Joia Paraíso By Iberostar

“It’s a palace on the beach”

Review of JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar – February 12 to 25th. If I had to summarize the resort, it’s palatial. Everywhere you walk, it's beautiful. The inside and outside of the buildings are like a palace on the ocean, yet they are so comforting and mesmerizing as you walk through the halls and arou… more

Review of JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar – February 12 to 25th. If I had to summarize the resort, it’s palatial. Everywhere you walk, it's beautiful. The inside and outside of the buildings are like a palace on the ocean, yet they are so comforting and mesmerizing as you walk through the halls and around the grounds. Peace and tranquility abound as the resort relaxes you with its charm and character, whether you are walking around or getting into a golf cart to be taken wherever you request. I don’t even know where to start. Thirteen days is a long vacation for Sue and me, but we had such a great time that we would have extended it even further if we hadn’t already had plans to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2 days after our trip. We were initially going on vacation somewhere else this week, but we had to change plans as one of our friends was getting married in Paraiso, and we did not want to miss the wedding. Plus, it was Valentine’s Day on the 14th, so I wanted to do something special, which I will detail below. The vacation to JOIA Paraiso was perfect, and I will try to explain. I see many people list pros and cons, and I get that. I will start with our only negative comment in 13 days. The hostess at the Italian restaurant twice wouldn’t acknowledge us as members when we had reservations, so even though we had reservations, we had to wait. That was my only complaint. This place is pure bliss; it is heaven on earth, plus we had reserved the Presidential Penthouse, which was 2000 sq feet of a dream. I think that room might have ruined the rest of my vacations because I am not sure we will ever have a room as lovely as that. Upon arrival at check-in, the staff were so excited to see us, and they made us feel unbelievably welcome. I had requested the Presidential Penthouse, of which there are two of them at JOIA Paraiso. One in building 70 and one in building 71. We walked into the room to be greeted by a round dining room table that could seat eight people, which then opened up to a living room that could have a party for 30 people and not feel crowded. With high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which looked out upon a balcony that was the size of 3 standard balconies, my head was spinning. We walked into the bedroom to find a king-sized four-poster bed that almost looked lost in the room. There was a bathroom with a walk-in closet that was big enough to put a bed inside the closet itself. Then, an indoor jacuzzi and a shower that could hold six people. The outside balcony had a jacuzzi with a hammock overlooking the ocean, and you could hear the waves crashing on the shore. Sunrises from the balcony were excellent; we could lie in bed in the morning and watch the sunrise. Breath-taking. The food was terrific. We ate at the Japanese, the Ember steakhouse, French, Italian, and the buffet. Every meal we had was awesome, and the service was fantastic. We had no issues with reservations at any place other than with the hostess at the Italian restaurant. The buffet was excellent, and we went during the Gala night and Asian night. Of course, the Gala was loaded with various seafood and steaks, which was my favorite. Never ever miss the Gala night at the buffet. For lunch, we asked Chef Yahdir twice to prepare a special lunch at the Star Prestige beach area. Simply amazing, the first lunch was just Sue and I, and he made us Ribeye and lobster tails (Another great benefit of membership). The second time, we had a group of 8 members, and he made all these unique tacos. Everyone enjoyed themselves; it was our special party on the beach. On Valentine's Day, I asked to do a Romantic Dinner on the beach; it was amazing. It was a little pricey, but it was Valentine’s Day: a violinist serenading us, a 4-course dinner, and a bottle of Moet champagne, with the crashing of the waves on the shore. I would consider myself a foodie, which is essential in my selection of a resort, and they excelled these two weeks. The staff would greet us at lunch and breakfast every day, getting us our table and making us feel at home. It was more than just feeling at home; they made us feel special. The Staff. I can’t say enough about how respectful they were and how much they made us feel important. They would know our names, what we liked, and what made us happy. They