Lorry Perkins
Writer, Travel Blogger
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The Best of The Luxury Bahia Akumal, Coba, Tulum, and Sian Ka’an.
Our favorite resort in Riviera Maya has always been Grand Bahia Principe. We especially enjoy staying in the adults-only section of Luxury Akumal because you have access to the whole resort, which includes Coba, the newly remodeled Tulum, and another favorite, the Sian Ka’an, which is adults-only and located on the golf course across the bridge from the main resort.
Grand Bahia Akumal’s Best Block of Rooms
The best block of rooms we have stayed in are 82 and 83, which are situated adjacent to the Infinity pool and Los Corales restaurant. The restaurant is usually open for breakfast, which is so enjoyable because you have a view of the infinity pool and the Caribbean Sea. This has been remodeled, so stay tuned for updates when we return. When the restaurant was open for lunch, we would sometimes eat there or take a break in the afternoon and enjoy drinks and snacks while gazing upon the Sea. Unfortunately, the restaurant was not open at lunchtime due to low occupancy, so we greatly missed this afternoon’s delight. In the evening, Los Corales was transformed into a steak house, but that may change with the remodel.
Many of the rooms located in Akumal were in much need of an update, so even though some guests have complained about the noise and closure of nearby restaurants and snack bars, I’m sure it will be fabulous once the remodel is complete.
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Our Favorite Restaurants in the Grand Bahia
When you stay in Akumal or the Sian Ka’an for seven days, you will have access to the a la carte restaurants each night. You must make reservations in advance, which is what we do on the day we arrive. We had a delightful guest relations person Pablo, who made all of our reservations for us, including the shows. Our favorite restaurants are Maiko, and Alux (located in Sian Ka’an), Arlequin, Dolce Vita, and the Brazilian, which we didn’t make it to this time.
Dolce Vita
This restaurant is located in Akumal, close to the beach. Enjoy a refreshing welcome drink with apple juice, amaretto, and cinnamon topped with foam. Bob had a pizza that was so large he couldn’t finish it. We had salmon and mushroom risotto for our entrees.
Arlequin Restaurant
We enjoyed this restaurant so much this visit that we decided to go twice. We started with their tasty welcome drink, then ordered the potato leek soup and a watermelon appetizer. For our entrees, we had chicken supreme and lamb. Dessert was a dark chocolate bomb drizzled with hot dark chocolate until it burst. The presentation and the service were the best. Watch this video to the end to see the decadent chocolate dessert.
Maiko Japanese Restaurant located in Sian Ka’an
We’ve always enjoyed our meals here. It’s a must-do for us. Maiko is located in the Sian Ka’an, so we hop on a trolley for a short ride to the other side of the resort. The restaurant is glass enclosed and tucked into the jungle. The food is delicious, and the service is impeccable. I especially enjoyed a chicken appetizer served in a tiny basket.
Alux Gourmet is a 5 Star Restaurant Tucked in the Jungle of the Sian Ka’an
The Alux gourmet restaurant is also glass-enclosed in the Sian Ka’an section. We usually arrive before dark, but when we leave, it is lit in a romantic fashion adding to the ambiance. I had a delicious Poulet Roti, but Bob chose a poulet wellington served in a pastry crust. Unfortunately, it was not as good as mine. Everything else was fantastic.
New Indian Restaurant Thali, located in Tulum
New this year is the Indian restaurant Thali which we both enjoyed. The appetizer was a tasty chicken presented on its own tiny hibachi grill, still smoking. The sampler plate we had as an entree was a variety of Indian dishes with curry and other spices. The dessert was a trio of delightful, sweet treats.
Sian Ka’an Seafood Buffet at the Grand Bahia Principe
We arrived on a Saturday, settled into our room then took a trolley to the Sian Ka’an for the seafood buffet. The buffet is inside a glass-enclosed restaurant beside the Sian Ka’an lobby with views of the jungle. If you arrive early, you can have drinks in the lobby or have drinks afterward and enjoy the entertainment. Because we were up early to travel that day, we decided to take the trolly back to our room after dinner.
IMO The Best Breakfast Buffet is at the Sian Ka’an
At least 2-3 times during our visit, we rode the trolley to the Sian Ka’an for their terrific breakfast buffet. Not only do we enjoy the glass-enclosed restaurant, but also the food is fantastic, and there is a nice variety. There are omelets and eggs made to order, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fresh juices, fresh fruit, a mountain of bread, donuts and pastries, traditional Mexican food, and delicatessen choices for the Europeans to enjoy. Waffles, pancakes, and French toast are also on the menu.
Breakfast at Los Corales in Akumal by the Caribbean Sea
Los Corales is an open-air restaurant next to the infinity pool with a front-row view of the Caribbean Sea. It’s a fabulous way to start your day. All of your favorites are served, including made-to-order omelets. The choices are not as extensive as the Sian Ka’an buffet, but it’s more than enough to satisfy your hunger.
