Before we had kids, shoot even before we got married, hubby and I vowed to always take a yearly trip or trips to get out there and explore. When our babies arrived, we did not want traveling to stop. That being said, last year our baby was 6 months and our toddler had just turned 2. We had already taken a trip to New York earlier that year and this time wanted to go somewhere warmer.
We researched and found Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort in Mexico. It was advertised online as a split hotel where half of it was a normal all- inclusive hotel and the other half was geared more for families. Honestly, at first it seemed too good to be true, but we were relieved when we arrived and found it was exactly what they had advertised and promised.
We had a great stay at the beautiful Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort. Very baby friendly. They had everything you could possibly need on a vacation with babies AND then some! A welcome kit, strollers, push cars, baby tub, conservation area with animals, playground, baby club, mini water park, daily night shows, personalized mini bar, 24 hr room service, enriching activities and classes, family host to assist with any needs and sooo much more. Perfect for our little family.
Family Host
When we arrived to the hotel, we were directed to the Family Selection area of the property. Check in went smoothly and we were given all the intro information and assigned a family host. This is a staff member that is on call for whatever you may need during your entire stay. They are very sweet and courteous and pay attention to every single detail. Whether you needed disposable water diapers, sunscreen, toothbrush, anything really, they were prepared to serve! You definitely feel very well taken care of.
Welcome Kits
Our Family Host provided our toddler with his very own Family Boss welcome kit. The hotel’s Family Selection plan is focused primarily on the kid’s enjoyment and they did just that with this kit. Our toddler’s kit contained water toys, floaties, hat, and cup neatly packed in a reusable bag. These kits are customized to fit your child’s age range. Our baby was too young to receive an actual big kit, but she did receive a small toiletries baggie. We saw that the other guests that brought older children had other neat items like shirts, headphones, rechargeable batteries for your devices, etc.
Strollers and baby gear
The property is really big and you do a lot of walking so the resort provides the guests with strollers and push buggies you can find downstairs by the Family Host desk! We definitely made use of them when our toddler was too tired to walk. They also have other baby gear available that you may need such as a baby bathtub. See, I told you they thought of everything!
Food
One of the biggest reasons we picked an all-inclusive resort was because we did not want to worry about cooking meals or leaving the hotel to find our food. Grand Palladium offered a wonderful variety when it came to the food. You could eat at the different restaurants on site, or if the babies were too tired, we could always order room service. On top of that, the mini fridge in the room was personalized and stocked with your family’s fave items (yes even alcohol for the parents). Not once did we have to worry about what we were going to feed our littles.
Conservation Area
I think this was my toddler’s favorite area of the resort. It is a small section in the property sheltering some wild animals like ostriches, monkeys, toucans, etc. The sign they had posted in front of the area explained things perfectly it read “UMA is a shelter for wild life species that for circumstances of overpopulation, domestication or physical ailments, are not able to go back to their natural habitat. This unit of conservation is approved by the Mexican Government.“ This area was perfectly located in the middle of the resort and we were able to visit it throughout the day as many times as our toddler wanted!
Mini Water Park
Our toddler’s second fave place was the mini water park. Our baby seemed to enjoy it very much as well. There was always a lifeguard on duty and no matter where you sat, you always had a good view of the entire mini park. I was able to sit back and breastfeed my baby while my husband and toddler played and had fun. Just like at the other pools in the resort, you could get drinks brought out to you, so that was definitely a plus!
Playground
The wooden playground was another favorite as it was right downstairs and easily accessible. We visited the playground every day after breakfast or dinner when it wasn’t too sunny.
Baby and Kids Club
Grand Palladium offers a baby and kids club where your kids are able to spend some time with the trained staff doing activities and playing while you have some time to yourself. The older kids are in the outdoor area while the babies are indoors. You sign in and leave your information and the staff gives you a phone/beeper. You can leave your children there, but you are to stay ON property in case they need to reach you.
I’m one paranoid mama so we did not leave our little ones alone. Instead, we stayed there with them and played little whiles at a time. They have plenty of clean toys and hands on activities to keep them entertained similar to a daycare setting.
Entertainment
Throughout the day in the pool areas there were activities and different sorts of contests. Then at night there was a daily show for the little ones that they really enjoyed because of how fun and lively the staff were. The best part was that the kid shows were interactive so the kids always got to participate. After the kid’s show the adult show followed on the main stage. Every night it was a different theme, and they were all equally fun!
Enriching Classes for the Entire Family
Another neat thing we loved about the resort was that they offered a variety of classes every day such as cooking, dessert decorating, bartending, crafts, water cycling, etc. My husband and I said we would take turns watching the kids so we could attend a class each, but we never did! We found ourselves just lounging around when we did have a little time to ourselves lol.
Family Lobby
The Family Selection Lobby had a tv and various gaming systems. Our babes are too young for video games, but we saw that the older thoroughly enjoyed this area, especially because it was also stocked with drinks and snacks!
Beach Access
I mean I think it goes without saying the beach was beautiful. I may be biased, but Mexico does have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This was no different!
Final Thoughts
Our baby being 6 months was one of the biggest reasons we wanted to book a resort where we could just stay in and relax. Grand Palladium did a wonderful job hosting us. All we had to worry about was enjoying ourselves!
