Photos by Claudette Covey
Wow. That was my first reaction when setting foot in the building that houses Oasis Hotels & Resorts' Oasis Grand Cancun and new Pyramid at Grand Oasis Cancun. I entered into a six-story, vine-draped atrium, the ground floor of which as brimming with tropical plants. One thing was for sure. I definitely felt like I was in Mexico.
I had traveled to Cancun to check out the offerings of the 260-room Pyramid, which shares a resort complex that includes not only the Grand Oasis but the Oasis Cancun as well.
The new Pyramid concept offers guests a higher level of accommodations along with a host of extra amenities, including a private beach club, a private check-in facility and a VIP lounge.
Also, nine of the resort complex's 29 restaurants cater exclusively to Pyramid guests. I had the chance to sample the fare at three of the nine - Careyes, Cocoa and The White Box Gastrobar - and found the cuisine to be pretty outstanding.
Careyes is the most formal of the three Mexican restaurants within Oasis resort complex. I've yet to have a better Mexican meal at any all-inclusive resort than I enjoyed here. Its selection of hot appetizers is particularly tasty.
Cocoa, which specializes in fresh seafood, also has much to recommend it. For starters, the food is matched only by view. The restaurant, with large picture windows, sits on the beach and offers diners sweeping views of sand and sea. (The resort, which is located in Cancun's Hotel Zone, features a stunning stretch of beach).
Although options for meat eaters are plentiful, I recommend ordering the catch of the day. Other standouts include the ceviche and chilled cucumber and crab soup.
For its part, The White Box Gastrobar serves amazing and highly inventive tapas that are listed under a variety of categories that include raw; salted, cured and preserved; marinated; fried; sautéed, grilled; and stews and rices.
The restaurant is the brainchild of the two-starred Michelin chef Rafael Zafra, who is also responsible for the gourmet molecular menu at Benazuza, located at an Oasis sister property, the Grand Oasis Sens.
It's very difficult for words to ever do justice to this cuisine. Some standout items include the watermelon salad, the "surprise avocado," assorted cheeses and jams, shrimp carpaccio, and fish and chips.
Pyramid guests also have exclusive use of the VIP Lounge, which is equipped with a bar and serves limited but very tasty breakfast and lunch buffets.
All things considered, the sheer diversity of the complex's 29 restaurants is pretty impressive, with options ranging from Chinese, Italian, Spanish and Moroccan. There's also a sushi bar and steakhouse, among many choices.
The Oasis complex also distinguishes itself in the area of entertainment. It employs a sizeable team of entertainers who perform in four original and elaborate Cirque du Soleil-type shows set in the center of the Grand Oasis' and Grand Pyramid Oasis six-story atrium.
So, without fail, guests can expect to see a show every night of the week.
For $39 per person, guests can sit directly in front of the performers while enjoying a three-course meal with appetizers and wine.
Oasis is also establishing a reputation for its annual jazz festival, which this year was held in May. The resort also hosted an Ultra Electro Latin Beat Summer Electronic music festival in May, and a country music festival in June.
On another note, the resort makes it immensely easy for guests looking to explore the world beyond the confines of its walls. It boasts a huge fleet of Smart cars, which guests can rent for rates starting at $40 a day. The rate includes taxes and insurance fees, which are quite high in Cancun. The more days guests drive the Smart cars, the lower the rate.
Meanwhile, renovations are still underway on the new Pyramid accommodations, which are set in the center of the Grand Oasis Cancun, and include 238 deluxe rooms, 14 junior suites and eight master suites. Oasis said the enhancements, which will include added amenities, are expected to be completed by year's end.
I, for one, am staying tuned!
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