Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo

We just arrived back home after spending a week at the Lindo for my 30th Birthday Trip. We had originally booked for the del Mar but were upgraded to the Lindo due to del Mar not being open yet. This was our first time staying at an Iberostar Property. I agree with some of the other users on this site that while it was an amazing resort, I'm not fully sure if I'd rate this a 5 Star Resort. To be honest, we knew that traveling during a Pandemic would mean that not everything at the resorts would be open. However, for travelers who aren't aware of this, it could be really disappointing arriving at the resort to find that a lot of things weren't open. Knowing this ahead of time, we knew what to expect. This is a HUGE resort and with not a lot open, it did seem a bit eerie and quiet at times. We had no travel/flight issues and arrived at the resort for check-in. Each group has their own table for check-in and it was a simple process. We made dining reservations easily for each night. ROOM: Our room was one of the only things we could have improved. Our room wasn't very large and needed a bit of an upgrade. The bathroom was great and the room was clean, but it definitely didn't feel like we were staying at a Five Star Resort at all. Housekeeping came each day to clean and refresh the room. FOOD/DINING: We were really surprised by how wonderful and delicious the food was. The buffets were always clean, food was fresh, and the Covid Precautions were executed well. We always found things to eat at the buffets that we enjoyed. The Beach Snack Bar was hit-or-miss, as sometimes the food sat out a bit longer than it should have. For lunch, we loved going to the Italian Restaurant for a sit-down lunch...the menu for this meal was amazing and really was delicious. For the Specialty Restaurants, we really enjoyed them all. Our favorites were El Ranchero (Steakhouse) and the Mexican Restaurant. Hibachi was a bit of a disappointment as I felt the food was just really mediocre here. ENTERTAINMENT: One of the highlights of our trip were the nightly shows. WOW! I've been to many All-Inclusive Resorts and this had the best Entertainment by far. The Circus Show, Magic Show, and Romance Show were unbelievable. We often watched both shows each night because of how fun they were. The chairs in the theater were spread out for Social Distancing as well. The "Star Friends" Entertainment Team were AMAZING and constantly hosting games and activities. We loved all they had to offer. EXCURSIONS: We did one excursion...Dolphin Discovery in Isla Mujeres. This was AMAZING. We booked through our vacation company and chose the "Royal Swim VIP Plus" Experience, which allowed us to swim with Manatees, Sea Lions, and Dolphins. We also had access to the VIP Area upstairs, with an open-bar, restaurant, showers, and infinity pool. This was a long day with a van ride, boat ride, and the experience itself, but it was well worth-it. BEACH/POOL: We spent more time at the Beach than the pools. The seaweed was almost non-existent...they keep the beach extremely clean and pristine. The waves were a bit wild at times, but we had fun playing in them. The beach sellers were fun and we enjoyed purchasing some items from them. We LOVED the lazy river and while the current is extremely weak, we spent a lot of time in here. SERVICE: Our favorite thing about this trip was the Service and Hospitality. WOW! The staff here goes above and beyond each and every day. We never had to ask for another drink, for more food, for anything....they are eager to please and just the most hard-working and passionate staff I've ever experienced. We tipped quite a bit daily and enjoyed rewarding the staff. We also rarely saw others tip...maybe once or twice the entire week we were there. Be sure to bring cash for tips as the staff works extremely hard for your enjoyment. Our biggest issue was the Concierge Team continually trying to get us to "tour" the resort for the Iberostar Club. We weren't interested at all and didn't want to go on a sales pitch. We declined the first offer at check-in, and after that, we were continually contacted numerous times DAILY to see if we were interested. They would call our room, message us on the resort app, and stop us when we walked by the Concierge desks. It was quite annoying and bothersome. While I understand they are just doing their job, we repeatedly told them we weren't interested and they STILL continued to contact us about it. A couple we sat by at Hibachi went on the breakfast tour and said it was an awful experience....so be warned. COVID PRECAUTIONS: We were extremely impressed with the Covid Precautions....staff members wear masks, gloves, and glasses. Hand Sanitizer everywhere, shoe disinfectant mats at the entrances to restaurants and buffets, and constant cleaning all over the resort. We felt extremely safe and secure here. We wore masks while walking in/out of the restaurants, while in the buffet areas, and when walking in the lobbies. Each guest followed the rules too based on our experience. Overall, we loved our stay here! While it was a different experience due to Covid, we still enjoyed ourselves and had an amazing vacation. Knowing what to expect prevented us from being disappointed but overall, it was a fun trip!

