When two local agencies, The Travel Center and Social Mavens, asked me if I’d be interested in pivoting slightly from my usual food content to promote a destination, I was beyond ecstatic and could not say yes fast enough. This blog post is a long time coming, as this trip was in the works for many months and I owe it all to The Travel Center. They are a Boston based travel agency and planned every little detail of our itinerary alongside the resort, including our flight and transportation accommodations. Let me start by saying I would highly recommend their services no matter where you go (they rep a ton of different destinations), BUT I can assure you that after reading about this trip, you’ll want to follow suit and stay at the Grand Velas Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico.
And guess what, you’re in luck because I’m running a special promotion with them until July 23, 2021!
If you book a trip through the Travel Center before July 23, 2021 (for a trip within the calendar year), you’ll receive:
A Suite DOUBLE Upgrade
Complimentary hydrotherapy water journey ceremony per person per stay
Terms and conditions :
Apply only from Suite Ambassador Ocean View to Suite Ambassador Sunrise. Double suite upgrades guaranteed at the time of booking.
For up to two guests per room, once during the stay
So, about my trip, here’s the scoop:
Day 1:
When we got off the plane and out to the parking lot, we were immediately greeted by our driver, Carlos, who kicked off our vacation in the best way possible. On our drive to the resort, he offered us a much-needed ice cold Mexican beer and of course we said YES (full disclosure, I did not know you were allowed to drink in a moving vehicle anywhere, so I was loving it). We drank our beers and enjoyed the beautiful views of Cabo and at around 2pm we arrived at the Grand Velas Resort. Upon arrival, we were quickly ushered to a lovely seat in the lobby where we enjoyed a welcome drink (just a casual glass of Veuve with some ‘fruit caviar’) and were personally greeted by our concierge for the stay. Each guest has a concierge assigned to them that helps answer any questions and book events/activities around the resort – no joke! After enjoying our drink and ocean views, we arrived at our luxurious corner suite and our jaws hit the floor! My sister Caitlin (my plus one) and I were staying in a Grand Class Suite, featuring a full wall of windows and unobstructed ocean view. The patio had a literal wading pool on it and a big chase lounge for ultimate relaxation. The suite itself was incredible too, it had a massive walk-in shower, a jacuzzi tub, a luxurious King sized bed with cotton sheets, a dining table, and a living area. As we later learned on our property tour that evening, this suite is most popular for couples because of the romantic elements and open concept living (which is just LOL because I brought my sister). Anyway, we also got to see a Wellness Suite on our tour. This particular suite is two floors; the first floor features an elliptical machine and a massage bed where visitors can enjoy in-room spa treatments. The bottom floor features a living area, a patio with a wading pool, and sitting area.
Another thing we discovered on our property tour is that The Grand Velas is not just for couples and adults. They actually have Family Suites on property which have everything you would need to bring your little ones on vacation; strollers, seats, toys, changing tables and more. These baby items can be ordered ahead of time and be delivered to the room before your arrival! This saves you the hassle of having to travel with all the gear kids usually require (I personally don’t know what it’s like to travel with kids but can imagine it would be a life saver to have all the necessary items already waiting for you in your room).
In general, Caitlin and I were super impressed by the layout of the resort. There is a designated kids playing area and water park set away from the other pools so as not to disturb older guests. It truly is a resort for the whole family. Lastly on our property tour we saw the Master Suite, which featured a full living room and dining area separate from the bedrooms. This suite is multi-purpose and would be good for both families and couples, or those hoping for a little separation between the sleeping and living areas. These are just 4 of the 6 suites the Grand Velas offers - talk about variety and having something for everyone!
The next part of our property tour had Caitlin seriously re-thinking her wedding plans this September – is it too late to move the party to the Grand Velas? We got to see the gorgeous Terraza del Mar – a massive terrace that can hold up to 600 people overlooking the ocean. The Terrace was just ONE of eight beautiful locations onsite where couples can host their big day. The Grand Velas offers an a la carte menu with pricing tiers for on property weddings, so you can spend more on the items you care about and less on the items that aren’t as important. They also have an elite team of wedding planners to help coordinate each and every detail - their team has helped couples arrive via helicopter, drive luxury cars onto the property, and much more. I have no doubt they would help anyone plan the perfect day. If you’re interested in the Grand Velas for your big day (I don’t blame you), click here for a more detailed list of their venues and service offerings.
Terraza del Mar
After our tour, Caitlin and I did our own exploring and enjoyed dinner at one of the seven amazing restaurants on the resort. Of course, we started with Italian food at Lucca. Tired from a long day, we enjoyed an Aperol spritz, appetizer salads, pasta entrées, and of course a cannoli for dessert. It was delicious and exactly what we needed.
