When it comes to All-Inclusive resorts, Mexico has it all: luxurious, cheap, mid range, family, adults only and a mixture of both. It can make your head spin trying to choose one that fits your budget and needs. After months of going back and forth between the options we had, I managed to narrow down my research to two resorts that seemed perfect for our family – mid-range budget, kid friendly, good food, luxurious feel, but merging well with nature. The two resorts were Iberostar Paraiso Maya and Occidental at Xcaret.
You can read my review of Occidental at Xcaret here.
IBEROSTAR PARAISO MAYA
IBEROSTAR PARAISO is a 5 tier resort that is conveniently situated in Playa del Carmen, approximately half an hour away from the airport in Cancun. The 5 hotels (or sections) in the resort are Beach, Del Mar, Lindo, Maya and Grand. ”Beach” and ”Del Mar” share the same pools and restaurants and because they are the most affordable option in the resort, you are only offered three a la carte restaurants per a seven day stay. ”Lindo” and ”Maya” share the same pools and some of the restaurants. ”Maya” is the most upscale option for a family with kids and if you stay there, you have access to all of the pools and restaurants in the lower price sections (Lindo, Del Mar and Beach). ”Lindo”, ”Del Mar” and ”Beach” guests cannot access the restaurants in the Maya section. ”Maya” is also the only one of the four that has elevators and in room jacuzzis. ”Grand” is the adult only section and it is not accessible to anybody from the lower price sections. All 5 sections have access to a shopping center that is all included is the stay as well. They have a taco shop, a crepe shot, a candy shop, a carrousel, a burger place and a disco, among other things. The tacos and crepes there are delicious!
My Ratings for the resort
1. THE ROOM
We paid $230 for a Superior Junior Suite. The room was big and clean, but a bit outdated. The bathroom was big and modern. We loved the extra space we had in the room and we were very comfortable during our stay. We also had a balcony with a hammock, overlooking the mangroves, where we could peacefully enjoy some quiet time after our kids went to sleep. Our room was located in building 61, the closest to the beach, but the farthest from the lobby and restaurants. There was only one restaurant by our building – ”El Tapatio”, where they served breakfast and lunch buffet. It was very convenient for us for those days when the kids were not hungry and my husband and I could take turns: one would stay in the pool with the kids and the other would pop into the restaurant for a quick meal and we could still see each other. I give the room 4/5.
*Note: since writing the review, Iberostar has built another restaurant across the pool from El Tapatio. They serve sandwiches and pizza
2. THE FOOD
The food was better than we expected. We only ate at the buffets, because our kids did not have the patience to sit down and wait for a la carte at the end of the day. We decided that was what we were going to do at the very beginning of our trip, so we weren’t left with the feeling that we missed out on fancy dinners. Besides, there were a lot of options for food at the buffets, every night there was a different theme and the food was always fresh. There were always lots of fruit, breads and desserts as well. For buffet resort food, I give it 5/5.
*Note: from other people’s reviews, it sounds like the a la carte restaurants do book way in advance. So if you have a specific restaurant in mind that you simply have to try, email the resort a week before your travel time to make sure you get in. Otherwise, your concierge should be able to help you make reservations when you first get there.
3. THE POOLS
Although we stayed at the Maya, I loved the main pool at Beach/Del Mar more. It had swinging beds on one side and little cabanas on the other. Towards the back of the resorts, it narrowed down into what looked like a river that ended into a ”cave” with a jacuzzi. Our kids loved that area!
The main pool at Maya was very nice too. It had a swim up bar that also looked like it was inside of a cave. Our boys enjoyed getting their virgin cocktails there every day. On top of the main pool, Maya also had small, individual pools for each building. Those were actually really cold and we never swam in there, except for that one time when our daredevil toddler unexpectedly jumped in for a swim while we were heading out for dinner. That makes for a fun memory now, but it was terrifying at the time. And rather cold!
Our kids favorite pool was the wave pool. The waves were just the right size and roughness for little kids and our oldest one still remembers playing in there, 2 years later.
There is also a lazy river in the ”Lindo”/”Maya” section. It is very lazy indeed (it barely flows) and you have to have your own floaties (you can get some at the souvenir store, for a small fortune), so I was not very impressed with it.
They also have a really cute area for babies and toddlers, with a ship they can climb in and go down water slides and little animals squirting water. We played there a couple of times, but the water was pretty cold and my kids preferred the wave pool.
