TS Today - Creating a Vision for the Future of Vacation Ownership Issue #142, Jul/Aug 2015 | Page 14

TimeSharing Today Page 14 Jul/Aug, 2015 Evaluating The Grand Mayan 2QHRIWZRH[FOXVLYH*UDQG0D\DQSRROVRYHUORRNLQJWKHODJRRQ VHHQDWOHIW  &UHGLW3KRWRVFRXUWHV\RIWKHDXWKRU By Jeff Bellin, Salem, MA The Grand Mayan, a Grupo Vidanta resort on the Riviera Maya, south of Cancún along the road to Tulum, is indeed one grand resort. It’s beautifully run. Mostly. My wife, Laurie, and I stayed there durLQJWKH¿UVWWZRZHHNVRI)HEUXDU\$ few aspects keep it from being an absolutely ¿YHVWDU UHVRUW DOWKRXJK LW¶V FORVH 7KLV resort isn’t for everyone, but if you want a high-end resort you can get lost in and be isolated from the real world, enjoy the hugeness of it, and not care about the timeshare presentation, you’ll likely come away from WKLVKDYLQJD¿YHVWDUH[SHULHQFH Check-in was fairly easy, but you’re ¿OWHUHGWKURXJKVRPHRQHWU\LQJWRVLJQ\RX up for the presentation. Go for it, or not, but know what you’re getting into. I know someone who bought into the Vidanta vacation system years ago and absolutely loves it, and I understand why. She bounces between different coasts and resorts. The presentation included a lot of misinformation, i.e., our Hawaii timeshare isn’t worth all that much because not many people go to Hawaii any more. We knew the presentation would take longer than they said. In return, we got a 1,500-pesos room credit and 10 percent off the bill for our two weeks there (a substantial saving), and found out more about the resort and its vacation program. Different Tours Be aware, though, that the tours ofIHUHGDVDEHQH¿WYLDWKHVDOHVSUHVHQWDWLRQ aren’t the same ones offered by the regular Mexican tour travel agency at the resort. The free Tulum trip, for example, is half spent at a jewelry store specializing in silver. Some cool stuff there, but do you want to spend an hour and a half inside a jewelry store? Also, Tulum is worth going to, but the guide provided was hard to understand. Set high on a cliff, Tulum is a terUL¿FH[SHULHQFHEXW\RXGRQ¶WHQGXSZLWK much discretionary time the way this tour is designed. I would have loved to climb down the steps and swim in the water at the beach below. Ano \