JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar

Charg3rs wrote a review September 2025
Phoenix, Arizona

Here again will be back again.

This is my fourth time to this resort, and I have been to many in the area over the years. This resort continues to hit the mark with good food, selection and service. The rooms are quiet and comfy. The food large selection and the drinks it is nice to see such a large selection not only alcohol but beer selection. Going to some of the other resorts on property I must say the sports bar at Lindo is disappointing but at the Joia in the Rapsody lounge they are able to accommodate most any sport. I would recommend and will be back again.

Date of Stay: September 2025

stevewR3918WY wrote a review September 2025
Poland, Youngstown, Ohio

Chef Yadhir JOIA Paraiso Iberostar

We have just completed another wonderful stay at JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar and another amazing dining experience. One of our favorites is enjoying the talents of Chef Yadhir...he is an outstanding part of the culinary experience and his passion and love for his craft shows on a daily basis. We enjoyed a wonderful Mexican buffet celebration of Independence Day for Mexico filled with traditional favorites...the Gala buffet is always an over the top dining treasure. Chef Yadhir always takes the time to interact with the quests and does mosny table side treats. His love for cooking is on display on a daily basis. Hats off to Chef Yadhir.

Date of Stay: September 2025

Q4770WTbrandonr wrote a review September 2025

Wonderful resort for a luxurious getaway with unforgettable food and the best team.

The hotel is beautiful and the food is incredible. But more so than that, the staff were AMAZING! I want to start the review with a huge thank you to Luis, Alma, Raymundo, Marlene, and the other members of the event staff. Their energy and activities made the trip amazing.

But the review, for those interested:

Overall, a fantastic resort for couples and mid-size groups. The resort really nails the concept of affordable luxury. The building is beautifully constructed and the interior design is thoughtfully done, giving it the feel of a high end luxury hotel. The best indicator of this was what seemed to be a small army of maintenance staff seen everyday landscaping, painting, cleaning, and polishing.

I would recommend going to some of the other resorts/lobbies on the complex. There are four, each themed. The maya resort had the most interesting bar and decor, but the Pueblo inspired shopping area had the nicest single building, the church. The architecture and design at all the resorts is really fun to see how it is incorporated into the theme, and how that influences the experience.

The rooms themselves were quite nice. Spacious, well air conditioned, and with a sizeable bathroom. The rooms could use a bit more storage space and I would have liked somewhere to hang my laundry. But of all the places in the hotel to be just good and not great, I’m glad it was the room, the place we spent the least amount of time in.

The pool area was lively enough to party but large enough to find a small corner to tuck into if you wanted to be away from the noise. And for the dedicated relaxers, there is the second no-talking allowed pool. At all of the pools, there were always enough chairs.

We had too much fun elsewhere to really use the beach outside of a scuba trip. There were kayaks and Catamans for borrowing and we did see people lounging on the beach so if that’s your thing there is a nice, usable beach area.

And the FOOD. It was incredible. Almost every dinner involved a lively debate between my wife and I for how this new restaurant shook up our previous ranking. In the end, I was right in saying the Mexican steakhouse was the best. She was, however, somehow more right in saying the Italian was the best. Each of the restaurants had wonderfully prepared food and felt like a gourmet dinner. I landed home yesterday and can’t imagine when I will eat an actual meal next, I’m still so full. The evening’s dinner plan was an exciting adventure to look forward to each night, like seeing water volleyball or trivia on the daily schedule. We would scarcely be finished breakfast at the buffet (also very good) before we began strategizing how to burn enough calories to be hungry for a large dinner that evening.

The answer to that was to participate in the many and varied activities put on by the star friends, the name given to the hotel event staff. In addition to the above named teammates, a shout out to Montserrat, Cassandra, and Carlos who were also stars of the trip. The events are nothing particularly new or wild (with the exception of paddleboard racing), but were games involving the right mix of skill and luck to make the former high school QB on a 30th birthday trip and the nurse celebrating her recent retirement feel they had an equal shot at winning.

The star friends also ran many of the interstitial events like inviting guests to play cornhole or pickleball, teaching salsa lessons, or getting the dance floor going at the evening party. I noticed many of the guests would track down the star friends at the pool before check out and say long, enthusiastic goodbyes - myself included.

