Hands-on Instruction, Food Demonstrations & Tastings with Internationally Renowned Food Bloggers

Playa del Carmen, Mexico (December 13, 2010) – Who hasn’t experienced the angst of trying to find the perfect gift for a loved one? Fortunately, this holiday season, Grand Velas Riviera Maya provides the perfect present for foodies with its Food Blogger Camp.  From January 5-9th, the AAA Five Diamond resort will host seven notable food bloggers and photographers, such as David Lebovitz, Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen; Matt Armendariz of Mattbites; food stylist Adam Pearson, and photographers Diane Cu and Todd Porter of WhiteOnRiceCouple.  In addition to meeting some of the world’s top food bloggers, participants will enjoy culinary demonstrations from the talented Grand Velas chefs, gourmet gastronomy, a Mexican wine tasting, food styling workshop, introduction to food blogging, and additional culinary seminars at the Food Blogger Camp.

The five-day, four nights Food Blogger Camp 2011 starts at $1340 per person, based on double occupancy. The all-inclusive rate includes all Food Blogger Camp activities, luxury suite accommodations, a la carte gourmet meals at a choice of specialty restaurants, premium branded beverages, 24 hr in-suite service, fitness center, kids’ club, evening entertainment, activities for adults and children, taxes and gratuities, and more.  Minimum night and other restrictions apply depending on the resort.  For more information and reservations, please call Velas Resorts at 1-866-230-7221 or visit  www.velasresorts.com

Winner Receives All-Inclusive Vacation for Four to AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya, Mexico (November 15, 2010) – Now through December 15th, Grand Velas Riviera Maya invites families to put their creativity to the test by inventing a name for the resort’s Kids’ Club.  At stake is the chance to win a two-night all-inclusive vacation for two adults and two children in one of the AAA Five Diamond resort’s 1,184 sq. ft. Master Suites, surro unded by lush Riviera Maya jungle vegetation.  The prize also includes dining at a choice of specialty restaurants,  premium branded beverages, 24-hr in-suite service, access to the resort’s fitness center, activities for adults and kids, and roundtrip airport transfers.

 For children four to 12 years old, Grand Velas Riviera Maya’s Kids’ Club offers numerous fun activities daily, such as storytelling, eco-art, origami, and board games, as well as instruction on how to make piñatas, kites, jewelry, and more. Lottery, Bingo games and video game tournaments are also organized in the two spacious kids’ rooms in the Ambassador and Master ambiences, complete with bean bags, interactive screens and a large plasma screen.  A mini-soccer field is also available for children.

 To participate in the contest, applicants must be fans of Grand Velas Riviera Maya’s facebook page and post their proposal for the Kids’ Club name. Entries and votes will be accepted from now until December 15, 2010. The winner will be determined by popular vote of Fans and announced on December 17, 2010.  The complimentary 3 day/ 2 night all-inclusive vacation is valid for travel between May 1 and December 19, 2011. Tax and gratuities are additional, and some restrictions may apply. For more information and reservations, please call 1-866-230-7221 or visit www.rivieramaya.grandvelas.com .

About Grand Velas Riviera Maya:
The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an all-suites and spa resort located five minutes from Playa del Carmen, is the latest and most sophisticated iteration of the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive resort experience.  This Leading Hotels of the World designated resort is the preeminent one of its class boasting 491 suites, each more than 1,000 square-feet, in three separate ambiances– adult-only ocean-front and ocean-view Ambassador Grand Class Suites, family-friendly Ambassador Suites and Master Suites embraced by the flora and fauna of the Yucatan Peninsula’s jungle.  The resort presents a gastronomic tour of the Yucatan, Europe and Asia offering seven restaurants with world-class chefs from France, Spain and Mexico; dedicated butler service for each guest, and the region’s largest spa sanctuary at over 89,000 square-feet specializing in signature treatments inspired by ancient cultures from around the world.  The spa recently won Virtuoso’s “Best Spa” in the world and a SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Award.  The resort was designed by lauded Mexican architecture firm Elias and Elias and features the sleek and modish interiors that fuse the serenity of the Caribbean with the vibrancy of Yucatan cultures.

