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Kimberly Z
Dallas, TX

Better options on the Riviera Maya

3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 9 Jul 2024
I visited Iberostar Paraiso Beach July 2-7 with two young adult nieces and my 11 year old daughter. We checked in around 4 pm there were no problems with getting our rooms immediately. The desk staff was very pleasant and we even received upgrades to a building near the pool. The lobby is typical open air with seating and a bar. Overall, the ambiance is nice and the desk staff was pleasant.

After check in, the bellman takes you to your room in a golf cart. Trams run throughout the resort because of its size but if you are able to walk distances, it isn’t a problem. However, the trams run on the same walkways as pedestrians so you are always having to dodge them.

The Room: We had two rooms; one with a king bed and one with two double beds. The room was ok; it wasn’t as nice as I was expecting nor as nice as other resorts I’ve stayed in. While it was clean, it was dated and didn’t fit with the ‘luxury’ atmosphere that the resort purports to have. The hotel strives to be eco-friendly so provides large communal bottles of hand soap, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. The mini bar was stocked with soft drinks, 1 can of sparkling water, and two Modelos. There is a filtered water station on each floor and refillable glass bottles are provided. At other AI resorts I’ve stayed at in the Cancun/Playa area, hard alcohol was provided in the room; however, none was provided. The bed itself was fine, not too hard or too soft. Water pressure in the shower was very low and I had a hard time keeping a consistent temperature. The room was warm and would not cool off.

Dining - Breakfast consists of the buffet. It was on the small side and was the same food every morning we were there, no change up except for the soup. Dinner options included the buffet or, if you were lucky, reservations at one of the specialty restaurants or availability at the first come/first serve restaurants. Dinner at the buffet was also uninteresting and was the same food every night. The drinks were ok; very weak and watered down. We were able to dine at the Mexican restaurant and the food was just ok.

Pool – The pool is beautiful and very large. Part of the pool area is for some higher class of guest but the majority of it is open to everyone. Considering the time of year of our visit, it wasn’t too crowded. There was no service at the pool; you had to go to the bar and the only bars available were swim up. The water was on the warmer side and was dirty with lots of debris floating in it.

Final thoughts - We were approached to do the vacation club presentation but I’m pretty good at shutting that down so we weren’t constantly asked. The resort WIFI was decent, even outside of the room at the pool. The grounds are lovely and there is a lot of wildlife which my daughter enjoyed. The fitness center is nice, clean, and well equipped. The staff is friendly overall.

Generally, I think this is a beginner level all-inclusive and there are better options in the area. The vacation club is a big turn off and I prefer to go to resorts where all the amenities are available to all guests.
Date of stay: July 2024
Trip type: Travelled with family
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
3.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
4.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
1.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Quality Manager Iberostar Mexico, Owner at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this review
Responded 10 Jul 2024
Dear Guest,

We would like to express our appreciation for the time that you have taken to send us your review.

We value your opinion and regret that your expectations have not been exceeded. Providing an excellent experience to all our guests is our main priority and every day our staff does everything in their hands to achieve this. We thank you for your comments and we assure you they will be considered to improve our guests’ experience.

Although it would appear this was not the perfect fit for you, we hope you will join us again at one of our many other beautifully located Iberostar hotels for your next holiday.

Best regards,

Quality Manager
Iberostar Paraiso Beach
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
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    18 - 23 of 9,306 reviews
    Reviewed 8 July 2024

    I feel terrible saying this but this is the worst resort I have ever been to. The staff was not friendly or accommodating. Our room
    Wasn’t ready and they kept pushing out the time until I didn’t want to wait any longer and we were downgraded our room to just get in a room at a reasonable time (4pm). We were pushed all the upsells which I refused. Food was terrible. Bug bites at dinner were even worse - inundated. Room was dirty including sheets and not updated. Dark and dreary. Grounds were not well kept as none of the fountains were on and there was dirty water lingering in them. We left after 1 night it was so awful. I would never rate this place a 5 star and honestly will never go to an iberostar resort again.

    Date of stay: July 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled with family
      • Value
      • Location
      • Sleep Quality
      • Rooms
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    Thank Jnichols44
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Online Reputation Management, Owner at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 9 July 2024

    Dear guest,

    Thank you for sending us your feedback.