The star friends also had bit parts in the fantastic shows hosted in the theatre. These shows were typically song and dance performances, but they all had such strong unique themes that no two of them felt similar. While we were there, we saw a circus show, a cabaret, and a “Mexican themed” show (salsa, meringue, and Mexican songs). They were all great entertainment, especially after one of the wonderful but heavy dinners and especially especially with table side bar service in an elegant theatre. We left the circus show remarking that it was better than many of the circus or variety shows that we have bought tickets to see.

In total, I felt extremely well looked after while at the resort. The food was amazing while also responsibly sourced and diligent about allergies. The resort itself was beautiful and well maintained, and our room was cleaned with military frequency. After learning it was our anniversary, the turn down service frequently involved flower petals on the bed. (If my wife asks, please tell her I arranged it with the front desk). I enjoyed the activities and the games, but had all the space I needed to relax with a book or a quiet nap in the sun.

I have every intention of returning in the future with more friends, because I want them to also experience what a beautiful place this is.

Thank you!

Date of Stay: September 2025

JitenderM_13 wrote a review October 2025
Toronto, Ontario

Palatial resort with spectacular view and enjoyable amenities

Our Air Transat flight from Toronto arrived 25 mins early at 9.45am and we reached JOIA at 11.30am. The airport transfer was quick (included in Air Transat package) and were warmly received by staff with welcome drink & provided with an early check-in at a Superior room on the upper level which we had booked.

The resort is immaculate .. we could not find any faults with service at the bars, restaurants, spa, pools and even room service who served breakfast in our room at 5.15am on the day of our return.

Our room was beautiful and comfortable and had everything we needed during our stay.

Vridiare (sorry if I mis-spelt her name) is an excellent hostess and would personally attend to us at Bellavista and French restaurant to check if the food met our expectation. On our last evening she even arranged for Mediterranean food to be served in the French restaurant for my wife as we did not want to venture out to the adjoining resort and preferred to dine-in at JOIA. She was always smiling and eager to assist which made us feel on the top of the world. She really deserves a lot of recognition for her hard work !

Carlos (pineapple) was very helpful and arranged for us to attend a presentation due to which we got 2 massages for 50 mins each and taxi coupons for Gran outlets near airport where we did a lot of shopping. Staff members like him are an asset to any organization.

I have been to 3 other Secrets resorts in Cancun in the past but JOIA is exceptional.

We had a great time at the indoor pool . The Theatre had dazzling performances and the Fire show held in the front courtyard was a gem.

The Buffet - Bellavista serves all 3 meals but we did not have dinner. Breakfast is quite good with a lot of variety but lunch was almost the same on most of the days. We also ate dinner at the Mexican , Ember- Steakhouse, Haiku and French restaurants and both service and quality met our expectation especially when you are already down 4-5 pegs of Chivas scotch !

Based on our experience we are seriously considering other JOIA resorts in Aruba and Cuba for our future vacations.

If you are planning a visit to JOIA at Cancun don't wait anymore and book !

Date of Stay: September 2025

tanyal812 wrote a review October 2025
Saint Louis, Missouri

Great even for picky travel agent like myself

I'm a travel agent and visited this hotel many times before. The hotel's name was Iberostar Grand, not it's Joia Paraiso. Last year they renovated this resort, and changed name, and I decided to come back this year.
PROS: You can't wish for better service than at this hotel. Excellent, 5 plus, personal. Whatever you need they will get it for you. Great, warm people. I can't say enough about service without mentioning butler/concierge team: Benjamin, Karolona, Mavro and Benito and Thomas. They're dedicated, sweet and helpful, no matter what you ask for. Bravo team!
Food: Absolutely great food. Buffet has fresh made juices in the morning plus spa place has it 9am-2pm. So many varieties of food and fruits and berries in buffet, you mane it they have it. Loved lox, cheeses, veggies, eggs (10-12 cooking ways), bacon, pastries, etc... Always meats, fish, shrimps and of course great waiters. My favorite was Neri-sweet personality, fast with serving. Restaurants: visited Italian and Steak Empire. Loved Italian, wasn't impressed with Steak, lobster was overcooked, tasted like rubber, lettuce salad wasn't too tasty. Just wanted to mention that all restaurants have lobsters. My friends went to Asian, were not impressed. Buffet for dinner was always a winner!! At the restaurants Leo was our server. Did great job!

