Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya pool for owners only

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Or are you saying you are staying in Grand Luxxe and can't use that pool or the Beach Club?

Correct that is what people are saying. We are staying at Grand Luxxe proper (Interval Code LXR) via a trade of our Marriott Destinations points. I am seeing in multiple postings that if you are not a "Grand Luxxe Member (i.e. owner)" you will not have access to the Grand Luxxe Private Pool, Beach Club and restaurant. I am trying to determine if this is in fact the case as we have zero interest otherwise in going to such a large resort if we cannot use the exclusive "Grand Luxxe" amenities.

 

[NiteMaire]

Correct that is what people are saying. We are staying at Grand Luxxe proper (Interval Code LXR) via a trade of our Marriott Destinations points. I am seeing in multiple postings that if you are not a "Grand Luxxe Member (i.e. owner)" you will not have access to the Grand Luxxe Private Pool, Beach Club and restaurant. I am trying to determine if this is in fact the case as we have zero interest otherwise in going to such a large resort if we cannot use the exclusive "Grand Luxxe" amenities.

This would be a significant change. On our 6 exchanges into GL, we've always been treated like we own there, and we had access to the same areas as owners. I find it hard to believe they'd cut access for exchangers...especially to the beach club since GB also has access. I was planning another visit next year; this would make me change my plans.

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[Eric B]

So far no one has said anything about exchangers being unable to use the Beach Club, just the GL pool and Custom Brger restaurant. There was a sign to that effect at that pool when we were there in January, but we didn’t try to use it; that was an exchange into the Jungle Luxxe.

There were a lot of spots set aside for Vidanta platinum owners there, though.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Correct that is what people are saying. We are staying at Grand Luxxe proper .....

So far no one has said anything about exchangers being unable to use the Beach Club, just the GL pool and Custom Brger restaurant..

There were a lot of spots set aside for Vidanta platinum owners there, though.

I as we have zero interest otherwise in going to such a large resort if we cannot use the exclusive "Grand Luxxe" amenities.

I understand next year Vidanta plans to have special sunshine for Grand Luxxe owners ...
For exchanger's it will be included in the resort fee

 

[Eric B]

They’ll be able to opt out of the sunshine fee if they carry parasols everywhere....

 

[Lingber]

Response from Vidanta:

"There have been some changes, but you still have access to the beach club, only exclusive areas for members are, The Grand Luxxe Pool, and The burger custom made."

Bummed about the Burger Custom Made but really happy the beach club is not an issue. They should consider opening the burger place for dinner a few nights. It would be a great choice for a casual night.

 

[ilene13]

I just emailed the Concierge and will advise when I get a response. We are heading there in 2 weeks with an exchange into LXR. I am guessing they are having an overcrowding problem in season now that all four Grand Luxxe buildings are complete and they added the Jungle Luxxe units and Owners who spent many thousands are getting upset. The Grand Luxxe pool probably just isn't big enough for all those people. The Mayan Pool is spectacular. You can reserve a Palapa there and really enjoy a wonderful day. We were there when the Beach Club was under construction and we preferred the Mayan pool over the Grand Luxxe. That said we are really looking forward to using the Beach Club and will be disappointed if we don't have access to that and Custom Burger

I’m looking forward to your post on the reply you get from the concierge.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Response from Vidanta:

"There have been some changes, but you still have access to the beach club, only exclusive areas for members are, The Grand Luxxe Pool, and The burger custom made."

Bummed about the Burger Custom Made but really happy the beach club is not an issue. They should consider opening the burger place for dinner a few nights. It would be a great choice for a casual night.

Thank you. What was the question you presented to the resort?

 

[ilene13]

Response from Vidanta:

"There have been some changes, but you still have access to the beach club, only exclusive areas for members are, The Grand Luxxe Pool, and The burger custom made."

Bummed about the Burger Custom Made but really happy the beach club is not an issue. They should consider opening the burger place for dinner a few nights. It would be a great choice for a casual night.

We have an exchange there in 2019, I will rethink it as we like the GL pool. The beach club is not that wonderful and it is far from the GL villas.

 

[Lingber]

Thank you. What was the question you presented to the resort?

I asked if exchangers into Grand Luxxe were restricted from using any facilities at the property? I know it is disappointing! But if its about proximity, the Grand Luxxe pool isn't "close" either. It is not like other hotels where you walk outside the lobby and its there. It is a hike. Take a look at the map.

https://www.vidanta.com/documents/65216/76629/Riviera-Maya.pdf/49bef212-0e50-8f0f-508d-b445718ba350

Nothing is really close when you stay at Grand Luxxe. This is not a "Beachfront" hotel experience where you walk out the door and are on the beach. The Vidanta property is a huge compound. They provide each resort with their own shuttle service to make everything more accessible. We also like to use the walkways and even walk to the beach club. The installed wooden walkways and the walk is great exercise and very pretty. The Shuttle service is prompt (most of the time, but hey it is Mexico! ) and the restaurants and overall service have been very good! The Grand Luxxe residences are beautiful and having access to their gym is a huge benefit. We loved the old Beach Club when we were there in the summer about 4 years ago. It had a gorgeous view of the ocean, a swim up bar and lots of seating options, whereas the Grand Luxxe pool had no view of the ocean and very little breeze due to being encircled by vegetation so once we discovered the Beach Club that was our go to.

