In Memoriam

Octavio

It is with profound sadness that we share news of the loss of a much-loved member of the Grand Residences and Royal Resorts family, Cuauhtémoc Luna Peralta known as Octavio, Concierge Manager for the Sales department in Grand Residences.

Originally from Tepexi de Rodríguez, Puebla, Octavio was 52 years old. He joined Royal Resorts in 2006 and had been at Grand Residences since 2014. Many owners and members will remember him for his quiet and courteous manner, kindness and professionalism. A gentle soul, he always went out of his way to help people and will be greatly missed.

Octavio’s colleagues and friends at Grand Residences sent these tributes.

 

Octavio really made Grand Residences his life and we were like family to him. I will always remember his sense of humor. We will all miss him.

Catherine Duda

 

He was a dear soul who was loved by many. He was charming and always sharp. He was fun, loving and generous. We will miss him but he will always be in our hearts

Claudia Rámirez

 

He was such a wonderful man. We all loved him

Karen Bayerlein

 

We are sure that you will want to join us in sending your thoughts and prayers to his family, friends and workmates during this difficult time.

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Grand Residences is Open and Happy to Welcome You Back

We are open and so happy to welcome back our owners and members and their families.
Grand Residences staff and management representatives gave a Mexican-style Fourth of July welcome to the first owners, members and guests to arrive with applause, live music, cocktails and more.
Mexican and US flags were flying and a Jarocho trio from Veracruz serenaded guests with traditional Mexican music. This very special day ended with a Fourth of July BBQ in El Faro Grill.

Welcoming you back with new health and safety measures
Grand Residences reopened with new Royal Care Standard health and safety protocols in place for your protection. As part of this program, we have implemented World Health Organization, Mexican Department of Health and The Leading Hotels of the World® hygiene recommendations, elevating our cleaning and sanitization standards even further. Your resort has now received the Clean and Safe Check certificate from the Quintana Roo State Tourism Board and Department of Health. This official certificate also has the Safe Travels seal of approval from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The new measures are in effect from the moment you leave the Airport. You will be greeted by your Grand Residences chauffeur, who will be wearing a face mask. He will escort you to your van, which has been cleaned and disinfected and is ready for use.
You will receive a complimentary hygiene kit including a face mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for you to use on the resort premises or when you go on tours. Upon arrival at the resort, staff will ask permission to take your temperature and your luggage will be disinfected before being carried to your residence.
Disinfecting mats have been installed in the lobby, the doorways to other guest areas and at staff entrances. Wherever you go in the resort, you’ll find that we have also added hand sanitizer dispensers for guests and staff to use.
You’ll notice that all our staff are wearing face masks and some also wear gloves and visors as they go about their work. We ask our owners, members and guests to wear face masks in indoor spaces such as the Kids Club and busy public areas of the resort where keeping a safe distance is not possible. By doing so, you are protecting yourself and others. The use of face masks is mandatory when you go outside the resort, you must wear them in public areas, supermarkets, malls and more.
High traffic areas and frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, elevator buttons and handrails throughout the resort are cleaned and disinfected repeatedly during the day.
We also adjusted our room cleaning procedures, incorporating new hygiene protocols and EPA-approved products. In addition, all rooms are sanitized using electrostatic technology prior to guest arrival.
Social distancing is respected wherever possible and in the Kids Club and Gym we have reduced the number of guests permitted at any given time. The cocktail class is also limited to eight people, the cooking class to seven and tea time to nine; reservations are required for all three. Two guests are permitted to use the elevators at the same time.
We have made changes at the restaurants too, adding hygiene protocols and changing seating plans. For the time being, we have suspended the theme night buffets replacing them with a la carte menus, individual portions and staff on hand to serve diners.
Wherever they are, our staff take care of every detail to ensure that all cleaning and disinfecting procedures and protocols are being followed.
We are looking after our staff and monitoring their health closely. All team members have their temperature taken before they start their shift and must complete a health survey. They then change into their uniforms, which are laundered on site. Additional health and safety precautions have been implemented in offices and other employee areas to protect them.
Staff have been trained to carry out the new protocols and also attend ongoing online courses on COVID-19 awareness and hygiene best practices.

Watch our Royal Care Standard video

For more information on the measures that have been implemented at Grand Residences and Royal Resorts visit royalcarestandard.com

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Contactless menus and more: online information sources

We have gone completely contactless at Grand Residences, moving all our restaurant menus and resort information sources online. Scanning QR codes in your room, in our restaurants and elsewhere in the resort gives you access to a wealth of digital information including:

• Menus for all our restaurants and bars
• Room Service menu
• Activity programs for the Activity Centers and Kids Clubs
• Grand Residences Guest Service Directory

You’ll also find daily activities, menus and much more on the Apple TV in your residence.

Use the Grand Residences App
Download the Grand Residences App if you haven’t already done so. It is a great source of guest service information and daily activities and we have added menus too. It also offers you contactless solutions for check-in and checkout, paying your bill by credit card, reservations and making special requests before your stay.
Download it from the App Store or Google Play.

Download on the App Store
Download from Google Play
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A Week of Grand Dining

Gourmet cuisine awaits you whenever you dine at El Faro and Flor de Canela and there is always tasty fresh seafood for lunch or early dinner at Heaven Beach Bar. Yet there’s much more for you to try during your stay, and you won’t want to miss the theme nights we have lined up for you this summer. They come with a la carte menus at the moment instead of the classic buffet but there are plenty of tempting choices, including appetizers, soup, salad, main courses and desserts.

