JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar - Adults Only All Inclusive Resort

Love it! Best resort ever! 3rd time coming here within a year. I don’t think there’s any other resort that compares in the Cancun/Riviera Maya area. The food is great, and with great variety that you get, with the many restaurants and different themed nights, there is always something for someone! The service is amazing, I promise that you won’t find the level of attentiveness and care that you get here, at any other resort. Do also want to give a shoutout to the entertainment team, specially Alma, Mala, Jonathan, and Pedro, they are extremely friendly, and all of them will make sure to remember your name, make sure you always feel welcomed and always willing to help you find something to do! This place definitely deserves a perfect 5 stars, and you should definitely come here, cause I’m ready to book my next trip here as I’m writing this review

I can’t say enough about how great this place is! We came to JOIA in the summer of 2025 and we’ve been here three times already! We are continuously impressed with this place and there is always something new to try. There are many dining options: Italian, Mexican, French, Japanese with a Hibachi, and a buffet that has different themes each night. We have found the quality of the buffet to be top tier and they include so much variety for each “theme”! We loved the food here. More importantly, I think the top tier staff are what makes this place something we keep coming back to. Staff are very accommodating to needs and will always continue to make your stay special. For example, sometimes housekeeping has left rose pedals after making up our room, a very nice touch adding to the tranquility feel of the resort. Everything is very clean and we are always impressed. I appreciate the little things such as Carlos and other wait staff remembering us and our drink orders, and Jesus helping us get a custom order at the Italian Restaurant! Additionally the activities they have around the resort are fun and welcoming! I’d like to give a shout out to the entertainment team here at JOIA! Want to give a huge shoutout for Mala for always seeking us out and making nights extra fun, she has been extremely welcoming and since the first trip, she always remembers us and can’t say enough how great that has made us feel! I also want to show my appreciation for Alma, Pedro, Fabian, and Jonathan, you guys have really made this particular trip memorable as we try new things, crafts, games, karaoke, and even showing us some dance moves! We definitely appreciate all you guys do really great to make sure everyone has an enjoyable stay! I'd also like to express how impressed we were with the shows and theater team. The quality of the magic show, the fire show, and honestly all of them are top of the line. The quality and ability of the performers is similar to what I would expect in Las Vegas. I'd also like to a shout out to Daniel at the concierge desk. He really made our stay comfortable and ensured we had everything we needed. Also would like to give a shout out to Daniel at the Lobby bar. The resort is also in a central location so it’s really easy to take a day trip or excursion too. Great if you want to explore Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or even Tulum! I do think it’s best for conferences if the guests stayed closer to the convention center

My wife and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary at this resort. This is our first trip to Mexico and our first time staying at a Iberostar resort. Pros: First, I would like to acknowledged that this is the cleanest resort we have ever stayed at. Staff goes above and beyond to keep the resort clean and presentable. Second, the food was by far the best we have had at an all inclusive. Staff was very pleasant and I would like to specifically recognize the following staff; Dario at the Lobby Bar, Benjamin the Butler, Luis at the Buffet, Mala and Fabian from the Entertainment Staff, Monterat at the pool, and last but not least, Norberto our waiter at the Mexican restaurant. We visited the Mexican restaurant two nights in a row because of Norbertos exceptional service and recommendations. (Fish Ceviche at the Mexican restaurant is a must!) Cons: While the resort is extremely clean, the rooms are slightly dated. The drinks at the pool bar were inconsistent and sometimes hard to gain access to the pool bar due to limited seating and access. (Second pool bar would be advised). I would also like to point out that if you don't wake up every morning at 6:30 am and go reserve a cabana, you will not get one if you arrive to the pools after 7:30 am for the entire day. People put their belongings at the lounge chairs and don't come back for hours, this should be monitored. Overall we had a excellent trip and would recommend this resort to friends and family!