Rooms are specious and clean. Housekeeping is doing great job!
Beach area is great, beach beds with cushions, sand is white.
Ocean was clean and calm all 4 nights we stayed there.

CONS: It wasn't hotel's problem, but ocean has jellyfish which bites. Life guard has vinegar and that helped a lot from burning.
One more con is outdated shower area, it has some black stuff around tiles.

Also they are big about selling membership but not too pushy.

I would definitely recommend this adults only place to my clients.

Date of Stay: October 2025

M4104VTbrookew wrote a review October 2025

Amazing Experience!!

We had such an amazing experience here! Right when you get to the resort they greet you with a drink, a cold towel and smiles. Throughout our stay the staff remembered our names and greeted us each time they saw us by our names. The food was amazing and the resort is extremely clean and there were so many activities to do. We will most definitely be back with many more vacations!

Date of Stay: October 2025

NorthStar09947752164 wrote a review October 2025

Birthday trip

Wonderful relaxing vacation 😎 Everyone is so very nice! Entertainment nightly.
Special shout out to Elsbeth and Diego by the pool. Luis and Carlos for the Entertainment and pool activities.
David gives an amazing pool side massage with discounts for the spa 😍.
There was so many on the wait staff to thank for a wonderful experience on our fourth trip here 😀!

Date of Stay: October 2025

161lizs161 wrote a review October 2025
Cheshire, England

Excellent

Visited in early May 2025. We were in a room close to reception so at first it felt like our room was in reception but we got used to it. Everything about the resort worked for us , restaurants were easily booked , pool bar was good and the service on the beach was great . I wandered through the other resorts which was a good stroll . Had a short visit to the nightclub but being 55 plus we were definitely the wrong demographic. It was fun for an hour though. Main bar and staff were exceptional with great cocktails especially the pistachio martini. Reception very kindly opened up the sports bar for me at 10:30 am to watch my football ( soccer ) team win the league. Quiet pool was nice on the last day and the indoor outdoor spa pool was great after a day at the beach . Would recommend the resort as you can make it the holiday that you want . Everyone is different . We didn’t do the shows as it is not our thing

Date of Stay: May 2025

Abelha85 wrote a review October 2025

AMAZING PROPERTY

Paraiso Joia
2025 review (Long)
Let me start off by saying we are not new to this property. We have visited 7x usually 2 week stay. We stood in building 71 oceanfront property. The butlers we had during our stay were all new from last year’s visits. We did find it off from previous visits and are used to a butler coming to the room shortly after we arrive and that did not happen this time around. The next day we still haven’t heard or been approached by any so we walked to the other oceanfront building to see who the butlers were on that end and maybe they could help us because ours we couldn’t find anywhere… It happened to be all of the butlers we were used too and we told them we had arrived yesterday around 2pm but haven’t seen or heard from any of those butlers in that building. They apologized for them and low and behold shortly after I am almost positive that those butlers who knew us contacted them because when we went back to look for one it was like he was waiting for us 😂 But after that incident they became familiar with us and were amazing the rest of the trip. We did not use them much. We are easy, Just for pillows and ice at 4pm.
Restaurants:
This year we were absolutely amazed by the breakfast and lunch selections at the buffet. I was in love with breakfast. I forgot the kid every morning who would work in the pancake/ waffle and crepe section, but he is so sweet and made our morning everyday with his smile and cheerful attitude. He is a keeper. Don’t forget to tip him he deserves it 😊
Punta Sal: our favorite lunch spot
Gala: we were not impressed. It’s a wow factor if you have never seen the previous galas there. A few years back it was a show stopper. I will say I am glad at least they brought back the live music at gala night.
Legado: Not our favorite. It was a 1 and done this trip. Food was not what you would expect on a Mexican menu.
Ember- we went 3x out of the 3x only 2 were excellent. Our 2nd time the food was not even edible. It was a disappointment. Both plates went back, not the steaks we ordered and ontop of that they were hard as a rock. The lobster was completely raw as well. It was so bad that the manager took our plates and didn’t even ask if we like it or not. A few minutes later he brought out the chef to come talk to us without us even asking. They knew those plates were awful and should have not been served to guests. But the chef and manager made it up to us and begged us to come back and give them another chance. We were hesitant because we have found since the moved Toni’s in door and relocated it and changed the name it has been inconsistent from day 1.. happened last year and happened again this year. But if your steak is cooked properly at ember it is delicious and don’t forget the chocolate cake it’s the BEST there.
L’Atelier: AMAZING AMAZING 🙌 let me note that this was my least favorite last year, I absolutely loved it this time around. Service was exceptional, food was Delicious. We went 3x and all 3x it was Exceptional!
Haiku-Bistro: Very good! We had delicious sushi always fresh and hand made. The fried rice was actually better this year than last. We enjoyed this restaurant as well. We went 2x and was looking for a 3rd but just didn’t align with our schedule.
Venecia: this one was a shock to me. It was my favorite one of all time last year. Unfortunately, this year it lacked a little bit. It wasn’t awful it was just alright. We went 2x and it was enough. The table side pasta was tasteless, there was nothing to it. It’s something new they are trying at least that’s what the manager told us. Not a favorite. The steak was ok but not a favorite.
If I had to rate the restaurants, our favorites would be #1 L’Atelier, Ember, Haiku, Venecia and last Legado. Food is very subjective this is just our opinions. I will say this year was a great improvement in food quality from last year. We enjoyed the restaurants more. Here are some of the amazing restaurant staff that shined for us
Mr. Willy (William) Manager such a gem
Guadalupe (breakfast)
Javier (punta sal)
Carlos (punta Sal)
Venecia- Joel,Eusebio,Leonardo
L’Atelier-Emilio, Felix (manager)
Ember- Samuel, Yoari (chef) Manuel (manager)

