Vidanta Resorts Guide: Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya & More

Vidanta is a luxury resort and entertainment group in Mexico with 8 destinations. Each resort has amazing service, high-end amenities, and a variety of spacious accommodations that are great for families. We have personally had amazing vacations at Vidanta resorts and have sent friends and family who have enjoyed them. We hope this information will be helpful for anyone considering visiting a Vidanta resort.

In this article:

• Quick Overview
• Vidanta Locations
• Vidanta Resort Hotel Brands
• How to Book a Trip to a Vidanta Resort
• General Advice for Visiting Any Vidanta Resort
• Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (aka Nuevo Nayarit) – Specific Info, Tips, and Photo Gallery
• Vidanta Riviera Maya – Specific Info, Tips, and Photo Gallery
• All About Memberships

Quick Overview

Vidanta Resorts is a collection of luxury vacation resorts in Mexico owned and operated by Grupo Vidanta. The company is known for developing large beachfront destinations that combine luxury hotels, vacation ownership, golf courses, spas, fine dining, entertainment, and family attractions.

Vidanta Resorts are NOT all-inclusive, unlike most resorts in Mexico. We actually think that’s a very GOOD thing. The food and beverage quality and the service are much better than at all-inclusive resorts we’ve experienced. Want to do excursions off property, eat authentic food in town, sleep through breakfast, or not drink alcohol all day? Then staying at a non-all-inclusive will probably be better for you. You aren’t tied to the resort and won’t feel pressure to eat every meal there. Many Vidanta hotel rooms also have kitchens, so you can bring in your own food and beverages.

Vidanta Resorts are mostly vacation club/membership/timeshare properties. Because of this, booking as a non-member can be harder than at typical resorts. See our section below about how to book a stay at Vidanta. Vida Vacations is the group that sells the memberships. Memberships can be great but are not for everyone. See the Membership section below for more info. When you visit, they will ask you to set up a meeting to hear their sales pitch. You can just say no! Vidanta resorts have amazing reviews, but the negative reviews are mostly about the sales tactics of the Vida team, not the resort itself.

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Vidanta Locations:

• Nuevo Vallarta (on the other side of the river to Puerto Vallarta, also called “Vallarta – Nuevo Nayarit” on the Vidanta website)
  This is currently the largest resort and our top choice for families, with plenty of activity options including a luxury theme park. (Skip to details on this resort >)
• Riviera Maya (in between Cancun and Playa del Carmen)
  This is the next largest resort, located in a lush jungle with lots of activity options. Our second (but still amazing) choice for families. (Skip to details on this resort >)
• Acapulco
  Smaller than the two above, but still has fun activities like a lazy river, a kids’ aquapark with waterslides, golf, etc. Our third choice for families.
• Puerto Peñasco
  Drivable from SoCal and the Southwest US, this resort is on the Sea of Cortez next to the Sonoran Desert. It has the only indoor pool option at Vidanta resorts, as well as outdoor pools and a lazy river.
• Los Cabos
  Small and more compact, but just as luxurious. The nice thing about this one is its proximity to Cabo, which is fun to explore, but the resort is on the side of the peninsula that has a sandy beach.
• Puerto Vallarta
  This is a small resort in the wonderful city of Puerto Vallarta. It has a pool, spa, and a restaurant, but not much else, so you can take a quick shuttle over to nearby Nuevo Nayarit for many more activities and entertainment options.
• Mazatlán
  The original Vidanta property. A small property that’s more like a typical hotel on a nice beach with a great pool.
• NEW – East Cape
  The newest property that will be growing a lot over the next several years. We aren’t going to recommend this one yet, but it’s going to move up the list as it grows!

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Vidanta Resort Hotel Brands

Within Vidanta, there are several different resort hotel brands. They are different levels, so some are higher-end and come with extra perks. Not all the Vidanta locations have all the hotel levels.

From low to high-end:

1. Mayan Palace

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya, Acapulco, Puerto Peñasco, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán.
• Rooms: Rooms range from a typical one-room hotel to suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms. They are nice, but not as luxurious as others on this list.
• Pools and access: If you’re visiting a location with multiple hotels, Mayan Palace is the lowest level, which will mean you won’t have access to every pool or area. For example, at Nuevo you won’t have access to the lazy river, wave pool, aqua park, and waterslide. If traveling with kids, that could be a big disappointment and it’s worth upgrading to The Grand Mayan, which will include those. At Riviera Maya, you will have access to the main pool only, but that’s the biggest pool that most people enjoy.

