Paradisus Playa Del Carmen - Riviera Maya - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

17726 reviews

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  Solid Family Resort in PDC, Though Wish Pools Were Heated

  Key takeaway: Overall, a clean and well run family resort with good food and service. We would not visit again in the winter months due to the unheated pools, and we would definitely only book with the Family Concierge option. Probably not worth it at regular rates, but good value at discounted or promo pricing such as Cyber Monday or Black Friday. We visited this hotel with my partner and our two 3-year-olds. About six months earlier, we had stayed at Finest Playa Mujeres in June and had a wonderful experience, but this time we wanted to try a different part of the Yucatán. What appealed to us about Paradisus was the waterpark and pirate pool for the kids, the large swim-up suites connected to the main pool, the Family Concierge service, and its proximity to Playa del Carmen for a quick off-resort trip. I was able to book a Family Concierge Master Swim-Up Suite at 41% off during a Cyber Monday promotion. The price was significantly lower than a comparable room at Finest, so it felt like great value and worth trying. Overall, we thought the resort was good, but not amazing. We still had a great time, but there were areas where it could have been better. If we had paid full price, we likely would have left more disappointed. Here is where the resort fell short. Cold pools Unfortunately, we visited during an unusual cold front, with daytime highs between 21°C and 26°C. The pools are not heated. Our Family Concierge told us the Family Concierge pool is normally heated, but it was out of service due to maintenance. As a result, the pools were not very enjoyable and our kids did not stay in long. At Finest, we probably spent 80% of our time in the pool. At Paradisus, we only swam briefly a few times. Many guests were also avoiding the pools. Because of this, we would not recommend visiting during the winter months when comfortable pool temperatures are not guaranteed. Aesthetics The main indoor and outdoor areas of the resort, especially around the koi ponds, restaurants, Nespresso bar, and ice cream stand, were beautiful and had a great atmosphere. However, some areas such as the corridors and pool deck showed visible wear and tear. We noticed broken lamp posts, worn light fixtures, and other signs of aging. There were signs of ongoing maintenance like paint touchups, but some of the workmanship looked rushed. For example, there was paint spatter on the tiles in our swim-up and some bridges were only partially painted. This is a family resort, so some wear is expected with many children around, but if you are looking for a pristine, polished resort, this may not be it. Rooms We really liked the spacious Master Suite. However, the decor is dated and the furniture and cabinetry felt somewhat cheap and slightly worn. Again, expected for a family-focused property and easy to overlook. The bedding was comfortable but lacked a luxury feel. One evening we returned to a flooded room, which was cleaned up quickly and we were compensated with resort credit. We also had a malfunctioning toilet that required maintenance, and one night we found a cockroach in the room. Not a huge issue, and aside from these incidents, both the room and resort were very clean. Despite these drawbacks, there were several highlights. Family Concierge The Family Concierge service was excellent and made a big difference to our experience. Our concierge was very responsive, even though we did not see her often in person. We especially enjoyed having breakfast and lunch at The Lunch Box. We tried the main buffet once and found it too chaotic with many children and average food, so without Family Concierge we likely would have been less satisfied. We were also able to secure dinner reservations at our preferred times, which made evenings much easier. Food Overall, the food was good. We were not expecting a Michelin-level culinary experience, but we enjoyed most of the restaurants except Capella. The Asian teppanyaki restaurant was excellent and we wished we had booked it twice. Entertainment The theatre shows were enjoyable. On a couple of nights the entertainment was moved to the North Bar, which made seating and viewing more difficult. During the day there were always activities for kids such as balloon animals, face painting, bracelet making, and mimes. Service The staff were consistently kind and friendly. The resort is well run and service throughout was very good. We rarely waited long at restaurants, housekeeping and turndown were reliable, and our Family Concierge was always helpful. Final thoughts Overall, a great resort that is well suited for families with young children. We would recommend visiting outside the winter months and booking at a discounted rate with the Family Concierge option for the best experience and value.

  Feb 09, 2026
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  Go to Paradisus when it's warm in Mexico (NOT Nov-Mar)

  This resort is absolutely Beautiful from design to decor and the landscape. We loved our "bubble tub" for 2 on our balcony which we enjoyed every afternoon. The housekeeper even filled it for us and put bubbles in it on the last day. We had a reserve room that essentially had 2 sides (kitchen/dining/living and then bathroom/closet/bedroom) which we had never seen before and really enjoyed. Our food was generally good about everywhere. We appreciated our concierge booking all of that for our group of 6. A special shout out to Isamel at Hadar buffet who always knew our drink orders for breakfast and lunch and took great care of us. The teppanyaki grill was some of the best I've ever had and Sal steakhouse was also a great experience. Sadly the thing that overshadowed all of the wonderful things this place has going on is the absolutely frigid pools. I am not kidding... I will swim in about anything and the water was no joke around 62 degrees. It was advertised that the reserve pool would be heated and it is absolutely not. We couldn't even utilize the swim-outs or swim-up bars because you would practically go numb immediately if you got in. The ocean was way warmer than the pools, but it has a hard rock/corral bottom, so I would definitely recommend water shoes if you want to swim. PS If you are picky about your pillow, bring your own. The bedding/linens are great as are the dark curtains, but there was supposed to be a "pillow menu" and there definitely was not.

  Feb 09, 2026
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  Amazing

  Very thank full to have had this experience everything was top notch Food, service, friendly ness, Cleanliness Totally more then I expected Thank full For everything

  Feb 09, 2026
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  Awesome adults getaway! If you’re looking to have a resort that will cater to your needs this is the place for you.

  I lost a very special sentimental necklace. Thankfully it was returned to me by the amazing staff. I was so very grateful.

  Feb 09, 2026
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  Best family travel destination ever!

  Where do I really begin, it has been absolutely the best family vacation we had Location: incredible view of the beach and not too far from the airport Atmosphere: everyone has been super welcoming, music vibes everywhere, lots of activities and the night shows were incredible! They did a lion king show which was spectacular! The staff were very polite and helpful Rooms: we took the swim up family concierge, very spacious and the swim up pool was big and convenient. There was a huge jacuzzi on the terrace which was a really nice touch The beach was very clear, nice smooth sands with no rocks, clean, wavey shore and fun This beats the Maldives honestly as it was super fun Food: incredible, whether Mexican, Italian, Japanese or Mediterranean. Our favorite was a bana Japanese restaurant with a show they put for us cooking and delicious food all day long!

  Feb 08, 2026