The pools get a 5/5 from me. There are so many options throughout the resort, that you could do a different pool each day and still not run out of options.
*Note: since our trip, Iberostar Paraiso has also added water slides to the resort. They are located between ”Lindo” and ”Maya” and are only included in the stay for guests staying at ”Lindo”, ”Maya” and ”Grand”. Guests from ”Del Mar” and ”Beach” can get a day pass for $15/person. Minimum height is 48”
4. THE BEACH
You cannot see the beach from the Maya section, which is a big disappointment for some people. We didn’t really care about that though, as we enjoyed walking though the mangroves to get to it. The wooden pathway is well maintained and we always saw some kind of animals there (mostly coatis and lizards). The beach was wide and pretty and the staff at the resort did an amazing job cleaning up the seaweed. The waves were very rough though and snorkeling was not good in that area. I would give it a 4/5, because I wish my kids had been able to be in the water more, but after they got tossed off of a buggy board by a huge wave, they were a bit afraid to go back in. The waves were always rough in that area, it wasn’t just a one time thing.
*Note: our kids were only 3 1/2 and 2 at the time, so the waves might be more manageable for older kids. We just came back from a trip to Costa Rica and the waves at the beach there were just as rough, but my kids really enjoyed themselves this time. In fact, one of their favorite memories from the trip is ”fighting the waves at the beach”. They are 5 1/2 and 4 now.
My rating for the beach at Iberostar is purely based on our experience at the time, traveling with two young toddlers.
5. THE DRINKS
They were hit or miss, depending on where you ordered them. My husband learned that you specifically had to ask for top shelf alcohol (or name the exact brand you wanted) for your drink, or they would use the cheaper option they had. That being said, we did enjoy some very delicious mojitos and margaritas at the Snake Bar (main lobby) and the Maya Pool. I would give the drinks 3/5, because I wish they were more consistent with the alcohol they used.
6. THE ARCHITECTURE
The first visual that you have of the Maya section is the enormous pyramid where the main lobby is located. It is a replica of Chichen Itza. You get a sense of the Mayan architecture throughout this whole section of the resort. Each building had its own unique courtyard and statues and the ambience is one of peacefulness. It feels luxurious, without being over the top.
The architecture of the Lindo section is equally impressive and on a completely different theme. I love water and those beautiful, wooden walkways surrounded by water at the Lindo lobby stole my heart.
The whole resort is huge! I took walks by myself twice when the boys were napping and I still couldn’t cover the whole area. There are animals at every turn (mainly coatis and birds of some sort – swans, peacock etc) and I came upon a small wedding chapel hidden in the ”jungle”. There is also a small cenote on site, but I don’t believe you can swim in there.
It gets a 5/5 from me.
7. THE KIDS' CLUB
I am very excited about this part, although we never actually got to take advantage of it. Our kids were too young to join the club (minimum age is 4), but Iberostar allows parents to go and use to play room and the outside play area with their young kids early in the morning, before the club activities start. I took my kids there one morning and – OH, MY GOSH – it is heaven on Earth for kids! If I ever go back to Iberostar Paraiso, 90% the reason is so that my kids can go to the club. Also, I’ve only heard excellent reviews from parents whose kids did attend it. The only complaints were that their kids did not want to hang out with them anymore – all they wanted to do was to go to the club. On top of the play room and outside play area, the care givers in the club cook with the kids, take them to the pool and the beach, organize theater plays with them. Like whaatt?! I would have died to do that as a kid. It gets a solid 5/5 from me.
*Note: since writing the post, we’ve returned to Iberostar Paraiso twice on day passes. We didn’t sleep at the resort, we just visited it during the day. Our kids did join the kids club and, as expected, they loved it.
8. ENTERTAINMENT
From pool parties, to outdoor cookouts and nightly shows – some of them provided by the Kids Club (they work on different theater plays during the day with the kids and present them to the parents at night, at the theater in the ”Lindo”/”Maya” lobby) – Iberostar Paraiso is doing an amazing job at keeping their guests entertained throughout the day. I give it 5/5.