2. The Bliss

• Where is it available: Riviera Maya only
• Rooms: Rooms range from a typical one-room hotel to suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms. They are nice, but not as luxurious as others on this list.
• Pools and access: You will only have access to the main pool, but it’s huge and very popular with families.

3. Celebrate Park

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta only
• Rooms: Rooms range from a typical one-room hotel to suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms. They are nice, but not as luxurious as others on this list.
• Pools and access: Celebrate Park has its own pool at the hotel you’ll have access to. You can also take a shuttle to the main pool and beaches, but you won’t have access to the Grand Mayan and Beach Club pools. Celebrate Park is toward the back of the resort, closer to the BON Luxury Theme Park, but you’ll still need to take a shuttle or the SkyDream gondola to the theme park.

4. The Grand Mayan

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya, Acapulco, Puerto Peñasco, Los Cabos
• Rooms: Spacious rooms range from a one-room master suite to suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms and full kitchens. Each room has a private terrace, and some have plunge pools.
• Pools and access: Grand Mayan gets access to additional pools that are very popular with families. In Nuevo Vallarta, it includes access to the lazy river, wave pools, and waterslides. In Riviera Maya, it includes access to the Sanctuary pool (gorgeous), and the Infinity pool. Other locations give you access to additional pools and lazy rivers. At Nuevo Vallarta and Riviera Maya, the Grand Mayan does NOT include access to the Grand Bliss or Luxxe pools.

5. The Grand Bliss

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta and Riviera Maya
• Rooms: Spacious rooms range from a one-room master suite to suites with 1 or 2 bedrooms and full kitchens. All rooms have private terraces and jacuzzi tubs.
• Pools and access: Grand Bliss has access to the main pool, all the Grand Mayan pools, PLUS an additional pool only available to Grand Bliss level and above. At Riviera Maya, the extra pool is the Beach Club, which is absolutely gorgeous.

6. Legacy and Grand Legacy

• Where is it available: Riviera Maya
• Room: Legacy rooms are formerly Mayan Palace rooms, and Grand Legacy rooms are formerly Grand Mayan suites, but all have been completely redone with modern design and are the newest rooms at Riviera Maya. They come in 6 varieties from lofts to master suites with 2 beds/3 baths. The buildings where you find these rooms are closer to the main pools and restaurants than other sections of the resort if having a short walk is important to you. Learn more about the room options >
• Pools and access: Legacy level rooms have access to the main pool and Grand Mayan pools. Grand Legacy rooms have access to the same pool plus the Beach Club pool.

7. Kingdom of the Sun

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta, up next to the new BON luxury theme park.
• Rooms: This is one of the newest hotels and the rooms are all gorgeous. They come in 1 or 2 bedroom suites or lofts.
• Pools and access: There is a gorgeous pool and hot tub area for Kingdom of the Sun that is right outside the hotel. You can also take shuttles or the SkyDream gondola to the main pool and beaches in the rest of the huge Nuevo Vallarta resort. You also have the closest proximity to VidantaWorld’s BON Luxury Theme Park. You do NOT have access to the Grand Mayan pools, lazy river, and wave pool area, but you can buy a day pass or just don’t go to that area and your kids won’t know what they’re missing.

8. DeLuxxe at the Grand Mayan

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta
• Rooms: The rooms are located in one of the Grand Mayan buildings, which means you’re super close to the beach, lazy river, wave pools, water slide, etc., except the rooms are fancier than typical Grand Mayan rooms and have better views. They come in junior suites, 1-bed, or 2-bed suites.
• Pools and access: All the Grand Mayan stuff (lazy river, wave pools, water slide), plus all the Grand Luxxe pools. It’s A LOT of pools. Some of them you would need to take a shuttle to. You could spend each day at a different pool if you wanted.

9. Jungala Hotel

• Where is it available: Riviera Maya
• Rooms: These rooms are repurposed/rebranded Grand Luxxe Jungle 1-bedroom suites. Jungala Hotel is offered on Expedia to non-members as a way to help more people easily experience Vidanta. The rooms have lovely decor and are very spacious. The hotel itself is close to the Jungala Aqua Park and you can take shuttles to get to the other areas of the resort.
• Pools and Access: Some bookings come with access to Jungala Aqua Park (normally a separate ticket), which is a huge benefit! The Aqua Park is amazing! If your booking does not come with access to Jungala Aqua Park, you can purchase a discounted ticket. You also get access to all other pools other than The Estates pools.