were amazing. We had great Butlers: Karolina and Fatima. Every day, they would ask what they could do for us, how they could help, and what we needed. Where did we want to eat? Is everything going ok with our massages? Do you want a ride here or there? They were great. Butlers make a good vacation great. Javier and Denis were our Star Prestige Ambassadors; they ensured we had our bottle of wine or champagne every night at our dinner table and would check on us each day at our Cabana on the beach. The Star Prestige staff of Lesly, Andrea, Ana, Hector, Anselmo, and Gasper handled all our needs from check-in to checkout. We stopped by each day to say hello, and they would ask us what we needed, if everything was going ok, or what they could do to improve our vacation. Lesly and her team were an absolute pleasure. Manuel at the Star Prestige Beach area ensured that we had towels and drinks all day at the beach and looked after us constantly. He would set up our cabana each morning when I walked to the beach. Manuel would know when we were going for our massages and have a golf cart ready to take us to the central shopping center. Everything was always taken care of by the entire Star Prestige team. THIS IS WHY I JOINED THE CLUB, to be spoiled on vacation as this team constantly did! The drinks were always good. The lobby bartenders and servers at the Star Prestige Club and Star Prestige Beach Club served great drinks, and after the first day, they knew what we would have all the time. Again, the staff made you feel like you were family. The grounds were meticulously groomed. Every leaf on every bush was trimmed. You could look in all four directions, even up, and everything was perfect. What a beautiful resort. We would walk around, and it was so relaxing. We walked to other resorts down the beach to see the member's pool area, which was very nice. The maintenance crew would run the sand-cleaning machines up and down the coast daily, cleaning all the debris and seaweed. Everything was always clean. The beach had soft sand, palm trees, waves, and many chairs. The water was rough most days, but we could still go into the ocean. Yeah, cabana bingo with the towels is an issue like every other resort, but getting a cabana was never a problem, even when the hotel was filled on the weeks we were there. The entertainment was excellent. We saw a show in the theater every night. It was great, and there were no extra charges. There were a variety of acts. I think the entertainment has dramatically improved since we were here in September. There was also entertainment in the lobby before and after the theater performances. Singers, violinists, and guitarists were excellent, making the lobby bar a great meeting and hanging-out place. One night, we had about 18 people do a pub crawl across the five resorts, doing shots and drinks at each bar. Luckily, we had golf carts to get us back to the JOIA. We had our daily massages, which were fantastic and relaxing. I tried the beach and the Shopping Center. I liked the shopping center better with the changing room, air conditioning, and quietness. I prefer the setup at JOIA Bavaro, where the members' massages are done at the resort instead of the shopping center. It's hard to imagine going on vacation now and not getting a daily massage. The highlight of the vacation was the marriage of Brett and Collen; a beautiful bride and a great man were married on the beach. I had the high honor of officiating over the magnificent wedding. It was such a great night celebrating their love for one another and an enjoyable few days meeting their children and extended family. You learn a lot about someone when you see them interact with their family, and this family was all about love, fun, and watching out for each other. We had a blast, and felt part of the family. Sue and I were so happy they allowed us to share their wedding and family. Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you that we met Brett and Collen at Iberostar Playa Mita and became friends because we were both club members. How cool is that? We got lucky and saw friends we had met on previous trips, just wonderful people: Steve and Karen, Perry and Beverly. We also met some new club members, Nanci and Shawn, who we hope to see again in September, Nicki and Rob, Nicole and Greg, Katherine and Jeff, Martin and Julia, and Missy and her husband. We had the pleasure of spending time with all these club members on the beach, in restaurants, or at the lobby bar. The best part of our membership is the people we have met. To new friends, existing friends, and those we haven’t yet met, may we all have amazing Iberostar vacations in our future. We plan to return here in April we had such a great time.