My wife and I visited JOIA Paraiso in late June, 2026, for our anniversary. We stayed in a Villa. The trip was just about perfect. Check-In: Our flight out experiences a 10 hour delay, and the hotel helped us change our airport pick-up and other dislodged arrangements. We arrived at night, but the hotel staff on duty checked us in quickly (including refreshing welcome drink). The bell staff drove us to the room. Once we got to the room, the butler come in to finish the check-in, help us make reservations and orient us to the hotel. We were fully checked in and relaxing in the room no more than half an hour after arrival. Butler service: The Villas came with butler service. They arranged meal reservations (not necessary, but we are part of the Club, so were able to reserve tables), massage reservations and our daily afternoon deliveries of ice. About halfway through the trip, I injured my foot and after that we were dependent on the Butlers to drive us around the resort as well. We never waited more than 5 minutes for a ride, no matter where on the full resort we were. Food: The food ranged from perfectly acceptable to downright wonderful. The breakfast buffet had a wide assortment of food. I mostly ate the local offerings - tamales, chilaquiles, chorizo and potatoes, poached eggs in poblano cream sauce. There were also everything you could order off a Denny's menu, if that was more your thing, plus a yogurt bar, sashimi, many fruit juices and so forth. We ate most lunches at the Puerta Sal chevice bar on the beach. The menu there was more extensive than we expected. The room service menu was fine. We enjoyed the burrito. The dinners had the widest range of quality, though all were perfectly acceptable. We ate at the L'Atelier (French) twice (Emilio was a great waiter) and enjoyed both those meals. The best meal we ate was the Wine and Food Prefix dinner we scheduled through the wine bar. 5 courses, with all Mexican wines (better than I expected.) The actual meal was one of the Top 100 meals of my life - Mexican fusion prepared to perfection! It costs extra, but if you enjoy being surprised and delighted by a meal, I cannot recommend it enough. Wine Tasting: In addition to the Prefix dinner, we did two additional wine tasting events at the wine bar. The first was Spanish wines, the second Mexican wines. Eric and Victor, the sommeliers, presented a great tasting experience. We took the time to let the wines open up and evolve over the hour-and-a-half tasting. It was refreshing to taste wine with a professional who wasn't trying to sell me the wine, just helping me learn about and appreciate it. Room: We stayed in one of the Romance Villas. We enjoyed the private pool - I started each day with a dip while my wife was still sleeping. The rooms are in the process of being refreshed, and the room next to our had workmen during the day. We almost never heard them or were disturbed by their presence. The Villas are about 1/8th of a mile from the pools and restaurants - an easy walk until I hurt by foot. We will absolutely pay for a Villa again the next time we return. Wildlife: There are a lot of animals on the property. None of them were aggressive or begging for food or anything. They were just existing. These included many birds (peafowl, flamingos, geese, plus many song birds), sereques (a rabbit sized animal that looks like a guinea pig with deer legs), coatis (cross a racoon with a cat, give it a nose twitches and a bouncing walk - then add the cutest babies following along in a row) and even, one night, a wild pig sitting by the path. Shows: We went to two shows - the Magic Show and the Fire Show. Both were well done. The Magic show was mostly large stage magic - make the girl disappear, saw the girl in half, switch places with the girl. Well done, with one trick in particular that ended in with an unexpected coda that I enjoyed. The Fire Show by the pool was also enjoyable. Mosquitos: One of my concerns before we went, especially having rented the Villa, was mosquitos. I'm pleased to say that we saw exactly 1 mosquito the entire time, and that was while I sitting out back in the predawn stillness of our private backyard and pool. The staff told me that the mosquitos can be bad during the rainy season, but it was dry when we were there (barring two afternoon thunderstorms), and we were pest free. Spa: We got massages at both the JOIA Spa and the larger Spa Central. Quality massages and facilities, as good as any state-side resort. Basically, we had a vacation that was everything we hoped it would be. We are looking forward to coming back.

My wife and I just returned from our trip back to the land of the Maya, having stayed at the Iberostar JOIA resort in an all-inclusive get-away. We desperately needed a break and reset. Not only were we celebrating her birthday, but I am a cancer patient and just completed 6 months of the most intense chemo available. You can imagine the condition I'm in and the extreme demands that my wife has had to bear. Our time at JOIA really couldn't have been better! I want to thank the Building 70 butler team for the kindness and compassion they showed us, which was really what elevated the experience beyond just going to a resort. We have stayed at another Iberostar resort previously and were impressed with the hospitality and facilities, but Iberostar JOIA's butler team Roland, Paulo, Gustavo, and Aris really created a personal experience for us that made us comfortable to ask for the attendance that we needed to be comfortable and relaxed. I also want to shout-out Lucinda and the team of chefs that worked with my wife's food allergy restrictions to make delicious and trust-able meals, which is a principal consideration for the places we choose to stay. Without the care of these two teams our stay wouldn't have resulted in our joining the Iberostar Club. But as I sat in the presentation (thanks Aris!) I asked myself if we could trust Iberostar for our future travel plans. These teams made us comfortable enough to close the deal. And lastly, I want to thank the Spa team for their incredible work that has brought me immediate and lasting relief. This experience was a blessing to me in a time when I really needed it. Muchos Gracias, until we meet again!

