Whale sightings don't go unnoticed at this resort
Guests at the Puerto Vallarta-area Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit resort can expect to be alerted to cetacean sightings in an effective manner.
The upscale property faces Banderas Bay, which sees massive humpback whales gather in winter, with tourists usually eager to spot the aquatic mammals, and whale-watching tours available.
Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit marketing manager Isabel Rizzo notes her property places an outdoor gong by its beach during winter, with guests and staff alike invited to sound it when they spot a whale.
“We hit the gong and let people know. We’re so fortunate to have whales (in the bay),” says Rizzo, adding the gong can be heard by the pool and on the resort’s beach, and youngsters are particularly excited by it.
The Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is one of seven resorts Mexican-owned Velas Resorts has in the Puerto Vallarta area, Los Cabos, and the Riviera Maya, with Rizzo saying the company has been a trendsetter in the Mexican hospitality industry.
“We’re breaking the industry standard by combining the best of both worlds – luxury and all-inclusives, ” says Rizzo, whose resort has received AAA 5 Diamond status and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Rizzo reports the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit has many activities for guests and a choice of restaurants, including a Mexican one, unsurprising given the property is “100 Mexican” and features both Mexican food and art. “We like to keep the Mexican essence.”
Guests will find a bottle of mezcal – a distinctively Mexican alcohol – made specifically for the resort awaiting them in their suites.
Among activities for young guests are ecotours that showcase nature on resort grounds, with those visitors able to feed koi, spot different plants and view a bee hive that produces honey. “The bees get rest and the resort gets honey. It’s a win-win. They leave us with delicious honey,” Rizzo states.
Parents can accompany their children on the ecotours.
All Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit suites face the ocean.
Meanwhile, Rizzo reports that her resort decided against creating a VIP floor, adding, “Everybody is a VIP for us.”
That’s demonstrated by all guests being offered neck and back massages while checking in, she continues.
Suite service is available around the clock, Rizzo added.
