Ocean Riviera Paradise

Comfy beds, clean resort, foods good. This was our second time at this resort and will be our last. Service is not what it was when we visited last. Ricardo should be put in charged of training bartenders because he’s what made our evenings. He knows how to please his...

Comfy beds, clean resort, foods good. This was our second time at this resort and will be our last. Service is not what it was when we visited last. Ricardo should be put in charged of training bartenders because he’s what made our evenings. He knows how to please his guest and has them enjoying there evenings. The carts aren’t around enough, the morning wait in line for a coffee is easily 35 minutes .. the whole waiting in line every night for supper is a pain. The beach was clean for the most part. The foam party was a bust, more bubbles when I do dishes. This used to be a lively resort but it’s gone downhill there’s no fun left in it. Unless your plan is just lie down or wait in line for food this isn’t the place for you. We did pay extra and have a beautiful supper on the beach. Worth every Penney and it was nice to come to our room and a bottle of champagne waiting for us.

The staff are phenomenal! Every single one was friendly and helpful. We will be back for sure. The only thing we would have liked is some snack bars. 12:00pm-11:00pm, We don't always feel like going into a restaurant and sitting down, nor are we hungry enough for a meal..just a...

The staff are phenomenal! Every single one was friendly and helpful. We will be back for sure. The only thing we would have liked is some snack bars. 12:00pm-11:00pm, We don't always feel like going into a restaurant and sitting down, nor are we hungry enough for a meal..just a little snack in the middle of the day it would have perfect

Nice stay at this resort. This us our third trip to Mexico and first in playa del Carmen region. Nice start upon arrival as Enrique provided a efficient and competent check in and had us on our was to the Eden block. Rooms are a bit older but nice and...

Nice stay at this resort. This us our third trip to Mexico and first in playa del Carmen region. Nice start upon arrival as Enrique provided a efficient and competent check in and had us on our was to the Eden block. Rooms are a bit older but nice and clean. The bed was very comfortable and clean. The bathroom was large but a bit dated. The floating bathroom counter needs to be replaced with a stand up vanity, maybe black, the shower stall metal and glass replaced with all glass partition and a proper seal at the bottom and maybe new fixtures. After each shower, the water flowed into the main part of the washroom. Tiles are a bit slippery. A few free thoughts there. Rooms are super quiet and peaceful. AC works well. The landscaping is gorgeous. Please folks, do not touch the animals as directed by the signs. The ocean front pool is great, lobby bar is great, food is good and the beach is very nice. Lovely fish and very clean beach and water. Spa was lovely, slightly hidden. We went to Tulum for a day trip, highly recommend. Lots of options for pools and food.

Absolutely love this hotel. Stayed in the adults only El Beso section. Food was delicious, special shout out to staff at the Blue Moon breakfast, La Locanda, where we ate 4 times, and El Beso snack bar. All were super friendly and helpful. The snack bar at the beach was...

Absolutely love this hotel. Stayed in the adults only El Beso section. Food was delicious, special shout out to staff at the Blue Moon breakfast, La Locanda, where we ate 4 times, and El Beso snack bar. All were super friendly and helpful. The snack bar at the beach was good as well, only went to the beach once, stayed the rest of the time at the El Beso pool. No problem getting seats or umbrellas. Room was cleaned everyday, new towels and lots of water to drink. Cleaning staff were all very friendly and helpful. Been to the resort 4 times, will definitely book again.

We recently stayed at this resort and had a great trip. The resort is quite large, larger than we normally stay at but it was kept spotlessly clean. Our room was cleaned early every day and our frisge fully stocked with whatever we requested. Food was good with the Mexican...

We recently stayed at this resort and had a great trip. The resort is quite large, larger than we normally stay at but it was kept spotlessly clean. Our room was cleaned early every day and our frisge fully stocked with whatever we requested. Food was good with the Mexican restaurant being our favorite for food and service. All the staff was friendly and helpful and our butler Adrian was amazing. 10 stars for him alone. He took care of everything for us and helped immediately with any issues we had. Our ac wasn't very cold but they kept working on it to get it fixed there was always lots of hot water no matter what time we showered. One note is if you get the seafood trio for your special dinner in privilege it has enough food for 3 people but it was amazing. All the staff there were so amazing 3specially Fidel. Thanks for a great vacation

The rooms are dated but comfortable. We are currently staying in the prívelege area which is aptly named but unfortunately not appropriately staffed. The food is ok, and the staff are kind and accommodating Our butler, which is a purchased service, has been barely communicating with us- that’s a waste....

The rooms are dated but comfortable. We are currently staying in the prívelege area which is aptly named but unfortunately not appropriately staffed. The food is ok, and the staff are kind and accommodating Our butler, which is a purchased service, has been barely communicating with us- that’s a waste. The Buffett is crowded but also the food is not well maintained so it’s dried out and often empty. We tried the Mexican restaurant- shrimp decent but the Chicken is dry. The guac here is so gross- green tasteless slurry. The pools are nice enough and there are swim up bars and kid areas. But you get that everywhere. I wouldn’t come back- would recommend excellence resorts or paradiso in DR. For what you pay here it simply is not worth it.