What if this year you could take advantage of the week or long weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving in a tropical paradise? The kids have time off of school and you’ve got a few days off work. Whether your normal routine consists of traveling to visit family or friends or staying home to host a gathering, this year why not shake things up and organize a trip to beautiful Mexico? Come with the group or take a well-deserved vacation with your immediate family. There is no need to miss out on the Thanksgiving meal that we crave all year, as Velas Resorts will be serving an incredible dinner complete with traditional and contemporary offerings. Leave the planning, preparation and cleanup to us and enjoy world-class hospitality and all that a luxury All Inclusive resort has to offer. Have a family portrait taken on the wide sandy beach and come home tan, rested, well-fed and ready to take on those winter projects.  This is a great opportunity to enjoy fun in the sun and quality time together.

All-Inclusive packages for the Thanksgiving Holiday feature a variety of special extras depending on the resort, such as suite upgrades, massages, golf, kids 4 and under free and transportation to and from the airport. Rates start at $175 at Velas Vallarta, $225 at Casa Velas, $300 at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and $371 at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, per person per night based on double occupancy and a minimum stay of 3 nights.  

For more information and reservations, please call Velas Resorts at 1-888-210-9591 or visit www.velasresorts.com.

 The ancient Mayas believed that after death there were nine spirit worlds where the soul could go according to the form of death.  There they would stay for one year. After this year, the soul would move on to another place, a type of parallel world called Xibalbá (place of those who disappear) from which they could come and go.

 In the Riviera Maya, the banquet of souls, Hanal Pixan as the party is known, has its own style. Since 1992 in Xcaret park a Puente al Paraiso or Bridge to Paradise  is constructed to commemorate the occasion, with a cemetery of 365 brilliantly colored tombs made of various materials that represent the days of the year and the different regions of the country. Altars are mounted in memory of famous personalities and people of the community, decorated with colored paper, candles, flowers and the favorite food, drink and music of the deceased, in the belief that on the night of November 1^st the soul will come and partake in the offerings with their loved ones. Orange paths made of marigold petals lead the dead from their tomb to their altar so that they do not lose their way. Eight days after, the Bix is celebrated, in which the deceased are invited to return next year. For this celebration the food is prepared again so that the souls can take their itacate, or provisions for their travel back to where they rest during the year.

 All is life and death is part of life. It is not the final end but the beginning of eternity.

The Mayan culture is an important part of the history and present civilization of the Yucatan Peninsula. In accordance with initiatives by the states of the Yucatan Peninsula and the Secretary of Education of Quintana Roo to permanently establish the teaching of the Mayan language in the basic education system, Grand Velas joins in the effort to spread the language as part of a the recreational activities offered at the resort.

 Every Wednesday and Friday at 11:00am Alfredo Pool, activities staff member and member of a family who has succeeded in preserving their Mayan heritage, will offer lessons in this ancestral language free to guests.  The classes will teach guests greetings, numbers, a few verbs, how to pose basic questions, and how to order food.

 This is an interesting way to learn more about the Mayan legacy and immerse yourself in the local culture while enjoying your days in this Mexican Caribbean Paradise.

 For more information please contact your concierge.
conciergerm@grandvelas.com

This tour is without a doubt one of the best recommendations for people with an adventurous spirit who are seeking a day full of excitement.

The experience begins with a wild ride on the fastest zip line in the region surrounded by lush jungle, followed by an incredible 18-meter rappel into a cenote (wide natural freshwater well). A refreshing swim in the mystic waters of an underground river is next. A delicious buffet of regional fare is served, readying you for the next phase.

The adrenaline continues at the Bahia de Tortugas beach club, where you can snorkel the coral reefs, surrounded by multicolored fish and marine turtles. At the end of the trip you will be able to relax on one of the best beaches of the Riviera Maya.

I am sure that this impressive adventure
will thrill you and exceed your expectations.