This was our 3rd stay here and we simply love it! The service is impeccable. We did absolutely nothing but lie at the beach which was our intention but there is plenty to do at the resort and around the area. The service is excellent, From the room to the restaurants to the beach service. Very spacious bedroom and bath area. Nice patio with chairs. Small dining area. Plenty of closet and drawer space. Quiet. Room was dark for sleeping. Umbrella provide in room if needed. Ironing board, iron, hair dryer, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel cotton pads, Q-tips all provided. They even had sunscreen and aloe available around the area. Smart tv, internet, Wi-Fi, and plenty of charging stations so don't forget your charging cords, Room also had a jacuzzi tub with bath salts provided. We had a room with butler service and each section had a concierge both of whom were very helpful and attentive to your needs. Mini bar refreshed everyday and room cleaned twice a day. Anything extra you may need they are there willing to help. Now a shout out to some employees who made a difference on this trip: In the Buena Visit Restaurant: - Abril: Super sweet. She made my eggs several mornings and a few days in, knew exactly what I wanted and how I like them cooked. Always engaging and always had a smile, even when the lights went out our last day there! Super sweet girl who was also very friendly and engaging. - Yadira: Made my eggs the morning Abril was off. Also super sweet and engaging. - Leonardo: Our waiter for breakfast and lunch. Oh my goodness. I've never seen any waiter who appears to love his job as much as he does. It didn't take us long to figure that out and requested to sit in his area. There were times the table wasn't set yet but he grabbed things and motioned us over and quickly prepared the table. Knew what we wanted to drink after a few visits. Very attentive. On the beach: - Geramaius (hope I spelled that right). Our main bar service on the beach. Again, sweet. Engaging. After a few days he knew our drink choices. Attentive. Amazing service. Activities: - Fabian. Our first encounter with him was on the beach during a guessing game. Then after dinner, we met up with him again at a blackjack table (side note. No gambling. Playing with chips, only). Oh my goodness. We had such a good time with him. His personality is perfect for this job. Talk about engaging with guests! He started talking about karaoke later that evening and he started singing right there, at which time I joined in. Fun time. Met some fun people, too. When he asked our names I told him just to call me momma. When we saw him down at the beach the next day for another guessing game, he called me momma. I'm still not sure if I ever told him my real name! Now for the final 2: - Marco and Fernando. Lifeguards. Unfortunately, I was in need of their services but not for what you are thinking. I collapsed at the table during breakfast. The staff quickly called for help. They quickly got me on the floor and elevated my feet. Bergan taking my BP which they did several times. BP and pulse were low. Then they called for medical from the infirmary. She checked me out and of course filled out the paperwork with my info, It didn't take long before I started feeling better. I refused the infirmary and wanted to try and eat, which I did and didn't have a problem the rest of our time there. It is reassuring to know they have trained staff on site to take care of your medical needs. And it's complimentary unless you'd go to the infirmary for further evaluation. Being a retired ER nurse, I knew what was going on and how to treat (rest and electrolytes, which I did) so I felt comfortable going back to our room. We have been to Cancun many, many times (also Dominican Republican and Jamaica) and have stayed at many different resorts (including Secrets and Zoetry) and this resort is the best we have stayed. This is a wonderful resort. Well worth the money.

Excellent hotel with a comfy bed and well-appointed room. Food offerings and restaurants were excellent, and the all-inclusive drinks were great too. Several nice bar areas, including a swim-up. Pedro and Cassandra were excellent entertainers and kept things fun at the pool with games and activities, of which there was always something going on. Speaking of the pool, the outdoor pool area was massive and gorgeous to look at. Had a great time and would definitely go back.