My girlfriend and I decided on Ocean Riviera Paradise out of many considerations. When we arrived, from both of our reactions, we settled in on a feeling of mutual agreement that this was a great hotel just by the looks of things. We were not wrong, as the 7-day trip...

My girlfriend and I decided on Ocean Riviera Paradise out of many considerations. When we arrived, from both of our reactions, we settled in on a feeling of mutual agreement that this was a great hotel just by the looks of things. We were not wrong, as the 7-day trip that passed by affirmed our initial thoughts. You enter into an opulent and pristine lobby, circular and open (as opposed to when they had a circular bench in the middle, now removed). Continue onwards, and after having passed an artistic exhibit of two big wooden heads facing each other, you meet again the geometrical shape of its cousin, surrounding a centered ouroboros-shaped bar, above which a web-like ceiling looms. Descending are beautiful displays of lamps shaped like totems in various sizes. Everything around exudes the modern touch, colors that align with a turquoise ocean, and the lounge chairs and tables scattered uniformly. A mist of lavender mixed with spearmint lingers in the air. It was refreshing and made it more the scent of paradise if ever paradise had a fragrance. As an avid book reader, to the left and right flank, before seeing to the bar, I was happy an ocean of books lined the wall, shelved in vertical and horizontal shapes. It's the background to a lounge experience, giving perhaps the notion that a room without a book is a body without a soul; in this case, a beach without a book is a body without a soul. Not only did it remind me to seize the chance to bring my books to the beach for a read under a hot and glaring sun, but it made me worried about how well I would receive the sandy beach and the waters even more as that was the foremost thing on my mind. I'll get to that later. Room 2213 Our room was a typical hotel interior space, something that you would expect if you were an experienced resort connoisseur. It had a king-sized bed with a wooden canopy, a sofa, a desk, a TV across from it, and a refrigerator that housed a few drinks. The bathroom was sizably great; walls of beige tile splashed the walls, with a hot tub and two sinks. The walk-in shower is spacious, with a suspended showerhead and a mounted sidebar with its showerhead. The mounted one had a high-pressure water spray, though its bar was very loose and would detach any minute now. I disliked the suspended showerhead as it had less rainfall pressure, which would have elevated the shower experience after a long day on the beach. So I didn't use it at all. Going onto the 2nd-floor balcony was very serene. On it were two cushioned lounge chairs overlooking the soccer cage. Overall, the negative to the room was minimal. Still, some things also need mentioning and remedial intervention: The wall at the front of the door was peeling, forming white dusty particles that lined the floor. Mid-week of our stay, I noticed underneath the bedsheets a quilted protector covering our mattress that had severe yellow stains. The stains were a first at a hotel for me, and it didn't sit well. I did not tell the hotel management this, but I hope they see this now and do something about it. Recycling the mattress has to be done for safety reasons. The Food The food was not disappointing at the buffet. Surprisingly, Buffet Almarando is the only buffet for a big resort with many people, so you'll see lineups to get your fried eggs and omelet. They had everything else during breakfast, lunch, or dinner that would satiate people's varying appetites. However, for dinner, the Asian section had the chef make a very salty teriyaki fried rice. To my disappointment, the sushi they made one night was nothing special, rolls stuffed with ice cream scoops of cream cheese with little to no crab meat. That's a no-no. With other resorts having a better selection and the ability to make good sushi, Ocean Riviera needs to increase their standards. Otherwise, they'll likely disappoint sushi lovers, who are ever-increasing. Aside from the buffet, the a la cartes we chose were great dine-in experiences: Sakura is a Japanese chef-show that gave us flavorful stir-fry and sushi; the Steakhouse dished out a very tender Ribeye and an apple pie for desert, the Mexican restaurant with its plentiful Nachos and Pico de Gallo, the Pez Vela during the lunch by the beach, which served some tasty fish tacos and a great sandwich that was exceptional. We also tried the French restaurant Blue Moon (Romantic), which had a sublime mango Caesar salad. I couldn't attend the Italian and Route 99, but they are good choices. There is also Bistro Creperia, which makes really tasty crepes that aren’t worth missing out on. The pools and beach. The pools are aplenty as you walk along to the beach (which takes 5-10 minutes) from the exit doors of the lobby buildings. There are three swimming pools for regular guests and one tailored only to El Beso clients. They were broad, each with built-in bars, except for the ocean-view pool at the end. Regardless, there was a bar that abuts Pez Vela, and with measures of convenience, you'll have a server make their rounds to guests sitting on beach chairs, or they will come to you if you happen to be sitting on the edge of the pool. The ocean-view pool isn't as vast as the others, but you'll enjoy having the back-and-forth beach/pool or 2 in 1 experience that I find relaxing. The other pools are a distance away, so going back and forth is tiresome unless you can get on to the transport trolley when it comes your way. You'll have to wait if you miss it! As for the beach chairs, there are many, but not enough for everyone to retrieve. The chairs are on each side of the pool, with the more significant numbers on the right side as you enter, facing the beach. There is limited space to put additional ones; they're all cuddled together, and you'll be centimeters away from other guests. I went to the right side, near the beach rentals/excursion hut. The trouble of being near there was that they occasionally used a saw machine or grinder that made noise to maintain equipment. The beach, which weighs heavily on whether the resort meets my approval, is a fit for paradise. It was wide with silky sand and not bothered or lined in sargassum. It continues, and those long walks on the beach are to be taken advantage of. Luckily, the beach doesn't have long, snaky sandbags. Those are used depending on the season, and you will be grateful not to see them. I went into the ocean, and yes, there are rocks and specific areas of seaweed, but it's not annoying by any measure when you compare it with other resorts with tons of rocks everywhere. With my high expectations, I was still satisfied. You will discover sandy patches before the yellow safety line if you go out a little further (several meters out, and the waters will still be only knee-high). I used a reference point: across the building of the Pez Vela, towards the end of that building, which faces away from Riviera guests; from that point, go straight into the waters, and you'll find soft sandy patches that will make the experience all the more fantastic. Thank me later. Fun The entertainment team does a great job keeping the resort as lively as possible, inviting and including everyone in their activities. One day, there was a foam party at the ocean pool with dance and music. The next thing was water polo or volleyball. Also, there was water aerobics by Benjamin and Co., which got everyone together to do exercises. It was a great time. I met Benjamin later on; he is a great person, considerate and sociable regardless of his limited English. The resort is lucky to have him. Additionally, the entertainment shows are varied; one night, the dancers were recreating musicals; the other night was one of the greatest shows, with some circus acts and another guy with a green laser as if he was playing with alternate dimensions. At one point, the laser caught my eye for a split second, which can be dangerous, but I brushed it aside. Even then, it was terrific. Another thing to keep guests busy is a bowling alley that's free of charge and a game room with a pool table, foosball, and ping pong. There were a lot of kids at the resort, so that'll keep them busy. I was also surprised that the resort set up a Superbowl tent for viewers to watch the big game. However, there was a charge to watch the game on the big screen. Ocean Riviera Paradise would be one of those resorts I would return to if I considered everything that made it welcoming, worthy of the money spent, and the all-around service it provided. It's not perfect, but there’s enough to steal your heart.

