First off, can I say WOW! I have stayed at a lot of places around the world, but Vidanta at Riviera Maya definitely beats many places.

I got a 4 night, 5 day package here and it was worth every penny. There are many Vidanta’s around Mexico, however the Grand Palace in Riviera Maya is the only one I have stayed at. As a result, I am unable to vouch for the other places. My brother-in-law is from Mexico, and as a result, I have traveled around most of Mexico, to both lower socioeconomic areas, and higher socioeconomic areas.

This trip was definitely on the higher end of things as Vidanta at Riviera Maya had many things to offer. This hotel was family friendly, yet also felt like a romantic getaway. Every section of the hotel felt like a different climate and “vibe” which was the most interesting.

This resort has: JOYA Cirque Du Soleil, places to see crocodiles and flamingos, restaurants on the sand where your kids can play, golf course, endless amounts of pool choices (including an infinity pool!), and the beach right at your fingertip! Check out the map here!
Through the hotel you are also able to sign up for day trips to cenotes, Chichen Itza, snorkeling and more. However, as this is an exclusive resort, you must book through the hotel. If you book through a company that the hotel does not sponsor, you will have to meet the company OUTSIDE the hotel on the main road (which is a ways of a walk) as the hotel is so grand.

Day 1: We did not necessarily have the easiest time flying into the Cancun airport. We took a red eye with two kids under 3 years old and had a pretty miserable 7-hour flight from the Tijuana airport. Once we arrived in Cancun, the hotel transportation was delayed by two hours. If traveling with family and children, I would suggest just taking a one-hour taxi from the Cancun airport to the hotel, with costs varying from $50-90.
Once arrived at Vidanta, I am not going to lie- the check in process was LONG. The process of getting off the shuttle to getting into our room took about 2 hours. The first day was honestly the most miserable, but everything after this was amazing.
On the first day, I had to work remotely, but hey, having a mini pool on the patio was not a bad place to work from! We also ordered room service because of how tired we all were, but this was the best decision ever!

Day 2:
Breakfast buffet at Del Lago with a beautiful lagoon view
Exploring the property (so beautiful!) by walking the beautiful palafitos wooden walkways connecting throughout

Checked out the crocodile pool and flamingo pool on property
Taking shuttles to and from various places throughout the resort when we were tired
Exploring all the pools! We did not want to wait in line for the fancy bungalow pools so we primarily stuck to pool bar and Grand Mayan pool.

Day 3:
Breakfast buffet at Del Lago with a beautiful lagoon view
Exploring all the pools and local beach! We especially loved the infinity pool as there was a section with sand and shallow water for kiddos
Listened to live music at the outdoor shopping/restaurant section
Dinner on the sand at Havana Moon

Day 4:
Breakfast buffet at Del Lago with a beautiful lagoon view
Day Trip with a group to Chichen Itza! This was incredibly long but totally worth it!
Dinner buffet with cultural show at Del Lago! This dinner buffet was family friendly and invited many of the children

Day 5:
Breakfast buffet at Del Lago, yes, AGAIN! To be honest, I am not even sure if they had a restaurant with another breakfast, but this buffet was SO good we just kept coming back for more.
Time to sadly check out and grab a shuttle back to the Cancun airport.

If anyone personally knows me, they know I get antsy when I stay in the same place for multiple days. Throughout the 5 days, I truly felt like I was in a different city as every inch of the property was drastically different. Throughout the hotel, there were other hotels such as The Grand Luxxe, The Grand Bliss, The Grand Mayan, Mayan Palace, and The Bliss. Every hotel lobby was drastically different, as well as the pool. This is a huge benefit as every hotel can cater towards anyone.

Like what you read? Check my travel blog for more itineraries, PNW destinations, PNW hikes, PNW travel and vacation, road trip ideas and overseas travels!