10. Grand Luxxe

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta and Riviera Maya
• Rooms: Gorgeous luxury rooms in MANY varieties. From simple master suites to ridiculously nice 2-3 bedroom spa or royal suites. In Nuevo Vallarta, Grand Luxxe is housed in towers on the Ameca River, so most have great views. Room options at NV location > In Riviera Maya, there are no close-up water views because the resort is set in the jungle, but Grand Luxxe has 4 towers in a lovely and quiet section of the resort. Room options at RM location >
• Pools and access: In Nuevo Vallarta you have access to all the main pools and the Grand Mayan water fun (lazy river, wave pool, slides, etc), but also the Grand Luxxe circular pool, infinity pool, tower pools, Punta pools and kids club pool. You will not run out of pools to explore.
  In Riviera Maya, you have access to all pools, including the private Grand Luxxe pool and hot tubs (the only hot tubs at the RM resort) and the gorgeous Beach Club. You also have access to a private beach area with comfortable seating.

11. The Estates

• Where is it available: Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya, and coming to East Cape
• Rooms: Luxurious 1 to 4 bedroom suites with full kitchens and terraces. In Nuevo Vallarta, the Estate buildings are across the Ameca River next to the golf course. In Riviera Maya, The Estates buildings are nestled back in the jungle on the other side of the highway. Both locations provide a secluded and private escape away from the hustle in other parts of the resort.
• Pools and access: The Estates have exclusive pools and an exclusive restaurant at each location. In Nuevo Vallarta you also get access to an exclusive spa. You also have access to all the lower-level pools. Just keep in mind you’ll need to take shuttles to the main pools, beaches, and restaurants, but the shuttles for Estate guests work very efficiently.

Resort Hotels by Location:

Nuevo Vallarta (in order of low to high-end):

1. Mayan Palace
2. Celebrate Park
3. The Grand Mayan
4. The Grand Bliss
5. Kingdom of the Sun
6. DeLuxxe at Grand Mayan
7. Grand Luxxe
8. The Estates

Riviera Maya (in order of low to high-end):

1. Mayan Palace
2. The Bliss
3. The Grand Mayan
4. The Grand Bliss
5. Legacy
6. Grand Luxxe
7. The Estates

Acapulco:

• Mayan Palace
• The Grand Mayan

Puerto Peñasco:

• Mayan Palace
• The Grand Mayan

Los Cabos:

• The Grand Mayan

Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán:

• Grand Mayan

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How to Book a Trip to Vidanta

Vidanta is not the same as booking a trip to Sandals or other resort chains. It’s a member resort first and foremost, but you do NOT need to be a member to enjoy a stay at a Vidanta property. Below are the ways you can book. You can also contact us to help you. We are not a typical travel agency and can give you several options.

1. Book Through Expedia

You can’t book all resort types through Expedia, but this is the easiest way to book at Vidanta for most people. The hotels you will regularly find on Expedia are:

Jungala Hotel at Riviera Maya

The Jungala Hotel is gorgeous and a great way to experience a Vidanta resort. The hotel is farther from the beach and main pools than some others, but the pathways are beautiful and the shuttle system works efficiently most of the time. You are also close to the Jungala Aqua Park and can often get free or discounted tickets included with your stay. Check Availability >

BON Hotel at Nuevo Vallarta

BON Hotel is close to VidantaWorld’s new BON Luxury Theme Park. The theme park is partially open but is still being constructed. The hotel is new and beautiful and has a great pool area. You do have to take a shuttle or gondola ride to get to the other pools, beaches, and restaurants at this huge resort. Check Availability >

(A quick note on Expedia and other 3rd-party booking companies…We have never had a problem with Expedia (or VRBO, booking.com, or any other major booking company). Some people will say you should always book direct whenever possible, but you’re often missing out on inventory and savings if you only ever book direct.)

2. Rent through VRBO (or others)

Members will sometimes list their weeks on rental sites. There is always a slight risk involved when renting from others, but doing it through a reputable site like VRBO gives you an extra layer of protection.

Make sure you look through the listing information to make sure it’s a Vidanta property and find out which hotel brand it is so you’ll know what type of access you have (see our guide above).

Keep in mind most members rent full weeks with check-in on weekends, so if you aren’t seeing many options, adjust your dates to fit these parameters.