Excellent service with spacious rooms. We went to the adults only El Beso section and highly recommend it. Food was pretty good and plentiful. Our hotel section was very central and we really didn’t need to use the shuttle service at all. Hotel room was a little worn with sticky...

Excellent service with spacious rooms. We went to the adults only El Beso section and highly recommend it. Food was pretty good and plentiful. Our hotel section was very central and we really didn’t need to use the shuttle service at all. Hotel room was a little worn with sticky doors/drawers, but lots of closet space. Great shower, bathtub with jets, and nice patio seating area. We had a swim up room, but never actually used it. We were on the ground floor and it was very convenient. We would go again and recommend it to travellers.

Benjamin from the activities/experience was so much fun he’s funny and hilarious very talkative and talks to everyone he doesn’t leave anyone out always see him having fun at work here and we loved that a lot because it gave us the perfect experience. Thanks so much!

We reached the resort and the guy name as “ ENRIQUE”. I would highly recommend he is there at check in Counter, look for him. He helped me in check in and further whenever I needed any assistance. Amazing hospitality by him. Llegamos al resort y el chico se llama...

We reached the resort and the guy name as “ ENRIQUE”. I would highly recommend he is there at check in Counter, look for him. He helped me in check in and further whenever I needed any assistance. Amazing hospitality by him. Llegamos al resort y el chico se llama "ENRIQUE". Lo recomendaría mucho, está en el mostrador de check-in, búscalo. Me ayudó con el check-in y siempre que necesité asistencia. Su hospitalidad fue increíble.

We stayed here from Feb 14-21 and this was our second time visiting. It seemed quieter (less people) at the resort, compared to last year, which was nice especially as the pools didn't seem as crowded. We stayed at the El Beso section which is nice and adults only if...

We stayed here from Feb 14-21 and this was our second time visiting. It seemed quieter (less people) at the resort, compared to last year, which was nice especially as the pools didn't seem as crowded. We stayed at the El Beso section which is nice and adults only if you want some more privacy as well. Our room was very spacious and cleaned beautifully everyday. Carlos at the El Beso snack bar was so great and always accommodating. Cristina serving drinks by the pool was also so lovely and kept checking in on us. Both of them really made our experience at El Beso this second time around. The food at the buffet and a la carte restaurants were really good. My boyfriend is a bit of a picky eater but there was always something on the menu he could eat and he loved it. We especially loved our experience at Margarita and the Steakhouse. Alfredo at Margarita and Victor at the steakhouse were so great at anticipating our needs and overall making those my favourite restaurants at the resort. The baristas at Mike’s coffee were all friendly and it was really nice to have a separate coffee shop. The only downside I found was that only one barista working during the hours of 9-10am, which resulted in lineups curving around the shop. Other than that, the coffee and treats there were good. Marisol was giving demo massages by the El Beso pool (she's so lovely), so we decided to book a couples massage through her. The massage was done by Elsiy and Sandra and exactly what we needed. So relaxing and definitely worth it if you want some quiet time away from people. There is an indoor pool, sauna and vapour room there and overall just beautiful in there. Overall our experience this year topped last years, which was already tough to beat! Highly recommend visiting!!

