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We travelled back in October and I still talk about our experience to family and friends. This was our first trip to an all-inclusive resort and we stayed 9 days at the resort and opted for Family Concierge. They got in touch with us even before we left to start planning for our trip including booking restaurant reservations. When we arrived, they took us directly to a separate check-in counters and was seated with drinks immediately. There was a bit of a wait, but we were given drinks right away and made welcome by the staff. Our concierge was Sofia and from the moment we met, she was always so open and responsive to all our questions and requests. She asked about drinks we liked and every day, our fridge was stocked with all the items we mentioned. We enjoyed the food quite a bit, which was highly unexpected since it is all inclusive. Walking around the resort, the staff were always so pleasant to deal with. The beach was walking distance from the resort and we did not have any issues with seaweed washing up. Our room had 2 double beds and they do a great job cleaning every day. If we ever had any concerns, they were very responsive and got issues resolved quickly. They were doing renovations at the Family Concierge building, which included our floor but it never got loud and the paint smell never reached our room. We came with our 3 year old and she absolutely loved it as well; the food, the pool, Sofia's surprises, and the Baby Club. She loved all her babysitters and she requested to return almost every day. They do a great job at kid's club and get a hold of us as soon as our daughter wanted to leave or eat. Definitely something we recommend if travelling with kids. They have scheduled activities for the kids and never once did I feel unsettled by leaving my daughter. Overall, I would really consider returning and would definitely recommend. We met a family that had been there at least 3 times and honestly, we understand why.
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Date of stay: October 2019
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What an amazing resort! We were so happy we went. It was myself, my husband and our 3 year old son. Firstly, airport is so empty that it was a breeze going through security at Cancun airport, we had a private transfer booked with our package that drove us straight to the resort, which took about 40 mins. At arrival the resort was very empty, but that's only because we got there July 5 and they opened on the 1st, more and more people started slowly coming in. But we did not complain, it was so nice to be the only ones, check in was quick and easy. They tell you you need to wear your mask in closed/public places and when you enter restaurants. Otherwise at beach/pool you dont have to wear it. The personnel ALL wear masks and shields, i actually felt really bad for them in this scorching summer heat but it makes me feel safe about myself. They also have hand sanitizer and foot mats on every entry. At restaurants they measure your temperature. THE FOOD WAS THE BEST I've ever had. You need to download their app to see the menus. No buffet, it's all restaurant style. Very gourmet, very tasty, and lovely presentation. The liquor is top notch, with amazing cocktails.You can order food by the pool and the beach too which is a great perk. Room service charges you $5 each time, but it's just as delicious. THE SERVICE is the best i've ever had, i always say this about Mexico, but these guys were really attentive and genuinely cared to make sure we had an enjoyable time. Miguel at the beach was our go to guy for lounge chairs and setting up our umbrellas, a very friendly guy that even went out of his way to keep one of the hats they made for the kids to give to our son since we missed the event. Manuel and Gibran were the waiters on the beach who were also really nice. They brought us drinks and food. Then the ladies who came out to make sand castles with the kids - Linda, Yessenia and Yadira were just lovely, they even got my son a stuffed toy as a good bye gift. Entertainment - they have a show and DJ every night. There is a lovely female DJ (i didnt catch her name) that played amazing music, it was a shame it was empty because i can imagine an awesome beach party at the Gabi Club. Then they had live music almost every other night, and some other shows as well. The water park is great too. The beach started with seaweed for a couple of days but after that it cleared up and it was perfect.There's a public beach on both sides of the hotel but didnt bother us.
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Review collected in partnership with Meliá Hotels International
Date of stay: July 2020
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Experience, General Manager at Paradisus Playa del Carmen - Riviera Maya
Responded Jul 21, 2020
Dear AgopN, We appreciate your comments. Thank you for such a detailed review, we worked very hard during this break to adjust the new hygiene and safety protocols to our service and attention toward guests. Our priority is to make our guests feel relaxed and safe at the same time. We are gradually adjusting our service to the new normality. We know there are a few things missing but we are getting there. Our staff will be pleased to read they were a significant part of your Paradisus experience. we just hope to host you again soon. Best regards. Guest Service Center Management
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We travelled here over the new year with our two children (7 & 9) and one set of grandparents, and had a very relaxing time.
We booked the Family Concierge, and I would definitely recommend it. You will have a "butler" who can take care of any arrangements for you (e.g. restaurant or massage reservations) and keep you updated on events around the resort (e.g. shows at night). Our butler Jonathan Vergara was terrific. He kept in close touch via WhatsApp and did his best to help us when we wanted to change dinner reservations or sort out what activities were available. He was terrific with the kids, who loved him, and he really was a great help.
