Lorry Perkins
Writer, Travel Blogger
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Dream Scene Villas at Grand Sirenis Resort, Riviera Maya: Everything You Need to Know
Update on Dream Scene Villas, January 2022
I published this blog post last year about a great new place to stay in Riviera Maya, Dream Scene Villa. I had a lovely interview with the owner and fell in love with their mission. Unfortunately, there was an issue that caused severe damage and the villa is no longer available.
Here’s the Story Reposted from LaDona Bushman
The fate of Dream Scene Villa…All structural reports of our villa at Sirenis Riviera Maya are in and have been fully reviewed by structural engineers. Unfortunately, our Dream will not be able to continue. There is no insurance to cover this. For us this is quite devastating. Thanks to all of you that have been following the building of our villa and our mission behind Dream Scene Villa. For those that did not know our story of how Dream Scene Villa came to be, I have attached our story in the link. For us, it feels like a double tragedy. Thanks for all your prayers.
The Mission of Dream Scene Villas Lives On
LaDona Bushman writes: We will still be allowing people to book under us at Grand Sirenis Resort to let people try out the member benefits and accesses. This will also help us continue our mission of donating respite vacations to families that have suffered the loss of a child or other tragedy. I would like to thank all our past guests that have trusted us to book their vacations under us. 10% of your reservations come back to us from Sirenis in the form of member rewards that will be used to help us continue our mission. If you would like more information, please feel free to pm me for a quote. Without the villa, this is the only way we can continue our mission that we had started. LaDona Bushman Follow LaDona and her mission in her Facebook Group.
Interview with Bryan and Tianna, House Manager and Concierge at Dream Scene Villas
Lorry: Thank you for joining me today to talk about Dream Scene Villas in Riviera Maya. My readers are excited to start traveling again as soon as it is safe. As you can imagine that timeline differs for everyone depending on their situation. Upon arrival to Cancun, what safety precautions are in place regarding customs, immigration, and transportation to the resort?
Traveling Safely During COVID-19 to Riviera Maya
Tianna: The State of Quintana Roo as a whole requires COVID-19 safety precautions for all workers, with special precautions for those in tourism. There are trainings and certifications required for workers. There are also additional measures that each facility may implement. There are mask requirements on all planes and in the airport at all times. There are social distancing recommendations and signs displaying recommendations. Temperatures are taken before entering different portions of the airport. PCR or antigen tests are required to return to the US. A recent guest flying back to the US from Cancun was able to get an antigen test for USD 17.00 and it was all completed within 20 minutes. The airport currently offers both tests. Here is the link to Cancun airport which will give current up-to-date prices of both tests and other covid related information. https://www.cancunairport.com/covid-19-testing-information.html
I would also like to mention that those staying in one of our suites that we offer through Dream Scene Villas at Grand Sirenis Resort are treated as VIP members through us and will receive free antigen testing. This is only for those that have booked through Dream Scene Villas to stay at the resort portion.
Covid -19 Protocols and Guest Safety at the Resort
Lorry: Many all-inclusive resorts have taken guest safety very seriously and have been leaders in putting protocols in place. With Dream Scene Villas and Grand Sirenis Resort being in the same community of Sirenis, can you tell us what precautions they are taking to keep everyone healthy and safe at the resort? What precautions do you have in place at your Villa?
Tianna: At the resort, all staff members are required to go through COVID-19 awareness and safety training and obtain certification issued by the Mexican government. They were required to get COVID-19 testing to verify that they do not have COVID-19. They are required to submit a health questionnaire, change clothing into a clean, fresh uniform upon entering (their uniform now includes a work-issued face mask) get temperature checked, and sanitize shoes and hands. There are clear safety screens between concierges and guests.
Dream Scene Villas staff has also gone through COVID-19 awareness and safety training. There are cleaning and sanitizing practices in-between guest parties. There is a sanitation mat at the entrance, soaps, and hand sanitizers throughout the house.
Food and Drinks
Lorry: The food and drinks are an important part of the all-inclusive experience in Riviera Maya. What is the Grand Sirenis doing to make this as safe as possible for their guests?