First impression, definitely an older resort. Had to wait a considerable amount of time for Privilege/VIP check in. Also, no welcome cocktail as advertised, it's fine, just not our normal VIP experience. We got there very early, had to wait for our room, no concerns there, however, waiting an Extra...

First impression, definitely an older resort. Had to wait a considerable amount of time for Privilege/VIP check in. Also, no welcome cocktail as advertised, it's fine, just not our normal VIP experience. We got there very early, had to wait for our room, no concerns there, however, waiting an Extra 2 hours (after 5pm) for our bags, was unacceptable, especially considering we called 2x after being checked in our room at 3p. Strong smell of sewage in certain areas, and often, not just from the wind. Not impressed with glasses and cups not being picked up, such as in the hallways, for over 24 hours, when you know many staff have went by, yet overall clean. Also in the wooded area by the animals, or even just along the walk. There are bins for a reason, yet people leave them everywhere, not okay, but less okay seeing staff walk by and not take it. Privilege. . . . not worth it at this resort! Others, 100% but not here. We were Priv and people checking in at the same time were Asking about upgrading to it. We happen to be waiting in line for the beach restaurant when staff took them right up to the front of the line just to get them to upgrade. Seems very unfair to all. Why ask if you have allergies, if they ask another 6x when eating? Give a sign or something to put on the table. They ask at check-on, when you get the restaurant or buffet when seating, when you get to the table, sometimes twice. So Annoying! They want to be sure, great, but find another system or communicate somehow. You have the sheet printed off, confirm once and be done. Had to avoid the Lobby at All costs the entire week, or you are just Bombarded with the membership/timeshare pitch for a free massage. And our guy, Frank, tried to get us to pay cash to hold the 'reservation time'. Other people said that no one asked for any kind of deposit. Respect you make money off the membership, but give it a rest already, upsetting some isn't going to get you further, especially taking fake reservation fees. (Also awful on the beach trying to get you to do a massage.) Beach is what it is. They work hard on the seaweed but what can you do? Many complain, but that's like going camping and complaining there are leaves on the ground. Otherwise, staff overall was good, unless they were just talking to one another and ignoring you at the pool bars. Huge pass on the Pina Colada. Tasted like horrible banana syrup, instead of coconut. No ones fault, but beware when walking. Stones are very uneven and tripping happens often. Pool Towels say they are open until 4p, but 3 of them were closed by 2:30p! No where to get or bring back pool towels. No one has Any manners and constantly cutting in line, especially the smoothie bar, but staff doesn't seem to care either. They just stand in one spot. If so, that's fine, but put an Order sign up. If you don't have food, animals attack you because everyone feeds them, although watching them is one of the highlights here, but don't know why they can't have staff watching over to make sure they aren't fed. Tap beer is often warm. Food is very hit or miss, but often not hot at all, whether buffet or sit down. Things that could be quick, like a grab and go muffin or dessert from the coffee shop is a 30 min wait - they should have 2 lines if they keep items in the case. Seemed like a great place for kids, good size slides/waterpark. Hamburgers/Hot dogs/ Pizza, all a hint different, of course, but close enough they should like it. Bowling and arcade, although surprised arcade was closed as early as it was at night, not sure what these late teens do if there. Fresh smoothie bar is great, as is the Beach restaurant, Pez, but still often cold, otherwise, everything was hit or miss. Worst sushi ever at hibachi, horrible rice. Fried rice was okay, but tasted like the oil/not cooked enough and was cold from waiting to plate everything. Apps/Soup is great but then meal is disappointing. Worst Rib-eye at the steak house and shrimp was chewy, yet the steak at Italian restaurant was good overall and excellent balsamic for the salad. (And ftr, we in the service industry, one a chef, and are truly not that picky and understand things are different, and are reused/made into other dishes, no concerns with that!!) Just not impressed, and for such a big resort, buffet was not as big or offered as much as others, and if something ran out, even within 20 min of opening, like fruit during breakfast, it was rarely replenished, if so took forever. Same with water refills at buffet, but water in general was great, no concerns at all with water/ice. Rooftop Room was fantastic overall; the upper roof part made it! also sound proof, stayed cool, but the patio door is 300 lbs, the fan had a horrible shake/sound to it, the bed was creaky and hard as a rock and it took over 2 hours to fill the roof hot tub. Apparently, all of them are like that, not just us. Room service was quick and decent, but didn't like that we'd order the same sandwich and it was different chicken from time to time, also can only order 2 things at a time off the app, or have to call in. Ex - Quesadilla, good flavor, could have been great, but it was 2 small pieces, fine if they are filled, but they were about 1/2 filled from the edge, so you got 1 piece/tiny triangle, total. Taco bell often does better. Again, lots of little goods, huge resort so props to those putting in the effort! Guests don't need to make it worse by leaving cups and plates around, these people are working hard enough as it is, but it's still not enough of a resort for us compared to other places in Cancun/the area we have been. Would rather take the chance on something else than be back here.