• Monday
Italian Night, El Faro Grill

• Wednesday
Argentinian Night

• Thursday
Seafood Night, El Faro Grill

• Friday
French Night, El Faro Grill

• Sunday
BBQ Night

There may be some temporary changes in opening hours for Flor de Canela and El Faro Grill in July. Ask your Concierge for more information and the location of Argentinian Night and BBQ Night.

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Mellow Music

There’s live music somewhere at Grand Residences all week long, whether it is in the restaurants at dinner, on the pool deck or even on the lobby bar terrace. Here is the summer line up, your Concierge will have the times and locations for you.

Saturday: Guitar
Sunday: Harp and Saxophone, two locations
Tuesday: Los Jarochos (group)
Wednesday: Cielito Lindo (group)
Thursday: Salsa con V
Friday: Jazz with Jeriko (duo), The Two (group), two locations

Line up is subject to change without prior notice.

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Dining in? Check the new Room Service menu

For a casual dinner on the terrace or in your dining room, order from the 24-hour Room Service menu. Chef Borbolla has added new dishes for your dining pleasure, including seafood, vegetarian and vegan options and you’ll find all-time favorites such as pizza and pasta.

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Welcome to the world

We are sure that you will want to join us in welcoming a new member to the Grand Residences family and to congratulate Manager Daniela Trava on the birth of her son.
Nicolas Ramos Trava entered the world on June 5 weighing 3.675 kilos and measuring 52 centimeters and is doing very well.

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Cocktail Time

Do you have a favorite Grand Residences cocktail? One you always ask for on your first day in paradise? Why not let us know and we’ll be sure to include it in future editions of this newsletter. In the meantime, we hope that these three drinks put you in the mood for your next vacation.

Golden Margarita
1 ½ oz Tequila Milagro Plata
¾ oz Grand Marnier
¾ oz orange liqueur
2 oz orange juice
1 oz lime juice
Serve over ice and with the traditional salt crust on the rim of your glass

Princesa Maya
¾ oz brandy
¾ oz almond liqueur
1 oz strawberries
½ oz coconut cream
1 oz Carnation evaporated milk
¼ oz grenadine
One third of a banana
Blend and serve.

Leaping Lizard
1 oz Melon liqueur
1 oz Banana liqueur
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz Pineapple juice
1 oz Carnation evaporated milk
¼ Banana
Blend and serve.

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Stay Connected

Watch your friends from the Grand Residences Activities team and Kids Club give their classes using Facebook Live on the Royal Resorts and Grand Residences Facebook pages. If you miss them don’t worry, you can watch the videos later.
Check the Grand Residences Facebook page for pictures from paradise, resort updates, cocktails, recipes, activity ideas and much more
You can also stay connected with Grand Residences on Instagram and Twitter.

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Beach Reads

Here are some of the books we are reading right now if you are looking for something for the beach. Some are recent releases but there are some old favorites too. Why not write to us and let us know what’s on your bookshelf or Kindle right now?

Small Island
Andrea Levy, 2004
Following the fortunes of four people in 1948 Britain, this award-winning book is beautifully written and full of warmth. At times moving, funny, thoughtful and disturbing, it casts light on the struggles that Caribbean migrants faced in the land they had been taught to look upon as the Mother Country.
Alone in a London house, Queenie Bligh is taking in Jamaican lodgers for a living because her husband Bernard has not returned from the war in the Far East. One of her tenants is Gilbert Joseph, who joined the RAF to fight against Hitler but finds a very different, much colder, reception when he returns to Britain after the war.
His wife Hortense dreams of being a teacher and living in a fine house but soon discovers that the college qualifications she is so proud of will not be accepted by the Department of Education and that she must go back to university if she wishes to pursue a teaching career.
London is grey, cold and in ruins, a far cry from the warmth, sunshine and tropical colors of Jamaica. Gilbert and Hortense encounter prejudice and suspicion yet they persevere as they make their new life. What was a marriage of convenience becomes a marriage of love and their destinies are intertwined with Queenie’s when her troubled husband returns after years of absence.

Hamnet
Maggie O’Farrell, 2020
A tale set in Stratford upon Avon about young William Shakespeare and his love for Agnes (Anne Hathaway), a country girl wise in herbal lore. They begin married life in the house belonging to William’s father John and have three children: Susana and twins Hamnet and Judith.
Despite their love for one another, Will is restless and decides to seek a new life for the family in London, far from the insults of his father. He falls under the spell of the playhouse and his letters are full of his writing and the troupe of wandering actors he is part of. His visits to Stratford become few and far between as he finds success in London.
The sudden illness of his son brings him back to Stratford but he arrives too late. The family all grieve for Hamnet in different ways and for William it inspired his finest play, Hamlet.
Maggie O’ Farrell’s vision of Stratford, the mysterious Forest of Arden and of the Shakespeare family makes for compelling reading.

The House between the Tides
Sarah Maine, 2018
Art gallery owner Hetty Devereaux inherits Muirian, the ancestral family home on an island in the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland. She leaves her London life to explore the crumbling property that once belonged to an eccentric painter and distant relative called Theo Blake. With the discovery of human bones in the house, she stumbles across an old crime, a history of land disputes and a mysterious disappearance.
Hetty’s story is interwoven with the story of Beatrice, Theo’s young wife, who first visited the island in 1910. As she looks at Theo Blake’s evocative paintings of dramatic landscapes, birds and a wild young girl, Hetty begins to piece together a story of lost love, misunderstandings and sadness.

