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Zen Grand hallways | Grand Velas Riviera Maya

ABOUT VELAS RESORTSOffering unparalleled All-Inclusive experiences, the four Velas Resorts in Mexico: One at the Riviera Maya, two in Puerto Vallarta and one at the Riviera Nayarit, have earned more than 43 AAA Diamonds, including the prestigious Five Diamond Award. Other esteemed international awards for their services and facilities include Virtuoso’s “Best Spa” and Condé Nast Johansens’“Most Excellent Resort” and “Most Excellent Spa Hotel”. Properties include Casa Velas, a boutique adults-only hotel and ocean club located on the Marina Vallarta Golf Course, Velas Vallarta, a family-friendly all suites resort and Spa located on Banderas Bay, both in Puerto Vallarta; and the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit located in Riviera Nayarit.

Completing the Velas Resorts group is Grand Velas Riviera Maya, located five minutes from Playa del Carmen, offering the most sophisticated, ultra luxury all-inclusive resort experience in the Caribbean with jungle and beach settings. Velas Resorts feature spacious accommodations, Spas, a unique culinary experience at a selection of restaurants, 24-hour in-suite service, fitness centers, Concierge service, state-of-the-art convention centers, extensive family programs, fully stocked upgraded mini bar and more. Velas Resorts are operated by Eduardo Vela Ruiz, majority owner, founder, and President of Velas Resorts, with brother Juan Vela by his side, Vice President of Velas Resorts.

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VELAS VALLARTA &GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA

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About Velas Vallarta

Velas Vallarta is a family friendly oasis and one of the most established resorts in Puerto Vallarta. The definition of a true All-Inclusive resort, it is located in the exclusive Marina Vallarta area with its championship Golf Course, and offers 345 spacious suites with spectacular views of the tropical gardens and Mexican Pacific. The resort features three sparkling swimming pools, world-class amenities and gourmet á la carte dining in La Ribera –a beachfront restaurant with delicious Mexican, Spanish and international cuisine and Andrea Restaurant, which serves a variety of gourmet world cuisines in a casually elegant ambiance. Velas Vallarta’s complimentary Kids Club for children ages 5 to 12 has activities ranging from making piñatas to water balloon wars and beading in the style of the native Huichols of the area. Resort activities also include water sports such as sea kayaks, water polo and snorkeling.

Velas Vallarta and Grand Velas Riviera Maya were awarded as one of the favorite hotels in the Family Vacation Critic 2014 awards! This important vacation travel community site has valuable feedback and advice on hotels, destinations, and attractions around the world.

Family VacationCritic Favorite 2014

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About Grand Velas Riviera Maya

The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an all-suites and Spa resort located five minutes from Playa del Carmen, is the latest and most sophisticated iteration of the ultra-luxury, all-inclusive resort experience. The resort offers a gastronomic tour of European, Asian and Mexican specialties, offering five world-class dining establishments including signature restaurant “Cocina de Autor”; the first All-Inclusive resort with a restaurant to be awarded with Five Diamonds by the AAA. The resort’s services include: 24-hour butler Concierge service, fitness center, beauty salon, luxury amenities in suite and the region’s largest Spa sanctuary specialized in signature treatments. The Spa was named “Best Spa” in the world by “Virtuoso” in 2010 and “Best Luxury Resort Spa - Americas” in the 2014 World Luxury Spa Awards.

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The Hall of Fame 2015Grand Velasriviera maya

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Grand Velas Riviera Maya has always prepared amazing surprises for all members of the family for every season. This is why it has won, every year, several worldwide awards.

Such is the case of TripAdvisor, one of the most important travel websites in the world, which has included Grand Velas into the Hall of Fame 2015, a new award given to properties that have obtained the Certificate of Excellence for 5 consecutive years offering the highest quality of services and facilities.

Almost 30% of the winners are establishments dedicated to the lodging industry, 52% are restaurants and 20% are attractions. From the total, only 9% qualified for the Hall of Fame, that is one in 5 establishments managed to get this title.

