Iberostar Paraiso Lindo, Playa del Carmen Centro

Accommodations: The hotel rooms were average with a major drawback ... the beds are double (full size) and not queen or king. The beds were rock hard and the pillows not much softer. The hotel lacked hot water; the best shower we could muster was luke warm. Service: The service was absolutely fantastic! The staff at the Lindo are definitely 5 star+ and make this resort what it is. There is always a friendly "hola" followed by a beaming smile wherever you go. Whenever we needed something it was quickly attended to. The general hotel culture in Mexico is to tip everyone for everything, and I was VERY pleased to see that at the Lindo this was truly optional and at no point did the staff make you feel guilty if a tip was not left. Pools: The Lindo had a variety of pool space to suite almost everyone's needs. The wave pool is a hit with kids, the swim up bar pool is a hit with adults. When staying at the Lindo you also have access to the pools at the other connected properties (excluding the Grand) so there is no shortage of different scenery. The temperature of the water was just right. After baking in the sun the pool seems cold, but in reality the water is warm but refreshing. As with any hotel the annoyance begins with people that put towels on chairs to reserve them but never spend any time at them. No hot tubs. The best one could find are large areas of the pool that have jacuzzi jets. Beach: The beach was fantastic. Soft sandy beach with wooden boardwalks making walking around comfortable. There was ample space and at no time did we feel crowded. The time of year that we visited meant some waves; lots of fun! The waves however caused the beaches to be "red-flagged" meaning no snorkeling, kayaking, catamarans, jet skiing, or other watercraft activities. Swimming was fine. Entertainment: Each night there is always a show in the outdoor (covered) theatre. The shows are on par with what you would expect from a Carnical cruise line. At times they were cheesy, but always entertaining. Each night has a different genre so there is something for everyone. There is a night club on site but sadly we were too wiped out each night to head over. There are various activities (25+) each day that the staff organize (archery, air rifle shooting, volleyball, water polo, soccer, etc. etc.) that everyone can take part in. Food: The food was just average. Lots of selection each day at the buffets but nothing to write home about. The large volumes of food mean inevitably it is warm/cold at best. The trick to ensuring a hot meal is to go to the made to order stations. There is one-two of these at each meal (omelets for breakfast, pasta for lunch and dinner, and various meat products for dinner). There are several genre specific restaurants throughout the property that you can make reservations at for dinner (all included with your stay). These were again average at best. Probably the best (and most sought after) was the Japanese restaurant. When you first arrive be sure to book your reservations for all nights as they are free, and non-binding. If you change your mind you can cancel without penalty, but if you wait until the last minute there may not be space available. Value: There is no question that the value was exceptional. For the price of an all inclusive package was very reasonable and well worth it.

I found nothing wrong with this resort. We had a fantastic time at the Lindo on our vacation. The drinks were good, the food was varied and delicious (especially the Steak House), the staff were very courteous and pleasant, the beach was clean and the weather was great!!!

I was a little worried heading down that the pictures would try to make the place look better than it was. It was AWESOME! So beautiful, the staff was great, awesome drinks! The buffet style food was ok, but did have a lot of selection. The dinners were pretty good. The grounds there are nothing short of amazing! You will have a blast! The rooms are average to nice so don't be scared! I am going to go back again.