The other great aspect of the Family Concierge was the Olio restaurant which is available only to Family Concierge for breakfast and lunch. It was relatively small and outdoors, and had terrific staff who got to know us over the week and were eager to help us with with special requests. One waiter, Demetrio, got to know us by name and greeted us cheerfully every day. On our last day, as we were preparing to leave he made a special effort to get us our food quickly and out the door so that we made our bus on time. Olio did not have had the largest buffet or menu, but the friendly atmosphere was a huge contrast to the large, loud, cafeteria-like NAOS, which was the main breakfast location, and one of the few things about the resort that I did not like.
The Family Concierge pool was also a nice feature. It is relatively small, but fun for the kids and more shaded than the main pool, which could feel quite exposed during the middle of the day.
With respect to restaurants, our favourite dinner was at the The Grill, which is a Brazilian restaurant with an outdoor terrace. If you are a meat eater the food was terrific, and the atmosphere was nicer than some of the others. Bana had good sushi, but the Bana Family Teppanyaki could be skipped, especially if you eat at Teppanyaki restaurants at home and have something to compare to. The contemporary Mexican restaurant Mole was also great and Olio was surprising good for dinner. As mentioned above, we did not like NAOS. The food was fine, but the atmosphere in this indoor restaurant left a lot to be desired.
We had a swim up room, which we only used a little. Most of our time was spent at the pool or beach and the view into the courtyard was nothing special. In retrospect we would have preferred a high floor room with a view of the ocean to enjoy in the morning or evening when we were actually in our room.
Overall, the resort is clean and well run, and the friendly and helpful staff really makes a difference.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Swim up rooms don't have great views and you might be better with a high floor room with a view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Demetrio who worked at Olio and the pool was one of the kindest waiters. Jonas who worked in the towel shack by the pool was also super nice. Here's a few tips/observations that might be helpful to others: Be sure to contact the resort a few weeks out and make dinner reservations each night. Find out what the nightly entertainment is and be sure to go. One night they performed part of the Lion King musical (partly in Spanish!), another night there was a magic show, the next night the Frozen characters came out, another night there was a mariachi band/Latin dance and the next a piñata/Coco party. The beach and ocean were wonderful, hardly any seaweed when we went. Ask one of the waiters on the beach for some coconut water served in a coconut - its $8 and makes for a fun photo op :) They will even take it back and cut it up so you can eat the coconut meat. Playa del Carmen is about a 15 min walk on the beach -so you can walk there if you like. If you do Family Concierge, your butler will do so many fun things for the kids. One night he set up a bubble bath in the outside jacuzzi and another night there was a pirate scavenger hunt in the room. Be sure to bring floaties and pool toys from home so you don't have to buy them at the gift shop. My favorite tip is if you have time the morning you leave, book a body scrub at the spa! I did a chocolate scrub with a massage and its a great way to get all the sunscreen and sand scrubbed off! Perfect way to end your trip :)
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paradisus is now our favorite resort near Cancun, Every room is located with a view of the pools and is completely modern and clean. The meals were above average - with exquisite presentation, a variety of food types and well trained wait staff. The pools had daily activities and were sparkling clean. The beach is right on the Caribbean. Seating is comfortable and well attended by waiters whisking you any type of drink and nachos too. We enjoyed the water staff including Miguel, Alan, Angel and more. They keep you busy with dancing, water activities and more. In the evening, they provided an event which is always fun to watch. Highly recommended!!
