Living my best (vacation) life at The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres

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I am reclined on a cushioned-white lounger looking out on the white-sand Caribbean beach wondering how long I’ve been here.

Has it been two days in the lap of luxury at this grand resort? Or three?

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I don’t walk anywhere. I get shuttled around in a golf cart, or ferried by boat to and from the buffet or the resort’s village. Our concierge greets me every morning at his desk on the third floor, our floor, and asks if I “desire anything?” If the answer is yes, he is happy to arrange it. Later he will What’s App me to say its been taken care of, or the reservation has been made.

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At the beach the server comes by to ask, “Another mojito, Mr. Dave? Or this time you want tequila?” And we will both smile knowing I can’t handle tequila.

My 12-year-old daughter texts me wanting to know if she can order room service; she is living large. My wife and a gal pal are off checking out the spa. My son is playing video games at the kids’ club, or by now he might be playing pool. I’m not keeping track. Camping rules apply – go have a good time; check in at lunch time.

We are at the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa, and it is as sprawling and lavish as its name.

It’s also the home of an official Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, which means Rafa Nadal was here. (“A few times, but hasn’t been back since Covid,” I’m told.) And lent his name to the training centre – which now has high standards to maintain. There are dozens of clay courts, all immaculately groomed, and trainers standing by to give lessons. Or you can just play. All guests get one free hour of court time every day.

The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa opened in 2018 and is the newest jewel, in the Palladium family of hotels, which has properties in six countries. Known for luxury and service, this 5-star beach front resort was carved out of the jungle.

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The resort boasts 670 suites with seven room types to serve couples or large families. We stayed in a Family Selection Junior Suite. The suite had two double beds, with memory-foam mattresses, a sofa-bed, and a large bathroom with a free-standing tub with massage jets, and a separate rain-shower. And of course, provided plush bathrobes and slippers. If you arrive tired or just don’t feel like it, unpacking services are available.

Family Selection boasts a concierge for each floor, swim-out suites on the ground floor, and a lengthy private pool.Those lucky enough to book an end suite in buildings 11 or 12 get gorgeous panoramic views of the beach and the Caribbean Ocean.

The week of my December visit the resort was at 95 per cent capacity, yet none of the facilities were busy or crowded. (Except Zentropia Spa, which my wife forgot to get the concierge to book.)

“It’s like a boutique hotel. All quality. But spread out so it’s really quiet,” said Sam Abulail, a Vancouverite who was on holiday at the same time.

Finding the right balance: The beach or the pool

My bare feet sink a half inch into the white sand with each step. The sea is four shades of blue. If I squint, I can see Isla Mujeres in the distance. But I’m not trying that hard. I prefer to watch the beautiful people, the waves, and the lone brown pelican skimming the water for its next meal.

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The days matter. It might be time to rotate from seaside to the main pool. From mojitos to Sauvignon blanc.

There are a lot of activities to keep guests entertained. On offer is; paddle boarding on the lake that runs through the centre of the resort, archery, catamaran sailing tours, kayaking, Spanish lessons, aerobics, both aqua and on the beach, snorkelling at coral reefs, wine and tequila tastings, cooking classes, and of course tennis at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre.

My wife joined the group of mostly women at beach aerobics, my son played tennis at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, and my daughter ordered (on more than one day), pizza, the catch of the day, chocolate cake, and a Shirley Temple to the room.

You can eat the world at The Grand Palladium as each restaurant in the village specializes in a different cuisine. There is a Hindu cuisine, a Japanese show kitchen, Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean, Thai, and French restaurants, two steakhouses, El Gaucho, an Argentinian cuisine, and El Dorado. In total there are more a la carte restaurants than days in the week. We had dinner at five of them and at each the food was fantastic and the atmosphere authentic.

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Dining tip: Have your concierge make all the reservations on your first day, so you can get your desirable dinner time.

There were still more restaurants that we didn’t get to. Our time in paradise came to end long before we could take it all in, Including the adults-only, TRS Coral Hotel which Family Selection adults have access to.

Which is why it’s important to keep track of the days. It all slipped away so fast with every day at the Grand Palladium one glorious Groundhog Day of my dreams.

The writer was hosted by Sunwing. No one from the company approved of or vetted this story before publication.

Use NexusTours to maximize your vacation time

After years of travelling with Sunwing Vacations, I’ve learned a few things about getting to paradise easier and earlier than most. Their Elite Plus status allows priority check-in, bypassing the general line up; on board the seats offer more leg room which is important because my wife is 5’10 and most of it is legs. But my favourite hack is booking a private pickup through Sunwing to get from the airport to our resort.

We are met outside the airport doors by a NexusTours (a Sunwing partner) representative with a sign, letting me know they are expecting me. The sign bearer welcomes me, “Mr. Dave,” takes my suitcases, and guides me to a NexusTours van. The driver who calls me ‘Mister’ and insists I sit down in the air-conditioned van while he loads my bags.

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When he gets in the van he will ask, “Is the air conditioning good? I can adjust.”

It’s always good.

We leave behind the throng of passengers that wait for the coach bus to take them from resort to resort. By the time the bus drops off passengers at the Grand Palladium, I’ve already ordered my second drink and found the buffet.

IF YOU GO:

Sunwing Vacations offers flights and all-inclusive vacation packages to Cancun, Mexico and Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa from 21 airports across Canada.

Book an excursion with Sunwing Experiences. Sunwing partners with NexusTours to offer more than a dozen excursions in Mexico for those who want adventure or culture or history lessons with their holidays.

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