Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo

The common spaces at the sprawling Iberostar Paraiso Lindo resort have been designed to resembled traditional Mexican colonial style, with bold colors and old-world architecture. The huge lobby resembles an ornate Spanish church, with wooden benches, high-backed wooden chairs lining the walls, and a carved-wood front desk. The aesthetic incorporates its tropical location with stained-glass screens that look like ocean waves, palm trees sculptures, and terra cotta mosaics.

The lobby is accessed via a series of wooden walkways flanked by pools of water, which create a relaxing, vacation-like vibe. There are several courtyards that feel like village squares, complete with fountains. Stone walkways are lined with columns.

Around the pool and beach areas, the resort feels much more modern, with impressive facilities and water features. The many kid-friendly pools -- a wave pool, lazy river, water park with slides, and activity pool -- make the Paraiso Lindo especially popular with families, and the pool scene is lively. Games and sports are held regularly in the activity pool, and adults make the most of the two swim-up bars in the main pool.

Entertainment continues well into the evening, with nightly shows for both kids and adults.

The Iberostar Paraiso Lindo is centrally located on the Riviera Maya, near one of the Yucatan Peninsula’s most beautiful white-sand beaches, Playa de Punta Maroma. In addition, the resort has its own private white-sand beach, Playa Paraiso. The popular tourist city of Playa del Carmen, with its nightlife and shopping, is a 20-minute drive south of the resort. The resort is surrounded by mangroves and rainforest, and the grounds are beautifully cared for, with an eye to protecting the native wildlife. There are several eco-parks nearby, including Xcaret, where families can spend a day exploring the jungle and caves, swimming the park’s underground river (or cenote), visiting the butterfly pavilion, swimming with dolphins, and more. Xplor Park, also nearby, is a more adrenaline-fueled day-trip, with zip-lining, ATVs, underground rafting, and night-time adventure activities. The Mayan ruins at Tulum are an easy day-trip, as well, located an hour to the south. Scuba divers may also want to head to the nearby island of Cozumel, where the diving is legendary. Then again, there is enough to do on the resort's ground, that guests may not want to venture out at all. Cancun airport is 30 minutes north of the resort.

Rooms at the Iberostar Paraiso Lindo are clean and comfortable, if a bit dated in style, and all have private balconies. The walls are a cheerful yellow, and bright Mexican textiles adorn the beds, pillows, and windows. The feel is cozy and rustic, with spotless tile floors, wooden furniture, and folk art for accent pieces. There is air-conditioning for hot days and nights. Bathrooms are modern, but not especially sleek, with spacious tub and shower combinations and unique Mexican touches, such as hand-painted ceramic tissue boxes. This is a slightly older hotel, so there can be tiny issues with things not working, but a quick call to the front desk tends to have things fixed quickly.

Rooms near the beach (Buildings 50 and 51) tend to be quieter, especially at night, when there is live entertainment. Light sleepers or those with small children may want to request rooms at a distance from the theater. There are no elevators in the complex, and a good deal of walking is required to get from place to place. Those with mobility issues may want to request rooms near the restaurants and lobby. There are golf carts available to ferry guests who need it. Finally, ground floor rooms near the pools are not very private during daylight hours.

The Presidential Suites are large and less playful than the homey standard rooms, decorated with wood furnishings, carved doors, vaulted roofs with exposed beams, and local artwork. Bathrooms are especially large, with separate soaking tubs and walk-in showers. Suite balconies have private hot tubs, terra cotta tiles, and Balinese beds on swings.

All rooms have safes, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, and minibars that are restocked daily with free soda, beer, and bottled water.

The family-oriented Iberostar Paraiso Lindo offers a wide variety of activities for kids and adults, including a fantastic selection of pools: a wave pool that is great for kids when the surf at the beach gets too rough, a water park with a pirate ship and water slides, a lazy river, an activity pool for athletic pursuits, and a huge main pool with two swim-up bars, sunbeds, a grill, and lounge chairs in the water for simultaneous sun and surf. Basic scuba lessons are offered in the pool for free each day.

The private, white-sand beach is lined with sunbeds and palapa umbrellas, and there are activities all day, including beach volleyball, kayaking, snorkeling, and more. Swimmers may want to wear water shoes, as there are some rocks in the surf. Kayaks, catamarans, jet skis, and other watercraft are available, some for an additional charge. Snorkelers will enjoy the offshore reef.

Golfers can take advantage of the neighboring 18-hole golf course. There is a kids' club for children ages four to 12, and a teen club for kids up to age 17. Adult activities include target shooting and archery, tennis, ping pong, billiards, basketball, dance lessons, and much more. The shopping area is extensive, with a jewelry store, snack spots, local handicraft and clothing boutiques, and other souvenir shops. 

There are plenty of dining options at the Paraiso Lindo, including two buffets that offer theme nights (Asian, Spanish, Mexican). The main restaurant, Laguna Pagoda, serves late night snacks from 11 to 1 am. There are several à la carte restaurants, and guests should try to make reservations at these upon check-in to ensure availability. Jambalaya serves Cajun food amid abstract jazz paintings and Southern furnishings. El Museo serves French food in a formal atmosphere that resembles a Baroque-era Paris salon; children under 12 are not permitted here, and men over 18 must wear long pants and shirts with sleeves. Not all of the Paraiso Lindo’s à la carte restaurants are formal, but guests should pay attention to the published dress codes. In addition to the restaurants, there is a Starbucks-style coffee shop that serves pastries for an afternoon treat.

A free shuttle runs between the Paraiso Beach resort and its sister properties, where there are plenty of other activities, pools and beaches. There is a conference and event center, with wedding and event planning services. Parking is free, but the lot holds only about twenty cars. There's a full-service spa and a fitness center, and there's a fee for Wi-Fi, although the connection is often unreliable.