    It is disappointing to know that your experience fell below your expectations and that we were unable to provide you with a truly memorable and enjoyable vacation.

    Excellence in service truly is one of our strengths and we work with enthusiasm for it to remain so.Customer orientation and a personalized service are essential to achieving maximum satisfaction among our guests and we are sad that during your stay we did not accomplish our goal with you.

    On the other hand, concerning our culinary offer, we will relay your opinion to our team of professional chefs. Gastronomy is a pillar of our company and it is through feedback such as yours that we can constantly progress and develop on our quest for complete customer satisfaction.

    Regarding cleanliness, allow us to explain that our team follows a strict maintenance program as well as a strict cleaning protocol to keep our rooms in perfect conditions as we are characterized by our immaculate and pristine hotels. We assure you that we comply with the highest standards put in place for the cleanliness of linens, furniture, service protocols,as well as caring for the environment. We totally agree that correct hygiene is essential to offer a comfortable stay for our guests. We will pass on your comments to the correct department and we regret that this made your holiday seem less than perfect.

    Finally we would like to say that your comments are invaluable in helping us create the ideal holiday experience and we really hope you will allow us another opportunity to show you that your holiday experience can be improved.

    Best regards,

    Quality Manager
    Iberostar Paraiso Beach

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 2 July 2024

    So, I wrote a review after coming back and maybe it is still out there, I did have one issue that i figured the resort would take care of, but they haven't so I take back all the things I said, now out of principle.

    I went with 7 friends, so 8 guys in total.
    We booked 4 rooms, two beds in each.
    When we got there, we were told all they had was room with one king bed.
    The options they gave us were to accept that we would get rooms with one bed, or pay an "upgrade" charge of $100 per guy to get rooms with two beds.
    Now, the resort was NOWHERE near capacity and WE BOOKED ROOM WITH TWO BEDS.
    After a long day of traveling we just paid the $100 to get in rooms and figured they'd make it right at some point after...well, 6 weeks later they haven't.
    And to top it off, they flat out lied and are saying they offered us options which they did not, to fix the issue...one guy at the front desk v. 8 people checking in that all heard the same thing...hard to say all 8 of us didn't hear what options we were told which again was accept a room we didn't reserve OR pay more to get what we did pay for.
    It is only $100, I get that...but it is just the principal.
    All I will say is there...there are plenty of other resorts up and down the coast in this area and not only will I never stay at an Iberostar again, I'd highly recommend anyone reading this pick a different resort too because what you get may not be what you paid for and they will lie to you when called on it to remedy the situation.
    Is the resort nice, sure.
    But there are others - and I've stayed at them - that are as nice or better than will honor the room you reserve from them. Save yourself the headache avoid this place.

    Room tip: avoid this hotel altogether.
    Date of stay: May 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled with friends
      • Value
      • Location
      • Sleep Quality
      • Rooms
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    3  Thank dave_cwiklinski
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Quality Manager Iberostar Mexico, Marketing at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 4 July 2024

    Dear Guest,

    We would like to express our appreciation for the time that you have taken to send us your review.

    Allow us to mention that our main goal is to provide our guests with an amazing experience, exceeding their expectations at all times. For this reason, we are concerned to read that you encountered some inconveniences at your check in. We would like to emphasize that at Iberostar, service orientation and personalized attention to our customers are of the utmost importance and it is our priority to guarantee a memorable vacation for our guests. It is important to explain that no specific room, bed, building or location can be confirmed in advance for being subject to availability on your arrival, however we assure you that our front desk staff will always do everything in their hands to assist our guests the best possible way. We thank you for sharing your experience with us and regret that it made your holiday seem less than perfect.

    Once more, we would like to thank you for your invaluable opinion, and we hope that you had a pleasant journey home.

    Best regards,

    Quality Manager
    Iberostar Paraiso Beach

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 30 June 2024

    Excellent service. Very charismatic employees. Made me feel very welcome. First experience out of country but would definitely do it again. Hector especially did an excellent job. The shows each night were excellent due to enthusiasm from the employees.

