Table of contents:
Welcome to the Home Page Archive
Fourth Quarter - 2009
December 27, 2009
Happy New Year! Thanks Diana and Doug for the great photos of Punta Vallarta in 1998.
Have there been changes on that property or what! Only 11 years ago, the lone building on the Punta Vallarta section of the beach was the Mayan Palace "Red and Yellow" building. Now it is gone and has been replaced by lots of changes.
Also, thanks again to Greg and Sue who provided us with action shots of the Grand Luxxe Villa Models at Nuevo Vallarta. You can see these by clicking here.
Please note, we will post photos of the Grand Luxxe as well. It has come to our attention that we do not have any photos of the Grand Luxxe Models, which to our chagrin is a big oversight.
All of us truly appreciate your contributions. Not only do the photos provide updates to projects we are all interested in seeing completed, but also the photos provide a sense of history and progress.
The future is ours to see unfold. Have a safe New Year and Happy Traveling!
December 26, 2009
Happy New Year! We are close to the end of the year and have received some great contributions from Greg and Sue. They recently returned from two weeks at the Grand Mayan at Nuevo Vallarta and have shared their FlipVideos with us. They are terrific because they show more changes to the lakes and waterways. Also, the Grand Luxxe tower is filling in. All decks have the clear railings installed except the lowest floor. Plus Luxxe II is about 5 stories tall now.
Please do not think we are focused entirely on the Nuevo property. All contributions are welcome. We know many of you feel the Riviera Maya location is better than the Nuevo location. We all would love to see how construction is progressing there as well. Acapulco, Puerto Penasco and San Jose del Cabo are not to be excluded either.
In the meantime, have a safe New Year and Happy Traveling!
December 24, 2009
Happy Holidays! Another year is about to leave and its time to leap into a new one. We are all a part of a new community that is in its infancy stages. From our personal experiences over the past year, we are proud to be a member. Furthermore, we are excited about all the new friends we have gained through our involvement with this vibrant and expanding community. As it grows, there will be more ways to interact with each other. Good wishes, good health and happy traveling to you all.
December 17, 2009
Bob posted some questions that he wanted to share with everyone. He sent them to a Customer Service Representative at Nuevo Vallarta. Later, he received answers to his questions. You can see both the questions and answers on the Blog Nuevo Vallarta page.
December 16, 2009
Mayan Palace reopens on the 15 of November. We took some photos of the Mayan Palace because we wanted to share with everyone the way it looks now. Very impressive and quite beautiful. The Piano Bar is one of our favorite locations because it is outside. Sitting by the water and enjoying what ever music happens to be playing (live by the way) at the time is a great way to relax the night away. Try it, you'll like it!
December 12, 2009
Mayan property from the air in 2003. Google Earth has posted a number of interesting photos that show the Mayan property before all the construction started. Also, shows where the Luxxe tower is today. If you want you can look it over for yourself. If not, we will be posting some views in a section called Overview. Not there yet. Stay tuned!
December 10, 2009
Thanks Bob and Gary. Bob just sent us a couple of photos that he took while in Nuevo Vallarta during Thanksgiving Week. They provide a terrific overview of the property and work well with Gary's and Kathi's photos.
Also, heard today that the Grand Luxxe will open on January 29, 2010. For those of you who have reservations at the Grand Mayan during that time, you may be treated to be one of the first to use this facility. From what we see, it will be terrific!
December 9, 2009
Gary has provided us with photos from October 19, 2009. They are interesting because they allow us to compare the work done to date with the work done in October. Lots of progress.
Later, we will post compare what we saw in November 2008 with what we saw a year later. Anyone with concerns about the progress being made should look at the photos as they evolve.
December 7, 2009
We have posted comments from Bob and Helen about their favorite restaurants in the Puerto Vallarta area, including Bucerias. Others have made comments to us in person, and their comments echo the thoughts Bob and Helen have presented. We would have to moderate Bob and Helen's comments about the food at the resort restaurants, however, because we have had very good experiences with them during our last trip. We will post our comments later.
The idea of sharing your favorite restaurants with everyone is what we are all about. So, please feel free to send your thoughts in either through infoaboutus at aimfair.com or on the Owners Forum or through the Blog View.