Explore these Riviera Maya options >

Explore these Nuevo Vallarta options >

Acapulco options >

You can also explore rentals on RedWeek >

3. Guest Access from a Member

If you have a friend or family member who is a Vidanta member, they may be willing to let you book a week through them. Then you don’t have to go through a 3rd party site and your friend can book you directly through member services. If you know our family personally, we occasionally sell our weeks and you can reach out to us to discuss. We also know other members we can connect you with.

You can also join the Facebook Group – Vidanta Resort Rentals where members often list weeks available or you can make a post about what you’re looking for.

4. Timeshare Exchange

If you own a timeshare already, you can sometimes find Vidanta Resorts available for exchange on Interval International and/or RCI. There have been times over the years when it is easy to exchange for Vidanta properties, and other times when they rarely show up.

Vidanta resorts are an excellent use of an exchange. We have exchanged with Interval for a long time and Vidanta is the best property we’ve ever exchanged for. It’s also nice that it’s not all-inclusive, as many other resorts available for exchange in Mexico and the Caribbean require an expensive all-inclusive add-on.

5. Book Direct Through Vidanta

You can technically call Vidanta directly and talk to them about what’s available, but you will pay a premium. With so many ways to save, we recommend trying one of the methods above first.

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General Advice for Visiting Any Vidanta Resort

• Airport Transportation: Call Vidanta a few weeks before your arrival to set up transportation from the airport to the resort. MOST locations offer this, but not all. Have your flight information ready to give them. There is a fee for this service, but it’s usually more affordable and more reliable than trying to get your own transportation.
• Download the VidantaWorld app to see the interactive map, activity schedule, and more. Available for most of the locations.
• Restaurants: Some of the restaurants need reservations. Explore the restaurants in the app to decide which are your priorities and if they need a reservation.
• Saving Money on Food: The food is great, but not the cheapest. We find it to be on par with typical higher-end restaurants. If you want to save money, get a room with a kitchen (which most offer) and get groceries delivered.
• Happy Hour: If you like alcoholic beverages, take advantage of happy hour where they have 2-for-1 drinks. Ask the staff when happy hour is as it can vary per location.
• BYOB: You can also pick up alcohol at the airport on your way out to make your own drinks.
• Exchange Rate: Ask them to run all expenses and your final bill in pesos. That’s actually my advice for every foreign currency. Let your credit card company or bank set the exchange rate, not the resort.
• Cash: Everything is cashless at the resorts EXCEPT tipping for the bell boy, maid service, etc. Tipping in pesos is always preferred. Exchange some cash before you get to the resort. Always keep your cash in the safe in the room and only bring out the amount you’ll need that day.
• Sales presentation: DO NOT FEEL PRESSURE to do the sales/information presentation. Be polite but say no, you are not interested and don’t want to waste the salesperson’s time.
• Perks of doing the presentation: If you know how to sit through a presentation to learn more (and you do get to learn more about Vidanta which can be helpful), and can still say NO to a high-pressure salesperson, and don’t mind spending 3-4 hours of your vacation doing this, then you get a very nice free breakfast and discounts on your final bill and other perks that can be worth it. (If you really like the presentation, please read the section below about memberships.)

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Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (aka Nuevo Nayarit) – Info, Tips, and Photo Gallery

The largest Vidanta property!

Location:

Nuevo Nayarit, right across the river from Puerto Vallarta, on the West coast of Mexico.

Hotel brands:

Mayan Palace, Celebrate Park, The Grand Mayan, The Grand Bliss, Kingdom of the Sun, BON Hotel, DeLuxxe at Grand Mayan, Grand Luxxe, The Estates

Restaurants:

There are over 40 restaurants and eateries on property. Our favorites are Quinto (rooftop grill serving steak, seafood and more), Tramonto (Italian), Gong (Asian), La Cantina (Mexican), Puerto Manjar (beachfront seafood).

Pools:

So many it’s hard to count! Google says 30 but not all are available to all guests. No matter what pools you have access to – they are great! Our kids’ favorite area is the Grand Mayan area that includes a lazy river, multiple pools, a large waterslide from a pyramid, two wave pools, and a kid’s aqua park area. If that sounds like the area your kids would like most too, we recommend booking a room at The Grand Mayan or DeLuxxe at Grand Mayan so you’re close to the action.

Beach:

Huge and sandy! The only problem is it can be a long walk from the pools and beach loungers to the ocean. The ocean is swimmable although it can be too cool in the winter.