9. THE SERVICE
All of the staff we interacted with were very friendly, helpful and courteous, starting with the check in personnel, to concierges, to golf cart drivers, maids and waiters. Some of the waiters even remembered our names and what how we liked our coffee! They always greeted us with a genuine smile on their faces and a couple of them even took the time to converse with us, ask us questions and tell us a bit about their lives. They get a solid 5/5 from me.
Other reasons to love iberostar paraiso
1. Unlimited ice cream – yeap, that’s right! Above the main pool in the Maya/Lindo section, they have an ice cream shop, where you can get ice cream for free, as many times as you want per day. Unlimited scoops too. If parents can get unlimited drinks, why shouldn’t the kids get unlimited ice cream? Sound fair to me!
2. Cook outs by the pool and beach – I was not able to figure out when exactly these cook outs happened (and I didn’t ask the concierge), but I happened to come across two huge outdoor cook outs, one by the beach and one by the main pool. They cooked paella in a huge dish and everybody could go and grab a plate. People were dancing, singing and enjoying their food and it was such a cool atmosphere! Both times I saw it happen was during my kids’ nap, so early afternoon, while I was walking around the resort.
3. Star cafe – every lobby has its own ”Starbucks like” cafe, that serves coffee, hot chocolate, pastries and sandwiches. They were all included in our stay and very, very delicious.
4. Food readily available all day long – between the buffets, the star cafes and the food they served at the beach, you literally had an option for food all day long. Some days, our boys were not hungry for breakfast, but they would get hungry smack between breakfast and lunch. Luckily, when the buffets closed for breakfast, the restaurant at the beach opened up (at 11 am). They served regular burgers, fish burgers, hot dogs and some very delicious potato wedges. That saved our day on several occasions!
5. The shopping center – free carrousel, free crepes, free tacos, free burgers, free candy, free disco – need I say more?
6. The medical center – Iberostar has its own, small medical center on site (across from the Shopping Center). My husband got an ear infection from diving while we were staying at Iberostar and their doctor checked him out and prescribed him antibiotics which he was able to get from the pharmacy at the Shopping Center.
Note: We took this trip at the end of 2019, in pre-Covid times, which means that things might look a bit different at the resort now. They most likely have Covid rules in place, which might affect how they run their business. Check out the official website for updates and current regulations.
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Overall a disappointing experience at the Iberostar Selection Paraíso Maya Suites. I encountered multiple issues during my stay, and below will explain my frustration, especially with young kids in tow. It is important for other travelers to consider this experience.
Iberostar Paraiso Maya in Riviera Maya Mexico is a great example of a resort that’s aging and has a lot of deferred maintenance. Reviews online looked good for this resort, but boy were they off. After checking in being assigned a junior “suite”, I quickly realized there was a lack of maintenance. I have uploaded a few photos to get an understanding. Nevertheless, I am a glass full type of person and ignored that. However, I mentioned this to the sales staff that tries to sell you a membership package. On the second night of the stay and right before dinner at 7pm we noticed drainage leaking from the bathroom ceiling. At that point in time I went ahead and called the front desk as this is not something that could be ignored. I took an additional step and stopped by the front desk and reiterated my predicament to the staff; Gabriel and Manager Lina. Mind you I had both of my young kids with me. Dinner proceeded by a show (both very nice). Finally, after a long walk (this hotel compound is huge -not a positive) we arrived back in our suite. My daughter went to use the restroom and unfortunately the water has been turned off. I called the front desk and they told me that they had sent me a text message through the hotel app (attached photo). I didn’t see this message luckily, as it would have ruined my evening. In summary they had a water pipe break and they were down grading my room. I called and told them that is just not acceptable and they proceeded to do nothing about this. I confronted the manager and she explained that she could do nothing for my situation…this is exactly what you expect from a competent manager. To finalize my night, we went to a room that was still being cleaned (unprepared) and spend the next half hour packing and unpacking and hauling baggage up the floors. My tired and restless kids finally were in bed by 11:30pm.
I understand things happen outside of management control, but for customer service sake do your job and plan accordingly. Three hours is plenty of time to come up with a plan. Have a clean room ready and do an upgrade to mediate the situation. I would not recommend spending your hard earned money on a vacation to this resort. Plenty of better options are available in the area!
I am really sorry your experience at Iberostar was a bad one! I can only imagine how frustrating it must have felt to go for a vacation you had been eagerly only to be disappointed. I truly hope your next all-inclusive experience will be better and you will find the resort that best suits your family’s needs.