Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar

The hotel itself and staff great, but a very very bad experience (see below - letter to the Sr Management of Iberostar -no reply even after 2 reminders). So you know hou serious you’re handled as customer!!!!

Letter 1 day after leaving the hotel: Over the past few days, we have greatly enjoyed our stay at the Iberostar complex. The hotel is beautifully designed and offers a pleasant atmosphere, with an excellent room, very friendly staff, an exceptionally well-maintained garden, impressive swimming pools, and enjoyable entertainment.

Last Sunday, we were approached in the lobby and invited to attend a breakfast, tour, and brief presentation regarding “The Club,” which was explicitly stated to last no longer than 90 minutes. Based on this representation, we agreed to participate.

However, this morning we were collected and subsequently exposed to what can only be described as an aggressive long-term investment sales presentation, comparable to timesharing, involving undue and, in our view, unethical pressure to make an immediate decision. This experience has significantly detracted from an otherwise highly enjoyable stay. We intend to share this experience on the social media platforms to which we contribute, and we hereby wish to submit a formal complaint to the hotel management.

A dedicated department appears to be in place, staffed with hostesses and “managers.” In line with common timeshare sales practices, staff members are continuously rotated, each presenting different (purportedly more attractive) offers. When we requested a clear written proposal, this was refused. No supporting information could be provided online either. When we indicated that the offer might be of potential interest, but that we required time to consider it before making any commitment, this was not accommodated. At that point, the previously cordial atmosphere became noticeably distant and unwelcoming.

As a final stage, we were asked to complete a so-called client survey, which in reality appeared to serve as a final attempt to exert pressure, accompanied by yet another offer, to compel us to make an immediate decision despite our clearly stated wish for time to reflect. Upon firmly declining, we were promptly escorted back to our apartment by golf cart. The promised souvenir, as well as the two World Cup sunglasses that had been offered, were never provided.

We consider it highly inappropriate and unethical to subject guests to such pressure tactics. The total duration of this activity exceeded three hours, rather than the promised 90 minutes, resulting in the loss of nearly half a day of our vacation. More importantly, it has left us with a very negative impression of the Iberostar group. These practices are, in our opinion, wholly unacceptable and will certainly be taken into account in any future booking decisions, as well as in our reviews.

We would appreciate receiving the management’s formal position on this matter and would like to understand what corrective measures will be implemented to prevent future guests from having similar negative experiences.

Additions 12/08/2026:

We’ve send 2 earlier Emails to the hotel, but without any reaction. We will start a formal complaint at PROFECO in Mexico within 24hrs.

Unquote.

Our experience at Iberostar Paraíso del Mar was extremely disappointing, particularly because of how my pregnant wife was treated by the staff.

While having lunch at the buffet, my pregnant wife was told by a staff member named Brenda that she could not sit under the fan. When we questioned this, we were told, “This is the Caribbean.” We found this response extremely dismissive and inappropriate, especially when speaking to a pregnant guest who was simply trying to be comfortable while eating.

We brought the situation to Guest Services, where we spoke with Wendy. Rather than addressing our concern or offering a reasonable solution, we were essentially told that because Brenda was working that day, we could simply eat at the snack bar instead.

This was incredibly frustrating. We chose this resort expecting a comfortable and family-friendly environment, and we did not expect a pregnant guest to be treated this way or made to feel that she had to change where she ate because of a staff member's attitude.

The issue was not simply about sitting under a fan, it was about how the situation was handled and the lack of empathy and customer service afterward. Families, especially those travelling with young children or pregnant guests, should feel welcomed and accommodated.

Unfortunately, based on this experience, we would not recommend Iberostar Paraíso del Mar to families. Management should seriously review how these situations are handled and how staff communicate with guests.

We stayed for two weeks in August and I'm looking to book again for next year. The hotel was fantastic. Absolutely no issues getting a sun lounger at any time of the day.

My kids adored Star Camp (kids club) and asked to go day after day. Special thanks to Brandon who my son really bonded with. The communications were great, updates via WhatsApp.

The food... The food was next level delicious. There are so many restaurants to choose from but honestly the buffet schedule was so varied that we didn't dine at the bookable restaurants for the second week.

The staff at this hotel worked so hard! The ground staff, gardeners, housekeeping, cleaning crew, wait staff, bar staff, kids club and pool cleaners were all amazing. The room was good, we had everything we needed.

This hotel doesn't have single use plastics and really seems to care about its impact on the environment. The kids club show had a special segment on saving the planet.

We had an issue by the pool with guests blasting music on portable/personal Bluetooth speakers and reported them on the app, which was dealt with swiftly.

The beach was beautiful, yes, it had sargassum but it's natural and the hotel staff work hard to keep the beach clean.

The resort shops are expensive but it's similar in so many of these type hotels. The shopping centre came to life on an evening.

My son ended up with an ear infection so we visited the clinic on the resort which was swift and efficient healthcare, a blessing to be so close to somewhere medical.

So many of the wonderful staff made our stay special and I didn't catch everyone's name but thanks to those who I did; Edgar - you're the best - and Alejandro from the pool bar, Brandon, Valeria and Sugely from Star Camp, Samuel from the restaurant, Ignatio the train driver. I missed the name of the other awesome train driver who always had a smile on his face and a cheery word.

I've probably missed something out but honestly wouldn't hesitate to rebook or recommend this wonderful hotel.