The Beach at the Grand Bahia Akumal
There is a long beach that runs the length of the resort. It’s perfect if you are like us and want to take an early morning stroll during your stay. Although we feel it is clean and easy to navigate, there are a few rocks here and there that you need to be careful to avoid. If you tend to spend some time in the Sea, you may want to pack your water shoes. There is a pier about halfway along the beach, which is a good place to snorkel. Even if you don’t have the equipment, just wading in the water, you will be able to gaze upon a variety of fish.
Trolleys on the Property
We like a large mega resort and usually walk most of the time, but I had to ride this time due to a nagging back issue. The trolleys were always at the lobby or riding by our room and offered to pick us up to take us to other resort areas, the beach, or our dinner destinations. We like to tip the drivers for making our lives easier.
Grand Bahia Principe Tulum Remodeled
We spent part of our day at the Tulum resort to see the newly remodeled area. The buildings look great, and the lobby is modern and new. The pools are beautiful, and a new food station by the beach served delicious fish tacos the day we were there! My only observation is that there needs to be a few tables to sit down and eat. We had to take the food back with us to our lounge chairs by the pool, which was a little awkward, but if they would add a few tables, I think this would be a great spot for a quick lunch.
Grand Bahia Tulum Theater featuring the Origen Show
The theater in Tulum is newly built. It doesn’t look like there is a bad seat in the house. We made a reservation to see the new Origen show, which was amazing. The music, costumes, and performer were fabulous. There is a charge of $10 to see the show, and you must reserve ahead of time. We opted for the VIP tickets, which were $25. Our VIP tickets allowed us to be seated directly in front of the stage area, and we could enter the theater in a special VIP line that was quicker without any wait. There is also a new show, Blackbird, which features the Beatles music, which we had to reserve in advance, but there is no charge. Unfortunately, it was the night before we left, and we were too tired to stay up for the 9 pm show. We would have liked to have seen it—next time.
Grand Bahia Akumal Theater
There is a show almost every night in the Theater. Check out the activity pool marques to see what is happening during your stay. Because we are up early, we find it difficult to always stay awake for the show that starts at 9 pm. We did manage to keep our eyes open for the magic show, which was entertaining and mesmerizing. They included the audience by fetching assistants to help. I don’t know how they do it, but watching the magic was exciting. Great show!
Music at the Grand Bahia Principe
One of the reasons we’ve been to the resort so many times is the live music. There is music everywhere, especially in the lobbies in the evening. When we were there last time, there was a live band at the Akumal activities pool one day and a band on the beach with a BBQ on another day. This time we didn’t experience that, which could have been timing on our part, but my gut tells me that they have trimmed things down a bit from September to early November. That said, we listened to a great band in the Coba Lobby one night and enjoyed a band outside under the stars in Tulum. The rock show in Akumal was full of great hits that we thoroughly enjoyed. While on our way to the Seafood buffet in Sian Ka’an, there was a band that we liked, but we were too tired to stay to listen that night. If you like live music, this is the resort for you.
Foam Party at the Akumal Infinity Pool
We’ve not experienced a foam part during our prior stays at Akumal, but one afternoon the infinity pool was filled with bubbles for an adult foam party. The entertainment team cranked up the music and danced poolside while the guests were immersed in foam.
Grand Bahia Principe Coba
Our favorite part of the Coba is the main buffet for breakfast. We were fortunate to see our long-time friend and waiter, Andres. We met him the first time we went to The Grand Bahia and stayed in the Premier Lobby. Unbeknownst to us, he is also John and Cass’s friend, whom we met at Coba almost six years ago. We were able to meet up again during this trip for a long breakfast in Coba to catch up and film a quick video of John and his buddy Axel from the Coba entertainment team.
If you like the Bahia, you may also be interested in the Iberostar all-inclusive resort in Riveria Maya.
All the food looks so delicious *yum*! You’ve given so many great recommendations 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time!
Love to get a recommendation on the best rooms to stay in a resort. Room location often makes a big difference in our enjoyment of a resort. I love the variety of restaurant options at the Grand Bahia Akumal. But the beaches would be the big draw for us. Awesome to have a trolley to move around the big property.
Great tip about staying in rooms close to the infinity pool and the restaurant. I am impressed by the array of restaurants and different kinds of foods available in these locations. When the property is so large and spread out, trolleys definitely help in moving around. Great blog post bringing out the best in these properties. 🙂
Such a good variety, hard to skip one over the other.I love places with wide choice of food.
I’m impressed by your very clear and honest review of the hotel. I personally don’t need much luxury when it comes to accommodation since I spend only the night in the room. However, it’s annoying if you expect something nicer that you then don’t get. Nevertheless, the food seems to make up for everything – it looks just so delicious!
I love the places you describe! The Grand Bahia Principe seems to be the perfect place to relax. The resort looks great. I also like the variety and quality of food in their restaurants. I love spending time on Riviera Maya.
This sounds right up my street. I’d love to stay here, with the low number of rooms and adults only, I think my husband would love it here. And still in a gorgeous area to see and do everything.
Trying to choose between booking Akumal or Sian Ka’an. Thoughts?