We had an amazing trip. Been going once or twice a year since 2009. We have had the pleasure of experiencing so many changes at the Grand and now the Joia. Some good some not so good but always an amazing time. There are a few employees that are still there and make the trip amazing. Luilly in the Rhapsody mixology bar is just the best. The drinks are amazing and his talent as a mixologist to make the best drinks is allways the best. We hardly go to lobby bar. Luilly make you feel welcome and is never rude or seams overwhelmed he truly is an asset to the resort. Mirna is the best she makes you feel like family. Lost my float and we looked everywhere asked everyone and Mirna is the only one who made an effort to find it and she did. When she stops to welcome you back she doesn’t just take time out to ask how you are doing she cleans your cabana straightens out your lounger. Makes sure you are well taking care of. She goes above and beyond. Emilio in the A’teliar restaurant will make your experience one to remember. He is so kind and knowledgeable and always suggests the most amazing meals. We have enjoyed dining and look forward to experiencing the best experience with Emilio. Dario is also the best he is always so welcoming and will always make an effort to welcome us back. This trip we had a couple not to not so good experience in the breakfast buffet with the women doing the poached eggs. Very rude and dismissive. Had to ask the waiter to get my poached eggs she just refused to serve me. I was standing there she would act busy so I waited patiently and as soon as another gentleman came up she stoped what she was doing and gave him the last 2 eggs. When I asked for 2 she said she was out didn’t tell me to come back in a couple minutes. First time I thought it was just an error. She did it to me 3 times. After speaking with the service manager, that changed. The service at the swim up bar has always been amazing but not this time. Luis just refused to serve my husband. Sitting there and he would serve everyone and anyone who came up after we had been sitting there he would not acknowledge him for some reason. First time we get that they bust but the whole 10 day we were the same experience with Luis. After speaking with management they were very kind and assured us they would find out the issue. After you get treated like that you tend to avoid the area and that was a bummer because we both love sitting at the swim up bar. Even with these minor setbacks it is always a great experience at the Joia. The Mexican restaurant has always been one of our favorites but they have changed the menu it really is not Mexican. Still managed to find something but just wasn’t the best.Janet at the lobby cafe was just the sweetest kindest. The taramasu was amazing she suggested and I had one almost every evening. We have ventured off to 20 other 5 star resorts in the area and no one welcomes you home like the Joia. So many other amazing employees that make the trip an absolute pleasure. Love how management handles any kind of discrepancy’s without making you feel uncomfortable. Thank you Joia for another memorable experience.

We visited the Joai Iberostar In June 2026 for our honeymoon and had a lovely time, the facilities, pool and room are all amazing and all the staff couldn’t have been nicer, with very attentive waiters by the pool plying us with strawberry margaritas through out the day. Also the entertainment team including Fabian, Pedro and Paula were amazing at adding fun throughout the day and into the night and we took full advantage joining in all the volleyball and arts & craft events coming away with lots of mini paintings. As vegans who love food the most important thing for us is what we had available to us and based on reviews and the fact there’s is 6/7 restaurants we were hopeful. I’ll start this review by saying as a vegan if you are not okay with asking for help this resort might not be for you as we found some of their signage at the buffet lacking and a bit confusing, and the options were limited for breakfast/ dinner with lots of meat and cheese items, and some items we thought would suffice without either (veg sushi for example had cream cheese). Also the majority of their restaurants didn’t have any explicit items on their menu you can order without making changes which can be tough for some waiters to get right. HOWEVER, once we’d spoken to a number of staff we were visited by both the lovely Valeryie and Dario, who upon learning we were vegan started making things especially for us in the buffet and helped us further understand all the ingredients in buffet selections. Dario also became our best friend the rest of the week, helping us to plan each restaurant on the resort we were going to visit each day and brief chefs to be ready with special vegan options for us. Dario (along with Ameyali) were awesome and really made us feel more comfortable in the restaurants that everything we were going to eat was vegan and all the food we had was amazing and cooked bespoke (big shout out to the Japanese restaurant and Italian restaurant chefs) without him I think we would have had a tough time, and been stuck with one option at the buffet each day too scared to visit any of the restaurants. Would definitely go back, was such a luxury holiday for us that we’re already desperate to experience it all again.

