Written By: Geoff Millar, Owner, Ultimate All-Inclusive Travel Inc.
This month we are going to continue our tour of the Iberostar Resorts. We will look at the 5 Iberostar Resorts located in the Paraiso Complex in the Riviera Maya. The complex is a beautiful resort area with its own golf course, business complex and shopping area. It sits on a great stretch of beach and has a dive center located within the complex. The complex sits about ½ way between the Airport and Playa Del Carmen. The 5 resorts consist of 2 three star family resorts, 2 four star family resorts and one five star adult only resorts. All the resorts have access to the shopping center, the Business complex and, at a discounted rate, the golf course as well as, at an extra cost, the dive center.
The first resorts we are going to look at are the 2 Three star Family Iberostar Resorts, the Iberostar Del Mar and the Iberostar Beach. These two resorts are almost identical and share the same pool complex sitting between the two resorts. One thing to look out for here is that the Del Mar and the Beach are sold by different tour operators. There are no tour operators that sell both the Del Mar and the Beach. The way it is set up it’s almost one resort with 2 different sides. These 2 resorts are going to be the least expensive resorts in the complex.
The first resort we will look at is the Iberostar Del Mar Resort. This great mid-level 3 star resort sits on the north side of the Iberostar Paraiso complex. It is designed in a beautiful Mexican Colonial Style with a fantastic pool area that runs the whole length of the resort. It sits on a beautiful beach with access to the onsite dive center. Guests also have exchange privileges with their sister resort, the Iberostar Beach. The resort runs perpendicular to the beach rather than horizontally along the beach. This is to minimize storm damage. The problem it causes is that the resort really does not have great ocean views with 2 room categories that have ocean views from the highest floors.
Accommodations consist of Standard rooms with a garden or jungle view, Standard rooms with a pool view, Superior room, Jr Suite Ocean Front. Located on the highest floor of the room block that is closest to the beach, Ocean Front Superior Jr Suite with direct beach access, Presidential Ocean Front Jr. Suite. This Suite is still one room and not a separate bedroom, Double Family Room which is actually 2 connecting rooms, one with a king bed and the other with 2 double beds, and the almost 2,600 sq. ft. Presidential Suite. This Suite still only has 1 separate king bedroom. All accommodations come with the standard amenities, free WIFI, mini fridge, hair dryers, and an assortment of beauty products. Rooms also have 24 hr. room service.
Dining is varied with 2 buffets and 4 Sit down A La Carte restaurants, Italian, Brazilian, American, and Mediterranean. As far as drinks there are 4 bars on the property including a pool bar.
Concerning activities, the resort has a huge pool divided into 4 different area from relaxing to active, a fantastic beach. Because of the roughness of the water there are limited water activities. Daily activities run all day and into the night with a nightly show. Play golf on the resort complex’s own golf course at an extra cost. Go diving and snorkeling from the dive center in the resort complex at an additional cost. There is a great spa and a fully stocked gym.
This resort is great for families that want a great all inclusive resort experience but may be on a budget. It is a very nice mid-level resort. Be careful Iberostar is one of those resorts that rates all their resort 5 star. This resort, in my opinion, is not a 5 star resort but a very nice 3 star Resort.
The next resort we will look at is the Iberostar Beach Resort. This is the sister resort to the Iberostar Del Mar Resort. It sits on the other side of the pool area and mirrors the Del Mar. It is designed in a modern Mexican hacienda style. It sits on a great stretch of beach and has access to the other amenities in the complex like the shopping area, the business complex, the golf course, at an additional cost, and the dive center on the property, at an additional cost.
The accommodations consist of basically the same ones that are located at the Iberostar Del Mar starting with the Standard Room with a jungle view, Standard Pool View, Standard Garden View, Superior Standard Room which sits closer to the beach, Jr. Suite, Jr. Suite with beach access, Jr. Suite Vista Mar which has an obstructed view of the ocean, Superior Jr. Suite, Presidential Ocean Front Jr. Suite, Standard two room Family which consists of 2 connecting rooms, one with a king bed and one with 2 double beds, and finally the 2,500 Sq. Ft. Presidential Suite. Remember that this Suite still only has 1 bedroom with a king bed. All rooms have free WIFI, mini-fridge, and upscale bath products.