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Book this amazing tour. Contact our Concierge:
conciergerm@grandvelas.com

In the ancient Mayan world, the word dzonot which later became cenote represented an abyss, the entry to other worlds filled with magic and mysticism as well as being fountains of life that provided precious liquid.

These fresh water wells were created by the erosion of limestone and are typically circular with steep walls: they begin as underground chambers and as the cavity grows, they can break through the surface of the earth. In the majority of cases they are joined with expansive complex subterranean networks that at times create passages all the way to the sea.  

There are various types of cenotes, according to their characteristics: open wells, semi-underground, underground or cave cenotes.

It is estimated that more than 3000 cenotes are distributed over the Yucatan peninsula. Of those, 1400 have been discovered and mapped, the most popular being the ones found in Chichen Itzá, Valladolid, X’keken and Xcaret.

You can enjoy a free tour of one of the cenotes closest to Grand Velas Riviera Maya, or if you would like to adventure out much farther on a guided tour, there are various agencies that provide this service, carrying out more complete explorations of these fantastic sites.  

Don’t miss the opportunity to see and experience one of these unique marvels of the world and create unforgettable memories.

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The amazing visual spectacle is made up of thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, creating an air of mysticism in this enigmatic place.

Be witness to millions of years of evolution, traversing over the 600 meters by swimming and walking it’s beautiful paths, and go deep into a subterranean world of impressive formations where you will experience incredible sensations in the most absolute of silences.

This fabulous reserve found near Playa del Carmen is a gem of Mexican ecology and is on its way to being declared a Natural World Heritage Site.

By voyaging into the depths of the earth, the visitor will undoubtedly have an experience that will change their conception of life and history.

For more information visit: www.riosecretomexico.com.

One of the various activity options available to guests at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, is the ecological tour guided by the recreational activities staff. This tour begins in the Master section Lobby that is immersed in the exuberant jungle. From  here the tour follows the path to the resort entrance, through the zone known as “la casa de los alushes” or “house of the alushes”,  as the guides explain a bit about these mythological Mayan creatures as well as the flora and fauna of the zone. The tour continues to the entrance of one of the closest cenotes where information is shared about these incredible natural wells, and concludes with a visit to the plant nursery where guests can see many products growing that will be used in the preparation of the delicious cuisine at Grand Velas. 

The ecological tour is offered Monday through Friday free of charge, and lasts about 1 hour. Space is limited, as the tour is done by golf cart, so don’t forget to ask the Concierge about this fun and informative activity.  Please feel free to write to: conciergemasterrm@grandvelas.com

Uno de los sitios favoritos para el buceo es sin duda la fantástica Isla de Cozumel; dentro de ella existen sitios como Yucab, Maracaibo, Santa Rosa, Paraíso, Palancar y Punta Sur que destacan por sus majestuosos paisajes que atraen a miles de buzos cada año.

Dentro de Cozumel, destaca por su magnífica belleza coralina la Isla de las Golondrinas, con aguas que albergan un acuario natural sin comparación. Más hacia el occidente, se encuentra un fascinante e intrincado sistema de arrecifes vivos y petrificados que se sumergen de manera parcial o total en las cristalinas y tranquilas aguas del Caribe durante todo el año; ésta es una de las zonas favoritas de los buzos, debido a que es el refugio de las más diversas y hermosas especies marinas como tortugas, delfines, mantarrayas, tiburones y millones de peces multicolores que se concentran debido a la corriente que predomina en esta parte del arrecife.

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A unos cuantos metros más, se ubica el talud continental que desciende abruptamente hasta 150 m, creando una pared que alberga en su penumbra a las más caprichosas y extrañas formas de vida; debido a la inclinación de esta pared, en ciertas áreas, da la impresión de estar nadando debajo de ella, lo que crea una ilusión óptica que convierte esta experiencia en algo fantástico.

Lo que hay que ver desde la superficie es tan hermoso como puede serlo desde cerca. Viva y disfrute esta mágica aventura bajo el agua que le revelará un mundo maravilloso.