Pool waiters:They work so hard all day long back and forth carrying all our drinks. It’s not easy. They are amazing and are always running to cater to us all. Our favorites Leticia, Daniella and
Lenin. All 3 are wonderful and made our day.

Star Friends: they have the hardest job of all. No matter how bad life is for them they have to put that smile on their face and pretend they are fine. They’re AMAZING and are what makes a lot of guest return especially us. We have a few favorites 🫣 Joia has a good crew and they are the gem of the property. Here is some of our favorites. These kiddos are what makes Joia 💙
Luis, Carlos, Alma, Pedro, Viri, Ximiena ,Marlene, Julio

Golf cart drivers: Amazing, always ready to offer a helping hand with a ride anywhere in the property. These guys are funny and easy to talk too, if you take time to get to know them you will see they are the best. Our favorites Ricardo, Asael and Gonzales.

Sommelier: Jesus is awesome. He helped us celebrate my dad’s birthday with a special bottle and never left our side. He was actually helping the waiter clear off plates etc off our table. He was a gem. My dad enjoyed conversations with him throughout our dinner and he made his day when he started speaking Portuguese with him and talking about Portugal, he’s Very humble.

Bartenders: Awesome! Joia is extremely lucky to have them representing the bar. Here are a few of those gems who made our day.
Luis (pool cart, beach bartender)
Daniel (lobby)
Dario (lobby)
Jonathan (rhapsody bar)
Gerardo (rhapsody bar)

Pool Towel Concierge: They work so hard. They have to lug heavy wet towels left behind from guest who choose to just leave it instead of putting them in the towel basket. This department is over looked for sure and deserves a praise. We were helped by Ivan and Fesh. Ivan is a bubbling kid always smiling and working hard to make your chairs or cabanas perfect. Fesh, she holds a special place in our hearts. She’s humble and doesn’t know her worth. She has potential to be something big a Joia. She’s a gem.

Hostess- they’re all wonderful. Always with a smile on their face ready to seat you. I just wished more people actually tipped them 🥺

Gardner- Darvin! This guy has been working for years here. He can spot us a mile away and always runs up to us with a warming hug. He’s deaf but don’t underestimate him he can understand and communicate to get his point across. He is a warrior and hard worker. True inspiration.

Live music by the pool: ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I want more of this. I wish it happened more often and consistent. It was the highlight of my trip. I just hope it continues to grow with the live entertainment by the pool. I loved it so much I wanted it daily 😂 🙌

Ice cream cart and floating fruit tray- I loved the ice cream cart, I found it very refreshing and a special touch to the day. The fruit tray it’s okay but not a fan of floating fruit in pool. But still a nice touch for those who enjoy it.

