TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We spent 8 days at the resort from Dec 30-Jan 7. Here is my honest review: Good: - Lush grounds with many walking paths. They've left a large amount of the mangrove and they have also incorporated a lot of plantings on the grounds (this is different from other all inclusive resorts I have stayed at). We loved this aspect - Because of the above, there is an abundance of wildlife on the resort (coatis being the most common) as well as domesticated birds (flamingos, peacocks, swans, macaws). We even saw spider monkeys one day in the trees along the pool area! Lot's of different tropical birds on the grounds and at the beach. The coatis are very attracted to food and I could see some guests being annoyed; particularly around the pool area - The food was great for an all inclusive; with multiple choices at anytime of day. Loved the burger/hot dog/taco shack at the beach that was great for grabbing snacks anytime of day - You can pay ~$30 a person to access the Lindo property next door which has a ton of water amenities for the kids (kids pirate ship, wave pool and lazy river that was not open the day we went) - Some rooms have bathtubs - great for young kids - Friendly and helpful staff, golf cart transit system was great - Helpful app for getting around, making restaurant resos etc. - We liked how the room buildings are spaced out, with most having balcony's/views of the lush grounds and are only 3 stories tall - Strong drinks :) - You can take food anywhere (around the pool etc.). Different from other places I have stayed - Big pool that stretches forever! Lots of different seating areas in sun or shade Not-so-good: - The overall room cleanliness was just OK, not as good as I would expect. Our room could have used a good deep cleaning as the floor felt kinda grimy and under the beds was full of dust bunnies. In the closet you could see build-up of grime along the baseboards. Decor is outdated and tired - The towel game is super competitive here, except on changeover days - Pool is cold and no hot tubs. There were a couple small pools that we though were hot tubs (jetted) but they weren't! - Entertainment at night was just OK. A lot of repetitiveness in the activities (trivia) and even repeats of the same performances. They also didn't start until 8 or 9 most nights. Kid friendly activities a little earlier on a consistent basis would have been nice. We were there for New Years and the celebration wasn't to the level I have experienced at other resorts - The price of things in the on-site shops was extremely inflated. Even for basic things like tampons! Come prepared with all the things you need or go off the property to buy things (we bought some pool toys in Puerto Morelos at a fraction of what they were charging in the shops at the resort) - Spraying of pesticides on the property, especially around the birds. We saw a groundskeeper spraying pesticides pretty much at the flock of flamingos - Bathrooms around the pool were also not super clean and need a refresh Tips/Things to Note: - Download and use the app! It has so many helpful things. We figured out on our second last day that you can see the location of the different transit golf carts (to time when to leave etc. if you need a break from all the walking) - The beach is very far from the lobby (10-15 min walk depending on your speed). Factor this into your planning or perhaps request a room close to the beach or lobby depending on what you prefer. Main buffets are near the lobby although there are a couple lunch buffets near the beach that turn into al la carte in the evenings - Further down the beach out front of the luxury resorts there are some nice tidal pools. They didn't have a lot of creatures in them but enough to entertain our kids for a long time on multiple days. They loved it! - The a la carte restaurants are great but the nightly buffet was also pretty good most nights. We loved the Japanese restaurant for the experience.

My wife and I stayed at Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach for our honeymoon, and the experience exceeded our expectations. The resort offered a clean, well-maintained, and relaxing environment that was ideal for celebrating such a special occasion. The rooms and grounds were consistently very clean, and the natural setting—complete with animals roaming the property—added a unique and enjoyable element. We stayed in Building 31, which provided extremely convenient access between our room, the pool, and the beach. The pool area was thoughtfully designed, offering both a quiet side without speakers and a livelier side with music. We chose the quieter side but still enjoyed hearing the music in the background. The beach was more active, with a lively atmosphere, but never felt excessive. Dining was a highlight of our stay. The Smokehouse restaurant stood out, along with the beach grill and the taco station at the mall. The food was very fresh, particularly the salsas, which were excellent. Beverage service was efficient, and water and ice stations were always nearby. The staff truly elevated our experience. Marvin at the Smokehouse and Alejandro at the swim-up bar provided exceptional service—Alejandro even remembered our names and drink orders after the first day. While this is not an adults-only resort, we never found the presence of families to detract from our experience. We would absolutely recommend Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach for honeymoons, anniversaries, or any type of vacation. It was absolutely worth the price and stress of airports during Christmas time!!

Outstanding staff and cleanliness, family friendly with activities for all ages all day, stunning ocean. Never felt unsafe. International crowd, few rowdy people, pop up grills and delicious food and fruit everywhere. Lots of well controlled wildlife, silly events (think cruise ship), well maintained grounds and facilities. It exceeded my expectations; I did not choose the resort or the length of stay. Huge place. I prefer to walk, but there is a trolley system.

First time visit dec 8th-16th. Check in went very smoothly. This is a huge resort utilize the cart service. Grounds are amazing and the staff work so tirelessly keeping everything clean. Room was ok did the job for 8 days . The pool and entrainment staff do a smoking job especially the foam party. Food was ok lots of variety. Drinks were good bar tenders will make almost anything you request. Staff are very friendly. The wildlife on site is amazing and just the sheer ora of the site.

Just returned from beach resort ..firstly the grounds are beautiful and well kept , The food is ok but nothing special , The rooms at beach are badly needing to be renovated , ,very tired and dated and the balcony wasnt inviting to sit in , the rooms were cleaned every day , fresh towels etc , but the floors never washed and they felt grubby The pool at first glimpse looks amazing but when closer and in it you see how tired it is with cracked tiles and in pool loungers looking weather beating, the pool bar is not inviting ,it's badly needing spruced Up with a kick of paint and bar stools in the pool are the most uncomfortable seats imaginable , with a rough coating on them that is not nice to sit on , and they are so close to the bar you can't tuck your legs in , The cocktails are disappointing all made with pre mixer canisters ,and little alcohol and no garnish , Other factor is the resort is a little isolated from Plata del Carmen ,and only reachable by taxi , around 30 mins or hotel transport , but that only goes twice a day and your limited to time spent there , Entertainment was ok , again not spectacular and a lot of time wasted with entertainment team trying to make a full of guests before shows etc to kill time If I was returning a week would be long enough in this resort as second week is repetitive I would also not return to beach as it's old and tired ,I'd go to Lindo or Maya , ,I know you get what you pay for ,but this is advertised as a 5 star resort ,probably joia is 5 star and it works it's star rating down the ranks so beach I'd feel was nearer a 2 I didn't realise when I booked this holiday that the hotel is segregated into 5 separate hotels within the one resort , and your tagged by colour wristbands to which area your allowed to be in ,and set packing if found with wrong colour coded band , I personally don't like this system it's not my kind of thing at all But if it's yours and your in the top tier and enjoy lording it about then I am sure you will enjoy , but if your like me and saved all your pennies for a good holiday to be judged then it's not fir you