We are home now. I am walking around my kitchen wondering 🤔 where is all the food an my lovely egg making lady? 🤣 already looking at dates for my next visit. I am not really a return person I like change. This place has changed me alright. I know it will be tough to go anywhere else now. 1. SERVICE crazy good. Ask you all day if your good and if they can do simmer you. Whether at the pool in a restaurant or just walking around. 2. OK I am a food snob and a pretty amazing cook ( mainly cuz restaurants disappoint me ) This place has the WIN on food. When I feel like I am at a high end restaurant at a lunch buffet, that's next level. Not just food sitting under a light. They are making to order.. fish chicken steak pork. AT LUNCH....best made to order salmon and I live in Vancouver Canada..salmon country. SERVICE at lunch is not a cafe style . They treat you like a 5 star restaurant. Of course all the dinner places are yummers. Don't miss Gala night on Tuesdays. Dress up and have fun. 3. Elegance.. one of the classiest resorts. The greenery, furniture, lighting. Feels like a beautiful Italian, Spanish resort. You feel classy here. 4. The resort guests appreciate this place. Many have been many times and if I met first timers like me, they are blown away by all I have mentioned and say..they are coming back. Fun quality people of all ages. All respect and love this place and are happy to be at Joia. 6. Rooms.. all are identical. Extremely spacious separate his and her sink..oh ya the best. We girls need our space. Location is your preference. We had Panasonic ocean front butler. Building 70 farthest from every thing but still not far. Golf carts take you everywhere. Building 72 73 are in the middle. Walk to everything easy. Let me just say. You do not have to have the fanciest room or view to enjoy this resort. If budget conscious, just get a room. Come more often. Everyone treated the same. Walk outs looked cool if you like beach or quiet pool quick access. All the cabanas are free. First come first get. Hydrotherapy pool is free and beautiful and relaxing. In door with retractable roof. Pretty deep pool. I'm short lol. Bring a floatie. They do have 6 floatie mats. Again first grab gets it. I love reviews hope this helps. Any questions just ask. Love to share and help. Go have fun and book if your are considering it. I'm 61. I love a mix of fun (occasional shooter at the pool bar) and love to relax. Young or old like nice things? Yep, see you there.

We stayed in a villa for about a week. It was a beautiful and well maintained villa with a well sized private pool. The villa featured a very nice espresso machine we used daily. The food was pretty good - a little inconsistent, but overall good. We’ve been to many all inclusive resorts and this had the most consistent drink service across bars. The resort is small enough to easily walk between the villa and bars, pools, restaurants but the butler team did provide quick golf cart access. Room service was prompt and good! We had a very early departure and the day before, the butler team took our breakfast order and it was delivered right on time. We did not cross into the other parts of the complex. Overall, we will likely return.

We loved JOIA! All the food was amazing and they had a huge variety to choose from. The staff were incredibly attentive, unbelievably kind and always had smiles and happy disposition. Each moment and each experience here was a positive one and we didn't want to leave. We will definitely make it a point to come back! We couldn't give high enough praise for this place and highly recommend it to anyone who wants an unforgettable experience! Thank you to our butlers Ana, Benito, and Bernardo!

Starting the review by stating my wife and I have been travelling to Mexico from the UK for the last 22yrs. I recently counted we have stayed in 16 different resorts from Cancun all the way to Tulum. We look for value, service and good facilities during our stay. I am a golfer so the addition of an on site course is clearly an attractive addition. We have stayed in many different brands from Riu to Palace resorts and Iberostar. I can say without any reservations that the Joia is most definitely the best hotel we have ever had the pleasure to stay. Service is continually mentioned by many reviews, and you could put this down to regular returnees to the hotel. This however is not the case and all the reviews are correct in their description. We could not fault the service at this property, from the moment we arrived until we sadly departed. Little touches like beautiful private transfers arranged when you book with the hotel. Friendly helpful front of house, from bell boys to concierge and butlers. All so willing to try and make your stay special. Around the pool the ladies taking your orders or the amazing bartenders making multiple drinks for people, always with a smile. The angel at the pool for us was Mirna. We were introduced on our first day and she took a personal interest in ensuring we had all the towels and beds we needed throughout our stay. She always gave us a run down on what was going on in the hotel from day to day and always had a smile and a cheeky laugh for us. she is a credit to the hotel. Food. We found the quality of the restaurants the best we have experienced on our travels. I am comparing Mexican hotels here and not as some people incorrectly do compare with fancy hotels at home! Star team. The entertainment team can make this vacation if you are a get involved type. There is always something going on around the pool or on the beach. You can dip in and out as much as you like There is no harassing of guests and as I did and just played beach volleyball every day I was welcomed and staff all made an effort to get to know you. In particular Fernanda and Pedro always had time for a chat, or a picture and made the whole pool experience excellent. Rooms. All suites and of a very high standard. The rooms service was quick and efficient and the cleaning and turn down service was always excellent. In conclusion if you want a vacation which is adult only, with everything you could possibly need, top quality of course, this hotel will take some beating. you get what you pay for, thank you Joia.

