Paradisus Cancun

Paradisus Cancún has some genuinely positive qualities. The pool areas are attractive and well maintained, the grounds are impressive, and the hotel enjoys a beautiful location on a lovely stretch of beach. Unfortunately, despite these strengths, the overall guest experience fell well below expectations. The biggest issue was the lack of sleep. Our room had a faulty air-conditioning unit that produced a loud screeching noise throughout the night. Engineers attended twice, but the problem continued every night of our stay. To make matters worse, loud music from the hotel lobby could be clearly heard in our room throughout the night. On one occasion it was still playing at around 3:30am, forcing us to call reception. We were told it would be turned off, but instead the music continued and remained clearly audible within our room. The room also contained flashing lights from a faulty fitting and large Wi-Fi routers mounted directly above the beds, creating a constant flashing light effect throughout the night. We even attempted to cover them ourselves in order to sleep. By the third day, the cumulative effect of the noise, flashing lights and lack of sleep had left us exhausted and unable to properly enjoy the holiday. Equally disappointing was the all-inclusive offering. Several restaurants were closed during the evenings and even the main buffet restaurant was closed on two occasions during our four-night stay. Dining options were therefore significantly reduced from what had been advertised. There also appeared to be a lack of evening social spaces for guests. For a resort of this size and positioning, there were surprisingly few bars or comfortable seating areas where guests could gather, enjoy a drink and socialise during the evening. Once dining options became limited, there was very little atmosphere or provision for guests wishing to spend time together outside their rooms. The resort would benefit from a review of its evening facilities and social areas to better meet guest expectations. The main hotel building also felt surprisingly commercial in character. Rather than creating the atmosphere of a luxury resort, much of the central area resembled a shopping mall, with retail outlets and open public spaces dominating the environment. This detracted from the relaxing and premium ambience that many guests are likely expecting when booking a resort under the Paradisus brand. What was most frustrating was that these issues were reported daily. Despite repeated complaints and engineer visits, very little changed. We spent far too much of our holiday chasing solutions rather than relaxing. I also found it disappointing that when I spoke with the hotel’s sales manager about the ongoing problems, the conversation repeatedly shifted towards selling the Meliá Circle membership programme rather than addressing our concerns as paying guests. Many other guests appeared to be expressing similar frustrations during our stay, and the overall impression was that the resort is still struggling following its recent refurbishment and is not yet operating at the level expected of a premium all-inclusive destination. For a resort positioned and priced as a premium all-inclusive destination, the gap between expectation and reality was simply too great. The setting, grounds and beach are undoubtedly attractive, but sadly the guest experience fell well short of expectations. Until the operational issues, service standards, evening facilities and overnight noise problems are properly addressed, I would struggle to recommend Paradisus Cancún to anyone looking for a relaxing luxury holiday.