We are excited to try the New Beach Club and if we find it isn't to our liking there are still two other pools (Grand Mayan and Mayan Palace) and the beach area. If you have never been there and haven't been to the Grand Luxxe pool, you may not even realize you are missing something. JMHO of course.

 

[hurnik]

I asked if exchangers into Grand Luxxe were restricted from using any facilities at the property? I know it is disappointing! But if its about proximity, the Grand Luxxe pool isn't "close" either. It is not like other hotels where you walk outside the lobby and its there. It is a hike. Take a look at the map.

https://www.vidanta.com/documents/65216/76629/Riviera-Maya.pdf/49bef212-0e50-8f0f-508d-b445718ba350

Nothing is really close when you stay at Grand Luxxe. This is not a "Beachfront" hotel experience where you walk out the door and are on the beach. The Vidanta property is a huge compound. They provide each resort with their own shuttle service to make everything more accessible. We also like to use the walkways and even walk to the beach club. The installed wooden walkways and the walk is great exercise and very pretty. The Shuttle service is prompt (most of the time, but hey it is Mexico! ) and the restaurants and overall service have been very good! The Grand Luxxe residences are beautiful and having access to their gym is a huge benefit. We loved the old Beach Club when we were there in the summer about 4 years ago. It had a gorgeous view of the ocean, a swim up bar and lots of seating options, whereas the Grand Luxxe pool had no view of the ocean and very little breeze due to being encircled by vegetation so once we discovered the Beach Club that was our go to.

We are excited to try the New Beach Club and if we find it isn't to our liking there are still two other pools (Grand Mayan and Mayan Palace) and the beach area. If you have never been there and haven't been to the Grand Luxxe pool, you may not even realize you are missing something. JMHO of course.

Interesting. Not sure I like it, but it does sound Vidanta-like.
We were there 2 years ago (?) on an SFX exchange and none of us (I had 3 rooms) were allowed to use the Grand Luxxe Spa either. Only Owners were allowed to use that. You could use the spa located down by Havana Moon though (Brio ?), just not the one by the GL building.

 

[PamMo]

I'm learning all kinds of new things about GL in the Riviera Maya. Exchangers can't use the GL spa? We really enjoyed the GL spa in NV!

 

[NiteMaire]

I'm learning all kinds of new things about GL in the Riviera Maya. Exchangers can't use the GL spa? We really enjoyed the GL spa in NV!

In the past, it was that exchangers couldn't use the daily amenities of the spa unless they had a massage that day. The inability to use it at all would be yet another significant change.

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[melissy123]

About not being able to use the spa, that is simply not true. We were exchangers at LXR last year and were able to use the Grand Luxxe spa.

 

[ilene13]

I asked if exchangers into Grand Luxxe were restricted from using any facilities at the property? I know it is disappointing! But if its about proximity, the Grand Luxxe pool isn't "close" either. It is not like other hotels where you walk outside the lobby and its there. It is a hike. Take a look at the map.

https://www.vidanta.com/documents/65216/76629/Riviera-Maya.pdf/49bef212-0e50-8f0f-508d-b445718ba350

Nothing is really close when you stay at Grand Luxxe. This is not a "Beachfront" hotel experience where you walk out the door and are on the beach. The Vidanta property is a huge compound. They provide each resort with their own shuttle service to make everything more accessible. We also like to use the walkways and even walk to the beach club. The installed wooden walkways and the walk is great exercise and very pretty. The Shuttle service is prompt (most of the time, but hey it is Mexico! ) and the restaurants and overall service have been very good! The Grand Luxxe residences are beautiful and having access to their gym is a huge benefit. We loved the old Beach Club when we were there in the summer about 4 years ago. It had a gorgeous view of the ocean, a swim up bar and lots of seating options, whereas the Grand Luxxe pool had no view of the ocean and very little breeze due to being encircled by vegetation so once we discovered the Beach Club that was our go to.

We are excited to try the New Beach Club and if we find it isn't to our liking there are still two other pools (Grand Mayan and Mayan Palace) and the beach area. If you have never been there and haven't been to the Grand Luxxe pool, you may not even realize you are missing something. JMHO of course.

We prefer the GL pool as there are fewer children. We went to the beach club in 2015, it had just opened and we were not impressed.

 

[bizaro86]

We prefer the GL pool as there are fewer children. We went to the beach club in 2015, it had just opened and we were not impressed.

For some reason I find this hilarious.

We preferred the GL pool with our children. Primarily because the beach club was so loud. The music and loud/inebriated adults disturbed my toddlers...

We also often went to the Grand Mayan pool, because it is zero entry

 

[lauramiddl]

Last week at jungle luxxe, we were able to use the GL spa and fitness center. You could use the spa hydrotherapy rooms onehour before any massage treatment without charge. You could also pay just to use the hydrotherapy rooms.