On another thought, we heard from two viewers about the status of the Luxxe in Riviera Maya. One has posted a photo that is of the Luxxe units under construction and the other said the Luxxe construction would not begin until 2010. Perhaps we can hear from others to clear up the uncertainty.
December 5, 2009
While in Nuevo Vallarta, Sharon asked a question about the location of the Bliss on the Nuevo Vallarta property. The only answer we could get was "what ever we tell you today may change". So, we do not have any definitive answer to your question, Sharon.
However, we do have a map that John sent us that shows where the Bliss I and Bliss II might be located. John attended a sales presentation in July 2009, which is the source of the map.
Certainly things do change, there is no question about that! Take a look at how the lagoon looked in July and what it looks like now.
There is good reason for us to listen to the sales staff for some information. At the same time, let's all keep in mind who the decision maker is. With all due respect, we know for sure construction decisions are not made by the sales staff.
December 2, 2009
The two photos at the beginning of this page are interesting because they are updated views from the air. Too bad the day was so hazy.
The two Luxxe towers start from the lower left portion of the photos and extend to the right. It is not visible from the air, but there are footings for another building behind the Cafe del Lago.
During our two week vacation, we saw much change. We hope that others who visit the Nuevo property will share photos with us so we can continue monitoring the changes on the property.
In fact, we encourage anyone visiting the other locations to send their photos and comments to us. We know that changes are taking place at Riviera Maya, Acapulco and Puerto Penasco as well.
We have posted some comments on our Current News page you may find interesting. We are working on the photos as we speak.
November 30, 2009
We are back at work and have a number of new photos to share.
Bottom line of the trip....GREAT TIME! Met Bob and Helen, Jon and his wife, Tim and his family, Andy and Magna and a number of other fellow members.
We have some restaurant reviews on the way. We have some Bliss information Sharon asked about and some accompanying cautionary remarks from the Grupo Vidanta and Mayan Resorts. The cautionary remarks...the only constant at the Nuevo Vallarta Mayan property is change. Today's plan may be different in reality.
What we can say for sure is the glass railings are installed down to the third floor of Luxxe 1, the Luxxe pool is taking shape, Luxxe 2 added a couple of floors while we were there, we saw the footings for what we think will be Luxxe 3 (between Luxxe 1 and 2), the Grand Bliss might become the sales hub, the peninsulas John showed us all in July are now open and new features are well underway in the lagoon between the ocean and the Grand Bliss and Mayan Palace.
Cheryl, Kathi and Karen have shared photos with us that we have not had time to post. And thanks to all of you who have given us updates through the Owners Forum.
November 27, 2009
We thoroughly enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving with family. On the beach! A first for many of us and certainly not a last. Service was great, food was cooked to tee and setting was perfect. We will be back.
As we are getting to the end of our trip, please let us know if there are any questions you would like us to ask. We will try our best to dig up the answers and send them out. You can reach us either through the Owners Forum or send us an email at infoaboutus at aimfair.com.
November 19, 2009
April 24, 2010 - Nuevo Vallarta Grand Luxxe Opens
Yesterday, we all received our notices that the Grand Luxxe at Nuevo Vallarta will be open for business on April 24. This is great news for everyone! Sherry and Ed have already successfully made reservations, confirming that the Grand Luxxe Residence Club is now open for business.
We are in Nuevo Vallarta as we speak and are impressed not only by the extent of the construction, but also how unobtrusive it is. No dust, lots of trucks bringing loads of dirt taken from closed portions of the golf course to new peninsulas that are under construction, and workers on all the buildings. Much activity but not in a negative way.
Take a peak at the photos we have taken so far. They can be found in the Construction at NV pages.
Also, thanks to Cher, Kathi, Karen and Bill for your contributions. They have generously provided photos and updates, which we will be posting soon. Thanks everyone for making this site such a success.
November 13, 2009
Two comments: The Nuevo Vallarta Mayan Palace reopens this weekend and Puerto Vallarta International Passenger count trends are improving.
We are traveling to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday for a couple of weeks and are looking forward to seeing the changes that have taken place. With the reopening of the Mayan Palace, it could mean several other venues are close to opening. Plus, the Mayan Palace pool area must be ready for use to.