Here is a list of some of the exceptional butlers who try so hard to make everything perfect!
Gustavo, Ana, Mauro, Benjamin, Bernardo, Fatima, Gabriel, Mirna, Roberto, Angel, Karolina and Tania…

Eli- works at the Joia spa smoothie bar. Such a doll and always made us smile.

Management guest relations-
Elizabeth and Paulina
These 2 ladies are a blessing. They kept checking in on us throughout our stay and made sure all our needs were fulfilled. Our vacation would have not been what it was without these 2 gems. Iberostar is lucky to have them.

The time has come to an end but we will 100% return. Not going to lie our experience this year was nothing compared to last year. Last year was a disappointment in many areas and this year we almost did not go back. As much as we love Joia it was hanging by thin thread. We opted to give it another shot and could not be any happier. We ABSOLUTELY had the BEST time this year. Not every resort is perfect but what you make out of it will affect your outcome of your stay. What keeps us coming back is the STAFF. They work so hard and are always smiling. The STAFF is what makes Joia so GREAT. Iberostar Joia should consider themselves very lucky to have the staff they have on that property because they are very hard to find now and days. These folks are the Shining Star and Treasure on this property and we are blessed to have them all as family 💙💜 They are the reason we come back!

Date of Stay: September 2025

mathewh999 wrote a review October 2025

Most relaxing vacation we have had.

This was our first time to Playa del Carmen and Cancun. We could not ask for a better experience. The facility was amazing and the staff friendly and accommodating. Well maintained grounds and rooms. Exemplary service . We plan to return soon.

Date of Stay: October 2025

Ddretra wrote a review October 2025
Waterloo, Region of Waterloo, Ontario

simply amazing staff, food and fun

What an absolutely amazing Resort !

We were comparing it to the Joia Bavaro in Dominican, and I can honestly say this is a step up.

The food is better the service is better the smiles are bigger, I would say drink quality is very similar and actually might be lower in the rum category, but not a deal breaker at all.

The rooms are bigger we just had a standard room as usual.. the service was impeccable and they also have turn down service at both the Dominican and Mexican resort..

Most of the food was borderline Gourmet quality, it was exceptional !!

The pool is salt water which was nice.

The pool bar does get very busy and I can only imagine how busy it is in the High season.

For this reason I would be reluctant to go back in the High season because there is really only the one bar and unless you order from the waitress I think it would be extremely packed in the pool.

When you start getting into the afternoon there is not a lot of shade around the pool area and this is a big negative..

They need to have some kind of an awning or something that comes out from that high up circular pool bar area because the Sun comes in there and it's almost impossible to get away from it while you are in the water.

The pool concierge will help you find a good spot and make a bed up for you which is really nice.

Ivan was great and he even cleaned our sunglasses for us one day !

The gala night buffet was absolutely spectacular, but I would say we were shocked that the service was so lacking. This was on October 7th the day we arrived. There was only a couple of servers running around serving all the tables we ended up with 4 plates stacked up and only received water and wine service again at the end of our meal which was over 20 minutes from our first service. The meal more than made up for this in our opinion as it was so good !

The entertainment team is spectacular and I would give a special shout out to Julio, Mala, and Cassandra, as they truly went out of their way to try to get you into the games and have some fun. The other people were also amazing ! However I cannot remember all their names.

The pool games were fun and enjoyable to play. I would say they were better than other Resorts I have been to and even the pool volleyball was fun they even set up Mexican water polo one day which was a blast !!

Some of these games took a little bit of setup and I did notice this and compared to some of the resorts I've been to that they simply bring out a dart board which is very simplistic, this team actually went out of their way to bring out games which took 10 or 15 minutes to get set up and even longer... This to me reflects on the quality of this Resort and the fact that they don't want to just get you doing simplistic games they want to actually have you doing games that feel special.....

This was not lost on me whatsoever, and we have rated this Resort as the best resort we have ever been to in our 15 years of Caribbean travels, and over 40 Resort vacations.

thank you!!

