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Anyone ever stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Del Mar in Cancun/Riviera Maya? What was your experience? |
Travel Info Probably going in Mid-May for a Honeymoon. Travel Tips Honeymoon Review - Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, 12/16 -12/21 (LONG) ------------------------------... Ok everyone, I just got back from the Del Mar (5 nights) and am ready to share my experiences with all of you IB fans. Before I get stared, let me just say I learned alot BEFORE I went from using this board. Thanks to all who asked and answered questions. Leaving Dallas on 12/16 was easy, and arriving in Cancun was even more smooth than it had been in the past. Customs was not real fast, but not real slow either. Upon leaving the terminal, I found our Lomas rep and he proceeded to put us on the IB van and we left within 10 minutes. CHECK-IN-The drive to the IB Paraiso compound took maybe 30 minutes and it was our only stop. All 4 IB hotels are behind the beautiful IB entrance/gate, and the Del Mar is the last on the street. Check-in was a breeze, and I was given a drink within minutes of arrival. The nice girl at the front desk (2 of them actually) were busy with numerous guests, but they moved pretty quickly and efficiently. Even if they hadn't, the words "we are giving you a free upgrade" that was whispered to me would have made it worthwhile. ROOM-Because of our honeymoon upgrade, we were placed in Building 11, room 1109. Yes it is a long way from the lobby, but is very close to the beach and pools. Like we have said before, there is alot of walking at the Del Mar, but having such a great room was worth it. The room itself was so nice and spacious, with the JR. Suite having a huge shower. It had it's own futon and easy chair. We also had complimentary wine, fruit and t shirts in our room when we arrived. The patio was big too, and while the view was not great it was not a big deal (there is so much greenery that ground level rooms often give the guest a view of only trees and bushes). BEACH-It has been said that the beach isn't the greatest asset of the Del Mar, and those people would be accurate. However, in NO WAY is it a bad beach: the sand is soft and the water is clear (and really wasn't as choppy as I had experienced in Playa before). There were several big rocks near the old pier, but it was pretty easy to navigate past those into soft, sandy areas. Walking up to the Paraiso Beach area (or even further) allowed for less rocks (and more crowds), but truly the beach was fine. Being from Texas, I know bad beaches when I see them and this certainly was a GOOD one. The beach snack shack was close by and allowed for good food and cold drinks to be enjoyed without much of a walk. The massages on the beach were great and the staff was very good. FOOD/RESTAURANTS-OK, here is where I am going to go off on some people. Food is indeed subjective, and person 1's palate might not be the same as person 2's. I am here to tell you that the food is VERY GOOD. People will tell you to make your ala carte reservation as soon as you get there, but in truth you can only make those reservations in the lobby between 9 and 12 and then again from 4 to 7. Sittings for the ala carte's are 6:30, 7, 8:30 and 9 (I preferred the 2 later times). I read so many reviews of bad food in regard to the Del Mar that I was beginning to worry a little. DON'T. Our first night we had buffet because our arrival time and trip to town made an ala carte reservation difficult. It was VERY good. I am not a picky eater and yes some things were better than others, but isn't that the case everywhere? The chicken was tasty, the fruit was fresh, the choices plentiful, and the setup quite convenient (no one bumping into each other waiting for the same dish). Just to show I am not a complete IB homer with no brain I will say that some of the beef was not that great: it was tough and a little fatty. I had had this happen before in Mexico, and if you have ever seen Mexican cattle you will understand why this can occur. I saw many dishes that I had never encountered, but instead of running from them because they "looked weird" (words from a reviewer that ripped the food) , I sampled them and found many to be very good. If you haven't had Octopus Ceviche, give it a try. There were some dishes that were served on more than 1 day (especially breakfast and several of the vegetable dishes), but who really cares if it is good? There is PLENTY of variety that people staying 4 or 5 days...maybe even a week, should not get tired of the food.....IF they are trying new and different things. Breakfast was also great. I am not a huge fan of traditional breakfast foods, but the assortment of fruits, eggs, waffles, cereals, meats and whatnot made it impossible for someone to not find something they liked. It was one of the best breakfast setup's I have seen. And it tasted wonderful. The juices are fresh and wonderful, and don't be afraid of milk in a box (like one reviewer was). We also had reservations at the Brazilian (like a Rafain/Texas De Brazil where the wait staff walk from table to table with big skewers of meat, but on a smaller scale), Mexican, and