Iberostar Grand Paraiso

Joia Paraiso is the best place! We just got back from our 4th visit and all I can say is that it feels like going home. The staff are exceptional. They always greet us with open arms and nothing but a desire to make sure every need is met. Huge shout outs to Benjamin, our all time favorite butler! As well as Gabriel, Ana and Gustavo from the butler staff. I wish we could remember everyone’s names but all the staff in buildings 70 and 71 are just exceptional! We also just adore Lenin who has been our pool side server several times. Can’t forget Jonathon and Daniel from the lobby bar and Rhapsody Bar. We also adored Emilio and Jonathon from the French and Mexican restaurants. Honestly, this place is gorgeous. Hands down, our favorite spot! From the moment you arrive till the minute you leave, every part of our experience has been phenomenal.

This resort is amazing! The food was absolutely delicious, and I want to thank everyone who cooked for us and served us our meals. The chefs truly take pride in their work, and every dish we tried was outstanding! Dario and Amy are both exceptional at what they do. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like family by everyone. Irene, one of the managers, was so gracious and personable during our interaction. She is truly a beautiful person, inside and out. The staff throughout the resort were attentive, welcoming, and always ready to make our experience special. At the Mexican restaurant, Eunice was wonderful, and Reyes took great care of us the first night we visited. He was knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. The pool quickly became our favorite hangout spot, where we enjoyed meeting new people and being pampered by Flora, Ladis, Lenin, and so many others whose names I wish I could remember. My apologies to those I’ve forgotten! Please know that you all helped make our stay so memorable. I would absolutely return to this resort! The delicious food, talented chefs, wonderful managers, and attentive staff made our experience truly special. It’s the people who make a place feel like home, and this resort certainly did that for us. Thank you all for making our stay so amazing!

We visited Joia Paraiso the last week of September, and this was our first visit, and a big one - I was celebrating a milestone birthday! We wanted to select an extra-special resort, and this one did not disappoint. We were looking for an adults-only resort that was top-tier, all-inclusive, had multiple choices for restaurants, great food and beverage quality, entertainment, great spa and fitness options, beautiful grounds and beach, room to stroll, and as environmentally careful as possible. This one checked all of the boxes! What stood out the most of us, though, was the staff. I know this is mentioned repeatedly in the reviews we have read, but it really is true. The butlers in building 71 were incredible about checking in with us, asking if there was anything more they could do, and wished me a happy birthday all week long! The day of my actual birthday, they even delivered a surprise bottle of bubbly and macarons on my birthday, along with a hand-signed note and some rose petal art on the bed! All of their attention and the special touches made it a truly banner birthday. :) All of the staff was incredible, but we do need to give shout-outs to several who really went out of their way. At our building, Gustavo, Mauro, Karolina, and Kibo were so sweet and doting. If you can take any fitness classes with Cynthia, DO IT! She is the real deal, and besides teaching great classes (we LOVED her aqua classes!), she exudes calm and positivity, and reminded us to be present and take everything in during our week stay. Cassandra and Jonathan were both so much fun as entertainment/social coordinators! They showed up everywhere with so much energy, and it was like seeing old friend every time we ran in to them throughout the resort. We only got to meet him once, but Fabian was also so much much fun, and taught us axe throwing by the pool. Gabriel was such a bubbly, friendly personality, greeting us at the buffet each day. Mirna at the quiet pool was like having your own mama come visit! She was so sweet and would not let us simply take our pool towels - She had to arrange them just so for us on our chairs, and we felt very cared for by her. Last but definitely not least, Jorge - He was everywhere at once, with a kind, caring, fun personality - first jumping in to help us with a minor mishap by the pool, then manning the towel booth, and then he called another staff member to get answers to some questions we had about the Coral Lab (GO! It is super informative, and they do important work!). When he learned it was my birthday week, he actually planned and created a sand art "Happy Birthday" board, which he hand-delivered and propped up at the foot of our chairs at the quiet pool, so that, as he explained, "Everyone will know it's your birthday!" He truly went over and beyond to make our stay special, and it is that kind of attention to detail that has us already looking at our calendars for when we can return. :)

We stayed from September 19 thru September 26th. I have to say that my experience was great. I do wish that check in would have been better. They want to sell you a vacation package from the moment you arrive. The resort is very clean and well kept. Our room was clean and the cleaning staff did a good job. The restaurants were exceptional. Our favorite was the Mexican restaurant. Our hostess (Eunice), server (Reyes) and chef (Eduardo)were very attentive. The churros were so good. Do not leave without trying them. Ameyalli and Dario are chefs who went out of their way to make sure we were happy. Ameyalli made us cannoli's simply because we asked why they didn't have any at the Italian restaurant. Dario greeted us and made sure we always had what we wanted. He had Hugo make a special churro for our table. They we so delicious. Our breakfast and lunch server was Roberto I would recommend asking for him when you eat at the buffet. The pool and activity crew were really good Mima, Fabian, Flora, Ariana and Paula made sure we were happy with everything at the activity pool. The manager on duty when we were there was Irene. She is really good at her job. You could tell that the staff held her in high regard and respected her. She was very considerate of our family members celebrating there 45th anniversary. Making sure that they were well taken care of. I highly recommend this resort to anyone who is looking for rest, relaxation and a good time. I honestly don't have any negatives.