Date of Stay: October 2025

OnAir13012311386 wrote a review October 2025

Our Butler was Non Existent, but the Other 5 couples Had Amazing Butlers

Loved the pool, pool bar and the staff there. The pool games and those staff were so much fun. We were a group of 12 (6 couples). We were all on the first floor in room 7102, to the right of the walk through to the beach. Everyone else was on the left side. The other 5 couples had absolutely amazing service with their butlers, turn down service, communication, and offerings of help and service. Our butler was non existent. We had no turn down service, no knocks on the door to check to see if we needed anything, no offering of anything at all. Zero-non existent! Yes, we upgraded and paid extra for this room and the butler service. It was disheartening to hear our friends talking about their service and we didn't have any of that. It took me 2 days to get a blow dryer, and the guy at the desk told me he was working on it for 2 days. Finally my travel agent spoke with someone and Fatima showed up at my door. She was fantastic and we appreciated her. So bottom line is we paid quite a bit for an upgrade including butler, had no butler for 3 days and 1 butler for a day and a half. The room was very clean and the Italian restaurant was our best experience regarding food. They make tableside Tiramisu and it was spectacular

Date of Stay: October 2025

567rebekahg wrote a review October 2025

Best resort & vacation with large group!

This resort was excellent from the very beginning when I contacted the call center. We had a large group of 19 people, both family & friends. I first spoke with Benny who explained everything about the resort in great detail and helped me get everyone booked at the same price. I immediately received the email confirmation. From that point on for six months, I would continue to call and speak with several different agents to help with updating each reservation. The call center was just as helpful and responsive via email which made it super easy. Every single person was friendly, patient, and ensured we had everything updated correctly. This whole experience is what lined us up for a successful trip!

When we arrived at the resort, I was nervous that something would go wrong (we’re dealing with 19 people so it’s bound to happen). The young lady who checked me in (forgive me for not retaining your name), was again friendly and patient. We did a thorough check of each reservation one by one to ensure everything was correct. The little issues we did find, she assured me not to worry that they would figure it out… and they did.

We had six beach access suites in building 70 that came with our own concierge service. Tomas, Gustavo, and Maura are just a few I can name who were absolutely amazing! They were all very hospitable, professional, personable, and extremely helpful. It’s not easy trying to make restaurant reservations for 19 people but they were able to accommodate us in some way or another. We felt like family coming home every day so when we left, we were very sad to not only leave this exquisite place but to miss these lovely people as well.

This resort is a palace with every restaurant, lobby, bar, restroom, hallway is spotless and beautiful. The smell alone is something none of us can forget!
However, the staff and service here is what really puts this resort at the top of our favorites list. All 19 of us said we would come back in a heartbeat.

Date of Stay: October 2025

joelinne wrote a review October 2025
New York City, New York

Spent nearly 2 weeks here and already booking the next trip back!

We spent 11 nights at JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar.

We arrived at a good time because it was the tail end of their members week. We left after their Mexico Independence day celebration. Due to the length of our stay, we were able to enjoy everything the Iberostar Complex had to offer, including all the amenities in JOIA and the other hotels in the complex. 

Everything was great, but there were a few things that are worth an extra mention; both good and bad. 

The good 🌟

Entertainment and Access 🎵🙌: Staying here gives you access to virtually everything the other hotels in the complex have to offer. What we did not know until we got here was that not only are you able to access the spa facilities at JOIA, but you also have access to the bigger spa at the shopping center. We are glad we discovered this early on our trip. The Sauna in the bigger spa is a lot hotter and it is Unisex, unlike the one at JOIA. We still preferred the spa at JOIA though, since it was right by our room. We also enjoyed the other pools and food offerings at the other hotels. The shows in the other hotels were ok, but they did not compare to the shows at the Coliseo in JOIA.The seats are comfortable and did I mention the theater is completely airconditioned! The Shows repeat themselves every week aside from some special occasions like the Mexico Independence day. The games by the pool were fun to watch. The entertainment team tries their best to get everyone included in everything they do. I really enjoyed their activities and my favorite by far was the macrame in the evening. I have my little souvenir on my wall currently. 