Mediterranean (I was able to get this one after someone cancelled). All 3 were wonderful, and while I thought the Brazilian was the best my wife gave the edge to the Mexican. It can be said it was a case of 1A, 1B, and 1C. You can't go wrong with any of those 3. I had late night snacks at the buffet restaurant and even those were great, especially for 1:30 AM. And as stated earlier, the beach bar/grill was good too. All said, I don't know where the people who have ripped the Del Mar food were really eating. SCUBA-Being a diver, I wanted to dive again (I had done so in Cozumel at that IB) with Dressel. Again, I had read of some horror stories from other guests, but I must ask: what were these people talking about?! This was by FAR the most thorough diving experience I have ever had. Jenny, Maria, Steffy and the rest of the dive crew were all top professionals who were intelligent and nice. Jenny was the dive master on my dives, and knew more than alot of other people I have dove with who had more experience. She knew her stuff, and took the time to help all people regardless of skill level. She pointed out all kinds of fish, eels, and lobster. Even the bull sharks that were impossible to miss. Whatever this girl makes, it isn't enough. She is simply the best. BARS-the lobby and cigar bars (which are connected) had the best variety of liquor (both had Havana Club Rum!), but don't be snobby if a certain bar doesn't have Tanqueray (sp) or Stoli. The pool bars were wonderful and were the place to hang out and party with all kinds of different people. Ernesto was the one whom I felt was the best bartender, but you can't go wrong with any of them. The dirty monkey's were great, and so was the Mexican flag (order it!). The Galaxy Nightclub is in the commercial center (I will cover this later) has 2 good bars and a pretty decent (albeit a little cheesy) setup. It is Star Wars in theme, and while I am sure they have not researched copyright law/infringement, it makes for a fine resort gathering place/nightclub. I even caught a little of the Cowboys game in the sports bar (spacious but my least favorite of the bars). All in all, if you like a drink now and then, you will be happy if you have an open mind. COMMERCIAL CENTER: With all due respect to those who have provided great IB reviews in the past, I did not read any that really detailed what the commercial center offered. This place is big and GREAT. From the ice cream to the burgers to the tacos, there is so much to see and do. I was really surprised to see how nice it was. That is where the nightclub is located, plus many shoppes that sell alot of jewelry and alcohol (and have good prices on cigars). The IB Paraiso Golf Pro shop is also located there and while their prices are a little high, they have nice polo's and hats. The commercial center is also where you catch the shuttle into PDC, which we did for shopping and to catch the ferry to Cozumel. I would recommend both; just remember to compare and shop on 5th avenue and near 4th Calle. There are items people often rip when reviewing IB and other hotels that simply make me laugh. One is the weather (like IB can control that). The weather was wonderful. It rained for 45 or so minutes our third day as we were heading to Cozumel and then again on the island for 20 or so minutes. It felt great in the heat (by the way, while it was humid the temps's were in the mid 80's the whole time during the day). Another item people rip is how they are treated in town away from IB. Yes the vendors are a little pushy, but 2 NO's usually works well. They are told from an early age they need to work for their families and that is what they are trying to do. Shopping in Playa can be fun if you know how to do it (Cozumel too). Do not be afraid to haggle. Finally, do NOT blame the hotel if the airport experience is not that great. Our departure from Cancun wasn't that great (the plane was delayed but the agents didn't tell anyone-they just allowed us to line up and stand while they flashed BOARDING (there was no boarding). Ryan Air also needs to grease a few more palms in Cancun to get a better place to park the planes. We drove to some corner to board our flight to Dallas. It was almost hidden!LOL.....but you know what? It wasn't a big deal. I already had that great IB experience in my mind. I hated to leave! All in all, this was a fantastic trip (honeymoon). My wife loved it, and so did I. I would recomend this place to anyone who isn't afraid of alot of walking (the tram is around alot as are the carts, but you will still walk alot). If that isn't for you, then you might not like this place as much. Tips: if you know what you want to do, I would not book tours with Lomas. They are nice and persistent (they will call your room at times) but go to Tulum or Xcaret on your own...saves time and money. Get water socks for the ocean. Do tip the housekeepers and waitstaff (you will get great service as opposed to good service) I covered most things I wanted to. This place is great, and I want to know to those who have ripped it: where did you really stay?? Source(s): http://www.iberostar-board.com/boards/in... Other Travel Tips |
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