Need more books? Alma Libre Bookstore is open!
If you run out of beach books, you’ll be able to stock up at Alma Libre right here in Puerto Morelos. Located on the main square, this iconic bookstore has a good selection of new and second-hand books in English and Spanish. Currently open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Summer Adventures

If you want to go exploring this summer, your options include a day at the Riviera Maya’s famous nature and adventure parks or out on the Caribbean. You can set sail for a snorkeling or scuba trip, a catamaran cruise or even an unforgettable swim with the whale sharks.
The Grand Residences Concierges can help you organize your day out and will have plenty of recommendations.
All area parks and tour operators have strict new health and safety standards.

Family Fun
Treat the family to fun days out at Xel-Ha and Xcaret. The turquoise waters of the inlet and lagoons at Xel-Ha are irresistible and you’ll soon be searching for some of the 90 shimmering fish species that call this huge natural aquarium home.
There is always something new to see in Xcaret, from the colorful birds in the aviary to newly hatched turtles, placid manatees, monkeys and jaguars. Admire folk art and sample delicious traditional cuisine and stay on for the amazing evening show that celebrates Mexican history, music and dance.

Jungle Adventures
A day zip lining through the trees at Xplor or Selvatica, exploring jungle trails or swimming or kayaking in four different sinkholes on the Xenotes tour might be just the tonic you need to release tension.

Caribbean Sailing
Cast off for a day of Caribbean sailing on board a catamaran or luxury yacht. Plan a snorkel or scuba excursion and explore the Mesoamerican Reef. The Puerto Morelos National Park is open or you can visit reefs in the Cancun-Isla Mujeres area, Cozumel or Akumal.
For a day combining nautical adventure and nature, book your place on an unforgettable eco trip to see the whale sharks that gather in the summer to feed on plankton in the waters to the east of Contoy and Isla Mujeres and north of Holbox.

Ancient wonders
The National Institute of Anthropology and History is preparing to reopen archaeological sites in Quintana Roo during the summer.

Ask your Concierge for more tour recommendations.

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GRAND RESIDENCES IS NOW OPEN!

Grand Residences opened on July 4 and is happy to welcome back owners, members and guests for more unforgettable vacation moments.
Grand Residences staff and management representatives gave a rousing Mexican-style welcome to arriving guests with applause, live music, cocktails and more.

New health and safety measures: the Royal Care Standard
Grand Residences opens with new Royal Care Standard health and safety protocols in place for the protection of guests and employees. As part of this program, it has implemented World Health Organization, Mexican Department of Health and The Leading Hotels of the World® hygiene recommendations, elevating stringent cleaning and sanitization standards even further.
Measures include the use of masks by all staff and social distancing; increased daily cleaning frequency for busy areas and touch points throughout the resort and in employee areas back of the house; the use of EPA-approved sanitation products, electrostatic sprays and disinfecting mats; additional hygiene steps in the room cleaning regime; changes in restaurant setup, extra precautions for activities and the Kids Club and new protocols for staff.
Guests receive a complimentary hygiene kit including face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for them to use on the resort premises or on tours. The use of masks by guests is strongly recommended in busy public areas of the resort and is mandatory in closed spaces such as the Kids Club and Spa.

For more information on the measures that have been implemented at Grand Residences and Royal Resorts watch the Royal Care Standard video and visit royalcarestandard.com

If you are unable to travel at this time, please refer to the Assistance for Changing Travel Plans section in this Update for your options.

Grand Residences Guest Services during July
Grand Residences opens with all its guest services available. However, there are some temporary changes to opening hours.

Dining

El Faro Grill
Open from 7 to 11:30 a.m. for breakfast; lunch from 12 to 5 p.m.
Dinner from 5 to 10 pm.
Bar open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Flor de Canela
Open for dinner, 5 to 10 p.m.

In July, dinner will be served in El Faro and Flor de Canela on alternate days. Please ask the Concierge for more information.

Heaven Beach Bar
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Pool Bar
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lobby Café & Bar
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Theme Nights
Special a la carte menus.

• Monday: Italian Night, El Faro Grill
• Wednesday: Argentine Night
• Thursday: Seafood Night, El Faro Grill
• Friday: French Night, El Faro Grill
• Sunday: BBQ Night

Live music
Ask the Concierge for times and locations

Saturday: Guitar
Sunday: Harp and Saxophone, two locations
Tuesday: Los Jarochos group
Wednesday: Cielito Lindo group
Thursday: Salsa con V
Friday: Jazz with Jeriko (duo), The Two group, two locations
Line up is subject to change without prior notice.

Weekly events
Reservations required, ask the Concierge
Mixology Class
Capacity: 8 people
Cooking Class
Capacity: 7 people
Afternoon Tea
Capacity: 9 people

Room Service
24-hour Room Service is available, call ext. 132 to place your order.
Breakfast available from 7 a.m. – 11:59 a.m.; lunch from 12 p.m. to 4:59 p.m.;
dinner from 5 p.m. to 10:59 p.m.; late night menu 11 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.