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The four Velas Resort’s properties have everything ready for the next summer 2015. Guests will enjoy incredible dynamics in the different resorts and new activities for all ages.

As every year, it has prepared a special campaign to promote this season in each hotel.

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FLAVORS ADVENTURESSMILES

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Guests and local clientele will be greatly impressed by the hotel’s boutique Spa and the unique amenities it has to offer.

The Spa’s facilities have ample space, a naturally-lit ambience, new individual or couples’ treatment rooms, hard wood floors, a sauna and much more. The menu of treatments indulges the senses with collections of facials, massages and body treatments inspired by the earth’s natural minerals of Jade, Amethyst, Onyx, Rubies and Diamonds, based on the antique Mexican cultures and other civilizations in the world.

a world-class Spa

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Alone, pickled, stewed, whole, chopped, crushed, ground, roasted, toreado, salted, in a taco, in a jam, in a cocktail and even in an ice cream! I’m talking about the quintessential Mexican condiment that gives flavor to soups, to the moles and sauces, one of the main symbols of Mexican cuisine: chili.

It is more than clear to me that you can’t mention Mexico without saying chile, sometimes I wonder what it would be of a taco without a good chili sauce. Anyone who presumes to be Mexican enjoys the chili in all forms – there are few dishes that lack this element.

But, why do we enjoy the feeling of being enchilados? Even though the chili could be extra spicy we love putting our souls in flames; it seems that the spicier it is, the more addictive it gets–no doubt Mexicans are masochists; every time the chili burns our mouth, we experience pleasure and pain at the same time. This unique feeling is due to the substance known as Capsaicin, component responsible for the spiciness of the chili and the production of endorphins that emit pleasure and comfort signals, hence our love-hate relationship with the ingredient.

If you, my good reader, are not a faithful fan of chilli – like many, I invite you to begin enjoying it (at your own risk and moderation, of course), Mexican cuisine is a vast encyclopedia of flavors to be discovered, and by leaving the chilli out of the diet you’re missing an important piece of our culture and enchilarse, believe me, is a pleasure and a nice torture.

What would it be without a good chili sauce?

CULTURE

By Berenice Miranda

Visit:rivieramayablog.com

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Meet Claudio HotterExecutive Chef at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

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CUISINE & PEOPLE

Born near Innsbruck in western Austria, our current Executive Chef began his career at Zillertalen Hotel Branch School; one of the most recognized gastronomic institutions in the country.

Upon completion of his studies, he developed his talent in various resorts in Switzerland, learning the different cooking styles of Central Europe. His interest and desire to learn about other cultures and their culinary traditions lead him south, to the coast of Murcia, La Manga, Spain, where he gained experience in Mediterranean cuisine. His next culinary station was Mexico; Cancun, Merida, the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and today, the Riviera Nayarit.

Chef, when did you realize cooking was your passion?

In my younger years, when I observed the great smiles you could make happen with nicely served dishes. My grandma had a restaurant in Austria and served several renowned skiing talents and coaches from all over Europe and North American.

Where you inspired by anyone?

Cooking is definitely something I have in my blood; it comes to me by nature. I think my biggest inspirations were my mother and grandmother. I was amazed by their immense patience and creativity. I owe this passion to my family and the place I grew up, where delicious food and good wine are everything. A lot of my inspiration also came from the chefs I got to know when I first started in my profession.

How did you fuse European cooking styles with our Mexican cuisine?

Having had the opportunity to live in several countries and experience different cultures, the fusion comes naturally. For example, I love mixing Vietnamese and French cuisine and then spicing it up with Mexican spices. To me it’s all about flavor explosions in the mouth.

We know you have been in the region for a long time. Is there anything in particular from the area you love to incorporate into your cooking? Any spices?

I’m completely in love with the destination. The things I enjoy the most are the fresh catches from the sea and fun spices like achiote seed, as well as the variety of chilies and fresh herbs this country has.

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