    Date of stay: June 2024
    Trip type: Travelled with friends
    Thank maxkM4677LT
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Quality Manager Iberostar Mexico, Marketing at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 2 July 2024

    Dear guest,

    We want you to know that your review of Iberostar Paraiso Beach is very much appreciated.

    We are always delighted to receive clarification that our guests have enjoyed a wonderful holiday and have left with happy memories.Our combination of both professional and friendly service is one of our main priorities and we are always working to provide our guests with a genuinely wonderful experience.

    Again, we appreciate your positive comments and look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

    Best Regards,

    Quality Manager
    Iberostar Paraiso Beach

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 30 June 2024 via mobile

    Overall a great place. Staff always polite and always very helpful. Staff always had smiles on their faces. This resort is HUGE. However trams were running constantly, never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a ride. They had multiple stops so one never had to walk far once they dropped you off. The drivers were always polite and friendly. Our building was in the back of the resort near the pool and beach. As a senior citizen I would not have been able walk to the lobby or the buffet from our building. The trams made it a breeze. The pool was huge and very clean. It appeared there was a specific part of the pool that was more of a party area. The rest of the pool was perfect for adults and families. Swim up bars were excellent. Great drinks and staff. Drinks did not seem watered down as I have noted in some other resorts. Of course there is the ongoing issue with seaweed at the beach which the resort has no control over. However they were continually clearing the seaweed as much as possible. Room was spacious, clean, nicely appointed. AC kept up well with the high temps and heavy humidity. Housekeeping was awesome. Room daily was immaculate upon our return from activities. The grounds were immaculate. There were flamingos and many peacocks to enjoy. Check in was a breeze. The porters took our luggage and brought it up to our third floor room (no elevators). They arrived at our room at check time (for us we checked out at 4AM for an early flight out of Cancun). As a senior citizen I should have asked for a ground floor room. But I did fine. The resort seemed very safe. No worries about roaming around the grounds after dark.

    The only reason I gave 4 stars (I wish I could give it 4.8) was the food. It was good but I have had better at other resorts. Each night was a different theme which was nice. Hence the food was never repetitious. We only ate at the buffet as most of the speciality restaurants were booked for the week. Disappointing but it didn’t really impact our vacation. The staff at the buffet was great. They never let your water glass get empty! I would not let any issues with the food stop me from returning.

    Overall we found this resort to be awesome. We would most definitely return and highly recommend it.

    Room tip: If you have any physical limitations be sure and ask for a ground floor room.
    Date of stay: June 2024
    Trip type: Travelled with family
    Thank Lonnie S
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Quality Manager Iberostar Mexico, Marketing at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 2 July 2024

    Dear guest,

    We would like primarily to thank you for choosing Iberostar Paraiso Beach for your recent holiday and also for taking the time to share your opinion.

    Every day is a new challenge for us, based on our passion for providing our guests with an environment similar in comfort to a home away from home.

    On the other hand, we are saddened to hear that our culinary offer did not live up to your expectations because a passion for gastronomy is one of the strengths of our company. Daily we strive to take care of our varied menus that combine quality and quantity following high standards. We will share your comments with our team of chefs because; at Iberostar we know that the well-being of our guests is the reason for our daily work.

    So again, we thank you for sharing this positive review with us and we hope to welcome you back again soon.

    Best Regards,

    Quality Manager
    Iberostar Paraiso Beach

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 29 June 2024

    I just want to Say Sergio with the crazy glasses is a Verry professional worker, he Made my vacation much better and more fun. He is a really good Guy. The service and help that he gave my family was really good. He have a really good heart and you can see he love his work.

    Date of stay: June 2024
    Trip type: Travelled with family
    Thank williamoQ7084PA
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Quality Manager Iberostar Mexico, Marketing at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach, responded to this reviewResponded 2 July 2024

    Dear guest,

    We want you to know how happy we are that you had such an excellent holiday with us and thank you for sharing it with others.

    Our team will be pleased by your praise, our staff is not only particularly hospitable but are also provided continuous training in terms of service and general working practice. Therefore we are very pleased that both the efforts of our employees and our passionately prepared gastronomy have left a good impression on you.

    Thank you again for sharing your motivating comments and we look forward to serving you again at our hotel.

    Best Regards,

    Quality Manager
    Iberostar Paraiso Beach

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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