The other positive trend is the increasing International Passenger traffic through the Puerto Vallarta airport. Although traffic is down by about 22% this October year to date over last October year to date, at least traffic is not as far off as it was in September, when International Passenger traffic was off by nearly 30% in the nine months through September 30 2009 vs... 2008.
We are all anxiously waiting for our first opportunity to use the facilities we all paid for. Maybe the timing will be sooner than later......but no one knows for sure.
November 10, 2009
Cher and her family have contributed many great photos of the Grand Mayan at Nuevo Vallarta. A couple of them show the progress of the Grand Bliss and the second Luxxe tower. You can see them on the Bliss Grand Bliss Construction and Grand Luxxe GL Tower 2 pages. We have also posted them on the Construction at NV page as well.
Great to see this progress in such a difficult economy. In September, International Passenger Traffic at the Puerto Vallarta airport was down by 30% from the same period last year and down nearly 30% for the year through September 09 vs. the same period in 2008.
In theory, the party that can expand in difficult times gains market share. We are fortunate to be able to watch how this all plays out.
BTW, want to see a BIG pool? Check out the pool at this link.
November 3, 2009
A fellow member has requested the opportunity to post in our new Rentals Direct page the February and March 2010 weeks she has reserved. These are fixed weeks and located in Nuevo Vallarta and the Riviera Maya. Both locations are terrific and will provide a great break from the winter doldrums.
Email us at rentals at luxxeowners.com for more information.
October 25, 2009
Activity at Riviera Maya seems brisk, at least among our visitors.
Don and his wife are leaving today for a week. They will be attending an owner's "update" and has offered to ask questions we may have about Luxxe, Bliss Grand Bliss ownership issues or activities at the various Vidanta resorts. You may be able to reach them on the Blog View or Owners Forum.
Just log on to either one and let him know what you would like him to ask. Chances are we all are interested in getting new, relevant information from the Vidanta Group.
Also, Bud and Lori just returned from a fun filled week with their friends. They sent us some additional pictures of the Riviera Maya property and places they visited. Check out Blog Riviera Maya.
October 22, 2009
Health Matters... The Swine Flu (H1N1 and H1V1) flu is not fun, especially for those of us who like to travel with family members that include children. The other day we received an email that contained very helpful information. The bottom line is we can do more to reduce this flu's impact on us and those in our families by following some relatively simple practices. We are not doctors and make no claims to providing any medical advice. We are simply sharing what was sent to us in hopes it might be helpful to others. We have posted it to our Blog.
October 16, 2009
We received suggestions that it would be fun if viewers could post comments about their experiences at the different Grupo Vidanta cities, resorts, restaurants, venues or other sites. We have created a Blog page that is followed by pages for each of the 7 resort cities. The resort city pages are for photos and other comments you would like to have us post.
Way too high tech for us. But maybe not for others who have texting and photo capability in their mobile devices.
Well, give it a try through our Blog View page. Send your comments and pictures at the very time the activity is taking place. What a great sharing opportunity that would be!
Well, give it a try. We are all looking forward to it.
October 14, 2009
Julie spoke with Customer Service yesterday about the estimated opening date for the Luxxe tower. According to her contact, the new date range is March to April, 2010.
Disappointing? Yes. Are you surprised? Consider the fact that International Passenger traffic through the Puerto Vallarta airport terminal for September 2009 was 30% less than it was for September 2008 and about 27% less for the fiscal period from January to September in 2009 than in the same period in 2008.
We love having the place to ourselves. But....we also want others to enjoy it too.
October 12, 2009
We thought it would be fun to look at Luxxe Tower photos from last November and compare them with photos we received from you all since then.
So, we did, and the comparison is definitely amazing. Especially when you consider the turmoil in the world economy and public health issues at play since November, 2008. Check out the Construction at NV page.
Like many of you, we have a reservation at the Grand Mayan during the first quarter of 2010. What fun would that be if we were offered the opportunity to move to the Luxxe during our stay, which some of you were told by your Vidanta contacts might be the offer.
Sure its a dream. We know everyone is anxious to experience the Luxxe for the first time. Let's hope the dream comes true and we all can use the Luxxe during our stays in 2010.
October 11, 2009
Nothing is for certain in this world. No Transparency.
Take for example the concept of two people conversing. One suggests a connection and the other denies it.
Later, the one suggesting the connection finds out that there actually is a connection.