Things to do other than pools and beach:

• Spa – there are several spas for different levels. All are amazing!
• Golf – 3 golf courses including a Greg Norman-designed course (where the Mexico Open is played) and a lighted par 3 course. There’s also a driving range and a golf simulator.
• Par Tee Zone – like Top Golf. Our kids love it!
• Tennis and Pickleball
• Vidanta World’s BON Luxury Theme Park – still in development, but some parts are open and it’s going to be amazing!
• Cirque du Soleil LUDO
• SkyDream Gondolas
• Daily activities with the Joy Squad
• Nighttime entertainment at Santaurio, including live performers, acrobatics, dancers, and more
• VR Experience
• Outdoor movies
• Nightly live music
• Nightly lake show (lights, fountains, projections)
• Fire Show (most nights on the beach)
• Esplanade Concert Venue – check to see if there’s a concert happening while you’re there

Arrival Day Info and Tips:

• Your transportation will drop you off at the Central Lobby, NOT the lobby for the specific hotel you are staying in.
• Vidanta staff will greet you and load up your bags to take them to your room. It could be a few hours before you have access to your bags again so keep your essentials with you.
• We recommend keeping a small bag with you with essentials like your wallet and passport, sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe a bathing suit if you can’t wait to hit the pools!
• You will be able to take a shuttle to your actual hotel and finish your check-in there. If your room is ready, you can head there right away but may not have your bags yet. If the room isn’t ready you can start exploring the resort and they’ll alert you when the room is ready.
• They may try to get you to sign up for a sales presentation when you check in. Be ready to say a polite but firm no, or agree to the presentation, understanding what it will be like (see our tips in the member section below).

Off-site exploring and excursions:

Our #1 favorite excursion in PV and my kids’ favorite anywhere in the world: Vallarta Adventures Outdoor Adventure: https://www.vallarta-adventures.com/en/tour/outdoor-zip-line-adventure

The adventure includes:

• Pick up from Vidanta Central Lobby
• High-speed boat ride across the gorgeous Banderas Bay, past awesome rock formations
• A bumpy and fun ride in a Unimog 4×4 truck through a quaint fishing town and up into the Sierra Madre mountains
• A mule ride even further up into the mountains
• An exciting zip line circuit including a roller coaster zip line
• Rappelling next to a waterfall
• Huge hillside water slides
• An area where you can get freshly made food and drinks and enjoy play areas while you wait to go back down the mountain and back on the boat.

Explore Puerto Vallarta

Downtown Puerto Vallarta (Zona Centro/Malecón area) is a lovely area with cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and a lively waterfront that’s easy to explore on foot in a day. You can take a taxi from Central Lobby. If you take a taxi, agree on the price before you get in the cab and pay in pesos. Some things you can do in Puerto Vallarta:

• Walk the Malecón — the oceanfront boardwalk lined with public sculptures, street performers, and sunset views; best in early evening.
• Visit the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe — the crown-topped landmark that anchors the skyline and is worth a look inside.
• Browse the Isla Cuale — a small river island with an art market, cafés, and a quieter, greener break from downtown’s bustle.
• Wander Old Town (Zona Romántica) just south of the river — galleries, boutique shops, and some of the city’s best casual dining.

Other tours and excursions:

There are many other options in the area! We recommend checking out options on Get Your Guide. Get Your Guide has free cancelations and verified reviews.

Photo Gallery

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Vidanta Riviera Maya – Info, Tips, and Photo Gallery

The second-largest Vidanta property.

Location:

About a 30-40 minute drive South of Cancun airport, in the Riviera Maya area of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Hotel brands:

Mayan Palace, The Bliss, The Grand Mayan, Legacy Resort, Jungala Hotel, The Grand Bliss, Grand Luxxe, The Estates

Restaurants:

There are nearly 20 restaurants and eateries on property. A few of our favorites are Quinto (grill serving steak, seafood and more with oceanfront views), Nektar (Yucatan), Tramonto (Italian), Gong (Asian), Havana Moon (Cuban with oceanfront dining and live music and dancing some nights), and eating at any of the restaurants and eateries in Salum.

Pools:

There are multiple pools, but you may not have access to all of them depending on the hotel you are staying in. Even if you only have access to the main pool, you will have a great time! All pools are beautiful, have seating, and have great service where you can order food and drinks and have them delivered right to you. The pools have chillers so they are never too hot, even in summer (if you’re familiar with pools in the south – they are often too hot to be refreshing).

