are lots of activities for the kids (and adults). Our favorite place to hang out is the "El Playa del Secreto", a 10 minute easy walk along the beach to the North of the Mayan Palace beach. OOPS, now it's not El Secreto any more! There are about 15 private residences scattered along a mile of beach there and it was deserted there during our two weeks in October. You can see the huge El Dorado Royal resort about a mile North of the "secret" beach. We have walked from the Grand Mayan/Mayan Palace beach to the El Dorado Royal beach in about 25 minutes. The beach at the Iberostar is about a 10 minute walk to the South and is as nice a swimming area as you will find anywhere in Mexico. Just don't sit on the rope with floats that marks the swimming area or you will get lots of tiny leach like creatures on your skin. I did that one time and will never do it again! They do come off, but not easily. Sort of an ocean equivalent of wood ticks in a forest. Go down the beach to the South another 10 minutes and there is another wonderful secluded sandy beach great for swimming. The last hurricane changed the shoreline and made it sandy and easy to walk on for miles each direction. Before the hurricane, there were sharp rocky areas that made it hard to get very far along the shore. Arrange for your transportation on arrival from the airport to the hotel ahead of time. It costs less that way the you will easily find the person holding the Mayan Resorts sign as you exit the airport terminal building and he will escort you to the van. You can get reservations at the hotel consierge for a van to return you to the airport at the end of your stay. Good luck and enjoy the beaches... Bob M