Category: Uncategorized

We returned this morning from a fabulous two weeks in Mexico staying at the amazing Grand Sirenis Riveria Maya . I am going to do another post reviewing the actual hotel but the purpose of this is an appreciation of the staff. It is rare, after visiting somewhere, to truly grasp the scale of what a place can be. In decades of life—fortunate enough to have travelled widely and stayed in many beautiful hotels and homes—I have seldom felt that lingering sense that there was still so much more to discover.
From my experience, when a place is conceived with genuine imagination and attention to detail, it creates a powerful ripple effect. It expands your own thinking. It encourages you to reflect on life’s endless possibilities. There is a momentum to it. Ultimately, you are only limited by the scope of your imagination.
I am fortunate to work alongside my partner. Together, we balance strengths and weaknesses, covering all bases. She is tenacious, driven—a true force of nature. But if there is one thing we align on completely, it is this: any company entrusted with creating spaces for people to live, rest, and escape—one that truly considers every detail—earns our highest regard. That level of thoughtfulness is humility in action. A company that goes above and beyond to make you feel entirely at home deserves genuine recognition. For those that achieve it, the result is a rare and powerful win-win.
Set across 550 acres of breathtaking tropical landscape, Grand Sirenis, Riveria Maya, Mexico is exactly that.
From the moment you step onto your balcony, the sheer expanse is almost surreal.
It is a destination that quietly embeds itself within you.
Aside from entering the complex, I noticed the perimeter security only once—yet I can say with complete confidence that it felt like one of the safest environments I have ever experienced. You are entirely cocooned within its vast, carefully designed surroundings—a sanctuary in every sense.
The concept itself is remarkable: a sprawling resort, seamlessly integrated into the heart of the jungle, bordered by the ocean. And it works—beautifully.
Very quickly, it immerses itself into your bloodstream. It is intoxicating. I would set off for the gym, only to arrive two hours later, distracted—in the best possible way—by everything unfolding around me.
Each day brought something new. Coatis and their young crossing pathways, raccoons playfully lingering, monkeys weaving through the treetops, iguanas calmly enjoying fallen fruit. Every moment felt alive, unpredictable, and deeply engaging.
Grand Sirenis has a rare duality. It shelters and comforts you, while simultaneously reminding you how much of the world remains unseen. It gently disrupts the routine of the everyday and replaces it with something richer—something expansive. It awakens you.
That, to me, is the true essence of luxury.
I consider myself curious, well-travelled, and informed. Yet I found myself asking: how had I never heard of a place like this? Having visited over 30 countries, it seemed inconceivable that something of this calibre had remained outside my awareness.
Why had no one spoken about it with enough conviction?
Why had I not seen it for myself sooner?
I recall one friend mentioning Mexico, but only in passing—as though he had brushed the surface of something far greater. Now I understand: he simply hadn’t experienced this.
And that is the point. The possibilities here feel endless.
My time at Grand Sirenis was genuinely meaningful. And while it already offers so much, I cannot shake the sense that there is still more to uncover—which is perhaps its greatest strength. I know I will return.
When I do, it will be early in the morning. In stillness. Alone with my thoughts. A yoga mat, a few incense cones, and a quiet space immersed in nature.
Surrounded by tropical colour and calm.
A place to pause. To breathe deeply. To realign.
A place where your mind can finally be still.
Where you can step away—whether from routine, distance, or the demands of daily life—and allow your imagination to open again. To consider new possibilities. To think differently.
Because that is what this place gives you.
I remember standing at the concierge desk, being politely asked if I needed anything. I replied, honestly, that I had never felt better. Then I added—half in jest, half in truth—that I felt I was on the verge of becoming an evangelist for Grand Sirenis.
And even now, that still feels accurate.

“Roberto was very good at keeping the world smiling. He was super helpful, friendly, and made us laugh.

Attitudes are contagious; his was well worth catching, Thank you Roberto!”

“I said we had been treated brilliantly to Carla and her colleague, remember what your doing is making memories for people, they really remember it”

In the spa, on one of the three visits I had booked for my partner, we arrived particularly early for the hydro experience. I asked the therapist Carla, who was looking after the café area, who would be taking care of us. “Me,” she said, smiling. This lady was everywhere.
Equally, Eddie on the main spa reception was supremely helpful. During our two‑week stay he was the personification of professionalism. On an earlier visit, I was new to how the system worked and he provided real reassurance. In England, we had once gone to receive a Turkish bath and, while the treatment itself was good, when I returned to my locker the experience was soured because the lock had been picked and a phone was stolen.