Tianna: Buffets have been temporarily replaced with restaurant-style ordering and larger spaces between tables for distancing purposes and to reduce the risk of guests transferring bacteria, germs, or viruses between other guests. There are also stricter cleaning policies with more frequent use of disinfectants, especially between guest uses.
At the Dream Scene Villa, you can book a private chef who comes into the home with prepared food. They follow all COVID-19 protocols and because they drop off the food straight to the villa, there is no possibility for other guests to come into contact with food or food facilities.
Water Activity Safety
Lorry: How are the resorts keeping guests safe when engaging in the many water activities they offer?
Bryan: We are in daily contact with the dive center inside of the Hotel Grand Sirenis itself. They have a red, yellow, and green flag near the beaches to let guests know how aggressive the water waves are. No equipment is given out to any guest while there’s a red flag on and when there is a yellow flag, the equipment can be given to do the previously mentioned activities but are told that the water isn’t fully calm and there may be occasional hard winds or rough water from time to time.
Social Distancing at Bars at the Grand Sirenis
Lorry: One of our favorite past times is sitting at the swim-up bar or meeting new people in the lobby bar. Can you tell us how the bars have adapted at the Grand Sirenis?
Bryan: At the pool bars we have it set up so that guests have a 1.5-meter distancing and each time a guest moves off from the spot, the countertop is sprayed and sanitized for the other guests to come along and have the available spot. To ensure spacing distancing at the swim-up bar, a decorative potted plant is placed on every other under-water stool at the bar. And to avoid the concentration of guests around the bar itself, social distancing stickers have been placed on the floor to let guests know where and how far to stand away from the next person when forming a line to order a drink. Also, every table in the lobby is sanitized every time a guest leaves the table, they were seated at.
Entertainment
Lorry: We enjoy the live music and entertainment at the resorts both during the day and night. How has that changed? Are the theaters open in the evening? Does the Grand Sirenis promote mask-wearing and social distancing in the theaters?
Bryan: Currently the only music played during the daytime is by pool #1 which is the pool in front of the steak house restaurant, and its music played by a DJ. On the other hand, for night activities, we have a female soloist that sings by the coffee shop at either 7:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. depending on the day it is as well as depending the day it is, we have an opera singer and a saxophone player playing live music at the sky bar as well as a rock band and a live DJ. Concerning the social distancing, all tables are placed 1.5 meters minimum distance from each other and all staff are obligated to use face masks, and face masks are handed to the guests for free when they arrive at this location.
Reasons to Stay at Dream Scene Villa
Lorry: Staying at The Dream Scene Villa is a different experience from staying at the all-inclusive. What are the reasons guests may choose the Villa?
Tianna: Whether to choose an all-inclusive or a private villa largely depends on the number of people in your party, your budget, your desire for privacy, and most importantly, what activities you want to partake in while here (meaning whether you will be doing a lot of tours or prefer to be lounging by the pool).
For example, my extended family went on a two-week vacation at two different resorts. The first week, we had planned so many daily tours that we were gone from the resort most of the day. We did not feel we got our money-s worth of food or activities. Paying a large all-inclusive fee for services not used and also paying for a tour made for a very expensive trip. We since decided that doing a few days at the resort to lounge was okay, but the rest of the time we wanted to stay in a villa so we could spend our money on adventuring. There were other factors that people commonly run into. For example, if someone has mobility troubles, resorts often have facilities spaced out and they may not be very well adapted to disabilities.
Privacy, Social Distancing, No Smoking, Personalized Experience for a Family or Group, Hire a Personal Chef
If someone has special dietary restrictions or allergies, they might be far more limited at a resort, where they could spend even less money at the villa hiring a private chef that can personalize meals. People with asthma might struggle with things like smoking being allowed on patios at resorts. Some people prefer a quieter atmosphere and end up with a noisy neighbor at a resort or they want to party without feeling watched. The fun part of the villa is that you control everything the way you want it. You can be as loud or as quiet, as fancy or as low key, as busy or relaxed as you want. It’s a very personalized experience. For families, this is also ideal because you pay one price for the house, not per person, so there are substantial savings when you are traveling in a group.
