Grand Velas Riviera Maya’s staying power is rooted in how it delivers continuity and consistency for both Grand Velas resorts loyalists regulars and newcomers who know the group’s reputation for delivering dependable but unquestionably luxurious all-inclusive around Mexico’s beach destinations. The best thing about all three properties—adults-only Grand Class, family-friendly Ambassador, and the exotic Ambiance Zen Grand —is that guests at all lodgings have access to every restaurant, a delightful Nespresso-branded coffee bar, pools, bike tours, indoor gyms, fitness classes, and excellent boutiques with finds from top Mexican designers.

The lobbies of the beach-adjacent Ambassador and Grand Class resorts are less than a five-minute walk from lobby to lobby and are connected by indoor and outdoor pathways. The Ambiance Zen Grand, meanwhile, is best accessed from those buildings by regular shuttles. The Grand Class and Ambassador properties live up to high expectations established by Grand Velas’ luxury beachfront properties elsewhere in Mexico down to the attentive service, perfectly maintained pool areas, and most of its branded restaurants. Grand Class suites are tailored for couples, with clean beige and white interiors, contemporary accents, private terraces, and plunge pools, while “family suites” in the Ambassador “ambiance” have a similar sensibility but with more pops of color, large spa-style bathrooms with a jacuzzi, and amenities designed for families with children as well as multi-generational groups.

The Ambiance Zen Grand, meanwhile, offers couples, families, and wellness-minded guests a dramatic change of scenery and attitude from your ordinary Playa Del Carmen beach resort. The 254-suite lodging features construction, and natural jungle and mangrove landscaping, resulting in an interesting amalgam of Mayan Jungle and Southeast Asian sensibilities. Exotic birds, monkeys, and other wildlife native to Mexico abound, and yet longhouse-like paths and bridges and red, beige, and gold interiors offset with dark woods evoke Thailand and Bali. Since all guests can access all three “ambiances” and their amenities with regular shuttles, the idea of “Zen” being an escape within an escape is seductive.

Restaurants woven into the fabric of Ambiance Zen Grand include Chaká, which is by far the most inventive restaurant among all the Grand Velas Riviera Maya eateries. By day, thick foliage of native namesake chaká, salam, and chechen trees provides a gorgeous backdrop for hearty Mayan breakfasts such as the “Chichen Itza Sincronizada” pancake topped with escabeche-style cured turkey, “Cochinita Pibil Omelet,” and quesadillas with a choice of not-so-familiar Mexican fillings such as tinga de pollo, nopales (cactus), or huitlacoche/black corn truffle. The dinner menu is even more ambitious, with the kitchen turning out vibrantly seasoned dishes with indigenous flavors such as the coconut-y ceviche-style “Aguachile de Pescado,” “Sikil Pak” salad topped with smoked leaves, lamb tenderloin in a “tok seel” crust, and Ribeye in a spicy “recado” crust.

Sen Lin’s menu blends familiar but beautifully presented Japanese, Chinese, and Thai crafted with local ingredients. Neighboring cocktail lounge Koi follows suit with decor echoing high-class mixology bars in Singapore, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. Koi is also a perfect site for a beautifully executed mezcal tasting session that showcases top-tier expressions of the spirit paired with gourmet salts, craft chocolate truffles, fresh fruits, fine cheeses, and plenty of useful information about the spirit’s history and growth in popularity.

While the multi-course modern gastronomy of Cocina de Autor can be an acquired taste, the Skybar is the prime showcase for the resort’s bar program with extraordinary full-strength and zero-proof cocktails. Other restaurants across the Ambassador and Grand Class are consistent in quality, presentation, and service. Piaf, adjoining Skybar, and Italian restaurant Lucca are date-night ready and feature solid, crowd-pleasing dishes in their respective genres. While the Ambassador’s Azul has menu service and a buffet that delivers something for everybody–an ideal situation when your kids are with you–The Bistro’s menu service at the Grand Class has both traditional offerings and a few unexpected but welcome Oaxacan items available made to order.

As cab rides into Playa Del Carmen can be slightly challenging to come by, it’s a good thing that Frida, under the direction of chef Laura Avalos, serves up a surprisingly authentic guacamole sampler that not only includes several sultry, hand-crafted salsas but also edible insects, grilled pineapple and corn, and other less-familiar dips to dive into. While the main courses are simple and made with quality ingredients, the inventive appetizer menu has several standout items like grilled macha octopus taco, short rib served in a “mole de olla” sauce, and a blue corn gordita stuffed with beef birria that are playful twists on regional favorites. The pool menus throughout the resort are simple and satisfying, with a letter-perfect hamburger, street tacos, ceviche, Caesar salad, and fruity margaritas.

The Ambassador and Zen Grand house supervised teen and kids’ clubs with colorful surroundings and age-appropriate activities ranging from culture-driven arts-and-crafts and storytelling to movies, board games, video areas with gaming systems, and other entertainment options. The property also has a “Baby Concierge” that makes arrangements and recommendations for parents to ensure the entire family can have a safe, enjoyable, and well-appointed trip, separately and together.

The jungle outside flows seamlessly into each other within the 40,000-square foot SE Spa. Even as premium skincare lines like Spain’s Natura Bisse figure prominently on the treatment menu, services such as the signature “Nopales Spa Treatment,” a lavish hybrid of massage, exfoliation, moisturizing, and Mayan chants, distinguish it from other five-star resort spas. The highlight here is the use of nourishing oils at different temperatures based on the needs of a client’s skin, muscles, nerves, and areas of pain. The facility also has a “Water Journey” circuit that encompasses seven unique spaces, including a clay room, a circular glass-tile-lined steam room with a fiber-optic “starlight” ceiling, an ice room with floor-to-ceiling window, and hot-and-cold experience showers. A central infinity pool with powerful massage jets completes the circuit.

Even with the carefully thought-out luxury spread through the property, curated cultural and environmental activities remind you that you are in the heart of Quintana Roo and the Yucatan. Meliponario, the resort’s new bee sanctuary, not only protects the native Maya Melipona bee and its honey production but also dovetails into a beautiful eco-tour experience that culminates with a honey tasting of varieties sourced from native bees. The tour, available to guests of all three properties also provides fascinating insights into the native plants (such as sea grape, sea lilies, coconut palm, and salt) and wildlife of the Yucatan Peninsula as well as the resort’s conservation and reforestation efforts involving 15,000 transplanted trees. Other activities at “Zen” include a live performance illustrating Mayan history and culture.