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm back home 4days now, I miss it already! The architecture, interior design, ambiance, gourmet food & presentation, the amazing customer service from the staff was outstanding! I can't say enough about this amazing resort! The rooms were cleaned to perfection daily, sanitized. Door entrances in public areas had mats with sanitizer on them to clean shoes off, hand sanitizer stations everywhere, silverware was sanitized & wrapped. Upon arrival our luggage was sprayed with sanitizer & wiped down! Everything about this resort was outstanding! I have been to many resorts & this truly is paradise! Our concierge, Maria Torrez went above & beyond, she was with us from check in to check out! Flor at the isla coffee shop always greeted me with a smile & good conversation. The coffee shop is so beautifully located over a koi fish pond! Everyone who works here was amazing! Ricardo at the Arts & Crafts gift stand located in the pool area has fair prices for handcrafted gifts, we didn't even have to go to 5th Ave! I love this amenity & his fair prices. Note to resort: I don't know how much he pays in rent, but please lower it so he can continue to give guest fair prices, he was very sweet. Please tell him Thank you & Hola from me the girl from Chicago that bought lots from him. There was no reason for us to leave the resort for 7 days. Shows were amazing, our 1st night there was an Aztec show that was equivalent to a broadway show! The pool area is beautiful, lush landscaping, palm trees everywhere. The spa Wow beautiful! Be sure to get a massage from Andres, the best! Book with Marcelo when he stops you on your way to the restaurants, he has a massage cart, tell him Liz & Nina the 2 primas (cousins) who were playing their music at the pool that he was dancing to recommended Andres, he'll hook you up with the best massage ever! The Palapa was our favorite restaurant every dish was outstanding. My favorite which I had 3x's was the filet mignon/portabella mushroom. Note to resort: Please do something special for Maria Torrez & Flor from me, they both went above & beyond! Great guest service. I am planning to return & telling everyone about this amazing resort, I'm following/sharing all your post on Facebook. Sincerely, Liz Reyna
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Date of stay: October 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Experience, Director General at Paradisus Playa del Carmen - Riviera Maya
Responded Oct 29, 2020
Dear Liz Reyna, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It is pleasant for us to know that you enjoyed your stay at our resort and that you appreciated the friendliness and service of our staff. Especially the service provided by Maria, Flor, Ricardo, Andres, and Marcelo we will gladly pass on your compliments to them and we are sure that your notes will motivate them to continue with their great job. We are also making sure their supervisors also know about their great performance and offer them an incentive for their day to day work. We remain at your disposal for further asssitance for your return visit. Best regards. Guest Service Center Management
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My extended family took a vacation to Play Del Carmen and settled on Paradisus due to the great reviews and kiddie pool/water park options for our 3 1/2 year old daughter. We chose the reserve option to take advantage of the concierge. We had a very difficult check-in, which in hindsight was probably down to user error in how we booked the rooms through Costco. We should have called them rather than doing it online. My parents didn't get into a room until 9:30. Once they got in the hotel had a very loud wedding party with a DJ going on until 11:30. The power went out to the hotel briefly and my parents' room required maintenance to get their power working. Because of the booking issues, none of our dining reservations were together. After spending 12 hours getting to Mexico and another 6+ getting into our rooms we were done. On the first night, my wife and I decided that we had enough and that we were going to call Costco after breakfast and get any portion of a refund and return home.
After some sleep I went to the Reserve only Olio restaurant for breakfast. I was disappointed to find out that I couldn't get a bloody mary and that the resort doesn't offer alcohol before 11. I'm not a big drinker, but that was a disappointment. After some great chilaquiles and eggs our concierge, Francisco, had rerouted all of our restaurant reservations and put us all together at various restaurants through the property. He also sent us a map and a list of activities through the Whatsapp group that he set up with the family. I took my kid to the pirate ship pool and the whole stress started to melt away. The food and service were mostly great with a few misses (the main buffet is to be avoided and Mole' restaurant is not to be missed). The grounds are beautiful and well maintained and the rooms are really outstanding.
We were aware of the sargassum issue going in and decided to take the ferry to Cozumel for a beach day. While were glad we did this as the people in Cozumel need the help, it is a real undertaking. We spent two-hours plus each way between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen and the ferry is not for those susceptible to motion sickness even in pleasant seas. A long way to go for a few hours at the beach, so if the beach is your jam, I would wait until the sargassum retreats before I book. The beach area looked really nice at Paradisus, but was impenetrable with sargassum.
All in all, I can recommend Paradisus Playa del Carmen. Make sure your group is set up correctly with the hotel beforehand and ensure that sargassum season is over if you want to enjoy the beach. My family and I decided we enjoyed cruising a bit more than the all inclusive resort, but the expansive grounds and uncrowded pools are a plus to those who might feel claustrophobic on a ship.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Service Center, General Manager at Paradisus Playa del Carmen - Riviera Maya
Responded Jul 12, 2021
Dear ErikinBoise, Thank you for sharing your experience. We regret to know you had a rough start that you had to go through this confusion at check-in, we are gladly sharing your feedback with our associates for a better follow-up with our guests prior to arrival. We also apologize if there was some delay on our side on your way in, and with the activities going on at the resort during your vacation. Also, know that we are working really hard to keep our beach clear of seaweed, we have 20+ people cleaning brigades, two bobcats, two tractors, and a brand new net that will keep seaweed at bay. We will be glad to host you again soon Best regards Guest Service Center Management
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We recently returned from our stay at La Paradisus Esmeralda. We are a family of four with two kids < 7. It was our first visit to this resort.