Joia is a great pool resort. the beach was so-so but the pools were amazing. The activities pool was fun and chill at the same time. Butlers Fernanda and Fatima and Benjamin in building 70 were nice, professional and very helpful. Their kindness was felt every day. Food at buffet was excellent. Restaurants food was okay. Restaurant staff and pool service staff did their job but no one was stood out as a super star like in other resorts i have been to. Overall, great value, great place!

From moment one the experience was pretty fabulous. The check in process was so easy and finished in about 10 minutes with a welcome drink in my hand and some lights snacks. I was brough to my room on a lovely golf cart type of vehicle as the driver pointed out various landmarks of the grounds. I was greeted at my room by one of the butler staff, Gabriel, and he couldn't have been more wonderful. I never had to touch any of my luggage and the room was impeccable, with a patio door right onto the beach. The entire staff was really polite and great at remembering names. I did a margarita tasting/mixology class, a tequila tasting and a cooking class with the WONDERFUL chef Dario. I say Dario at many of the restaurants always greeting the diners and he was especially kind with me answering all my questions. Dario was a standout. The food overall was pretty great. The buffets were really wonderful and always fresh. Most of the restaurants were great, with impeccable service. I'm totally nit-picking but the prawns at Ember were inedible and I had to send them back ... not fresh and completely mushy. But again, such a small thing. And the fine dining French place, L'Atelier, was great, but again ... a problem with the ribeye - totally unremarkable. The rest of those two meals were great. The Italian restaurant was really great. I did a special wine paring dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Legado. I will say, and this is my biggest complaint with the whole stay - they absolutely do not cater to a solo traveler and often times treated me as a complete afterthought. The special dinner at the Mexican restaurant was one example. I wanted to do the dinner but was told that the only way I could do it was to pay for two people, not just one. I really wanted to do it so I paid for two. So I was at the dinner with three married couples which was fine. But the whole dinner started off by one of the servers saying, "We have a special gift for the wives." So, definitely geared towards couples and DEFINITELY geared towards straight people/couples. It would have been interesting to see what they would have done if I was there with my boyfriend. I had a great teppanyaki/Japanese experience at Haiku with the highly entertaining chef, Miguel. The entertainment staff were all fantastic! Always enthusiastic and smiling and always remembering names of the guests. But I want to put a spotlight on two of the butler staff that went so far and beyond what they needed to do for me and always made me feel important and taken care of. Fatima and Fernanda. They were two of the best things of this trip. (If management is reading this, I was staying in room 7011 from May 21-26, 2026, and Fatima and Fernanda were the amazing butler staff that really showed such kindness and care. Please let them know and reward them. WHEN I come back I hope I can request them. A wonderful stay and worth every penny.

Our 6th visit to JOIA Paraiso was the blast again. Everything was perfect on their side (a lot of seaweeds this year, but resort was working hard to remove them): rooms, food, facilities, personnel. We brought our adult kids to this resort this time and they were pleased to stay there. I would like to thank personally Paulina and Sactine from the front desk and reservation department, our butler Gabriel, waiter Leonardo from the main buffet, and Darion and Daniel from the lobby bar. As they all say this is our home away from home. Thank you JOIA.