When I came to Mexico and visited the spa, one of the locks was small compared with the larger ones I had seen. I had a bag with valuables in it. I began to explain to Eddie that I wanted a larger lock. Instinctively, he immediately understood and a larger lock was provided. On a further occasion – after being so impressed the first time – I needed to negotiate something else. Once again, Eddie was the go‑to person. And once again, nothing was too much trouble. It was totally seamless.
Additionally, Maria, who worked in the coffee house, was extremely pleasant and courteous. There was another gentleman who performed a therapy on my partner. As a lady who has received many therapies over the years and is very attuned to what she likes, my partner thoroughly enjoyed it. Carla worked with this gentleman, going to the extreme of holding a small hand fan over the working therapist throughout the 30‑minute procedure. I was so impressed that I recorded it to put online later. She used one arm to support the arm holding the fan, which was obviously tiring, and yet she kept going.
To summarise: you do not get a second chance to make a first impression. This team made an exceptional one. It was so powerful that it led to a first for me – I booked the hydro experience three times.
Maya Angelou said once:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

We left totally at peace and felt elevated. There is a word that summarises it: special. We were made to feel special. In a world where, on a daily basis, you strive to make your partner feel as though she is held high on a pedestal, to hand that duty over to others requires trust. What I witnessed was a shared incentive and a shared ethos that meant this team were booked again and again. They worked in total alignment with that philosophy.
We were celebrating the birthday of a very special lady – my partner. When we make any appraisal of service, collectively we bring almost 120 decades of life experience to the table. That is what informs our judgement.
Additional notes
I told Carla and her colleague something important. I said: you do not just provide a service. What you do is so much more than that. You embrace a philosophy that creates real, solid, pleasurable memories. You create memories for people.
I want to highlight this with an example. We once visited a very well turned‑out café ,which had clearly gone to great lengths to look aesthetically pleasing.
It was 2022. We went to this rather expensive café and ordered a toasted sandwich. When it arrived, it was burned – simply inedible. Yesterday, we were talking about how a business was being sold – a café we had been to in the UK – and we realised that experience was in 2022, four years ago.
Just absorb that: if the person who toasted the sandwich had waited a couple more minutes, placed the burned toast in the bin and simply made another one, the result would have been totally different. Instead, what we remember from that very beautiful, expensive café is the burned toast.
The Butchers Arms
We went to the restaurant for a meal. The person who served us welcomed us warmly. He was very courteous. During the meal he saw me struggling to take a picture and asked if he could take it for us. When we looked at the camera roll later, he had taken many photos, patiently waiting to make sure we had a good one.

During the meal the waiter spoke to us, checking that we were happy. I speak a little fast and he explained that he felt his English was not that good. He smiled and was the epitome of consideration. Later, he asked us if we wanted our picture taken beneath the sign. We were so enamoured with how well we had been treated that we asked if we could have our picture taken with him. That waiter made our night great.
When we left, my partner turned around, equally impressed, and said, “Isn’t it amazing how far a smile can get you?” – referring to how welcome Adimael had made us feel.
We also visited another restaurant where Marco served us. He was very considerate, very receptive, full of smiles and humour. This was followed by one of the most exceptional meals – moreover, one of the most exemplary desserts – I have ever had in my life. It was totally exquisite.
The manager of the Mediterranean restaurant was also extremely warm, receptive and very helpful. She said that if we were happy, could we write a review. It was all so exemplary. We had steak, and it was huge, perfectly cooked and delicious. We would eat there again at the drop of a hat.
…
At one of the pools there were not enough sunbeds. A gentleman, another guest, suggested I get two from the beach, which was about 900 yards away across the road. I placed my bags down. No sooner had I walked across the road than, almost like telepathy, an assistant came running out, crossed the road, and moved the beds to where I wanted them. I simply could not believe that he had noticed and acted so intuitively.
On the same beach there was a smoothies bar. The girls worked tirelessly. On one occasion there was a power cut. I went to the bar to order. The lady had been asked a couple of times already and was busy washing pots, smiling away. She turned around and apologised for the delay. “It will be ten minutes,” she said. Ten minutes later I went back and asked if it was working. Regrettably, it was not. The engineers were on their way.
When I approached again I saw them there; I was about 20 yards away. “Is it ready?” I asked. “No, so sorry,” she said.
I dropped to all fours as if I were crawling across a desert, faking dehydration and exhaustion. In the obvious tension of a roadblock on liquids in 105‑degree heat, it totally broke the ice. She understood my humour and could not believe I had done something so ridiculous. We all ended up laughing together.

Pic: A great meal, wonderful partner and the very considerate Adimael.

We watched the World Cup with England and Mexico in the huge onsite theatre. I will treasure this memory for ever. Holding my babies hand. #Nowords