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KidznFun Lodging Review:
Iberostar Paraiso del Mar
Riviera Maya, Mexico
by
Jane Ammeson
Laying by the pool at Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, I can't decide whether to hit the beach, wander over to one of the other connected pools which seem to go on endlessly, do a little snorkeling, hit a few tennis balls or just order another frothy drink with a pink parasol in it.
In the end, the drink and serious pool sitting win out and I elect to do nothing but luxuriate at this Iberostar, which is located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico near the very charming town of Playa del Carmen.
My 11-year-old daughter and I came down for a week and by the evening of the first day; she's already made friends at the pool. They swim up to the bar, located in the middle of the pool and order virgin strawberry daiquiris, walk over to the palapa covered poolside restaurant for sandwiches or the buffet and also attend the Kids' Club which is provided free for those staying here. We also avail ourselves of the free diving lessons in the pool.
The hotel has it all. Beautifully landscaped and maintained grounds, where paths canopied by palms meander through the grounds, connecting the rooms to the pool, lobby, and shops. For food, we can choose between gourmet Japanese, South American cuisine, Italian, Mediterranean and an international buffet as well as many others. Our favorite, we quickly decide, is the one serving traditional Mexican foods including specialties indigenous to the Yucatan peninsula including tamales, cochinita pibil (a regional dish made with slowly cooked pork and spices), nopales (cactus pads), frijoles and hand made tortillas.
Because the weather is so wonderful, I wake early each morning, when the air is filled with the call of birds and the scent of the many flowers tinges the air, to grab a glass of mango juice and check my messages at the Internet café.
At night we wander around the walkways that surround the lobby area. Each crisscrosses through small gardens brimming with tropical foliage and ponds, filled with pink flamingos. Vendors set up long tables filled with silver jewelry, prettily painted ceramics and other original artwork. There are shows, all free, for the children and the family.
There are four other Iberostar resorts including the Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, that make up this complex and though they are huge, there is never the feeling of being overcrowded. The grounds, pool and beach are such that it is possible to walk along the paths and not encounter another person until you reach your destination. We checked out the others and found that they too, though somewhat different in design, are also large expanses of immaculate grounds and attractive Mexican style architecture with highly polished tile floors, Mayan art, handmade Mexican colonial furniture, vases upon vases of freshly picked flowers, softly splashing fountains and staff members who are courteous and very fluent in English. The rooms are nicely furnished and include one king size bed or two double beds, shower/bath, air conditioning, ceiling fan, hairdryer, telephone, satellite TV, minibar, safety deposit box, alarm clock, coffee machine and balcony or terrace. The Junior Suites also include a living area.
For more information see
Iberostar.com.
For more family adventure see
Destination Mexico.
..... Jane Ammeson writes about travel, personalities and food and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers. She writes frequently for Northwest Airline's World Traveler Magazine, Caribbean Travel & Life and the Chicago Tribune. She is also a food columnist for the Herald Palladium.
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