• Main Pool – The main pool at Riviera Maya is huge and beautiful with plenty of seating, swim-up bars, fountains, multiple levels and sections (it’s like 10 pools all connected), and changing-color lights at night. It’s always fun!
• Infinity Pool – If you are staying at the Grand Mayan level or higher, you have access to the Infinity Pool, a family favorite with sand, zero entry, a bar, and views of the lagoon. There is also a series of leveled pools connecting the Infinity Pool to the Main Pool and our kids find it fun to swim between the two.
• Sanctuary Pool – Also for Grand Mayan level or higher, the Grand Mayan Sanctuary pool is beautiful, quieter than others, with lots of shaded and comfortable seating.
• Beach Club Pool – When we travel without kids, this is our FAVORITE. The kids prefer the other pools, but this pool is gorgeous, has very comfortable seating, has views of the ocean, has great service, it’s quiet, and they reserve your spot. During more crowded times, we have heard people have to arrive early to get a good spot, but we have never had a problem getting one. If you are traveling with younger kids, there is a Kid’s Club next to the Beach Club where you can drop off your kids and then enjoy the Beach Club without them.
• Grand Luxxe Pool – Only available if you’re staying at Grand Luxxe, but this is a rectangular pool surrounded by jungle that has nice seating and easy access to the Grand Luxxe section of the beach. The best part is this is the only pool with hot tubs.
• The Estates Pool – Only available to Estates guests and we have never been there, but it looks nice!

Beach:

• The actual beach has nice sand, palm trees, and plenty of places to sit. But as you get close to the water, you’ll find rocky coral patches. There are little areas of sand where kids can play and people can wade and sit in the water, but if you want to truly swim in the ocean, it can be a bit tricky. We have done it on days when the waves aren’t strong, but we wear water shoes to get out past the coral. The fun part is you can snorkel right off the beach! Again, it’s not the easiest to get out there and you need to be a good swimmer or wear a life jacket, and don’t go when the waves are large – but once you’re out there you can see lots of colorful fish!
• If you want a beach with a sandier bottom to walk out into the ocean, just head away from the resort in either direction. You’ll have to walk a bit but will come to places where there isn’t as much coral and you can walk out in sand.
• The big problem to be aware of – the entire coastline of Quintana Roo has been dealing with a sargassum problem. Sargassum is a type of seaweed and in recent years the current has been pushing tons of it onto the coastline. Vidanta truly does the best they possibly can at clearing the beach, but sometimes it’s more than they can handle. Mexico is trying to find ways to help prevent the sargassum from reaching shores (as it has had an impact on tourism) and the severity depends on weather and currents, so it’s not a consistent and endless problem, but you need to be aware. A few of the recent negative reviews of Vidanta are about the sargassum, but it’s truly not a Vidanta problem.
• The beach has docks coming off it, but only one is in good enough shape to walk out on. It’s fun to walk out and look for ocean life!
• If your main goal is to swim in the ocean and relax on a pristine beach, this may not be the resort for you right now. But the pools, restaurants, rooms, service, and the surrounding activities still make this resort worth it to our family.

Jungala Aqua Park

Jungala is the luxury water park at Vidanta Riviera Maya. This is not your typical water park! It is never crowded, there is plenty of shaded seating, you get poolside service so you can order and have food and drinks delivered right to your seat, and the landscaping makes you feel like you’re in a jungle escape, not a crazy water park. Also, the food and drinks are excellent!

Tickets:

• Tickets are NOT included in a stay at Vidanta Riviera Maya. Guests of Jungala Hotel get discounted tickets, and there could be special promotions available for other Vidanta guests.
• You can also get a discount by attending the sales presentation (but know what you’re getting into!)
• Regular tickets are usually around 1400 pesos ($80-ish dollars – always pay in pesos and let your credit card company handle the exchange rate). There are also tickets that include food, but check on exactly what food and drinks are included and decide if it’s a good deal for your family.
• We recommend waiting to book your tickets once you’re on property through a Vidanta concierge vs. buying them in advance online so you can ask about discounts.