Welcome to the Home Page Archive
Fourth Quarter - 2009
December 27, 2009
Happy New Year! Thanks Diana and Doug for the great photos of Punta Vallarta in 1998.
Have there been changes on that property or what! Only 11 years ago, the lone building on the Punta Vallarta section of the beach was the Mayan Palace "Red and Yellow" building. Now it is gone and has been replaced by lots of changes.
Also, thanks again to Greg and Sue who provided us with action shots of the Grand Luxxe Villa Models at Nuevo Vallarta. You can see these by clicking here.
Please note, we will post photos of the Grand Luxxe as well. It has come to our attention that we do not have any photos of the Grand Luxxe Models, which to our chagrin is a big oversight.
All of us truly appreciate your contributions. Not only do the photos provide updates to projects we are all interested in seeing completed, but also the photos provide a sense of history and progress.
The future is ours to see unfold. Have a safe New Year and Happy Traveling!
December 26, 2009
Happy New Year! We are close to the end of the year and have received some great contributions from Greg and Sue. They recently returned from two weeks at the Grand Mayan at Nuevo Vallarta and have shared their FlipVideos with us. They are terrific because they show more changes to the lakes and waterways. Also, the Grand Luxxe tower is filling in. All decks have the clear railings installed except the lowest floor. Plus Luxxe II is about 5 stories tall now.
Please do not think we are focused entirely on the Nuevo property. All contributions are welcome. We know many of you feel the Riviera Maya location is better than the Nuevo location. We all would love to see how construction is progressing there as well. Acapulco, Puerto Penasco and San Jose del Cabo are not to be excluded either.
In the meantime, have a safe New Year and Happy Traveling!
December 24, 2009
Happy Holidays! Another year is about to leave and its time to leap into a new one. We are all a part of a new community that is in its infancy stages. From our personal experiences over the past year, we are proud to be a member. Furthermore, we are excited about all the new friends we have gained through our involvement with this vibrant and expanding community. As it grows, there will be more ways to interact with each other. Good wishes, good health and happy traveling to you all.
December 17, 2009
Bob posted some questions that he wanted to share with everyone. He sent them to a Customer Service Representative at Nuevo Vallarta. Later, he received answers to his questions. You can see both the questions and answers on the Blog Nuevo Vallarta page.
December 16, 2009
Mayan Palace reopens on the 15 of November. We took some photos of the Mayan Palace because we wanted to share with everyone the way it looks now. Very impressive and quite beautiful. The Piano Bar is one of our favorite locations because it is outside. Sitting by the water and enjoying what ever music happens to be playing (live by the way) at the time is a great way to relax the night away. Try it, you'll like it!
December 12, 2009
Mayan property from the air in 2003. Google Earth has posted a number of interesting photos that show the Mayan property before all the construction started. Also, shows where the Luxxe tower is today. If you want you can look it over for yourself. If not, we will be posting some views in a section called Overview. Not there yet. Stay tuned!
December 10, 2009
Thanks Bob and Gary. Bob just sent us a couple of photos that he took while in Nuevo Vallarta during Thanksgiving Week. They provide a terrific overview of the property and work well with Gary's and Kathi's photos.
Also, heard today that the Grand Luxxe will open on January 29, 2010. For those of you who have reservations at the Grand Mayan during that time, you may be treated to be one of the first to use this facility. From what we see, it will be terrific!
December 9, 2009
Gary has provided us with photos from October 19, 2009. They are interesting because they allow us to compare the work done to date with the work done in October. Lots of progress.
Later, we will post compare what we saw in November 2008 with what we saw a year later. Anyone with concerns about the progress being made should look at the photos as they evolve.
December 7, 2009
We have posted comments from Bob and Helen about their favorite restaurants in the Puerto Vallarta area, including Bucerias. Others have made comments to us in person, and their comments echo the thoughts Bob and Helen have presented. We would have to moderate Bob and Helen's comments about the food at the resort restaurants, however, because we have had very good experiences with them during our last trip. We will post our comments later.
The idea of sharing your favorite restaurants with everyone is what we are all about. So, please feel free to send your thoughts in either through infoaboutus at aimfair.com or on the Owners Forum or through the Blog View.
