Iberostar Grand Paraiso

After staying at this resort for 12 times for over 160 nites, I am choosing to try NOT to repeat a lot of what has already been said. SO...WHAT'S NEW? DINNER RESERVATIONS are only needed for the Haiku Tepanaki tables and the Tuesday Nite Gala Buffet. These reservations do exactly what they are supposed to do by eliminating long lines and staging guests so servers and chefs can better serve them. This is a very good change. NEW MENUS at the Haiku Bistro and Legado (Mexican) offer many new choices. Be sure to try both. (No reservations required). CHEF'S SPECIALS are now offered at all of the a la carte restaurants. Look for a white 5 x7 paper tucked inside of your regular menu. We tried these new items in every restaurant and all were outstanding! These "specials" may just show up permanently on the next menu. EVENING ENTERTAINMENT has several changes starting with the time. Theatre Shows now begin at 9pm or 2100 hours. This is 1/2 hour earlier than the previous show times. The two newest shows are "Frida"-- the life of famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo who was also the wife of famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and "The King Returns" a show about Michael Jackson. If you haven't been to the Joia in 2025 or 2026, you may not have seen "A Tribute to Queen" which will have you singing Radio Ga Ga in your sleep. This also means that Bingo, Mexican Lottery Trivia and Blackjack are earlier starting at 20:15 or 8:15pm. SPF 30, 40 and 50 are avaliable in quart pump bottles throughout the resort at towel stands. AFTERNOON ARTS AND DESIGN hosted by Mala and Montserrat at 1530 or 3:30pm are generally held in the Clubhouse and include painting, bracelet making and macramè just to name a few. So, these are several things which are new at this time. Please remember to install and use the Iberostar app so you don't miss anything.

MINIMAL STAFFING WORKING HARD Just back from ten days at JOIA PARAISO in the Mayan Riviera. The resort is absolutely beautiful and although it’s a well-established resort everything has been very well maintained overall and in spotless condition. The interior public areas with marble flooring are gleaming, the elevators are polished to perfection, public bathrooms are spotless even at the beachside. Our suite was well maintained and kept immaculate by housekeeping. We had to request service to our minbar a few times as it did not seem to occur automatically. The minibar snacks were mostly non-existent and/or stale. The property is very well maintained from gardens to the pools everything is very appealing. The beach in front of the hotel has a lot of coral so not really great for swimming. At this time there was a lot of seaweed but two tractors worked all day long to remove the seaweed and there was plenty of swimming in front of the Iberostar sister hotels adjacent to JOIA. The water was warm, with a beautiful firm sandy bottom but, the waves were quite strong which limited swimming for some folks. That said, this cannot be controlled by the resort and they do work hard to keep the beach looking good. The restaurants were all very good, the buffet I must say though was exceptional in variety and actual quality of their offerings. Prime Rib, Steaks, Lobster, Jumbo Shrimp and so many other fantastic well above average options. With the exception of the buffet, restaurant staffing is to say the very least inadequate. Meals at the a la carte restaurants took roughly 2 ½- 3 hours and this was not because the existing staff were not working hard. The same was true of the beachside luncheon restaurant, two servers looking after 20-30 people. The servers were doing their very best with the resources they had to provide adequate service. Throughout the resort including the restaurants or any other service, the staff are phenomenal, they really go above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure the guests have a very positive experience. One example of this was a young woman SOFIA takes care of towel service. My wife banged her leg on a chair causing a blood blister. Sofia immediately responded to help and facilitated an escort to/from the medical facility. Jose at the bar often solo, serving more than a dozen guests, never stopped being friendly and professional once again ensuring his guests were well taken care of at all times. Mara, one of the pool organizers and entertainment, was always so upbeat and a joy, always smiling, always encouraging guests to have a great time. She never stopped, never sat down, always preparing or participating in guest experiences. These are just three examples of how the staff at this resort really do shed a very positive light on IHG/IBEROSTAR resorts. Please congratulate them for their exceptional service and dedication. I would without hesitation highly recommend JOIA PARAISO for a superior Adult Only vacation.

Is merely good resort food not good enough for you? JOIA is the pick for the picky. Its sophisticated dining program has wowed me on several recent visits. JOIA shines even amidst the Riviera Maya’s luxury resort competition. As a professional restaurant reviewer in the U.S., I know greatness when I taste it. Clearly, the Iberostar brand has doubled down on JOIA’s culinary dominance. Its kitchen wizards, like Chef Yadhir and Chef Darío, have updated and elevated JOIA menus with eats that are flavor-laden, haute-quality, and adventurous yet comforting. Knockout deliciousness and authentic cuisine infuse the resort’s restaurants: glorious Mexican, graceful Japanese, lusty steakhouse, magnifico Italian, elegant French, and a multi-culti beachfront café. Across the board, JOIA eateries boast dazzling design and warmhearted personal service. Take this, buffet snobs: JOIA’s version, Bellavista, is an am-I-dreaming food fiesta, an ever-changing edible extravaganza showcasing the passion and perfectionism of the resort’s Mexican chefs. The buffet’s piping-hot offerings are invariably flavorful and cooked just right, often in front of you: whether crisp-yet-tender roasted beef, pork, poultry; saucy Mexican and Italian dishes; never-limp pasta; seafood grilled as you like it. At Bellavista, as at all JOIA eateries, ingredients are the best you can get in this world. The charcuterie station flaunts Iberian ham, Italian prosciutto, French pâté and Roquefort cheese, Mission figs, Greek olives, plus much more. The raw bar tempts with the likes of oysters, Caribbean lobster, and fist-sized shrimp netted that day. Lush sushi beckons at most lunches and dinners. And Bellavista's desserts! Opulent pastries, cakes, and pies, sumptuous ice cream, exquisite macarons, chocolate truffles — all made in-house daily with no corners cut. Even the chocolate itself is crafted in the kitchen. Ladies: dress your sparkliest on Tuesdays for Bellavista’s glam Gala dinner. One last word: bars. JOIA’s are tops, especially Rhapsody, whose flavor-bomb cocktails would go for $25 in urban America. At JOIA, bons vivants have come to the right place.

Such a beautiful resort. Staff was super helpful and nice. Great drinks and nice spacious rooms. Lenin down at the main pool was super sweet and friendly. He waited on us all week and gave us a great experience!!

Dahiomi en sugar, smile, black mamba, snoop and the whole entertainment staff are absolutely amazing!!! They work so hard and make sure everyone is having the best time here and have smiles on their faces!!! They start in the morning and work all day non stop and we couldn’t be more grateful for their hard work and dedication! Thank you to all for making this trip so special and no doubt that we will be back!!!