We are currently on holiday in this lovely hotel and you’d expect for a few thousand pounds, a nice hotel with a decent enough level of service. For those working at the hotel. We are considered privilege guests and therefore you have added extras such as a swim up for...

We are currently on holiday in this lovely hotel and you’d expect for a few thousand pounds, a nice hotel with a decent enough level of service. For those working at the hotel. We are considered privilege guests and therefore you have added extras such as a swim up for an additional cost which is lovely and your own private breakfast and lunch area. As lovely as these are, they are no better than the restaurants on offer and certainly not worth the additional cost. It’s your own money you’re wasting unless you love a marginally quieter lunch experience with even worse service. As part of the privilege experience they offer you a butler who is available to call or message until 11pm at night. Again, other than booking in dinner for you at a restaurant (which you can do via the app yourself) I haven’t found anything he’s actually done. We asked for replacement towels a couple of days in, he’s read the message and not dealt with it. So we sorted it ourselves, this all sounds very entitled but when you pay for something and they offer it to you, you expect it to be done. That tip is slowly going out the window. Further to this, we’ve asked for some recommendations and chased it up twice and we are still waiting for this. There’s going to be a lot of petty comments here so stick with me. We went out for dinner one evening and came back to our room 3 days into our trip to find a cot in our room. I do not have kids or plan on seeing my partner give birth in the next 24 hours so that came as a bit of a shock. I’m more concerned they think we’ve let a baby sleep on the floor for 3 nights. Anyway, the light above the bed was broken (although now fixed) , the door which the mini fridge is behind is falling off it’s hinges and unless you have 6ft arms, you can’t have a bath with soap as it’s fixed to the wall near the sink. As for staff, on general, I find them friendly but not very attentive with the exception of Francis who is the privilege supervisor (very good) and Diego ( a member of the privilege team). Food at this place, I would say is very good and the drinks are strong so you can’t complain at that really! Lots of entertainment, all be it some of it is in a tired and old sports bar. A few shops to pick up any essentials and plenty of pools to keep any adults and kids happy. If the service was better, not just from the privilege team but also the other staff. Maybe it’s me but there is absolutely no sense of urgency here. I’d stay here again but if it didn’t improve, I’d go elsewhere.

Let’s start from the beginning - We waited at the airport for the PAID “shuttle” for 1 hour & 20 minutes until they eventually stuck us in a cab. Check in was smooth (the only smooth thing to happen the entire weekend). Our room was decent in the privileged area...

Let’s start from the beginning - We waited at the airport for the PAID “shuttle” for 1 hour & 20 minutes until they eventually stuck us in a cab. Check in was smooth (the only smooth thing to happen the entire weekend). Our room was decent in the privileged area of the resort (Try to remember this part). Our FIRST night we had a massive leak in one of our sinks. So I called the front desk for them to fix it. We decided to hang by the pool to relax & kick it. When we came back to our room we were hit with in INSANE CHEMICAL smell - I have severe asthma and I wasn’t able to stay in the room for more then a few seconds. A extreme health safety violation. This where sh*t really hits the fan ~~~ I called the front desk to let them know of the situation - I was told they would call back in 5 minutes. No call going on 30 minutes - so I called again. Asking them to PLEASE come fix this situation or move us into a new room. They said they would send someone over to “fix” the smell - It was way too strong for them to fix in a short amount of time. Mind you we couldn’t leave the back door open without letting in a bunch of bugs since there’s no screens on the door (Not a big problem). Fast forward 45 minutes. A gentleman came to the room with air spray. He soon realized that would not stand a chance, as he himself was even covering his nose. We had a dinner reservation we had to make. He told me rest assured they would have this fixed by the time we got back. I asked no, we would like a new room, please. He then told me he will get with the guest services and have it figured out. After dinner : we came back to our room, the smell is still just as strong! This is where I start to speak up a bit - calling the front desk (no answer), called guest services (no answer). Back and forth. I finally got ahold of someone only for them to act completely surprised about the situation - NO COMMUNICATION was had between the staff. The gentleman told me he would call back in 5 minutes (yeah right) with an answer for me. 35 minutes, nothing. I called back - this is now the EIGTH phone conversation within a 6 hour span without the ISSUE being RESOLVED! We just wanted a new room. The new room - It is now 11pm at night they came to pick us up for our new room. From our chemical infested, Privileged area we were brought to the Daisy, the children’s area. I truly do not care about anything at this point. I just want to be able to breath, sleep and calm my heart rate down. Getting a down grade in a room that we paid for I do not want to even attempt to try and get a refund in different rooms rates. What I do want - for you as a possible customer, TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. This place is horrendous in all aspects. Save your self, your sanity & your health from this facade of a “Resort”. New room - It is just comedy at this point but we were woken up at 8am in our new kids room to them tearing up the marble flooring right in front of our room. It is pure comedy at this point that we just look back and laugh about. If you’re still with me this far, I hope this will help ANYONE from making the mistake of going here. I apologize for my ramble & run on sentences. We have been to many resorts in the area. Palmaïa is our favorite in the area. *Cue the copy & paste response from this place* New York Times review in-bound.