The rooms were very spacious and well-kept as were the lush green grounds. The resort did not feel too big and everything was within walking distance which was nice. The beach had minimal seaweed which was great for building sand castles. Our children are young and as such, we were not adventurous enough to test the large waves except to dip our feet into the warm sea waters but we saw many enjoying the waters. The kids waterpark was a hit and lots of fun for children and adults alike! Food was overall very good with our favourite being the Mexican restaurant. The risotto and the octopus dish at the Italian restaurant was also very good!
We did get the family concierge service as recommended by many reviews on this forum. The benefits are: Access to a heated family concierge private pool (the kids pool in main resort area in addition to the kids waterpark is heated as well) Access to Olio restaurant which was great for breakfast and lunch (we did not have dinner there so cannot comment) Butler service - we are low key people and didn’t ask for much but it was nice to have someone take care of reservations for us as well as set up some surprises for the kids during our stay. The kids loved the treasure hunt! Our butler, Jeaneen, was very nice and approachable and always willing to help and answer any questions we had. Quick check in and check out process Free room service (we did not use this) as well as in-room bar access
From the time we entered until we left, what we were most impressed with was the level of service. Everyone was always greeting us with a smile and checking in to make sure we were enjoying our stay.
We especially want to thank Cristian @ Olio for his excellent services whenever we visited. His kind and attentive nature as well as his willingness to share with us about the Mexican culture and people really put a personal touch to our vacation!
There were so many people who made this a special stay for us. Special mention goes out to Ricardo @ the FC pool who always made sure to have fresh towels for us with a smile. Also a shout out to the lifeguards at the water park for their very close attention to keeping everyone safe. It was also very reassuring to see them shut down the pool with the threat of any potential infectious diseases. I have full confidence that the health and safety of all children was protected and promoted this way despite the inconvenience of the pool sometimes being shut down for hours or for the rest of the day. The last thing you want when you go on vacation is a sick kid halfway through!
Thank you Paradisus for a wonderful vacation!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My family and I recently returned from this amazing resort a couple weeks ago and wish we could of stayed longer! We were treated VERY well by the entire family concierge team! I definitely recommend upgrading as you have access to the heated concierge pool, Olio restaurant for breakfast and lunch, comfy beds w fresh juice bar on the beach and free(tip appreciated)sailing, paddle board and canoeing.I probably left out tons of other amenities that the concierge level offers but those really made our experience special.
This resort has a seaweed barrier so the beach was always clean👍🏽
The nightly shows were so much fun for our family too...Salsa bands, acrobatics, karaoke etc etc! We didn’t get to use the kids club but it was convenient and the ladies were very nice when we visited.
Our favorite restaurants were Mole, Olio and the buffet!
A HUGE thank you to Ivan(our personal Butler) who went out of his way to make sure my son had medicine when he fell ill, he moved us rooms so that we were more comfortable and was a genuinely nice person to my family and I. Muchas Gracias Ivan!!!
Wilber was great and always had so much enthusiasm when we took part in his activities! He even braided my hair one day!
Because of employees like them and service that the family concierge delivered we will be back!
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from QD_Paradisus, Gerente at Paradisus Playa del Carmen - Riviera Maya
Responded Apr 14, 2020
Dear ilenen, Thank you for taking the time to share your Family Concierge experience with us and with future guests. We are glad to read your family had a pleasant stay with us, while all of you found what you were looking for: fun, relaxation, food quality and variety, comfort, warm service and a unique place that feels like home We will be waiting for your return Best regards. Guest Experience Paradisus La Esmeralda Playa del Carmen
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We visited the resort end of January to beginning of February and booked family concierge Here are the pros and cons of our visit Pros:
Amazing service on the pool side Amazing restaurants Clean rooms and quiet rooms which is very practical with kids Heated pool with family concierge Amazing water park
Cons
We did not feel like family concierge was worth it. We went to olio for breakfast twice and felt our demands of a banana and peanut butter were too much so we ended up going to the buffet
Their down time service of milk and cookies was at 8:30 so we did not get that
Poor service on the beach side family concierge. Sometimes no water for hours
I also want to mention that my daughter also caught hand foot and mouth disease. It is the 3rd review I see with this case so perhaps it is going on in thr resort ?
All in all however we had an absolutely amazing time as a family and cannot wait to travel more in the future
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Playa del Carmen area.
PRICE RANGE
$346 - $574 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
paradisus playa del carmen la esmeralda hotel playa del carmen
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Paradisus Playa Del Carmen La Esmeralda
LOCATION
MexicoYucatan PeninsulaQuintana RooRiviera MayaPlaya del Carmen
NUMBER OF ROOMS
488
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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