Day 2:
You know what true luxury is? Putting your breakfast order on your door handle before bed (~11pm) only to have it delivered to you the next morning at the time of your choice – I kid you not. Early morning on day two, we enjoyed eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh fruit on our patio overlooking the ocean. Then, Caitlin dragged me to a Pilates class. At first, I was much more focused on getting a seat by the pool as early as possible, but I was glad we went. The fitness classes are set up next to the pool area under a lovely pergola. While breathing deeply and listening to the instructor, you can hear the ocean crashing behind you. I almost forgot about all the pain my abs were in! The resort offers a variety of these classes several times a week, all included with your stay.
After class, it was finally pool time. Let me take a moment and talk about these pools because WOW. The resort features three large infinity pools stacked at different levels, almost like a massive, continuous waterfall. Each pool has a swim up bar too, so you don’t have to get out of the water to get your margarita! #Bliss The top two pools are for everyone and the pool at the bottom (closest to the ocean I might add) is for adults only. Caitlin and I settled ourselves at the adults only pool and took advantage of the incredible pool service. In fact, I lost count of the number of margaritas we drank…. Oh and did I mention your personal concierge comes to check in on you once a day to ensure you have all that you need? Not only is the service impeccable, but everyone is so genuinely kind and lovely to chat with.
Next on our agenda was a wine tasting featuring Mexican wine, something I was not at all familiar with at all! We sampled two reds and a white from Baja California, Mexico, the largest wine producing region in Mexico. Miguel was our host for the event and he walked us through the tasting, telling us about the distributor, the wine flavors, and the Baja California region. We paired each wine with a bit of cheese too. Like the Pilates class, the Grand Velas offers these types of events to guests as part of their experience.
After a day of margarita drinking and a wine tasting we were certainly ready for our dinner reservation at Cocina de Arturo. All the food at Grand Velas was amazing, but this was by far our favorite dining experience. It’s a six-course tasting menu and wine pairing designed by a Michelin starred chef – it does not get more luxurious than that. Check out my Instagram highlight (labeled ‘Cabo’) for more pictures and details on what we ate, but one notable dish was the Wagyu beef entrée. It melted in your mouth and might go down as one of the best steaks I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot of steak).
Day 3:
After sleeping in on day three, Caitlin and I decided to check out the breakfast buffet at Azul. Azul is open for both breakfast and lunch, and you can find something for everyone there. A notable call out was the quesadilla station, featuring fresh, made to order quesadillas with your choice of meat and toppings. It was DELISH! After breakfast and with full stomachs, we found our seats at the adult pool once again. Taking it a bit easier than the day before, Caitlin and I stuck with Diet Coke and Mexican beer for most of the day. Admittedly, we could not resist the boozy popsicles or mango margaritas hand delivered by the amazing staff throughout the afternoon.
Feeling bronzed and maybe a little sunburnt, we went back to the room to prepare for our next activity – a mixology class! We were pleased to see this was being taught by Fabian, as he had made us drinks the night before and was an absolute sweetheart. First, we made an amazing Mezcal cocktail that Fabian made up (we named it The Fabian, original I know). It had pineapple, mezcal, lime juice, sour mix, a few drops of salt water, a few dashes of habanero bitters, and was finished with ginger beer. It was SO GOOD! He garnished it with a dried lime, rosemary, and peppercorns, and then torched the garnish to add an extra bit of smoke and flavor to the drink. He then showed us his techniques for adding smokey flavors to other spirits. For example, he used a torch on peppercorns, let the smoke fill up the glass, and then served us a shot of “smoked” tequila. It was spicy and delicious.
After the class, Caitlin and I got ready for our last dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Frida. The cocktail menu featured mezcal and tequila focused drinks. Before ordering, our waiter brought us a sampling of special dishes from all around Mexico. Our favorite was the queso (obviously) which came with delicious homemade corn tortillas. As always, the service was amazing and we left feeling incredible full and happy.
Okay, are you feeling the travel itch yet? That evening sadly concluded our trip to Grand Velas Los Cabos. The next morning, we woke up early to get at least two short hours out by the pool and then got ready for our trip back home. The concierges and other resort staff walked us to our car and waved us goodbye as we headed out toward the airport. We both almost cried because we were SO sad to leave!
Allow me to get sappy for a moment now.
I want to take moment and sincerely thank you all for your support and love over the years, and for allowing my business to grow and expand to other areas and experiences. I would like to thank the Grand Velas Los Cabos, Social Mavens, and of course The Travel Center for giving me this opportunity and encourage ALL of you to book a trip for yourself this summer or fall. I promise it will not disappoint.
Again, here is the promotion information again, running now through July 23, 2021:
If you book a trip through the Travel Center before July 23, 2021 (for a trip within the calendar year), you’ll receive:
A Suite DOUBLE Upgrade
Complimentary hydrotherapy water journey ceremony per person per stay
Terms and conditions :
Apply only from Suite Ambassador Ocean View to Suite Ambassador Sunrise. Double suite upgrades guaranteed at the time of booking.
For up to two guests per room, once during the stay
Thank you again and stay tuned for more exciting content to come! Bon Voyage!