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“An Amazing Stay at Iberostar JOIA Paraiso – Worth Every Penny!”

We recently stayed at Iberostar JOIA Paraiso from February 21st to February 28th, and it was truly an incredible experience. We opted for an upgraded beachfront room, and it was absolutely worth it. Having direct access to the pristine, well-manicured beach made all the difference. The beach servic… more

We recently stayed at Iberostar JOIA Paraiso from February 21st to February 28th, and it was truly an incredible experience. We opted for an upgraded beachfront room, and it was absolutely worth it. Having direct access to the pristine, well-manicured beach made all the difference. The beach service was outstanding—perfectly timed every 15 minutes, ensuring we were always taken care of without ever feeling interrupted. The pool area was just as enjoyable, featuring a clean and well-maintained swim-up bar with friendly, attentive service. While the water was a bit on the chilly side, that’s more of a seasonal factor than a resort issue. Service was impeccable across the board. The concierge team was incredibly attentive, making sure every request was met with efficiency and care. Dinner service was outstanding, with an exceptional variety of top-quality food to choose from. Every meal felt like a special experience. The nightly entertainment was well-planned and enjoyable, though it felt like it was missing a little something—perhaps an extra element of excitement or interaction to truly elevate the experience. The spa was phenomenal, featuring a wide array of relaxation and therapy options, all delivered by friendly, knowledgeable staff. The golf course was also in excellent condition, and despite some mixed reviews online, we found the staff to be highly attentive and professional. Our room was spotless, cleaned twice daily, with an additional turn-down service while we were at dinner—a small but luxurious touch that we truly appreciated. The Only Downside – The Over-the-Top Timeshare Pitch The only real drawback to our trip was the aggressive and outdated timeshare sales pitch. As frequent travelers, we’re familiar with these tactics, but this one was particularly excessive. It started when a concierge pressured us into taking a tour despite multiple refusals. The next morning, they knocked on our door and called repeatedly to make sure we attended. What was supposed to be a 90-minute session dragged into a two-hour ordeal. The sales pitch itself felt dated and out of touch—something straight out of a bad ‘80s movie. By the end, it was unclear what exactly they were even selling because they had thrown so many different offers at us. The three-person closing team was overly aggressive, making the whole experience uncomfortable. Highly Recommend CARM Transportation For our airport transfer, we chose CARM Transportation’s private shuttle service, and we highly recommend them. They were easy to find, our wait time was less than 10 minutes, and they provided snacks and beers for the ride. Most importantly, we felt safe the entire time. Our return trip was just as smooth—they picked us up right at the resort lobby and got us to the airport hassle-free. Final Verdict: A Fantastic Destination Aside from the sloppy sales pitch, Iberostar JOIA Paraiso was an amazing resort, and we highly recommend it as a travel destination. The service, food, beach, spa, and overall atmosphere were exceptional. We had an absolutely perfect vacation, and we will definitely be back! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 – Minus the timeshare experience)

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“AMAIZING STAY”

Our 9 day stay at Iberostar was last year in September 2024, our 5th time there. Wow is all I can say. Before I even arrived at the resort, I received a welcoming email informing that I would be getting a free upgrade to the oceanfront suite, building 70 The room itself was immaculate, with champai… more

Our 9 day stay at Iberostar was last year in September 2024, our 5th time there. Wow is all I can say. Before I even arrived at the resort, I received a welcoming email informing that I would be getting a free upgrade to the oceanfront suite, building 70 The room itself was immaculate, with champaign and tequila on the table. The staff was friendly, the butler greeted us every morning and informed us of all the events/shows for the day. Always very helpful. I always bring my laptop with me so I could work and one day my connection got locked out due to security reasons. Our butler Luis was able to solve the problem right away, very impressed. Thank you so much Luis! You are the best! The food at the buffet was excellent. High quality ingredients and preparation was restaurant quality. Meat, chicken, lobster, cheeseburgers, cold cuts, desert, they had pretty much everything. Room service is 24/7, whatever meal you want to order, they will bring to your room. The bar at the main entrance has any kind of drink you can think of. Again, high quality, nothing is watered down like you can find at other resorts. They have the same bartenders working there, and they always remember me. They even know what I like, I just sit down and they bring out the drinks. In the evening they always have live performances at the bar, and after that the show starts, either outside or in the theatre room. Each show is different, and all performers are incredible. Dancing, singing, magic, there’s always a variety. The beach is simply beautiful. They have several pools as well, 1 is very big next to the buffet, there’s BBQ, music, as well as a bar area. I will only vacation at Iberostar. I always talk to other people at the resort about their experiences. Those who vacationed at other resorts for comparison, always say the Iberostar is hands down the best We’re missing you guys!