On another thought, we heard from two viewers about the status of the Luxxe in Riviera Maya. One has posted a photo that is of the Luxxe units under construction and the other said the Luxxe construction would not begin until 2010. Perhaps we can hear from others to clear up the uncertainty.
December 5, 2009
While in Nuevo Vallarta, Sharon asked a question about the location of the Bliss on the Nuevo Vallarta property. The only answer we could get was "what ever we tell you today may change". So, we do not have any definitive answer to your question, Sharon.
However, we do have a map that John sent us that shows where the Bliss I and Bliss II might be located. John attended a sales presentation in July 2009, which is the source of the map.
Certainly things do change, there is no question about that! Take a look at how the lagoon looked in July and what it looks like now.
There is good reason for us to listen to the sales staff for some information. At the same time, let's all keep in mind who the decision maker is. With all due respect, we know for sure construction decisions are not made by the sales staff.
December 2, 2009
The two photos at the beginning of this page are interesting because they are updated views from the air. Too bad the day was so hazy.
The two Luxxe towers start from the lower left portion of the photos and extend to the right. It is not visible from the air, but there are footings for another building behind the Cafe del Lago.
During our two week vacation, we saw much change. We hope that others who visit the Nuevo property will share photos with us so we can continue monitoring the changes on the property.
In fact, we encourage anyone visiting the other locations to send their photos and comments to us. We know that changes are taking place at Riviera Maya, Acapulco and Puerto Penasco as well.
We have posted some comments on our Current News page you may find interesting. We are working on the photos as we speak.
November 30, 2009
We are back at work and have a number of new photos to share.
Bottom line of the trip....GREAT TIME! Met Bob and Helen, Jon and his wife, Tim and his family, Andy and Magna and a number of other fellow members.
We have some restaurant reviews on the way. We have some Bliss information Sharon asked about and some accompanying cautionary remarks from the Grupo Vidanta and Mayan Resorts. The cautionary remarks...the only constant at the Nuevo Vallarta Mayan property is change. Today's plan may be different in reality.
What we can say for sure is the glass railings are installed down to the third floor of Luxxe 1, the Luxxe pool is taking shape, Luxxe 2 added a couple of floors while we were there, we saw the footings for what we think will be Luxxe 3 (between Luxxe 1 and 2), the Grand Bliss might become the sales hub, the peninsulas John showed us all in July are now open and new features are well underway in the lagoon between the ocean and the Grand Bliss and Mayan Palace.
Cheryl, Kathi and Karen have shared photos with us that we have not had time to post. And thanks to all of you who have given us updates through the Owners Forum.
November 27, 2009
We thoroughly enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving with family. On the beach! A first for many of us and certainly not a last. Service was great, food was cooked to tee and setting was perfect. We will be back.
As we are getting to the end of our trip, please let us know if there are any questions you would like us to ask. We will try our best to dig up the answers and send them out. You can reach us either through the Owners Forum or send us an email at infoaboutus at aimfair.com.
November 19, 2009
April 24, 2010 - Nuevo Vallarta Grand Luxxe Opens
Yesterday, we all received our notices that the Grand Luxxe at Nuevo Vallarta will be open for business on April 24. This is great news for everyone! Sherry and Ed have already successfully made reservations, confirming that the Grand Luxxe Residence Club is now open for business.
We are in Nuevo Vallarta as we speak and are impressed not only by the extent of the construction, but also how unobtrusive it is. No dust, lots of trucks bringing loads of dirt taken from closed portions of the golf course to new peninsulas that are under construction, and workers on all the buildings. Much activity but not in a negative way.
Take a peak at the photos we have taken so far. They can be found in the Construction at NV pages.
Also, thanks to Cher, Kathi, Karen and Bill for your contributions. They have generously provided photos and updates, which we will be posting soon. Thanks everyone for making this site such a success.
November 13, 2009
Two comments: The Nuevo Vallarta Mayan Palace reopens this weekend and Puerto Vallarta International Passenger count trends are improving.
We are traveling to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday for a couple of weeks and are looking forward to seeing the changes that have taken place. With the reopening of the Mayan Palace, it could mean several other venues are close to opening. Plus, the Mayan Palace pool area must be ready for use to.