After staying at this resort for 12 times for over 160 nites, I am choosing to try NOT to repeat a lot of what has already been said. SO...WHAT'S NEW? DINNER RESERVATIONS are only needed for the Haiku Tepanaki tables and the Tuesday Nite Gala Buffet. These reservations do exactly what they are supposed to do by eliminating long lines and staging guests so servers and chefs can better serve them. This is a very good change. NEW MENUS at the Haiku Bistro and Legado (Mexican) offer many new choices. Be sure to try both. (No reservations required). CHEF'S SPECIALS are now offered at all of the a la carte restaurants. Look for a white 5 x7 paper tucked inside of your regular menu. We tried these new items in every restaurant and all were outstanding! These "specials" may just show up permanently on the next menu. EVENING ENTERTAINMENT has several changes starting with the time. Theatre Shows now begin at 9pm or 2100 hours. This is 1/2 hour earlier than the previous show times. The two newest shows are "Frida"-- the life of famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo who was also the wife of famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and "The King Returns" a show about Michael Jackson. If you haven't been to the Joia in 2025 or 2026, you may not have seen "A Tribute to Queen" which will have you singing Radio Ga Ga in your sleep. This also means that Bingo, Mexican Lottery Trivia and Blackjack are earlier starting at 20:15 or 8:15pm. SPF 30, 40 and 50 are avaliable in quart pump bottles throughout the resort at towel stands. AFTERNOON ARTS AND DESIGN hosted by Mala and Montserrat at 1530 or 3:30pm are generally held in the Clubhouse and include painting, bracelet making and macramè just to name a few. So, these are several things which are new at this time. Please remember to install and use the Iberostar app so you don't miss anything.

MINIMAL STAFFING WORKING HARD Just back from ten days at JOIA PARAISO in the Mayan Riviera. The resort is absolutely beautiful and although it’s a well-established resort everything has been very well maintained overall and in spotless condition. The interior public areas with marble flooring are gleaming, the elevators are polished to perfection, public bathrooms are spotless even at the beachside. Our suite was well maintained and kept immaculate by housekeeping. We had to request service to our minbar a few times as it did not seem to occur automatically. The minibar snacks were mostly non-existent and/or stale. The property is very well maintained from gardens to the pools everything is very appealing. The beach in front of the hotel has a lot of coral so not really great for swimming. At this time there was a lot of seaweed but two tractors worked all day long to remove the seaweed and there was plenty of swimming in front of the Iberostar sister hotels adjacent to JOIA. The water was warm, with a beautiful firm sandy bottom but, the waves were quite strong which limited swimming for some folks. That said, this cannot be controlled by the resort and they do work hard to keep the beach looking good. The restaurants were all very good, the buffet I must say though was exceptional in variety and actual quality of their offerings. Prime Rib, Steaks, Lobster, Jumbo Shrimp and so many other fantastic well above average options. With the exception of the buffet, restaurant staffing is to say the very least inadequate. Meals at the a la carte restaurants took roughly 2 ½- 3 hours and this was not because the existing staff were not working hard. The same was true of the beachside luncheon restaurant, two servers looking after 20-30 people. The servers were doing their very best with the resources they had to provide adequate service. Throughout the resort including the restaurants or any other service, the staff are phenomenal, they really go above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure the guests have a very positive experience. One example of this was a young woman SOFIA takes care of towel service. My wife banged her leg on a chair causing a blood blister. Sofia immediately responded to help and facilitated an escort to/from the medical facility. Jose at the bar often solo, serving more than a dozen guests, never stopped being friendly and professional once again ensuring his guests were well taken care of at all times. Mara, one of the pool organizers and entertainment, was always so upbeat and a joy, always smiling, always encouraging guests to have a great time. She never stopped, never sat down, always preparing or participating in guest experiences. These are just three examples of how the staff at this resort really do shed a very positive light on IHG/IBEROSTAR resorts. Please congratulate them for their exceptional service and dedication. I would without hesitation highly recommend JOIA PARAISO for a superior Adult Only vacation.