Dining gives you 1 Buffet and 4 A La Carte Restaurants. The A La Carte Restaurants consist of Mexican, Steakhouse, Continental Cuisine, and Oriental. There is also 24 hr. room service. As far as quenching your thirst there are 6 bars throughout the resort including a pool bar.
It is not all about eating and drinking. There are enough activities at the resort to keep our clients from getting bored. There is the star camp kid’s club broken into 3 age groups, 4-7, 8-12, and 13-17 with 140 different activities including a study of the ocean, cooking, games, swimming, and a multitude of other activities. This kids club is available to all the Iberostar family resorts in the complex. There is the huge pool area divided into 4 separate areas depending on the desired activity level. There are activities for everyone of every age all day and into the night with a show every night. There is a fantastic beach for swimming and sunning. Use the dive center on the property at an additional cost. Although the dive center is for all the resorts in the complex it actually sits in front of the Iberostar Beach Resort. Clients have access to the beautiful golf course in the complex, at an additional cost. For relaxing there is a fantastic Spa and there is a fitness center.
This resort, like the Del Mar, is for the family that wants a great all-inclusive resort experience but may have a limited budget. It is great for families, multi-generational vacations as well as destination weddings and honeymoons.
As we move on, we are going to look at the next 2 resorts. They are the Iberostar Lindo and the Iberostar Maya. These two resorts also sit across from each other with a common large pool area in between. These resorts are both very nice 4 star resorts with a totally different feel. Clients at these resorts have exchange privileges with the first 2 Iberostar resorts, the Del Mar and the Beach. The pool area these two resorts share has a water park and a wave pool. The water park and wave pool are designed more for younger children.
First, we will look at the Iberostar Selection Lindo. This resort is a very nice 4 star all-inclusive. The design of this resort is distinctively Modern Mayan. The difference between the Lindo and the Maya is that the Lindo has rooms, Jr. Suites and Suites while the Maya has only Jr. Suites and Suites. The pool area is very large and contains a water park and wave pool for the little ones. It does some eco-friendly things like the play area in the Kid’s club as well as other structures are made from recycled plastic. It sits on a great stretch of beach and like the other resorts in the complex sits perpendicular to the beach rather than horizontally along the beach.
Accommodations are made up of Standard rooms with a jungle view, Standard room Garden view, Standard room pool view, Superior Standard room closest to the pool area, Jr. Suite with a garden view, Presidential Jr. Suite which is a larger Jr, Suite and a larger patio or balcony, and an almost 2,600 sq. ft. Presidential Suite. Remember that this Suite only has one king bed. In all room categories there is free WIFI, 24 hr. room service, a mini-fridge, and upscale bath products.
Dining offer a huge choice including a buffet and 3 A La Carte restaurants, Italian, Mediterranean, and Cajun. There is a snack bar offering all day lite dining, as well as a coffee bar offering a selection of, coffee, tea, and lite snacks. Activities include the same activities that are included in any of the other resorts plus the water park and wave pool. There are 5 pools to chose from. The resort sits a beautiful beach. There is access to the dive center on the property for scuba diving and snorkeling. It is at an additional cost. Clients have golf privileges at the golf course within the complex. This is also at an extra cost. There are a variety of activities scheduled every day for all ages along with nightly entertainment. There is a great fitness center. There is the kid’s club, Star Camp, available to all kids between the areas of 4 and 17 and providing 140 different activities both indoor and outdoor.
This resort would be great for clients, families, and couples that want a little more upscale, from an accommodations, dining, and service standpoint, experience, locate in a complex where they would have exchange privileges with 2 other resorts.
The next resort we will take a look at is the Iberostar Selection Maya. This 4 star all inclusive resorts sits on the other side of the pool complex and shares that pool complex with the Iberostar Selection Lindo. The main difference between the Lindo and the Maya is that the Maya’s lowest room category is the Jr. Suite. The resort has a very distinct Mayan look and atmosphere from the lobby to the pyramid shaped structure that defines the wave pool in the pool complex. This resort, like the others is built perpendicular to the beach rather than horizontally along the beach.