I have been on a couple different cruise lines and had a great time on those trips. I thought going to Iberostar Paraiso Lindo would be fun and I would have a good time and everything, but I never thought they could surpass a vacation on a cruise line.... I was wrong. In a word this place is..."Perfection" The food was FANTASTIC ! Every meal for 7 days there was at least one dish I had never seen before and all of it was delicious. (When you arrive, find out when they are having their Mexican night at the main buffet. Chef Nancy turns that place into the best Mexican restaurant you have ever been to and will rival the specialty restaurants at the resort) The buffets have traditional snack foods like burgers and pizza, but they also have Italian, Vegetarian, Mexican, whole tables of nothing but breads, whole tables of nothing but desserts; there are soups, salad I could go on and on. Really, if you can’t find something to eat at this place you just don’t like food. No, you don’t have to worry about the water on the resort…. I drank it all week and didn’t have a problem. Just as with the food, the service is a once in a life time experience. Friendly, helpful and proud of what they do, the staff go out of their way to give you a perfect vacation. Walking... I read a few complaints that the resort is too big to walk and everything is far away. Nonsense! I am a 48 year old man who smokes a pack a day, is 25 pounds overweight and I could walk anywhere in 5 to 10 minutes with no trouble. The pools are spotless with just enough chlorine to let you know it’s there without bothering your eyes. The swim up bar…(My favorite part of the resort) No, you are not going to find 20 year old single malt but they do have Glenfedich, Passport and in the lobby bar you can find things like Jack Daniels. The ice cream bar is right above the swim up bar and serves ice cream that is as good as anything I have had at a Ben and Jerry’s The staff are always cleaning, and maintaining the property to keep it in postcard perfect condition. The beach has some large rocks just off shore but if you enter the water about 10 yards to the right of the weather flag you will avoid them. There is a tide pool about 50 yards south of the Lindo beach. At low tide you can see tiger barbs and other small fish that are a lot of fun to look at. My Wife and I booked a snorkeling excursion to Puerto Morelos through Lomis that included a great lunch. The dive master and crew were professional and well trained. The snorkel gear looked brand new. I have been diving in Bermuda and in Maui and found this reef (which is a national park) to be just as good if not better. We met many people at this resort who had been there 5, 6 or even 7 times and flatly refuse to vacation anywhere else. After this trip I am sure that I agree with them and can’t wait to return. Things to know: Do bring sunscreen & comfortable shoes. We had read something about bringing bug spray but found we didn’t need it. (Maybe it’s a summer time thing) The beds are firm to say the least. If you like a softer bed ask the concierge for a mattress pad they will be happy to get that taken care of. Airport: Once you clear immigration and customs make a bee-line for the parking lot. As you go around the corner from customs you will see a small army of very well dressed and very official looking people trying to divert you.(I thought they were part of the airport security or an additional customs search.) Say “No Gracias” and keep walking (Briskly). These people sell timeshares and will offer you what appear to be great deals on excursions and such. Don’t listen..just keep walking until you are outside where they should leave you alone. Tipping: Yes..tip the staff. I know the website says tips are included but these people work 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 days a week to give you a perfect vacation.

As my first time out of the country, I couldn't have dreamt of a better place. The service is absolutely amazing, I didnt want to leave. At one point I asked where to drop of my resume to work there. I would go back in a second. The food was good and the beach was unexplainably beautiful. Absolutely took my breath away. The air conditioners works all the time, even through the storms that came through at night. They appreciate when you tip but it is definately not a thing you have to do to get great service.

My wife and I went to Paraiso Lindo and liked it so much we decided to return with all our children, their spouses, and their children - fifteen of us. The place is immaculate, the staff friendly and accommodating, the food excellent and varied; but most of all, there was plenty to do for everyone of all ages. It was beyond our expectations and all of us would go back in a heartbeat.

There is NOTHING to dislike about this beautiful, clean, friendly, beautiful, piece of paradise. Our family and friends were there for my son's wedding so that was our introduction to IBEROSTAR PARAISO LINDO. What a fantastic choice. Thank you to this kids for picking this spot and thank you Iberostar for making this a truly fantastic holiday. There were 52 of us that came from across Canada, and I just know after we finish showing our pictures and sharing our stories there will be those same people and many more that will return. The service, the food, the accomodations, the beauty, the cleanliness are second to none. The weather, the beach, the pools....WOW! Your staff is incredible...the groundkeepers, the servers, housekeepers, food...wow...incredible. I rate this piece of paradise as first class and excellent!

We loved this place ;people great ,food great,beach great, you will have the time of your life as we did. Yes we will return here again :) We can say there was nothing bad here, hotel very clean. Had a Great time!

My brother got married here last May.It was incredible.The whole place was amazing.I would go back anytime.The service the food and the whole place was incredible.

Free bus to Playa De Carmen on site. Beautiful resort, water features everywhere, nicely decorated. Staff went overboard to please. Overall Excellent