A very honest review. This was our second stay at Paradisus Cancun, with our first visit being in March 2023. We enjoyed our first stay enough to return, so I feel I can give a fair and honest comparison. The first thing I have to say is that this resort is absolutely beautiful. The grounds are stunning and impeccably maintained. Throughout our entire stay, staff were constantly working to keep the landscaping pristine and the property spotless. The resort itself feels luxurious, clean, and very well cared for. Even though many of the common areas are open-air and not air-conditioned, there is usually a nice breeze that keeps things comfortable. I also appreciated the size of the resort—large enough to offer plenty of amenities, but not so large that you feel lost trying to get around. The renovated rooms are beautiful, especially the bathrooms, which are modern, stylish, and very aesthetically pleasing. My only complaint is the lack of storage space. As a family of four, we found it difficult to unpack and organize our belongings. There are only a few hangers and a couple of drawers available. The previous TV stand with additional storage appears to have been removed, and the room would benefit greatly from having more space for clothing and personal items. As for the food, I want to be honest. The resort was only about 30% occupied during our stay, so that may have affected the offerings. Unfortunately, the lunch and dinner buffet were disappointing. Variety was limited, and the children's section was especially lacking. Most days, the only options for kids were macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets, often without even fries. Breakfast, however, was excellent. There was a great selection of fresh fruit, healthy options, and everything always tasted fresh and well prepared. The restaurants were much better than the buffet. Blue Agave was one of our favorites for dinner—the food was fantastic. Lunch, however, was a different story. The tacos we ordered were not enjoyable, and we barely touched them. Cappella was another standout, with a beautiful atmosphere and very good food. Zesty was also excellent, and our children really enjoyed it. The poolside grill was consistently one of the best places to eat during our stay. There was always a good variety of casual favorites such as burgers, hot dogs, fries, wings, chicken fingers, and nachos. The food was consistently good, and the gentleman working the grill deserves special recognition for his patience, friendliness, and hard work. Antonio at the smoothie bar was also wonderful—always attentive, friendly, and pleasant. My favorite place in the entire resort was the coffee shop. The ice cream was incredible, honestly some of the best we've had at an all-inclusive resort. The flavors were fantastic, and we visited at least twice a day. The coffee was exceptional every single time, which was a huge improvement from our previous visit. The coffee shop itself is adorable and quickly became our favorite spot. A huge thank you to Alejandro (Alex), Norma, Rosalinda, and Perla for their amazing service and for making the best iced cappuccinos every day. The beach was unfortunately affected by a significant amount of seaweed during our stay. While the resort did clean it a couple of times during our 9-day vacation, the seaweed returned quickly. The smell made the beach less enjoyable, and we only spent time there once or twice. I understand this is largely nature-related and not entirely within the resort's control, but it did impact our experience, but again, of course this isn’t the hotels fault. One of the biggest surprises of our trip was the Kids Club. We have traveled throughout Mexico and the Caribbean many times, and I have never left my children at a kids club before. After visiting the Kids Dome, we decided to give it a try. When I returned to pick them up, my children were upset because they wanted to stay longer! That says everything. Maylin and Gipsy were absolutely phenomenal. They were patient, attentive, caring, and genuinely wonderful with the children. They kept the kids busy with activities and made them feel special. Both of these ladies deserve tremendous recognition for the incredible job they do. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment of our stay was the entertainment. Having visited many resorts throughout Mexico, I can honestly say this was some of the weakest entertainment we've experienced. The evening shows lacked energy and excitement, and many guests were leaving shortly after they began. We looked forward to the nightly entertainment but were unable to sit through most of the shows during our stay. The pool entertainment was also very limited. During our 9-day vacation, there were only a couple of days (2) with organized activities around the pool, and even then they were fairly short and underwhelming, no DJ playing music either. If you're looking for a lively resort with music, activities, and engaging entertainment throughout the day and evening, this may not be the best fit for you. That being said, the staff are truly the heart of this resort. Nearly every employee we encountered was exceptional. They paid attention to details, worked incredibly hard, and provided excellent service throughout the property. The only negative service experience we had was during lunch at Vibra, where the staff seemed uninterested and quite rude. Aside from that, everyone else was wonderful. Would I return for a third stay? Personally, no. While the resort is beautiful, luxurious, exceptionally clean, and staffed by some truly amazing people, the food and entertainment simply did not meet our expectations. Overall, I would rate the food around a 5/10. We've experienced much better dining at other resorts in Mexico, including Royalton and RIU properties. Likewise, the entertainment was a major letdown compared to what we've experienced elsewhere. I would recommend this resort to travelers who value a beautiful property, a relaxing atmosphere, excellent service, and a fantastic Kids Club. However, if entertainment, lively pool activities, and strong food options are priorities for your family, I would encourage you to carefully read reviews and make sure this resort aligns with your vacation style and expectations. Despite the areas where we felt improvements could be be made, we are grateful for the wonderful staff who helped make our stay enjoyable and for the many great memories we made as a family.

Wonderful staff. The service, atmosphere, rooms, cleanliness was outstanding. Everyone was friendly and attentive to all our needs. Great restaurants and atmosphere beautiful, hot and humid. Omar our butler was the best and can’t say enough about him. He took care of us like we were family. We will definitely revisit next year and maybe stay longer than a week.

Alberto at Blue Agave is the best! He was able to get a chocolate milk shake for my niece that was not ‘on the menu’. He was super attentive and is very hospitable. Thank you, Alberto.

Beautifully remodeled with detailed attention to guests, young and old. We had a birthday celebration weekend and our “butler”, Omar, was outstanding. All questions quickly answered and proactive suggestions and recommendations delivered. The food was very good in all restaurants and lots of fun to be had. I can recommend this place without reservations (I don’t mean the kind you do have to make).