Highlights:

• The lazy river is our favorite! It’s the longest in Latin America, is surrounded by lush vegetation and water features, there’s a swim-up bar along the way, and it’s never crowded. It also connects you to other areas so you can float your way to the slides or activities you want to do.
• Wave pool – big, clean, and never crowded
• Family slides – there are 2 large family slides where up to 4 people can fit in a circular raft together. These are a lot of fun!
• Kids area – if you have younger kids – they might want to play here all day! It’s the world’s largest interactive water play structure and features lots of fun water activities and slides.
• Mat racing slides – our family loves racing each other on these side-by-side slides
• Extreme slides – there are 3 different slides that I will never do, but my kids say are fun. Two of them are free-fall launches and apparently make you feel like you’re going through a loop. The other is a classic body-flume drop slide. One note: we did see a few kids get stuck on the Hoop Hoop Aqua Loop. They will come and help you if you do get stuck, but it’s best to make sure you weigh enough for gravity to get you through the loop.
• Jacuzzi – there’s a hot tub near the kids’ play area if you want to relax there with a beverage while your kids run around.

Tips:

• Use the internal Vidanta transportation (trams and golf carts) to get to and from Jungala. Unless you’re staying at the Jungala Hotel, the walk can be a bit long.
• Get there early and stay all day! It is only open from 10am-5pm. It may not seem like a huge park, but it’s so nice you’ll want to relax and enjoy it all day. It’s not the type of park where you’ll just do the slides once each to check a box and want to leave.
• They have cabanas available to reserve in advance and they do often sell out. There are different levels of cabanas, and some include food and beverages. While they are nice to have, I do not think they are essential for a good day. We often prefer to just find a nice shaded spot along the lazy river because we spend a lot of our time there. Or if you know your kids will be in the kids area most of the day, pick a spot near there instead. Some of the cabana areas are a bit too far from the action.

Other things to do on property:

There are always activities happening and the Vidanta app will give you a schedule. Things to do include:

• Golf – The Nicklaus Par Three Experience at Riviera Maya is one of the world’s most beautiful short courses. The two golf-lovers in our family love it! (And I love that it’s a par-3 and doesn’t take up as much time.) You will always see some fun wildlife on the course such as iguanas, tropical birds, and coatis.
• JOYA – Cirque du Soleil show. It’s truly a fantastic show! Every seat in the theater is great. You can buy tickets that include dinner and the meal is very unique and delicious. If going with kids, I would skip the meal. You can also make reservations to eat at Nektar (the restaurant next to JOYA) either before or after the show.
• Spa – There are 2 spas with lots of great options.
• Live music – check the app, but there is almost always live music happening somewhere each night
• Organized activities (found in the app), including water volleyball, aqua aerobics, paddle board stretch class, Spanish lessons, salsa lessons, arts and crafts, volleyball, exercise classes, seasonal sea turtle releases, and more.
• Theme nights at Del Lago – our favorite is the Mexican Fiesta where you get an all-you-can-eat buffet of amazing Mexican food, all you can drink, and get to watch a great live show with singers, dancers, acrobats, and more.

Arrival Day Info and Tips:

• Call Vidanta a week ahead of your arrival to arrange transportation from the airport.
• Your transportation will drop you off at the Central Lobby, NOT the lobby for the specific hotel you are staying in.
• Vidanta staff will greet you and load up your bags to take them to your room. It could be a few hours before you have access to your bags again so keep your essentials with you.
• We recommend keeping a small bag with you with essentials like your wallet and passport, sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe a bathing suit if you can’t wait to hit the pools! If you want to eat while you wait for your room, head to Salum!
• You will be able to take a shuttle to your actual hotel and finish your check-in there. If your room is ready, you can head there right away but may not have your bags yet. If the room isn’t ready you can start exploring the resort and they’ll alert you when the room is ready.
• They may try to get you to sign up for a sales presentation when you check in. Be ready to say a polite but firm no, or agree to the presentation, understanding what it will be like (see our tips in the member section below).

Off-site exploring and excursions:

There is so much to do off property! And because Vidanta is NOT all-inclusive, you have the freedom to venture out without feeling like you’re missing out on your included food and beverages. Some ideas:

• Xcaret Parks – these parks are pricey but truly so fun and unique! You can include transportation from Vidanta when you buy your tickets.
  Get my recommendations of which parks to choose and tips to make the most of your time.
  Check for ticket bundles and discounts here >
• Cenotes – These sinkholes and caves filled with water are such a cool feature of this area of Mexico. A lot of the tours with Cancun Adventures include cenotes. There are also several great tours featuring multiple cenotes through Get Your Guide > You can also visit some on your own if you rent a car.
• Playa del Carmen – you can get a taxi or shuttle to nearby Playa del Carmen and explore the city, visit sandy beaches, and get some great food.
• Mayan Ruins – see the Mayan ruins in Tulum, which is about an hour’s drive south along the coastline. Or travel inland to the impressive Chichen Itza with its stairstepped pyramid, which is about 2.5 hours away. You can rent a car and drive to these places yourself, or join a tour.
• Isla Mujeres – this beautiful island off the coast of Cancun has gorgeous blue water and white sand beaches. While on the island, you can relax on a beach (although they can get crowded) and rent a bike or golf cart to explore the island, shop, and eat. There is also a good place for dolphin and manatee encounters on the island if you’re interested. You can reach the island via ferry from the Puerto Juarez port.
• Cozumel – another beautiful island but much larger than Isla Mujeres. There are several ferry operators with ferries from nearby Playa del Carmen. There is some great snorkeling and diving off the island and some good tour options >