The Food 🍽: The food was amazing. Even the room service food was great. We tried every restaurant that they had, including the ones in the other hotels. We definitely gained some pounds 😅. My favorite was the Asian restaurant “Haiku”a la carte . They had the most delicious wings. Their sushi was good, and so was the entree. I also drank warm sake for the first time so that was a nice experience. We enjoyed their buffet, but sometimes the food was a bit too elevated for my palate. I like to eat some kid-friendly foods 😁.  We were a bit disappointed with the Ember steakhouse. The highlight of the meal was the mashed potato. I am not a big fan of it and I was shocked at how great it was. My steak came out at the right temperature but it lacked flavor. We had better steak ordering room service. The Italian Restaurant Venecia had a very delicious gnocchi with brisket and their drink of the day was Amazing. The theme and decor throughout the restaurant was my favorite out of all of the restaurants we visited there. The Ceviche Bar/BBQ was also a great spot, both foodwise and aesthetically. The ocean breeze there was phenomenal all throughout the day.  

Surprisingly the restaurants in the other hotels were really good; here are some of the standouts:

Paraiso Del Mar: 

The Brazilian restaurant El Rodizio and the Mediterranean restaurant La Dorada were very good. This is a must try if you have a chance. They both have a salad bar/dessert bar. Unfortunately Star Rock Cafe was closed almost the entire time we were there. We were looking forward to their menu and possible ambiance/vibe. They only opened on Fridays for their Latin Night. 

Paraiso Beach: 

El Puerto smokehouse had a very interesting set menu. We really enjoyed their creamy corn and 12hr brisket. We asked for seconds. 😆

Paraiso Lindo: Second best buffet, after JOIA buffet of course. They even had Ceviche too. Very similar to JOIA but with kid friendly foods. The Greek place was good, it had its own salad/dessert bar.  We ordered the souvlaki and the mahi mahi was dry. The seasoning also was not the best. The chicken and beef were good.

Paraiso Maya: The food at the buffet needs help. No flavor at all. We were shocked that Paraiso Lindo had better food considering the price point. 

Coffeeshop ☕️: I have to mention this for the coffee lovers; there is 4 different coffeeshops you can go to if you stay at JOIA. One is located in the lobby in front of the garden, One is in the lobby of the Paraiso Maya hotel; A cute blue coffeehouse is located in the lobby of Paraiso Lindo hotel; and finally there is a small one located inside the shopping center. The coffeeshops all offer the standard coffee varieties  but the one in JOIA has specialty coffee cocktails. Our favorite though was the Coffeeshop in Paraiso Maya. Great vibe that reminded us of the coffeeshops we are used to. 

Customer Service and Cleanliness 🙋‍♂️🧹✨️: 

We rarely had problems with service anywhere throughout the entire trip. The managers should be very proud of their efforts, it clearly shows.

I usually don't make a special section for employees, but the service in this complex was so great that those that went above and beyond deserve a shoutout. 

I will start with JOIA: Our maids Eliana for the evening and Bertha during the day were amazing. 5 star cleaning. No complaints, just praise. Monserrat from JOIA starcafe, amazing as well. Super friendly and super animated 😆. 

Leo from Chiapas, as we call him, was amazing. He is one of the Bellboys. We would always use the app to get around on the carts. 

Paraiso Maya:

Catalina from the Star Cafe Maya. While we were there she was covering for someone and she was amazing every time we went. We went almost every day. We would also run into Rene, I believe he is a cook/baker. He would be there to refill the bakery stuff. Just a great guy. He would explain where certain pastries came from and recommend some depending on flavors. Top notch customer service.  

Argelia from Paraiso Lindo Buffet. What a great server. She would know what we needed before we even asked. 

Manuel from the Mediterranean restaurant La Dorada. He was great, he knew his suggestions and was very attentive.  

The Bad (to us, but it could be good for others): 

The Salty pools 👀🤽‍♀️: There are 3 pools located in JOIA, if you include the spa pool. We loved the quiet pool at JOIA because it was the only outdoor pool in the entire complex that was NOT salty! All the other pools including the pools at Paraiso Del Mar/Beach and Paraiso Lindo/Maya were Salty! Not sure if that was normal or intentional but my skin would sometimes get itchy after being in the pool even after rinsing off.  