Kids Club
The Kids Club is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Capacity: 15 children

Activities
The resort has a daily activity program for adults and teens. Some activities will also be virtual, available online to give guests the option of participating in their room if they prefer.

Gourmet Food Market
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Guests can scan the Gourmet Market QR code to order online and have their shopping delivered to their suite.

The Spa
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gym
Open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Contactless menus and online information sources
All our restaurant menus and resort information are online. Scanning QR codes in rooms, restaurants and elsewhere in the resort gives guests access to a wealth of digital information including:

Menus for all restaurants and bars
Room Service menu
Activity programs for the Activity Centers and Kids Clubs
• Grand Residences Guest Service Directory

Daily activities, menus and much more are also on the Apple TV in rooms and suites.

The Grand Residences App
The Grand Residences App is a source of useful information for menus, daily activities and tour ideas. It also offers guests contactless solutions for check-in and checkout, paying the bill by credit card, reservations and making special requests before prior to their stay.
Download from the App Store or Google Play.

Assistance for changing vacation plans
If you will not be traveling as scheduled, Royal Resorts has the following options to help you:
• For Royal Resorts Members with fixed weeks
For Fixed week members and those with Internal Exchange stays scheduled between Weeks 12
and 31, 2020, you may change your reservation and take your vacation in low and mid-
seasons (June, September and October in 2020 and May, June, September and October in
2021).
The exchange fee will not be charged for changes made to preexisting exchange
reservations.
A discount of 50% will apply to the exchange fee for new exchanges.

a) The Open Certificate program is temporarily suspended
• Contracts with occupancy from May to October 2020

b.) For the Internal Exchange program:
• Contracts for weeks 12 to 31, 2020
• Requested with a minimum of 2 weeks before check in
• 50% of the internal exchange fee will be charged for new exchanges
• Travel dates

Please use the online internal exchange program at www.ExchangeMyVacation.com or email us at exchanges@intervalservicing.com or call 1-800-930-5050 (US & Canada), 800-099-0486 (Mexico) or 954-485-5400 (All Other Countries)

• Royal Resorts Signature Club reservations
The Royal Sands, The Royal Islander, The Royal Haciendas, The Royal Cancun and Grand Residences are now open. We look forward to welcoming our members to their home away from home.
If you wish to make changes to your Signature Club Reservations, please contact us at: rrsc@royalresorts.com. We are experiencing a high volume of calls, so please contact us by email and we will respond as soon as possible.

Platinum Member Services
US Toll Free Number: 1-888-882-9343 Mexico Toll Free Number: 800-681-9246 International: +1(954) 484-6343
Signature Club Elite
US Toll Free Number: 1-888-882-9259 Mexico Toll Free Number: 800 681-9247 International: +1 (954) 485-5279

President’s Circle Concierge
US & Canada Toll-Free: 1-888-882-9252 Mexico Toll Free: 800-681-9248 International: +1 (954) 485-5109

• For members or guests who booked a Royal Resorts stay with Royal Reservations online or through the Call Center or with an OTA
Royal Reservations has flexible cancellation policies that will allow you to modify or postpone your trip at no additional cost when circumstances require it. If you
booked your vacation with Royal Reservations online or through the Call Center or with an online travel agency the following policies apply:

All reservations either new or previously booked online through the Royal Reservations website and which have a set date from April 10 through December 18, 2020, may be canceled or modified up to 1 day prior to the check-in date without penalty charges. In case of cancelling or later modifying it or not showing up, the corresponding penalty will apply.

Contact Royal Reservations or our Call Center for assistance. If you booked your vacation through an online travel agency call the Customer Services department:

Customer Service
Toll free 1 888 721 4420
Toll free in Mexico 800 020 1761
Elsewhere +52 (998) 848 8226
Email ask4help@royalresorts.com

• For members or guests who have an international exchange reservation at Royal Resorts
If you have an international exchange stay reservation at Royal Resorts please contact RCI or Interval International, depending on the company you booked through, for assistance.

• Owner Loans
The member issuing the Owner Loan must call Interval Servicing to make changes.

Mexican Caribbean News
The Mexican Caribbean tourism industry is gradually reopening this month, continuing during the summer.
From hotels to parks and golf courses, travel agencies to restaurants, all will be operating with new hygiene and social distancing measures so that visitors can enjoy their vacation with peace of mind.

The Quintana Roo Tourism Board and State Department of Health has launched the Clean and Safe Check certification program to ensure that hotels and other travel businesses satisfy the Mexican government conditions for reopening and are in full compliance with international health and safety recommendations issued by the CDC and World Health Organization. This program also has the Safe Travels seal of approval from the World Travel and Tourism Council. To date, 6,290 hotels, restaurants, tour operators and other companies have registered for certification.

Cancun, the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean were the first destinations in the Americas to receive the Safe Travels Global Security Stamp issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and backed by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for their adherence to new international sanitary security protocols.

Cancun Airport has implemented new health and safety measures, including temperature screening and a health questionnaire for all arriving passengers, There is social distancing, more frequent cleaning and sanitization in all areas, from the airport buses to Immigration, check-in and baggage drop, departure and arrival lounges, commercial and waiting areas. The use of face masks and visors by staff is mandatory and they undergo daily health checks.