One thing we have seen is that more people are interested in staying in private vacation rentals since COVID-19 than before because they have an entire property to themselves apart from other guests and can practice social distancing easily and effectively. While we can control our own actions, we cannot always know what others may or may not be doing.
What is Included?
Lorry: What is included with the Villa? How many people does it sleep and what are the amenities? How is Dream Scene Villas different from other rentals?
Tianna:
- On-site Private concierge service-assistance recommending local attractions, assistance arranging transportation, support booking private chef services.
- On-site house manager for any tech support, maintenance issues, or house concerns.
- On-site concierge who is CPR, BLS, ACLS, and first-aid certified.
- You have access to the washer and dryer in the laundry room.
I have done a lot of traveling myself, and what I found with most vacation rentals and villas is that their amenities and services are very minimal. The first time I went to a vacation house in Mexico, it was extremely beautiful. However, I was surprised that there were some troubles getting ahold of management to let us in, there was no hand soap, no dish soap or sponge, no drinking water, and no oven. The house owner lived in a different state, so when the electricity happened to go out in the house, they couldn’t help us. My family didn’t know where to even go to buy soap or water or how to contact transportation. That being said, sometimes vacation rentals require some research and planning. What I love about Dream Scene Villas is that they try to bridge all those gaps to allow for a stress/free, budget/friendly experience with all the support you could need. It’s like the best of resorts and the best of a vacation rental in one place.
Three Bedroom, Including Master Suite, Fully Equipped Kitchen, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video Channels
Dream Scene Villas is fully equipped. It has a kitchen with a kitchen island, stove, oven, microwave, toaster, fridge, and freezer, all utensils, pots, pans, dish soap, cleaning supplies. There are three bedrooms. Bedroom one and bedroom two each have 2 queen beds. Bedroom three is the master suite and has one king/size bed. All bedrooms are equipped with AC, ceiling fans, lamps, outlets, privacy/blackout curtains, WIFI, and smart TV with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video Channels.
The dining room and living room also have a smart TV, wifi, sound system for music, large couch, chairs, dining room table. The villa is on its own private lot, with no neighbors on either side.
Private Pool, Backyard Grill, Rooftop Jacuzzi, and More
There is a private pool, water curtain, pool bridge, pool bar, backyard grill, water fountain, rooftop jacuzzi, romantic garden lighting, and walking trails. You can see cenotes, coates, sereques, and Stubby, the iguana. And best of all, when you want recommendations on local attractions, want help finding the best deals on tours, want a local’s perspective or you need help or assistance, you have on/site staff members there that act as your own personal concierges at no additional cost.
Dream Scene also goes above and beyond by offering additional services in-house at a low additional cost. These services are rarely offered by vacation homes and are exclusive to Dream Scene Villa.
- Grocery shopping.
- In-house childcare from background-checked, CPR, and first aid trained staff.
- Personal Chef-Concierge can assist you with recommendations.
- Cafe pick-up. There is a menu provided in the following pages, with food that is available for pick-up and delivery from our concierge.
- In-house private pottery painting artwork classes.
- Clothing shopping from exclusive local vendors who hand-make clothing and deliver to Dream Scene.
- Decorations for special occasions.
Experience the All-Inclusive at Grand Sirenis
Lorry: When guests stay at the Villa, are they able to experience the all-inclusive?
Tianna: We offer the opportunity to purchase day passes to the resort. The resort is about a 10-minute walk from the Villa.
Contact Dream Scenes Villas
Lorry: How should my readers contact you to reserve Dream Scene Villas?
Tianna: They can check out our website at DreamSceneVillas.com, email DreamSceneVillas@gmail.com or text/call/WhatsApp, +52-984-315-2737
Lorry: I think I speak for many people who read my blog when I say, we cannot wait to travel again, and for those who prefer to stay in a villa rather than a resort, Dream Scene Villas is perfect. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and sharing information about Dream Scene Villas with my readers.