We completed our second stay at Ocean Riviera Paradise in Mar2025. We came back to this resort after ~1.5 years because we found that it was a huge value for the price if you stayed in the Privilege section of the resort. In the original stay we found both the...

We completed our second stay at Ocean Riviera Paradise in Mar2025. We came back to this resort after ~1.5 years because we found that it was a huge value for the price if you stayed in the Privilege section of the resort. In the original stay we found both the service and the food to be top notch, while the condition of the resort was in need of a bit of repair. Since, in our opinion, service and food are our top priorities we booked here again in hopes that we would find the resort in a similar state as our previous experience. We were pleasantly surprised to find that not only was the resort just as good as the first visit, essentially every item we had pointed out in our first review as needing some attention had, in fact, received attention. Additionally, after ~1.5 years, the two staff members that we mentioned in our first review (Liliana – butler in the Privilege section and Fidel – waiter in the Privilege lounge) were still working there and remembered us! I personally think that it says a lot about a company (particularly in hospitality) to be able to keep good employees there and happy for an extended period of time. We felt that all the staff we interacted with were happy to be there. Everyone was so friendly and helpful throughout the whole resort. At check-in (which was quick and easy in the Privilege section of the lobby) we were able to ask for Lili specifically as our butler, which thrilled us. Lili still had my phone number saved so we picked up right where we left off from our last trip. She remembered our preferences and was a blessing for our whole trip. Whomever reads this from Ocean Riviera Paradise – please do whatever it takes to keep Lili happy there, she is a true asset to your company and brand. We will be coming back to this resort next year just because Lili is so amazing. Reasons we will definitely be coming back to this resort: 1) The service is top notch from the moment you step out of your transport to the hotel to the moment your bags go in your transport from the hotel, you’re treated like royalty 2) The food is great. Our favorite thing about this resort, at least in Privilege section, is that you can eat a la cart for every meal. We are not big fans of buffet and have really resented the big resorts where you can only go to a la cart restaurants a limited amount of time during your stay. Our favorite restaurant was the Privilege section – we ate breakfast there every morning, lunch there twice, and dinner there twice. Overall – excellent food and service for all meals. Special shoutout to Fidel who was our waiter during the dinners. Other outstanding restaurants were Blue Moon (French) for dinner, Margarita (Mexican) for dinner, Sakura (Japanese/teppanaki), and Pez-Vela (Caribbean) for lunch and dinner. We also loved the view from Pez-Vela since it was open air right by the ocean – absolutely beautiful! 3) Kids are not excluded from the Privilege section as in many resorts that offer a higher level of service for a portion of the resort. While this trip did not include our kids, our next trip will. 4) The resort gives you just the right energy level when you want it. We are quiet people and enjoy a quiet vacation. The Privilege areas (pool, lounge, beach) were all quiet and relaxed. Even though kids were allowed there, it was never overly loud or rowdy. However, there were plenty of areas that were higher energy if anyone wanted to partake in that. The Eden and El Beso pools had a lot of activities during the day. The Daisy pool catered to kids and young families. The main beach area and pool were active but not loud or party themed. The nightlife was varied. I enjoyed the street vendors coming in on Saturday night – they had some fun souvenirs and jewelry at a better price than the on-resort shops. 5) Ocean Riviera Paradise is just the right size. It is large enough to offer a little something for everyone, but not so big that you feel like you’ll die walking from end to end like some of these massive mega-resorts. We are middle aged in moderate health. We could walk end to end without feeling tired. We never got lost, as it is a single straight street from entrance to beach. Some of the mega resorts do not have a direct path anywhere so you’re walking through building courtyards that all look alike and completely miss what you’re looking for, meaning you then have to walk even farther – that’s not fun. The resort does have golf carts that run all day. We never took them except when we arrived and the day we left to carry our luggage to the front. Areas that had improved since our last stay – we were very happy with these updates: 1) We had recommended previously to do away with the keycard and move to use of RFID wristbands. We were delighted to find that this change had occurred. It is so much more convenient, never worrying that you left your card in the room or trying to keep up with it while you’re at the pool or beach. 2) We also recommended a bit of maintenance around the resort. We found that the resort was in a better state of repair than our last visit. There were no noticeable repairs needed to walls/buildings. All the lounge chairs were in good shape. And there were much less noticeable dirty areas (particularly around trash cans – some of the wildlife was a bit out of control around the trash cans the last time we visited). Other great things about our stay: 1) The room was amazing. We stayed in the Privilege master suite rooftop room. It’s a regular junior suite that has an upstairs with a huge terrace for lounging, sun, relaxation and a big hot tub. We enjoyed the room so much – every evening we spent out in the hot tub listening to music, watching the stars, and just chatting. It was a wonderful way to reconnect with my spouse. 2) The Privilege beach area had been improved upon from our last stay. It was a bigger area, well shaded, and it had its own beverage and limited food service (from the Pez Vela restaurant). 3) The beach area in general was larger – I think perhaps the shore had been built up since we last stayed. Before there was barely enough space to walk the beach front, now there was ample space for walking. It was also quite clean and seaweed free. It was always a beautiful view. 4) Blue Moon (the French restaurant) no longer required men to wear long pants. While we don’t mind dressing nice, it’s hot there year-round, so it’s nice to not have to pack extra clothes for just one restaurant. Final thoughts – Ocean Riviera Paradise – please keep up the great work and continue to keep your employees happy. They really do make the experience for visitors. We had the most wonderful couples vacation of our life, and it was in large part due to Lili and the rest of the team providing services to the guests.