A number of airlines including Air Canada, Air Transat, Sun Country, American Airlines, Southwest, Delta, Spirit, JetBlue, Sunwing, Copa Airlines, Aeromexico and Evelop have resumed flights or have indicated their intention to do so in July.
Parks and tours reopening

These parks and tours are now open:
• Puerto Morelos National Park
• Cancun Sailing trip to Isla Mujeres
• Jolly Roger Pirate’s Night cruise
• Solo Buceo
• Xcaret
• Delphinus at Cancun Aquarum and Xcaret
• Selvatica
• Caribbean Carnival Isla Mujeres cruise
• Dolphin Discovery on Isla Mujeres and at Garrafon Park
• Alltournative Emotions
• Alltournative Snorkeling Adventure
• Xel-Ha Park
• Xplor Park
• Xoximilco Park
• Xenses Park
• Xenotes

The archaeological sites in Quintana Roo are expected to open some time in the second half of July.

As more information becomes available we will publish additional updates.

See you soon
We urge all our owners, members and guests to stay safe wherever you are. We are thinking of you and we look forward to welcoming you back to Grand Residences very soon.

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Fourth of July reopening at Grand Residences

We are thrilled to be having a Fourth of July reopening at Grand Residences. We can’t wait to welcome all our returning owners and members to their home away from home.
What are you dreaming about the most? Is it the moment you open the door to your residence, kick off your shoes and gaze at sparkling turquoise waters thinking: “I’m back? Is it a dawn stroll along the Puerto Morelos shoreline, greeting your favorite Grand Residences employees or exploring the area, a new place on each vacation? Perhaps it’s a bit of everything, mixed with leisurely pool days on the pool deck, star gazing on your terrace or munching shrimp tacos at Heaven Beach Bar. Whatever your favorites are, we look forward to seeing you again and helping you create even more magical vacation moments.
We have lined up new dining experiences and activities for you and your family to enjoy during your stay, many of them outdoors so that you can enjoy our spectacular views, the sound of the waves and the soft breeze.
Your residence gives you plenty of space to unwind and move about without feeling confined as you would in a hotel room. You can order in from our Room Service menu, or from the Protein Menu if you want to cook in your gourmet kitchen, and sit down for a family meal in your dining room followed by a movie. And whether it’s morning coffee, lunch or afternoon cocktails, your private terrace is always perfect for alfresco living.
We have been working to prepare for your return with a new level of hygiene and care called the Royal Care Standard that goes hand in hand with the rigorous Leading Hotels of the World® and Distintivo H standards we already comply with.
The Royal Care Standard encompasses additional health and safety protocols throughout the resort, in your residence, guest areas, our restaurants and bars, and the gourmet food market; in the kids club, the gym and spa; on the pool deck and beach and back of the house in offices and employee areas.
Measures include social distancing, cleaning busy areas and frequently touched surfaces repeatedly during the day, the use of EPA-approved sanitation products and electrostatic sprays and additional hygiene steps in the room cleaning regime. Visit royalcarestandard.com for more information.
If you are unable to travel at this time, check the COVID-19 update for your options.

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Open-air dining

Enjoying outdoor life at Grand Residences naturally includes dining and your options include Heaven Beach Bar & Grill, a BBQ, a jazz and bossa nova evening on the pool deck and meals on the open-air terraces at El Faro, Flor de Canela and at the lobby bar café.
At Heaven Beach Bar you really do have your own front row seat in paradise. Slip into Mexican Caribbean vacation mode with fresh seafood, your favorite ice-cold beer or tequila cocktail and just relax. From the catch of the day to shrimp tacos or even grilled lobster, everything is delicious and worth lingering over.
The Sunday night BBQ is another Grand Residences favorite and meat lovers won’t want to miss Argentinean night either for more prime steaks and lashings of chimichurri.
For additional dining ideas, ask your Concierge upon arrival at the resort.

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Recipe from the Grand Residences kitchen

Chef Rafael Borbolla is busy preparing for your return and cooking up show-stopping new dishes for your dining pleasure. He has a Salmon Tataki Duo recipe to share with you this month.

Salmon Tataki Duo
Serves 1

Ingredients
100g salmon fillet
8g Ikura salmon roe
14g sangria lettuce
20g crab surimi
34g seaweed salad
34ml of sesame oil
4g of spring onion
10ml rice vinegar for sushi
1 avocado
10g Serrano chili
1 clove of garlic
50g mayonnaise
5g turmeric powder
2g fresh ginger
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the ponzu sauce
30ml soy sauce
2 lime wedges
3 orange wedges

Method
Slice the salmon and reserve
Finely slice the lettuce and fresh ginger, add the seaweed, surimi, vinegar, sesame oil and season with salt and white pepper
For the ponzu sauce, mix the soy sauce with the orange and lime juice
For the aioli, mix the mayonnaise, garlic and turmeric
Arrange the seaweed salad, salmon, avocado and spring onion on a plate. Serve with ponzu and aioli sauce.

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Great news for golfers

Great news for our Grand Residences golfers, El Camaleon Mayakoba is the latest course to join the Royal Golf program and offer you special green fees.

El Camaleon Mayakoba
Designed by Greg Norman, this 7,024-yard par 72 Riviera Maya course has a beautiful jungle and mangrove setting dotted with cenotes, canals and rock outcrops. The beach views are incredible and sightings of deer, coatimundis and spider monkeys during a round are frequent.
El Camaleon hosts the OHL Classic PGA Tournament in November.