Meet Bryan and Tianna
Bryan and Tianna make up the power team as the Dream Scene Villas House Manager and Concierge. Tianna grew up in Oregon, USA, and moved to Riviera Maya in 2019. Bryan, from Belize, moved to Riviera Maya in 2015. Their favorite thing about working for Dream Scene Villas is being able to put a smile on guest-s faces. They enjoy going for walks in the jungle, bicycling and snorkeling with sting rays. In their free time, you’ll find them cleaning beaches and helping their local communities. DreamSceneVillas@gmail.com
I haven’t travelled since the pandemic started due to fear of safety measures at hotels. I love knowing that the Dream Scene Villas are so well managed. I’m definitely going to consider then for my next trip!
I love how you included each and every information for visiting Dream scene villas.
This is such a great idea, Lorry, to assure readers and travelers about safety in these times and really persuade them there is nothing to worry about. Doing an interview adds so much credibility. Great job and very smart approach :).
Those photos indeed look like they were from scenes straight out of a dream. It’s always nice to read about interviews as it gives a more personal touch to an article.
i love that you did an interview style for this blog – it was cool to see that perspective on what they are doing to help with COVID, while also ensuring guests have everything they need. this definitely seems like the perfect place to go to ensure a relaxing, stress-free vacation
Good to read about the attention to detail still in place in Cancun for places like the Grand Sirena Resort. I might want to book a Dream Scene Villa and have the chef come right to me! And a quieter environment would certainly suit us. We never eat or drink enough to make most all inclusive worthwhile. And who can argue with a private pool!
That is how I always felt when i stayed at all-inclusives because I never ate or drank enough to feel I made it worth the price. That is definitely one benefit of the vacation villa. It’s always a personal decision, but for me, I like being able to save money from food and spend it on local excursions to cenotes, ruins and parks. I attached a picture of one of my most recent excursions, rappelling into Cenote Maya! <3
It’s so good to hear about the precautions taken because of Covid. Sometimes thinking of a resort during Covid makes me feel scared of traveling. However, I think after hearing what the resort and staff does to keep people safe, I think this is a great place to go on a holiday at the moment
I love how you included each and every information for visiting Dream Scene villas
It’s nice to see how meticulously safety measures are taken by the resort. And the resort looks incredibly comfortable. I would love to visit them someday!
Looks amazing, I will keep this place in mind since I’ll be going to Mexico later this year. It’s a bit of a splurge for me, but if some friends decide to tag along, this could be a great place to splash out and relax
Oh this looks just lovely. I’d love to dive at one of the safer yellow or green flag beaches. What is the surrounding area like too? Is that as lush and green as the beach area looks?
Riviera Maya is known for its nature. It is flourishing jungle paradise that is so well protected that it is common to daily see monkeys, serques, coatis, iguanas, chachalacas, squirrels and other jungle critters. There are a lot of palm trees, native plants and flowers everywhere!
This is a picture I took in the jungle by a cenote. A mama monkey and her baby. I’d say it’s a flourishing jungle out there! <3
The photos above of the jungle near the waters edge is really that lush and green! It is the lagoon near Dream Scene Villa. It’s like a hidden paradise. It’s where the fresh water meets the Caribbean Sea. Snorkeling in that area is just as spectacular and teaming with life of colorful fish. It’s like you stepped into your own private tropical paradise. One of the plus sides is the sargassum seaweed that currently covers the beaches along the Caribbean during the summer months seems to naturally drift past this lagoon’s opening due to a reef barrier, so it remains pristine and free of the sargassum seaweed all year long.
The villa itself is tucked into the jungle foliage with no nearby neighbors: except for our wildlife friends. We are having professional photos and drone video footage done next month to be able to show just how beautiful this area really is.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our concierges – Tianna or Bryan for any specific information or contact myself.
A sincere “Thank You” to Lorrie for featuring us on her travel blog.
I love Riviera Maya and spent there over two weeks in April. And probably I will go there again, so I use your recommendation. Grand Sirenis Resort seems a perfect place for the holidays. Dream Scene Villas looks fantastic and provides great services.
The Dream scene villas sound well like a dream. Customisable options are great, really like the fact that you incorporated an interview style for this blog to hear straight from horse’s mouth!