Is merely good resort food not good enough for you? JOIA is the pick for the picky. Its sophisticated dining program has wowed me on several recent visits. JOIA shines even amidst the Riviera Maya’s luxury resort competition. As a professional restaurant reviewer in the U.S., I know greatness when I taste it. Clearly, the Iberostar brand has doubled down on JOIA’s culinary dominance. Its kitchen wizards, like Chef Yadhir and Chef Darío, have updated and elevated JOIA menus with eats that are flavor-laden, haute-quality, and adventurous yet comforting. Knockout deliciousness and authentic cuisine infuse the resort’s restaurants: glorious Mexican, graceful Japanese, lusty steakhouse, magnifico Italian, elegant French, and a multi-culti beachfront café. Across the board, JOIA eateries boast dazzling design and warmhearted personal service. Take this, buffet snobs: JOIA’s version, Bellavista, is an am-I-dreaming food fiesta, an ever-changing edible extravaganza showcasing the passion and perfectionism of the resort’s Mexican chefs. The buffet’s piping-hot offerings are invariably flavorful and cooked just right, often in front of you: whether crisp-yet-tender roasted beef, pork, poultry; saucy Mexican and Italian dishes; never-limp pasta; seafood grilled as you like it. At Bellavista, as at all JOIA eateries, ingredients are the best you can get in this world. The charcuterie station flaunts Iberian ham, Italian prosciutto, French pâté and Roquefort cheese, Mission figs, Greek olives, plus much more. The raw bar tempts with the likes of oysters, Caribbean lobster, and fist-sized shrimp netted that day. Lush sushi beckons at most lunches and dinners. And Bellavista's desserts! Opulent pastries, cakes, and pies, sumptuous ice cream, exquisite macarons, chocolate truffles — all made in-house daily with no corners cut. Even the chocolate itself is crafted in the kitchen. Ladies: dress your sparkliest on Tuesdays for Bellavista’s glam Gala dinner. One last word: bars. JOIA’s are tops, especially Rhapsody, whose flavor-bomb cocktails would go for $25 in urban America. At JOIA, bons vivants have come to the right place.

Dahiomi en sugar, smile, black mamba, snoop and the whole entertainment staff are absolutely amazing!!! They work so hard and make sure everyone is having the best time here and have smiles on their faces!!! They start in the morning and work all day non stop and we couldn’t be more grateful for their hard work and dedication! Thank you to all for making this trip so special and no doubt that we will be back!!!

Overall, Joia was a great place for my boyfriend and I to spend our first trip together. It was a very relaxing and beautiful place. Ruth with TripGuy made sure everything was taken care of including flights, transport to and from the resort, and resort reservations. It’s really nice being able to trust someone enough to take that off your plate and enjoy your vacation. She’s never placed me at a bad resort. The main pool area was beautiful, well maintained, and had a great swim up bar. Louis and Jose made some amazing drinks and made sure our cup was never empty. Louis had a specialty drink that was the perfect combination of sweet and citrus. We enjoyed the daily activities, especially the volleyball. Jonathan from the entertainment team did a great job at making everyone feel welcome, even if you weren’t participating in every game. He kept the energy up and sparked conversations for us to get to know the other guests to make friends. Some people do play the towel game, which is unfortunate, but we were always able to find a seat. They did not skimp on towels, which was great! You could get as many as you needed throughout the day. They also had sunscreen and would blow up your floats at the towel hut. One thing that I was impressed by was the bathroom by the pool. People were going in and out in soaking wet bathing suits, but the floor was never wet when you went in. The housekeeping crew kept it mopped and clean. We didn’t spend much time at the beach because of the sargassum. We were in building 74, which didn’t have a view of the pool or beach, but that was fine for us because we really only got ready and slept in the room. We did see monkeys from the balcony which was really cool to see. The room itself was very clean and they made sure you had everything you needed. The housekeepers came in twice a day. The room had a nice jacuzzi, balcony, and two separate sinks to make getting ready for dinners easier. For food we enjoyed the taco bar behind the steakhouse, the rotating pop up food stand by the pool, and the buffet if we were still hungry. The sushi at the buffet was great! We went to the Italian, Japanese, French, and gala night at the buffet for dinners. The steakhouse was by far a favorite. I wish that we had discovered it earlier so we could go a second night. I had the lobster and my boyfriend had the filet mignon wrapped in bacon with lobster. Both meals were delicious. The sides were the one place that we felt was lacking. For example, the mac and cheese tasted like box Mac and cheese and the potatoes were hard and undercooked. We didn’t partake in many of the shows because we chose to wake up earlier to spend some quiet time by the beach and pool. We did go to the late night disco two nights and enjoyed it. There was a wedding party, so I’m not sure how busy it would be on a normal night but was fairly busy when we went. It was nice being able to take a golf cart to and from the mall and other resorts to be able to enjoy things like this. Out of the bars, the lobby bar ended up being one of our favorites. They had music most nights and Daniel made the best drinks. The espresso martini and pistachio martini were my go tos. Definitely a place we would go back to!