We have traveled all around the world and this was a wonderful family resort. The star camp (kids club) was one of the best we have ever experienced. They walk around inviting you kids to play with the group. Jose from the eagle camp (teens) was wonderful my son could not wait until 10am to go join them. The restaurants were okay. The service around the resort was welcoming and always ready to assist you. The architecture and landscape was breathtaking. The beach was beautifully maintained. We would definitely return.

We went to this resort just before Covid. We were very pleased by it! What amazed us was the service.! You have 1 or 2 concierges in each building which are helping with restaurant reservations and all kind of stuff. You would ask something to them and get it in the room almost right away. It is something unique I haven't seen in other 4, 41/2* in the Mayan Riviera. The beach was nice (almost no seaweeds), but windy (red flag each day). You won't see a lot of fishes. The room was nice and convenient. Buildings and Pools are amazing. Restaurants and buffets were very good. Want to raise a huge thumbs up to Luis at the buffet and restaurants. He made all what he could to make us happy. He was really really nice to us. Coffee shop is a must!!! You definitely have to go. On the resort there are a lot of animals (coatis, peacock, iguana, parrots, turtle ...). We had a lot of fun trying archery :-) Jennifer had so much energy! I would definitely recommend this hotel and I would go again!

I realize that COVID was happening, but this was a major let down. I want to start by saying this is not a 5 star hotel. It is a nice property but when I think of five star hotels - I think of close to perfection. Our bathrooms were dingy - the bathtubs were stained and marked. The bottles had fallen off the wall. Our hall lightbulb was out and stayed out the whole 6 days were were there - despite being cleaned daily. When we checked in - we were told many things about which restaurants were open that were not correct. Did not get a proper tour of the grounds - which was tough as it was large. We were staying in the paraiso lindo but the lobby there was closed - so we used paraiso maya lobby. Had a good 10 min walk to get coffee from the lobby coffee shop which was the only place you could get proper specialty espresso drinks. The buffet was only open for breakfast until our last day there. Again - I understand that with COVID and decreased capacity - they cannot keep everything open, but the buffet is the whole reason we stay at an all inclusive. And having experienced other resorts - the food was below average. Even the salad bar disappointed with hard and inedible corn. The pools are beautiful and kids enjoyed that. The entertainers worked hard - though they were very exclusionary of the kids. There was a separate kids club where the workers were lovely - but my kids got tired of going after a couple of days and wanted to play some of the challenges that were offered only to the adults. We were woken up at 7:30 every morning with leaf blowers cleaning the pool areas which were so so loud. Overall - I will say - I do not plan on staying at an iberostar facility again. It holds NO weight compared with RIU resorts.

Was supposed to originally stay at the Paraiso Beach in April but due to the Coronavirus had to cancel. Rescheduled for the first week in August and stayed at the Lindo because Paraiso Beach still had not reopened. The Maya is open at 30 % and the Lindo less than that... kinda nice at the pool and on the beach. Lots of space between guests. The Resort and staff go to extreme measures to follow all safety guidelines. Masks and face shields are worn by all staff. Masks are required by guests when entering/exiting restaurants and while serving in the buffets...hand sanitizing anytime you enter an area. The grounds are meticulously kept and beautiful. My only one small issue... The room we had in the Lindo was definitely in need of some updating. You can definitely feel safe and at ease while enjoying the beauty of this beautiful Resort.