The Grand Mayan at Vidanta Nuevo Nayarit
The Grand Mayan at Vidanta Nuevo Nayarit is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Mexico with 789 rooms. Amenities include Beach, Golf Course, Lazy River, Spa and Water Slides. Travelers rate it 4.5/5 across 1,504 Google reviews.
Things to Know
Amenities
Traveler Insights(1,180 discussions)
The Grand Mayan at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta is best understood as a full-scale resort city rather than a traditional hotel. Sprawling across a ¾-mile beach on Banderas Bay, the property is part of the larger Vidanta complex and gives guests access to a staggering breadth of pools, restaurants, and activities. The centerpiece Aqua Park with its wave pool, Mayan Pyramid slide, and lazy river is a genuine highlight that families and adults both return for. And the complex keeps escalating: Cirque du Soleil's resident show Ludõ premiered in December 2025 in a $200-million custom theater with a 360-degree aquatic stage, and VidantaWorld's BON - marketed as the world's first luxury theme park, with 23 attractions, 25 restaurants, 16 shops, and five themed lands including a Cirque du Soleil zone - opens in fall 2026, exclusive to resort guests for its first year.
The experience differs significantly depending on whether you're a timeshare member or a paying guest. Members tend to love it; paying guests often feel the sales apparatus is built around converting them into members. The timeshare pressure starts at check-in and is the single most consistent complaint across traveler accounts. One important expectation-setter: despite showing up in all-inclusive searches, Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta does not offer a true all-inclusive plan - food and drinks are charged to the room, with only optional coupon-based meal plans (breakfast-only or bundled breakfast-plus-dinner packages) sold at check-in. Food quality is praised when guests stick to the property's dining options - the teppanyaki experience at Gong and the street food at Mercado Mexicano get specific call-outs - but costs add up fast, and the resort does little to encourage exploring Nuevo Nayarit or Puerto Vallarta independently.
This resort is ideal for families or groups who want a self-contained, activity-dense vacation and aren't bothered by a timeshare pitch at the start. If you're a couple looking for intimate service and a boutique feel, you'll likely find the scale impersonal. The property is comparable in scope to a Barcelo or Hard Rock mega-resort, but the suite accommodations, on-site golf course, and the arriving Cirque du Soleil and theme-park entertainment push it toward a higher tier. Puerto Vallarta's old town, the Malecon, and the Marietas Islands are all within reach for day trips if the resort itself starts to feel like a bubble.
Pros
- +Massive Aqua Park with a wave pool, lazy river, and the iconic Mayan Pyramid water slide that families and adults alike rave about
- +Access to 40+ restaurants and bars across the entire Vidanta complex - from authentic Mexican street food at Mercado Mexicano to theatrical teppanyaki at Gong
- +Suites are genuinely spacious with full kitchens, living rooms, and marble bathrooms with whirlpool tubs - nothing like a standard hotel room
- +A full ¾-mile stretch of beachfront on Banderas Bay with abundant chairs and palapas, rarely feeling overcrowded
- +The pool complex is enormous - guests regularly report sitting in a completely different pool area each day of a week-long stay
- +On-site Jim Lipe golf course and full-service spa mean you can fill an entire week without leaving the property
- +The 'Joy Squad' entertainment staff at the pool are genuinely enthusiastic and make kids and adults feel engaged throughout the day
- +VidantaWorld's BON, billed as the world's first luxury theme park, opens at the complex in fall 2026 with 23 attractions, 25 restaurants, and five themed lands - exclusive to resort guests in its first year - and Cirque du Soleil's resident show Ludõ premiered in December 2025 in a purpose-built theater with a 360-degree aquatic stage
Cons
- −Aggressive timeshare sales presentations are the most consistent complaint - staff offer 'deals' for attending a 3-5 hour sales pitch starting at check-in
- −Guests who decline timeshare presentations report receiving worse room assignments - sometimes rooms facing trees instead of ocean
- −Check-in lines can stretch to 90 minutes with no clear direction system, particularly rough after a long travel day
- −The resort app is unreliable and the property is so large that first-time guests feel lost without better orientation at check-in
- −Dining out of the resort complex is actively discouraged - staff provide little information about local options and transportation is difficult to arrange
- −There is no true all-inclusive plan despite the resort often appearing in all-inclusive searches - food and drinks are charged to the room, with only optional coupon-based meal plans sold at check-in, and a dinner for a family of four at the on-site restaurants can run $400-500 USD
- −Wi-Fi and parking carry additional fees that catch non-member guests off guard
- −Service quality is inconsistent compared to smaller, staff-attentive resorts - the scale of the property makes personalized attention difficult
Common Questions
Google Rating
Google Reviews
“Cristian and his team at Joy squad made us feel very welcome and our vacation amazing. They kept us busy with lots of fun events. We were smiling the whole time because of their team. He is a huge asset to Vidanta resorts. I’d also like to throw out...”
“The best resort I have ever been to! Wonderful and kind employees made it feel like home and we never want to leave thank you to whole joy squad teams for showing my family a fun time!! Cristian was so helpful getting us started when we were wanderi...”
“What a wonderful week! This is specifically for the Jungle Bay (kids club) Halloween adventure. Massive thanks to Yara, Caro, Kim, Dulce, Moni, and Naty. The experience was top notch for our little one. Anyone who can keep 30+ kids entertained for 2+...”