 

[Lingber]

We prefer the GL pool as there are fewer children. We went to the beach club in 2015, it had just opened and we were not impressed.

ilene13 I understand why you liked the GL pool. It was very serene while we were there and the sorbet and cold towels were nice touches.

From what I have heard the beach club was demolished in 2016 and replaced with a completely new facility. New pools, layout etc. I think they were going for a more hip vibe so I won't be surprised if there is loud music etc. We shall see in a few weeks.

 

[Flasher42]

Has anyone bartered to do the presentation to gain full access to the GL pool?
Or what have your bartered for?

 

[hurnik]

About not being able to use the spa, that is simply not true. We were exchangers at LXR last year and were able to use the Grand Luxxe spa.

Well it was true back in 2015. I can assure you that 3 different people in 3 different rooms didn't magically hallucinate and make up the same story when trying to book massages at the spa. (Sorry, you're not an owner, you're an exchanger, only Owners can book a massage at the spa).

However, Vidanta DOES routinely change things constantly.

Supposedly the new restriction on the GL Pool and Burgers is only temporary according to my source at an exchange company.

When we originally exchanged into GL (this was 7 years ago?) only GL guests could use the pool /burger restaurant.
When we went back in 2015, they had opened the Burger Custom Made to *all* guests (just not the pool).
And now it's apparently (currently) restricted to owners.

Originally they had a 1-4 rule, then it was 1-3 and now there is no more rule (for RCI/SFX).

So they change stuff all the time.

 

[Eric B]

When we originally exchanged into GL (this was 7 years ago?) only GL guests could use the pool /burger restaurant.

Only guests, not owners? Seems odd, but I wouldn’t put it past them. The Cafe del Lago in RM is the only buffet I’ve run into where you have to have a waiter bring you bacon; maybe they let exchangers back to into Custom Burger, but not have cheese or bacon on theirs next....

 

[melissy123]

In reading another thread, it sounded like GL owners who exchanged back in had the restrictions about the GL pool.. but who knows. We need someone who's going to be exchanging into GL which is the LXR code in Interval (not Jungle) and report back....I have an exchange into LXR in October and would be disappointed to not have use of the spa or the GL pool.

 

[lauramiddl]

In reading another thread, it sounded like GL owners who exchanged back in had the restrictions about the GL pool.. but who knows. We need someone who's going to be exchanging into GL which is the LXR code in Interval (not Jungle) and report back....I have an exchange into LXR in October and would be disappointed to not have use of the spa or the GL pool.

Tug User Lingber is exchanging into LXR and asked Vidanta specifically about LXR exchange access to GL Pool.

The response:
"There have been some changes, but you still have access to the beach club, only exclusive areas for members are, The Grand Luxxe Pool, and The burger custom made."

I'm the OP. I was able to use the fitness center, SPA hydrotherapy rooms, and book treatments, paying huge sums of money the week of Feb. 17, 2018.

Upon arrival, early Sat. 2/17/18, I was told specifically at check in that I had access to the GL pool and GL burger restaurant, with a form letter addressed to my family, signed by the president, reaffirming this. A few days later, when denied access, I was told at the front desk that policies around facility access for exchangers often change, and that they won't honor any policy that was in effect when booking your trip, or checking in, apparently.

One must roll the dice....maybe you will have access to something, maybe you won't. I was also told by the front desk manager "on duty" that that management (i.e. customer service and day to day hotel operations type people) have no control over these policies. I interpreted that to mean that sales/timeshare level benefit people controlled this policy.

I'm sure this policy is in response to Luxxe members complaining about the crowd at the GL pool. With the opening of Grand Luxxe Jungle, an additional 162 one bedroom plus size units which could easily each have three to four people in it, were suddenly trying to use those exclusive Grand Luxxe facilities. Now, I bet the Grand Bliss owners are pissed. Suddenly, a huge mass of people are using their exclusive "Beach Club," overcrowding that area. So what will Vidanta do about that? On and on it goes.

 

[ilene13]

For some reason I find this hilarious.

We preferred the GL pool with our children. Primarily because the beach club was so loud. The music and loud/inebriated adults disturbed my toddlers...

We also often went to the Grand Mayan pool, because it is zero entry

We have exchanged 6 times to the GL. Always, high season, but not school holidays. The GL pool rarely had children in it as they seemed to prefer the GM pool where there were activities.

 

[Eric B]

I'm sure this policy is in response to Luxxe members complaining about the crowd at the GL pool. With the opening of Grand Luxxe Jungle, an additional 162 one bedroom plus size units which could easily each have three to four people in it, were suddenly trying to use those exclusive Grand Luxxe facilities. Now, I bet the Grand Bliss owners are pissed. Suddenly, a huge mass of people are using their exclusive "Beach Club," overcrowding that area. So what will Vidanta do about that? On and on it goes.

The Lazy River in Riviera Maya is supposed to be limited to Grand Luxxe, though it’s not terribly clear to me whether it’ll be owners only or include exchangers. Once it opens, it should alleviate any crowding due to Jungle Luxxe occupancy for the pools. When that happens, I would expect them to act rationally and reopen the GL Pool to exchangers, but we’ll see. That would better maximize their pool bar revenue and make more people happy. Last I heard they were saying April for the opening; any updates?