Came for my 30th birthday and the resort was beyond all expectations! Fun staff, yummy drinks, great food, and lots of stuff to do! Adults only was a huge plus too! My husband and I stayed at El Beso Adults Only section and it was amazing! We had the adults...

Came for my 30th birthday and the resort was beyond all expectations! Fun staff, yummy drinks, great food, and lots of stuff to do! Adults only was a huge plus too! My husband and I stayed at El Beso Adults Only section and it was amazing! We had the adults pool and a swim up suite to our disposal! The rest of the resort is so fun! They constantly have events they are doing around the resort and games in the pools. Shout out to Danny at the Adults only pool, he always got the party going and was even talking to guests and having a great time with them! They even had photographers on the resort posted in different areas! Shout out to Sebastian for taking THE BEST photos we ever got! We would constantly run into him and he was always so friendly! He would recognize us and immediately prep us for photos! Hands down, the best on the resort! Super talented! All in all, we will definitely be staying here again!

The resort itself is perfectly sized in my opinion. I’ve been to many resorts all over the Caribbean, and this is a good size. It’s not small like its adults-only resort, Ocean Maya, and is not huge like some other resorts. It’s very easily walkable. And for those who don’t...

The resort itself is perfectly sized in my opinion. I’ve been to many resorts all over the Caribbean, and this is a good size. It’s not small like its adults-only resort, Ocean Maya, and is not huge like some other resorts. It’s very easily walkable. And for those who don’t want to walk, there are regular shuttles throughout. All the staff are super nice and friendly. We never had an issue dealing with any of them. The only staff who wasn’t as perky were the pool bar staff. But my guess is they had to deal with all the spring breakers so I’d be pretty annoyed too. The entertainment staff who were at the Eden pool were all great, specifically Emiliano and Ken. They were super friendly and easy to talk to. What I really liked is they had multiple pools for each purpose, kids pool, adults only (el beso), Privilege, Eden (general) and beach. And not only that, they had activities at each all throughout the day. To be honest, I’m not sure what the other reviewers are talking about with the loud music. I found it was pretty good with volume kept within the immediate vicinity of the pool. You could only hear it as you approach it. My only complaint is that they play a lot of English songs. Stuff I hear here in Canada. I prefer listening to Latin/spanish music at resorts. The other thing that isn’t so great is that there is barely any beach. And they have a beach volleyball court but there’s barely any sand there that it becomes a bit dangerous to play. They need more sand there. I’ve injured myself and other people have too. We had a few issues with our stay, such as a leaking ceiling and a dead bird on our balcony, but they got resolved and we really appreciated that the staff were quick at resolving it. The rooms were spacious and well-kept. Didn’t have any insects or critters which were nice. Also the theatre is actually and theatre which is kinda cool considering some of their nightly shows are awesome. One thing I would recommend is that they promote their entertainment activities more and post it somewhere more publicly because not everyone checks the app.

2nd time here and still so impressed. Our butler, Hugo Edwardo Macedo, was top-notch! VERY responsive and attentive to all of our needs and requests. I’d highly recommend him to anyone planning a vacation here. El Beso pool was awesome! Big pool, lots of activities but not hectic. Entertainment staff...

2nd time here and still so impressed. Our butler, Hugo Edwardo Macedo, was top-notch! VERY responsive and attentive to all of our needs and requests. I’d highly recommend him to anyone planning a vacation here. El Beso pool was awesome! Big pool, lots of activities but not hectic. Entertainment staff are great! Bistro poolside had great snack / lunch foods. The pool bartender, Juan, is one of the hardest-working people I’ve seen and was always fun, cheery and professional. The wildlife ranges from deer, coati to spider monkeys (if you’re out early enough to catch them.) Great resort all around fantastic resort /vacation and it won’t be our last.

We stayed in the Privilege Master Suite Swim out, Room - 5104 from March 24 to March 31. While the room met all expectations, it is in need of some TLC. The bed was comfortable, and apportioned with many pillows. Nespresso machine a very nice touch. Fridge was fully stocked...