These are tours we recommend:

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Vidanta Memberships

Vidanta memberships (sold through the company’s sales arm, Vida Vacations) are a “Right to Use” vacation club model, not a traditional deeded timeshare. Vida Vacations is a vacation membership company, also referred to as a timeshare or destination club, which allows customers to purchase a Right to Use, and more recently a real estate interest. More details:

• Right to Use, not ownership — members don’t hold a deed and aren’t assigned a specific week, and if they can’t travel in a given year, you don’t pay anything.
• Tiered resort access — higher membership levels typically unlock more benefits and more premium unit categories, while entry-level tiers may be limited.
• Upfront cost — members initially pay several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the tier. Financing is available, but we do not recommend financing unless it’s short-term with little or no interest.
• Pay to use, no yearly fee – there are no yearly maintenance fees. You just pay the usage fee when you book a week. The usage fee depends on the level and how many rooms (A 1-bedroom in Mayan Palace costs less than a 3-bed in Grand Luxxe for example).
• Contract length – memberships typically last for a set term. It can vary widely between 5-100 years.
• Sales Process – can last 2-5 hours and involves multiple salespeople and high-pressure situations. But you do get a nice free breakfast and discounts for attending the presentation. But be ready to say no and reject all early offers. They will lie and exaggerate! The best offer will usually come at the very end. It’s their last-ditch effort to hook you in and then hope you’ll upgrade to a larger tier later. We took the last offer for a price we were comfortable with that gave us access to 10 weeks and have said no to all upgrades since.
• Extra perks/memberships – They will often try to include a membership with some kind of travel discount/cruise/timeshare exchange program and claim you will get free cruises and really cheap vacation weeks. What they say is always too good to be true. Ours came with a membership that DOES give us discounts on cruises, but never free, and you have to compare them to other cruise discounts to make sure they are actually a good deal. The cheap getaways and weeks offered are usually unfilled timeshare properties off-season or only available last-minute. They sold it as “30 weeks of resort/hotel stays for $500/week” but that would only be possible if you picked off-season, less-popular places. Most of the good deals don’t work with our schedule with kids.
• Ongoing Presentations — each time you visit, you will be asked to attend an “owner updates” meeting where they will try to upsell you to higher levels of membership.
• Using weeks – you can book your week at ANY Vidanta property pending availability, not just the property where you purchased your membership. You can book rooms in your tier or below. So if you purchased at the Grand Luxxe level, but want to visit Cabo, which doesn’t have Grand Luxxe, you could book Grand Mayan, a lower tier with a lower usage fee.
• Renting and sharing weeks – you CAN offer your weeks to friends and family, or attempt to rent them on sites like RedWeek.
• Resale value is weak — because it’s a usage right rather than real property, resale/exit markets for Vidanta memberships are difficult. Many memberships are for a set number of years, so you’re not locked in forever.

Is it worth it?

It is worth it if you…

• like Vidanta resorts and want to continue to come back to them year after year
• get the upfront cost down to a price you are comfortable with and can afford without long-term financing
• are good at saying no initially and good at negotiating so you get a good deal. Compare your deal with what people are offering on TUG or Redweek
• are comfortable with the contract length. You may not want to come to Vidanta resorts forever

It is not worth it if you…

• cannot afford the upfront costs or have to finance it for long
• don’t want to be tied to Vidanta resorts each time you visit Mexico
• are purchasing for the extra perks they claimed like free cruises
• can only afford it if you sell some or all of your weeks. They make it sound easy and that you can make real money off it, but you can’t
• already own a timeshare and are an Interval International member. As of right now (Fall 2026), Vidanta shows up for exchange and certificates, which gets you access to Vidanta weeks without having to purchase a Vidanta-specific membership. This is subject to change.