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“Did not meet expectations”

We have previously visited Iberostar properties and have loved the privacy and pampering of the adults only butler's suites. Others had told us that if we liked other Iberostar's, we would LOVE Joia in Riveria Maya. We booked 5 days in an beach view butler's suite. There were positives, but a lo… more

We have previously visited Iberostar properties and have loved the privacy and pampering of the adults only butler's suites. Others had told us that if we liked other Iberostar's, we would LOVE Joia in Riveria Maya. We booked 5 days in an beach view butler's suite. There were positives, but a lot of negatives which I'll detail. First of all, if you talk to 3 different staff there, you will get 3 different pieces of information. We made the reservation 4 months in advance, had been emailed a confirmation # and when we called to ask questions (and make dinner reservations as we had done in advance at other properties) we were told they didn't have our reservation. Several times, staff said they would check and call us back without response. Finally after 3 days, it looked like they had finally found our reservation after all...this was unnecessary and anxiety producing. Positives: The Joia property is gorgeous and meticulously maintained. The beach is beautiful and similarly well kept. Our room was very nice with a great private balcony and view. Food at the morning breakfast and 1 restaurant (Venetian) was quite good. Negatives: ADJACENT PROPERTIES at Iberostar looked more like brightly-colored Motel 6s. Unfortunately, our room was at the north end of the property and the outdoor theater from the next property made it imprssible to enjoy our lovely balcony/view until after 11:00 at night...think bad blaring music! If you go there and want a beach view suite, ask for one far away from adjacent properties. BEACH- While the beach was lovely, this was supposed to be an adults only property. Sounds of kids on the beach and in the surf boogie-boarding wasn't what we anticipated...note: this was not from the adjacent property, they were on the adults-only beach. The biggest turn off to the beach was the camo-clad soldiers with machine guns who occasionally strolled by. Maybe this made us safer, but it was certainly a NOT PEACEFUL OR RELAXING ATMOSPHERE! FOOD at many of the restaurants (E.G grill &French restaurants) was terrible...think overcooked, chewy steak, mushy lobster, food that either had sat under a heat lamp or on a counter) The only salvation was that as an all inclusive, we could supplement the bad food somewhere else...IF YOU COULD GET IN. As above, we tried to make dinner reservations for our entire stay before arriving (as we had at other Iberostars) but could not. Shortly after we arrived, we met with the concierge and tried to make reservations - only to find many restaurants were already booked. We made one reservation with the conciege that the restaurant said they never got. We tried to rectify this with our butler, who said if we went to the restaurant at 8:00, they would take us. When we arrived, the restaurant said no...at that point, we had cancelled our other plans and ended up in the buffet for dinner. STAFF while we loved the pampering of butlers at other Iberostars, the staff here didn't get that message. Sometimes butlers did what you requested, sometimes they didn't. Sometimes it took 2-3 reminders. One time, my husband went downstairs to see if he could get the coffee pods we asked the butler to bring. He found our butler joking around with others - he said he forgot our request! We asked if we could have our mini bar stocked with seltzer for our stay...we had to ask this EACH DAY. Many guest-facing staff spoke limited English. Between my limited Spanish and a lot of gestures, we somehow worked things out, but as it seemed most guests were English speaking, better English skills of guest-facing staff seems pretty important. SPIRITS; the "house" wines were barely drinkable. We asked if there were other options (we assumed this would be an additional cost) but it seemed this was only for time-share guests. ENTERTAINMENT: We checked out a few shows. We weren't expecting Las Vegas reviews, but most seemed more like the high school productions our kids had been in. The one exception was the fire show which was very good! On balance, it was a beautiful property but our expectations were not met. We might return to other Iberostars (E.G the one in the DR is lovely) but not this one. Disappointed. :-(

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