We stayed in the Privilege Master Suite Swim out, Room - 5104 from March 24 to March 31. While the room met all expectations, it is in need of some TLC. The bed was comfortable, and apportioned with many pillows. Nespresso machine a very nice touch. Fridge was fully stocked with beverages. Room was well cleaned. The hot tub was amazing. It took awhile to fill and heat up, but it was worth the wait. Now the TLC. The master bathroom door is broken. Hanging artwork missing, leaving behind metal clips. Spot lights are not working. We couldn't turn off the air conditioner as the thermostat seems to be fixed at 20 C. The patio railing is very loose. The TV inputs USB and HDMI are rusted and unusable on the bedroom TV. Living room TV inputs are fine. The door lock is the most annoying feature. It's best described as spontaneously working after 2 to 3 minutes of waving the wrist band over the reader. Tip - bring your Amazon Fire Stick. With a VPN, many Canadian subscription services work. Food is fantastic in the Privilege Lounge. Service is prompt and friendly. It was unfortunate we couldn't eat on the terrace. The tables were set but we were not allowed on it during breakfast and lunch. Get there early. If after 8:30, you're going to wait 15 to 20 minutes to be seated. Every single meal was pure perfection. This made paying the extra for privilege well worth it. The main resort buffet exceeded expectations. Excellent variety, and all freshly prepared. Compared to other buffets we've experienced, this one we rate 8/10. The guests, however, were something else, either very rudely aggressive, or holding up the line staring vacantly at the food as if waiting for it to magically jump up and onto their plates. We dined at the Steakhouse, Route 66, La Locanda, Pez Vela and Blue Moon. We also ordered room service. The steak house was our favourite aside from the privilege lounge. Steak was cooked to perfection. Our server surprised us with a birthday cake and the staff did their best to embarrass me :). So fun! La Locanda was, well, just okay. Not bad, but nothing special. Blue Moon food was exquisite. With the exception of Pez Vela, service was fantastic, prompt and friendly. Pez Vela was simply disorganised and chaotic. We waited 15 minutes for a server to take our drink orders which eventually arrived another 15 minutes later. Our appetizers and entrees arrived at the same time. The food was good, but the service was wanting. The Piano Bar was a disappointment. We went every night and no one ever played the piano! They did have karaoke which was fun. Staff were the highlight particularly our butler, Adrian. We didn't use the service often, but Adrian checked in with us regularly and whenever we had a request he delivered! He also provided some tips when traveling around Play Del Carmen which saved us some money. Thank you Adrian. Iztel, the host in Privilege was very welcoming and friendly, greeting is with a smile everyday. And Irene at the privilege pool was amazing. I don't drink and she remembered everyday to make my drinks without alcohol; even remembering the Pina Colada no alcohol was my favourite. Thank you Irene! Everything about this resort was simply fantastic and changed our view of Playa Del Carmen. We don't usually return to resorts, however, this one we definitely would. Our only complaint was the swim out. There no loungers provided and cushions were missing from the wicker chair. As a result, we didn't spend much time there. Would be a nice touch if they provided a floating chair or mattress as the design doesn't really allow for loungers.

This a good resort with some minor irritations. We booked the El Beso Adults only area of the resort, this a screened off area of the resort with accommodation, pool and swim up bar designated for adults only. You also have access to the Blue Moon restaurant which is adults...

This a good resort with some minor irritations. We booked the El Beso Adults only area of the resort, this a screened off area of the resort with accommodation, pool and swim up bar designated for adults only. You also have access to the Blue Moon restaurant which is adults only and open for breakfast and evening meals. The resort is family freindly so if you are looking for a true adult only experience then it probably isn't the resort for you. The accommodation is in an excellent condition and serviced daily, one little irritation they do not provide tea bags only provide coffee. (Tea bags can be acquired from the buffet restaurant). The El Beso accommodation is close the restaurants and bars at the top end of the resort. Food was generally of a good quality, our favourite was the Mexican. For breakfast we only used the Blue Moon once, finding the table service really slow. We used the buffet restaurant for breakfast, if you avoid the peak times you rarely have a queue waiting to be seated although queues for fresh omelettes could be lengthy but there is a variety of breakfast styles to be had. For lunch each pool has is own snack bar. For evening meals some of the restaurants you need to book via the resort app, the others are walk in based on availability. The only painful one to book is the Sakura which can only be booked at the help desk outside the buffet restaurant, we queued for about an hour to get a booking Enteratinment - the resort has it own theatre which offers a themed dance show each night (except Monday night) performed by the same dance troupe which were OK but not brilliant. The Monday night Neon show is amazing and would recommend seeing it. The entertainment team run different events in the pools, however they do tend to have the music turned up too loud. Beach area - an 8 minute walk from our accommodation. We were disappointed with the beach, it is quite shallow and whilst we were there the constant on shore wind and waves made swimming frustrating. Not a lot the resort can do about it. We didn't have a problem getting a bed at the beach, there are number of showers to rinse off, there is also a restaurant at the beach which gets quite busy at times. The resort itself is clean and tidy, there is a regular shuttle running from the top end of the resort to the beach, there is a spa if you if you want a treat, we did and thoroughly enjoyed the treatment we chose. When we booked in we were taken to our accommodation by the bell boys, we really liked the bracelet that was your room key (difficult to loose).

The resort was great! The restaurants were amazing! The steak house we had to repeat! Thank you to the great staff! Francisco and Sarai at the lobby bar were amazing! Had the best ice cream pineapple and strawberry - had to get one very afternoon! Can’t recommend it enough! Everything...

The resort was great! The restaurants were amazing! The steak house we had to repeat! Thank you to the great staff! Francisco and Sarai at the lobby bar were amazing! Had the best ice cream pineapple and strawberry - had to get one very afternoon! Can’t recommend it enough! Everything was truly great! 😊