Playa Mujeres
Greg Norman also designed the par-72, 7,218-yard Playa Mujeres course, 20 minutes to the north of Cancún. Four holes overlook the Caribbean and others have views of Chacmochchuc Lagoon.

Puerto Cancun
Designed by Tom Weiskopf, Cancún’s newest course stretches for 7,241 yards between the bay and Puerto Cancun marina. Holes 15 and 16 overlook the beach and Hole 18 is the most challenging. Marina Town Center mall is nearby.

Gran Coyote
Designed by Nick Price, Gran Coyote (formerly Grand Coral) is located behind The Royal Haciendas in CoraSol, Riviera Maya. This 7,050-yard course has challenging bunkers and water features. Hole 7 is the most difficult one to play.

Sign up for the weekly tournament
Sign up for the Royal tournament during your stay and meet fellow Grand Residences and Royal Resorts golfers. Days and times are as follows: Sunday after 12 p.m. at El Camaleon; Tuesday and Wednesday at Playa Mujeres (at least 10 players required) and Thursday and Friday at Puerto Cancun (at least 12 players).

Contact the Concierge for more information about these courses and to book tee times.

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Thank you for supporting the Royal Resorts Foundation COVID-19 Employee Relief Fund

A heartfelt thank you to our owners and members for your love and support during this difficult time for us all. Through the Royal Resorts Foundation COVID-19 Employee Relief Fund you have helped 1,222 employees, including the housekeepers, waiters, bartenders, kitchen staff and bellboys at Grand Residences and Royal Resorts who have been hardest hit by the economic crisis.
Two targets have been matched and over US$100,000 raised to help these 1,222 employees from April to June and the Royal Resorts Foundation is well on the way to reaching its third target of US$32,000 to support them through July with food cards that they can use in local supermarkets.
The generosity of owners, members, and of many staff who also donated to help affected workmates, has been incredible.
To see photos of some of your favorite employees at Grand Residences and Royal Resorts log in to the Members Area on the Royal Resorts website.

If you would like to make a donation visit the COVID-19 Employee Relief Fund

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Virtual Traveler

Some of you still cannot be with us right now but we can bring the beauty of the Mexican Caribbean and the Yucatan to you. Here’s our monthly gallery showcasing some of the region’s many natural and historical attractions. How many have you visited? Which ones would you like to explore on future visits to Grand Residences?

 

Contoy
A true Caribbean desert island of palms, mangroves and white beaches, Contoy is also an important nature reserve. Known as the island of birds, it is home to over 150 species, including pelicans, frigate birds, herons, ibis and roseate spoonbills. Eco trips are available.

Akumal
Picture-perfect and family friendly, Akumal Bay is one of the most beautiful spots in the Riviera Maya. Palm-lined and sheltered by offshore reefs, it is a favorite spot for the sea turtles that graze on sea grass beds in the shallow waters. The name Akumal actually means “place of the turtle” in Maya.

Mesoamerican Reef
The world’s second longest coral reef system runs offshore from the Mexican Caribbean coast. Take the plunge to discover a strange kingdom of coral buttresses and colorful marine life. Start your journey right here in Puerto Morelos National Park.

Playa del Carmen
An evening stroll along Playa del Carmen’s “la Quinta” for open-air dining and drinks under trees glittering with lights is always a popular vacation option. Lined with cafes and bars, craft shops and boutiques and alive with the sound of music, Fifth Avenue will undergo a facelift this summer, focusing on the area around Parque Fundadores.

Sian Ka’an
“Where the sky begins” in Maya, Sian Ka’an is a vast swathe of tropical forest and wetlands stretching to the sea. A landscape with biosphere reserve and World Heritage status, its ecosystems are a refuge for a wealth of bird species and rare wildlife such as the jaguar, tapir, manatee, howler monkey and the jabiru stork.

Chichen Itza
The Yucatan’s most famous archaeological site is huge and archaeologists are still at work unearthing and restoring ancient treasures, meaning that there is always something different to see whenever you visit. Chichen Itza’s majestic pyramids, temples and palaces have UNESCO World Heritage status.

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Beach books

Here are some of the books we are reading right now if you are looking for something to read. Why not write to us and let us know what’s on your bookshelves or Kindle right now?

Brooklyn
Colm Tóibín
Opportunities were so scarce in 1950s Ireland that many young men and women chose to emigrate. This was the case for Eilis Lacey who, with the help of her elder sister Rose and a priest called Father Flood, left her home and family for a new life in New York and a job in a department store. Painfully shy and homesick, she gradually makes friends in the busy boarding house presided over by Mrs. Kehoe and begins to take evening classes in bookkeeping.
Eilis meets Tony at a parish dance and as they see more of each other, they fall in love. She meets his large Italian family and they are busy making plans for their future together when she receives devastating news from home.
Her family needs her so she returns to Ireland. Torn between the land of her youth and an old friend and her new life in America with Tony, Eilis must choose.
A moving story of love, friendship and family ties, set against two very different landscapes: rural Ireland and the bustle and optimism of Brooklyn.

A Moveable Feast
Ernest Hemingway
We have been rereading some old favorites this month, including Ernest Hemingway’s memoir of Paris in the 1920s. As an impoverished writer eking a living from short stories he wrote in the city’s bars and cafes, he met F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Ford Madox Ford, Ezra Pound and James Joyce, among others.
His evocative account of Parisian life and people and his travels through France make one want to return to the city of light.

