Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit: Traveling in the “New Usual”

Katie Schmit of Travel By Katie, an affiliate of Largay Travel, just took some R&R in Mexico and is back with this report.

I am just back again from the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit. Apart from needing a sanity break, I wished to see very first hand what the protocols seemed like and how the luxury qualities in Mexico were developing a getaway that did not truly feel like a healthcare facility keep with a check out. 

The flights down have been three-quarters total on American Airlines in both of those directions. I experienced a person flight with a comprehensive row and on the other an vacant seat beside me. Most persons were being superior about donning a mask. A flight attendant on a person flight went by the cabin and specially advised anyone in violation to set their masks on, or to pull them around their nose, as wanted. On the domestic flights, assistance was only if asked for and on the intercontinental flights they gave us a bag with a Sani Wipe, a tiny bottle of water, and a Biscoff biscuit. 

At the airport in Puerto Vallarta, there is sanitizer just about everywhere, it seemed a lot more so than at all the U.S. airports I have been to not too long ago. In advance of customs, you are expected to full a study inquiring queries like: Do you have indications? Where by have you been in the very last 14 times, and many others. You then have your temperature taken. In general, everybody had masks on, if not experience shields, too.

On arrival at the assets, we had to move on a pad to sanitize our sneakers, then put sanitizer on our palms, and have our temperature taken. Meanwhile, the workforce wiped down all of our baggage, besides our purses. They presented (and I recognized) to have my clothes washed that I wore on the flight down. This is a complimentary support they are featuring all through the pandemic. You do have to do it the first day and it is only for the clothes worn when touring, not for the relaxation of what you introduced. Throughout verify-in, nearly anything that they gave me was wiped down to start with and when I gave them my credit history card, they wiped it, took aspects, wiped it all over again, and then gave it back again. This was the concept the full stay. Any object employed in an interaction was first cleaned right before an trade. Anytime we left the property and arrived back, we cleaned our footwear, sanitized our palms, and had our temperature taken. 

On our arrival to our home, we found the doorway was “taped” shut, owning been sanitized right before our arrival. The seal was not damaged until eventually we were completely ready to verify in. 

If we took a taxi, the bellman would have the driver pull up, have him clear his footwear, sanitize his fingers, just take his temperature, then wipe down the car or truck in entrance of us. We went to a current market 1 working day and paid the driver to hold out for us so we would hold the sanitized motor vehicle the full way.

I necessary the ATM, which is in the worker area, so I bought to see powering the scenes. Workers have to sanitize their shoes and fingers, walk via a unit that appears to be like like a metal detector but really emits a mist of sanitizer, then they have to sit in a space for 15 minutes for a wellbeing assessment. It is the exact same each working day, for each personnel.

Katie Schmit at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, which is operating at 30 per cent capacity with heightened hygiene protocols.

The vacation resort is at present only authorized a optimum 30 per cent ability. We observed largely locals as other visitors. The home has four most important dining places typically: Two had been closed and the other two had a minimal menu that also experienced objects from one particular of the other two restaurants on it. Administration was pretty open up about creating you just about anything if you explain to them in advance (like that afternoon) and if they had the components on hand.

Menus are handed out only at the pool. As a substitute, an app delivers all the menus and all expert services for the property. At eating tables, they have a QR code you can scan to deliver up the menu. There are no buffets every little thing is off a menu.  

The loungers at the pool are all spaced out many have been eradicated. We have been allowed to reserve chairs, so on the days we have been at the pool only, we experienced chairs right by the swim-up bar, adult-only section, and see of the beach/ocean.

The spa is closed, except for scheduling massages in-place or in an out of doors place. The gym, teen club, and young ones place are by appointment-only, but they are open up. 

We went to the non-public beach, Las Caletas, which is a wonderful small tour. We had to use our masks right up until we bought to the beach itself and could actually distribute out. In the ready area to board, chairs ended up unfold out and into groupings. We have been specified hand sanitizer twice, as soon as after the protection look at place and again as we boarded the boat. We also had to stage on the sanitizer pad for our sneakers as we boarded the boat. At the time on the beach, all personnel once again had masks, at least. I noticed when we had been cruising back again to the marina, the workers on the boat was wiping down a great deal of the touch points on the boat that folks made use of when finding again on. 

The protocols right here are intensive and followed devoid of complaint. I was blown away by how certainly really hard the employees and tourism business is performing to be safe. All people was so appreciative of us remaining there and it genuinely was a fantastic trip. I am already setting up a return with my family in a few months.

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