As far as accommodations, all the rooms at this resort are Jr. Suites or higher. They consist of Jr. Suite garden view, Jr Suite pool view, Superior Jr. Suite, Family Jr. Suite which consists of 2 connecting rooms, one with a king bed and one with 2 double beds, Superior Family Jr Suite which is the same as the Family Jr Suite but is located in a more convenient location, and finally the 2,500 sq. ft Presidential Suite. This Suite comes with a king bed and an oversized terrace with hydro-massage tub. All Suites come with free WIFI, 24 hr. room service, mini-bar, and upscale bath products.
Dining includes a buffet and 4 A La Carte restaurants, a Mexican restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, a French restaurant, and a Steakhouse. As far a bars, there are 4 bars on the property including a swim-up bar. There are a couple of snack bars with lite snacks including a coffee bar serving a variety of coffee and teas as well as snacks.
Activities are varied as they are with the other Iberostar Resorts including, daily activities, a great beach, access to the dive center on the property at an additional cost, golf on the resorts course at an additional cost, use of the Business Center, a small casino, the emphasis is on small, a night club/disco. The kids have access to the Star Camp, Iberostar’s Kid’s Club which offers 140 different activities to kids from 4 – 17. There is a great spa on the property with access from all the resorts in the complex and a fitness center.
This resort is for the family that is looking for an upscale all-inclusive resort experience with rooms that have more room than the standard rooms. This resort is the most expensive of the family resorts in the complex. It is great for groups and destination weddings.
The final resort, in the Iberostar Complex we will look at is the Adult only Iberostar Grand. This resort is a fantastic 5 star adult only all-inclusive resort. It is designed in true Italian Style. This resort is the only one in the complex that has one of its room buildings directly on the beach. The rest of the resort is built perpendicular to the beach just like the resort of the resorts in the complex. Guests at this resort have exchange privileges with all the other resorts in the complex. Remember, with resorts in a particular chain that have different levels of resorts you can exchange down but never up. This resort is the newest resort in the complex.
Accommodations cover a wide range of sizes and décor. Even though the majority of their rooms are Jr. Suites they call all their rooms Suites. They start with the Suite with garden view, then the Superior suite with Jungle view, Pool view suite, Superior pool view suite, Ocean front suite, Superior ocean front suite, Ocean front corner suite with a little more room, Ocean front superior suite with the best ocean view, and finally the 2,500 sq. ft. presidential suite which is a true suite with a separate bedroom. All suites have free WIFI, 24 hr. room service, mini-fridge, and upscale bath products. Those suites that are ocean front sit right on the beach.
Dining is more upscale than the other Iberostar Resorts. At this resort dining consists of an upscale buffet and 5 A La Carte restaurants. A Steakhouse, an International restaurant, a Caribbean raw bar restaurant with seafood and grilled items, an Italian restaurant, and a Japanese restaurant. There are 7 bars at the resort including a cigar bar, a swim-up bar, and a juice bar in the spa. Don’t forget the 24 hr. room service.
Activities are varied with a full schedule of daily activities like games, dance lessons, or cooking lessons, a fitness center and a fantastic spa. In the water there are kayaks, sailing or just relaxing on the beach. Guests have access to the dive center for scuba diving and snorkeling. These are at an additional charge. On land there is tennis, beach volleyball and basketball. Play golf at the complex’s course at an additional cost. Or you can just hang out and relax at the resorts 3 pools. This is a great resort for that perfect destination wedding.
This resort is a perfect choice for those adults looking for a very nice upscale 5 star all-inclusive experience. It would be great for groups or a destination wedding. Guests have the whole complex to explore and experience.
This concludes our tour of the Iberostar Paraiso complex and its collection of resorts. This is an area some of us tend to forget but offers great experiences at varying price points.
Next month we will look at more of the Iberostar resorts. Until then safe travels and good selling.