A Long Petal of the Sea
Isabel Allende
This is another compelling work of historical fiction by master storyteller Isabel Allende.
Victor Dalmau, is a young doctor caught up in the Spanish Civil War who is forced to flee Barcelona and go into exile in 1939. Vowing to protect his recently widowed sister-in-law Roser he crosses the Pyrenees into France, where he is reunited with her in a refugee camp. The suffering of the Spaniards prompted poet Pablo Neruda to charter a boat to bring 2,000 refugees to Chile, the “long petal of the sea and wine and snow.” Victor and Roser make the voyage to a new life in South America.
Their story spans decades and continents and four generations of their family in Chile. Uprooted by conflict in their homeland, they also witness the rise and fall of Pinochet.
Isabel Allende’s grandfather was one of the Chileans who welcomed the Spanish immigrants and she heard their stories in her childhood. She actually met one of them, Victor, when they were both exiled in Venezuela during Pinochet’s rule of terror. He told her about his 34 years in Chile and his relationship with Neruda and President Salvador Allende.

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Stay connected

You can stay connected with Grand Residences on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You’ll find updates, photos of your home away from home and Puerto Morelos, cocktails, recipes, activity ideas, the Lotería game and much more. There are even some great Grand Residences images for you to download and use as your Zoom background.

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Mexican Caribbean News

The Mexican Caribbean is gradually reopening this month to welcome returning visitors. From hotels to golf courses and parks, travel agencies to restaurants, all will be operating with new hygiene and social distancing measures so that visitors can enjoy their vacation with peace of mind.
Cancun, the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean are the first destinations in the Americas to receive the Safe Travels Global Security Stamp issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and backed by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for their adherence to new international sanitary security protocols.
In other news, Cancun Airport has implemented new health and safety protocols, including temperature screening and a health questionnaire for all arriving passengers, There will be social distancing, more frequent cleaning and sanitization in all areas, from the airport buses to Immigration, check-in and baggage drop, departure and arrival lounges, commercial and waiting areas. The use of face masks and visors by staff is mandatory and they will undergo daily health checks.
In other signs of reactivation, a number of airlines including Air Canada, Air Transat, American Airlines, Jet Blue, Southwest, United, Delta, Sunwing, Copa Airlines and Aeromexico have resumed or have announced their intention to start flights again this month and in July. Xcaret reopened on June 15 and Xel-Ha, Xplor, Xoximilco and Xavage will follow on July 1 and 2.

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Safety first, your wellbeing is our top priority

At Grand Residences your wellbeing is our top priority. When you return to your home away from home you’ll find that we have taken additional steps to ensure the safety of owners, members, guests and staff.
We will be reopening with new hygiene protocols for rooms, guest areas and back of house in accordance with guidelines issued by the Mexican Department of Health and the World Health Organization.

They include:

• Welcoming members and guests with warm smiles and the traditional Yucatecan greeting of the hand placed over the heart, Ki’ imak K’iin instead of handshakes and hugs
• Keeping a safe distance and avoiding physical contact.
• Use of face masks by staff
• Widespread availability of hand sanitizer for guests and staff to use, including a bottle in the room amenity kit for guests to use and take with them when they venture outside the resort
• Incorporation of additional sanitation protocols and disinfectants in our daily room cleaning procedure
• Increased cleaning of guest areas and back of house where staff work behind the scenes
• High traffic areas and surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, elevator buttons and handrails are cleaned and disinfected frequently during the day
• Sports gear, yoga mats, gym equipment and fitness machines are cleaned with disinfectant before and after use and sanitizer wipes are available for guests to give them an additional wipe down.
• In restaurants and bars, seating plans will allow for greater separation between tables. Buffet service has been modified to reduce lines, other changes include greater use of individual portions and a member of staff to serve diners.
• Guest vans and employee buses will be cleaned and disinfected after every journey
• Using the Grand Residences App offers contact-free options for pre-check-in and express checkout, making special requests, checking daily activity programs and restaurant information
• Ongoing staff training on COVID-19 awareness and to reinforce hygiene protocols such as frequent hand washing
• Constant monitoring of the health of our employees
• In the event that a guest begins to feel unwell, has a temperature or is showing respiratory symptoms, the resort will notify the Mexican Department of Health immediately and follow its protocol on self-isolation, care and sanitation.

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Covid-19 Employee Relief Fund reaches its second goal

We have been overwhelmed by the support for the COVID-19 Employee Relief Fund. And we are happy to announce that the second target amount set for the appeal has now been reached. Thanks to the donations received, the Royal Resorts Foundation has been able to help 1,222 employees at Grand Residences and Royal Resorts such as housekeepers, waiters, bar tenders, kitchen staff and porters who normally receive part of their pay from tips.
All of these workers have received food cards to use in local supermarkets and with your support we have raised enough money to continue helping them through June.
However, the impact of the crisis means that they will need aid for another month so the Royal Resorts Foundation has set a new goal of $32,000. This is the target amount needed to give a food card to 1,222 employees during the month of July to help them through this crisis.

With your help we can reach the target.