JOIA Paraíso Iberostar | September 30–October 4 We just returned from a really nice four-night stay at JOIA Paraíso! We know the Paraíso property pretty well—we were just there with our kids for New Year’s Eve and stayed at the Maya. The last time my husband and I stayed at the JOIA, though, was way back in May 2014 for our honeymoon, so it was fun to return more than 12 years later! Overall, we really enjoyed the trip. The property is beautiful, the service is excellent, and there is definitely something special about the more relaxed, adults-only atmosphere at the JOIA. Service: Service overall was excellent. The butlers, especially Mauro and the team in the 7000 building, were incredibly attentive. You really can’t leave your room or come back into the building without someone checking in to make sure you’re okay or asking if you need anything. They do a wonderful job making you feel taken care of. Beach & Prestige Area: The Prestige beach area is really nice. The beds are comfortable, the sand is soft and very well maintained, and there was constantly a truck working to clear the seaweed. One thing I would love to see added is a dedicated Prestige bar/snack area on the beach. Servers do come around, but there isn’t really somewhere within the Prestige area to walk up and grab a drink or snack yourself. I think the Prestige setup in Jamaica is a great model for this. The ocean directly in front of the JOIA was not really swimmable during our stay. That isn’t a dealbreaker for me personally, but it could definitely matter to someone who prioritizes swimming in the ocean. Rooms: We had an oceanfront room with a beautiful location. The rooms are still very nice and comfortable, but I honestly don’t think they have changed much since our honeymoon 12+ years ago! They could definitely benefit from a more modern refresh. Nothing was wrong with the room—it just doesn’t have that newer, more elevated feel you find at some other luxury resorts. Weather: I also learned that September probably isn’t the ideal time of year for me to return. The weather can just be too unpredictable. We had credits to use and childcare lined up at home, so the timing made sense for this trip, but I’d probably choose a different month next time. Activities & the App: One of my bigger disappointments was actually the new Iberostar app. I really wish it showed what was happening throughout the entire Paraíso complex, not just at the JOIA. One night we went over to the Lindo buffet after I didn’t love what I ordered at the Italian restaurant—which was completely my fault for choosing something that wasn’t really for me. While we were over there, we discovered a whole Oktoberfest party happening at the shopping center! It looked like so much fun, and I really wish someone at the JOIA had mentioned it. Since all of the Paraíso resorts are right there, it would be great if guests could easily see everything happening across the complex. Prestige Lounge: The Star Prestige area in the JOIA lobby is fine, but I personally didn’t find it to be somewhere I wanted to spend much time. Interestingly, I actually thought the service at the Star Café in the lobby was better. One day the cappuccino machine in the Prestige lounge was broken, and another day they only had lactose-free milk. Neither is a huge issue, but I was a little surprised that there wasn’t an offer to simply grab one for me from the Star Café nearby. Those are the little service touches I would expect the Prestige experience to cover. Food: We had some very good meals. Our favorite dinner was Japanese—we did a regular table rather than the show cooking and really enjoyed it. I will say, the beach burgers over at the Maya are better! 😂 The JOIA definitely wins for the actual beach-dining setting, though. I was also disappointed that the JOIA buffet was closed two of our four nights. For a short stay especially, I like having the buffet available as an easy option when we don’t feel like doing a full sit-down dinner. Overall, we had a really enjoyable four nights. The service was excellent, we relaxed, and I’m glad we came back to experience the JOIA again after so many years. That said, I didn’t leave feeling like I needed to immediately book another trip back. There are other resorts that, for our personal preferences, edge it out a little bit. I’m actually more excited to return to Atelier Playa Mujeres in March. For me, Atelier’s food, rooms and beach are all just a step above. We are Double Black Iberostar members, and I honestly don’t think my review would be much different if we weren’t members. While there are certainly benefits to the membership, I still have some buyer’s remorse. For the way we travel, I’m just not convinced it was a necessary purchase. So, would I recommend JOIA Paraíso? Absolutely. We had a great trip, the service is genuinely excellent, and there is a lot to love about the resort. It just isn’t necessarily at the very top of my list anymore—and with so many great resorts out there, I think I’m more excited to revisit some of our other favorites before rushing back.