The other positive trend is the increasing International Passenger traffic through the Puerto Vallarta airport. Although traffic is down by about 22% this October year to date over last October year to date, at least traffic is not as far off as it was in September, when International Passenger traffic was off by nearly 30% in the nine months through September 30 2009 vs... 2008.
We are all anxiously waiting for our first opportunity to use the facilities we all paid for. Maybe the timing will be sooner than later......but no one knows for sure.
November 10, 2009
Cher and her family have contributed many great photos of the Grand Mayan at Nuevo Vallarta. A couple of them show the progress of the Grand Bliss and the second Luxxe tower. You can see them on the Bliss Grand Bliss Construction and Grand Luxxe GL Tower 2 pages. We have also posted them on the Construction at NV page as well.
Great to see this progress in such a difficult economy. In September, International Passenger Traffic at the Puerto Vallarta airport was down by 30% from the same period last year and down nearly 30% for the year through September 09 vs. the same period in 2008.
In theory, the party that can expand in difficult times gains market share. We are fortunate to be able to watch how this all plays out.
BTW, want to see a BIG pool? Check out the pool at this link.
November 3, 2009
A fellow member has requested the opportunity to post in our new Rentals Direct page the February and March 2010 weeks she has reserved. These are fixed weeks and located in Nuevo Vallarta and the Riviera Maya. Both locations are terrific and will provide a great break from the winter doldrums.
Email us at rentals at luxxeowners.com for more information.
October 25, 2009
Activity at Riviera Maya seems brisk, at least among our visitors.
Don and his wife are leaving today for a week. They will be attending an owner's "update" and has offered to ask questions we may have about Luxxe, Bliss Grand Bliss ownership issues or activities at the various Vidanta resorts. You may be able to reach them on the Blog View or Owners Forum.
Just log on to either one and let him know what you would like him to ask. Chances are we all are interested in getting new, relevant information from the Vidanta Group.
Also, Bud and Lori just returned from a fun filled week with their friends. They sent us some additional pictures of the Riviera Maya property and places they visited. Check out Blog Riviera Maya.
October 22, 2009
Health Matters... The Swine Flu (H1N1 and H1V1) flu is not fun, especially for those of us who like to travel with family members that include children. The other day we received an email that contained very helpful information. The bottom line is we can do more to reduce this flu's impact on us and those in our families by following some relatively simple practices. We are not doctors and make no claims to providing any medical advice. We are simply sharing what was sent to us in hopes it might be helpful to others. We have posted it to our Blog.
October 16, 2009
We received suggestions that it would be fun if viewers could post comments about their experiences at the different Grupo Vidanta cities, resorts, restaurants, venues or other sites. We have created a Blog page that is followed by pages for each of the 7 resort cities. The resort city pages are for photos and other comments you would like to have us post.
Way too high tech for us. But maybe not for others who have texting and photo capability in their mobile devices.
Well, give it a try through our Blog View page. Send your comments and pictures at the very time the activity is taking place. What a great sharing opportunity that would be!
Well, give it a try. We are all looking forward to it.
October 14, 2009
Julie spoke with Customer Service yesterday about the estimated opening date for the Luxxe tower. According to her contact, the new date range is March to April, 2010.
Disappointing? Yes. Are you surprised? Consider the fact that International Passenger traffic through the Puerto Vallarta airport terminal for September 2009 was 30% less than it was for September 2008 and about 27% less for the fiscal period from January to September in 2009 than in the same period in 2008.
We love having the place to ourselves. But....we also want others to enjoy it too.
October 12, 2009
We thought it would be fun to look at Luxxe Tower photos from last November and compare them with photos we received from you all since then.
So, we did, and the comparison is definitely amazing. Especially when you consider the turmoil in the world economy and public health issues at play since November, 2008. Check out the Construction at NV page.
Like many of you, we have a reservation at the Grand Mayan during the first quarter of 2010. What fun would that be if we were offered the opportunity to move to the Luxxe during our stay, which some of you were told by your Vidanta contacts might be the offer.
Sure its a dream. We know everyone is anxious to experience the Luxxe for the first time. Let's hope the dream comes true and we all can use the Luxxe during our stays in 2010.
October 11, 2009
Nothing is for certain in this world. No Transparency.
Take for example the concept of two people conversing. One suggests a connection and the other denies it.
Later, the one suggesting the connection finds out that there actually is a connection.