Support the cause

A message from the heart
Guiliana U, Housekeeping, The Royal Sands
Guiliana joined Royal Resorts eight years ago and is originally from Teya Pueblo in Yucatan. She has lived in Cancun for more than 20 years now and has two daughters, aged 18 and 11. She says, “When the COVID-19 crisis hit us here, I began to worry about my job and that I wouldn’t be able to support my daughters. My eldest will soon be starting college and I thought, how on earth are we going to manage?
“But Royal Resorts has stood by us. Thanks be to God we are still here.” Guiliana adds, “When I heard about the Royal Resorts Foundation appeal, I breathed a sigh of relief. It is a great help. As there are no guests, we are not receiving the tips that normally form part of our pay and this will tide us over.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped us. May God bless them and watch over them. We look forward to welcoming them to their home.”

Watch the video for more messages from Royal Resorts employees

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From the Grand Residences kitchen

You may be missing your favorite beachfront seat at Heaven Bar right now for a lunch of fish tacos with lashings of pico de gallo or the catch of the day served up in El Faro Grill. If you are, here’s a recipe from the Grand Residences kitchen for you to prepare at home. We hope that it brings back wonderful memories. We’ll be sharing more recipes with you in the months to come. In the meantime, enjoy!

Tequila Shrimp
This shrimp and tequila flambée recipe from the Mexican Pacific coast tastes just as good in the Mexican Caribbean!

Serves 1 person
4 jumbo shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
1 sliced Guajillo chili
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
1 shot glass of white tequila
One grilled yellow corn, cut in halves
½ cup of cooked white rice
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

Preparation
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter, garlic and the shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
Sauté the shrimp until pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add the tequila. Increase the heat to medium high and then tilt the skillet over the gas burner or use a long match to ignite the tequila. Be careful as the flames may go high.
Cook, shaking the skillet gently once or twice, until flames subside.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with rice and corn

Cocktail hour
If you are dreaming about your Mexican Caribbean home and all those relaxing afternoons by the pool sipping your favorite cocktail, here’s a recipe from the Grand Residences bartenders for you to enjoy at home.

Blueberry Mezcalita
2oz mezcal
2oz cranberry juice
2oz Sprite
¼ cup blueberries
2 lime slices
4 mint leaves
Ice
To garnish, a sprig of mint and a blackberry

Place the lime slices, blueberries and mint leaves in a glass and macerate using a cocktail pestle until the juices are released and mixed. Add ice cubes, cranberry juice, sprite and mezcal. Mix well and garnish with the blackberry and mint sprig.

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Good Reads

Many of us have been catching up on our reading through the months at home. After a day working online, it is a way to let your imagination take flight and travel. It doesn’t matter if you are reading the latest book by your favorite writer, rereading Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy or Henry James or following in the footsteps of a travel writer, it will transport you to a world of magic.
Here are some of the books we have been reading recently if you are looking for a good read.

West Country Trilogy
Tim Pears
Set in a farming valley on the borders of Somerset and Devon in the West Country in Edwardian England, The Horseman, The Wanderers and The Redeemed follow the fortunes of a boy called Leo Sercombe. The son of a carter, he has inherited his father’s skill with horses and wants to work in the estate stud farm. He meets Miss Charlotte, the Master’s daughter and despite the rigid social boundaries, they become friends through a shared love of horses. As they become teenagers they fall in love.
Exiled from the estate when his friendship with Lottie is discovered, Leo wanders further west into Cornwall in search of his mother’s kin. He is sleeping rough and living off the land when he is attacked by a gang of thieves and left for dead. A family of gypsies nurses him back to health but their law dictates that he is now bound to them as a servant.
He eventually escapes and continues his journey, meeting farmers, miners and a traumatized soldier and veteran of the Boer War living as a hermit on the way.
In the meantime, Lottie tries to find out what has happened to him and seeks solace in nature as her father falls in love again.
The third book begins in 1916 with Leo shoveling coal on HMS Queen Mary. He is soon caught up in the war as the ship is torpedoed during the German attack on Scapa Flow. He is one of a handful of survivors and he becomes a salvage diver trying to raise the sunken fleet.
Years pass and he still dreams of returning to his homeland. When he finally retraces his steps and becomes a farmer, he is reunited with Lottie who has fought her own battles.
Tim Pears’ descriptions of West Country rural life and landscapes make this trilogy a must.

Notes from a Small Island
Bill Bryson
A travel classic that never grows old. The journeys of US writer Bill Bryson through the United Kingdom; this is his funny and affectionate look at the island and its people.
Once you have read one Bill Bryson book, you’ll be hooked and will be searching for the next one, whether narrating his adventures on the Appalachian Trail or Down Under in Australia.

Redhead by the Side of the Road
Anne Tyler
Micah Mortimer is a 40-something building superintendant and IT technician who is a creature of habit and finds connecting difficult. He lives by his daily routines until his world is turned upside down by the visit of a teenager who mistakenly believes that he may have found his father. Anne Tyler is a brilliant observer of human nature and this is a warm, funny and touching story of family, relationships and discovery as Micah realizes that he is not as self-reliant as he thinks he is and that he loves and needs the one person in his life he had been taking for granted.

Circe
Madeline Miller
Daughter of Helios, the Titan sun god, the nymph Circe is the famed sorceress of ancient Greek mythology. This child of nature narrates her own story. Banished by Zeus to the island of Aiaia for using witchcraft in the name of love, she tells of her encounters with gods and mortals, Odysseus and a cast of characters including Daedalus, Scylla, the Minotaur, Medea, Penelope and her son Telemachus.

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