Impromptu sporting events ⚽️🏈🥊 : 

We were there when the Boxing fight of Canelo/Crawford was going to be aired and it just so happened to coincide with the weekend of Mexico independence day. We asked around the day before the fight so we knew where we could watch it. Eventually we heard from the Sports bar “The Corner” at Paraiso Lindo, that they would air it there. That meant that there were a lot of people there that wanted to see that fight. Combine it with several other events like football games that were also happening that same day, and you have yourself a very busy day at the Bar. I am pretty sure the people who work/run the Sports bar are not going to forget that day. That bar was over capacity at one point. They should have organized that better. The waitresses were overwhelmed. I know this because we asked one of them for an order of wings. She said she was going to check in the back and she never came back. An hour later, another waitress finally showed up to our table. We asked for wings and she said they had just closed the kitchen. That was very poor customer service, we are lucky that we spent almost 2 weeks there and had been exposed to better than that throughout the trip. If not, that bad experience could have set the tone for the entire trip if it would have happened earlier on the trip. 

It was overall a great trip, and we are already planning to bring the family next time.

Date of Stay: September 2025

stuartjdd wrote a review October 2025
Andover, Hampshire, England

Holiday Review, first time visit

We recently enjoyed a wonderful stay at Iberostar Joia Cancun. From the moment we arrived until the day we left, we felt very well looked after — the staff were consistently friendly, helpful, and attentive, creating a genuinely welcoming atmosphere throughout the resort.

The hotel itself has a more traditional, almost regal design compared to some of the newer, ultra-modern resorts, but it’s beautifully maintained and kept spotlessly clean. Everything feels well cared for and in excellent condition, which really adds to its charm.

We loved the food, which was one of the real highlights of our stay. The Asian, Steakhouse, and French restaurants were all superb, with excellent quality dishes and great service. The buffet breakfast was outstanding, offering a wide variety of fresh options, and lunch each day was equally impressive — plenty of choice and consistently great quality.

Our room was spacious, comfortable, and very clean, with housekeeping doing an excellent job each day to keep everything fresh and immaculate.

We spent most of our time around the quiet pool, which we really enjoyed for its relaxed atmosphere, and we also made good use of the spa pool, which was a great bonus to have available.

The drinks throughout the resort were all top quality, from cocktails to wines and coffees — everything well prepared and nicely presented.

Overall, Iberostar Joia Cancun is a beautifully run resort that combines classic style with modern comfort at a good price. It’s well maintained, offers great service, and delivers a consistently high standard across food, accommodation, and facilities. A truly relaxing and enjoyable stay.

Date of Stay: October 2025

398keans wrote a review October 2025

Paradise in Mexico

This resort is a true 5 star in every catagory
Staff / The most helpfull, happy people i have ever encounterd at a resort thank you to all bartenders,cleaners,concierge,entertainment,supervision
Rooms/ Beautiful decor,spotless,perfect size
Pools / Amazing infinity edge design. The cleanest i have encountered in my 17 years of traveling to the Carribean.
Structures / This resort is the most elegant in Mexico, it is breathtaking from its indoor pool in the spa,to the restaurants, air conditioned hallways, increadable lobby,lobby bar, to the indoor incredible atrium.
Cleanliness / The whole resort is as close to cleaning perfection as possible.
Food/ Culinary perfection, the best selection if have encounterd at a all inclusive quality meats,desserts,salads .
Liquor/ Top shelf all the best brands in the world.
This resort is the closest thing to a cruise ship in every way, thank you Iberostar for building the best luxurious resort in Mexico, it was a incredible week.

Date of Stay: October 2025

cuinthemoon wrote a review October 2025
York, Pennsylvania

I Came for Wow, Got Wow - What was that!!

I write a good many reviews and I will not go into details like some but let’s do the good bad and the ugly. Also start with, if you want a place that you can enjoy the beach and swim in the water, this is not the place for you.
The Good:
quality of food was very good. No issues with getting sick from something we ate. Portions are huge for an AI.
The property its self is easy to navigate, the rooms are spacious and all pretty much the same. So don’t spend more money for a better location, because you aren’t in your room anyway.
Most of the service was great.
The grounds and buildings
Were
Modern and well maintained. The pool and spa areas are fabulous.
With the Joia level you have access to all of the other properties and they were always prompt with a ride.
The Bad:
Being a Diamond IHG member doesn’t really get you anything.
Our room, you are able to adjust temp or humidity which made the bed feel damp. We were not given turn down service 2 nights in a row, despite the room being available.
Pool loungers and cabana saving is a thing, you have to get up at 7am to get a prime spot. I never understand why this is a thing
The quality of alcohol while it seems to be top shelf, I would argue it is watered down.
The beach is extremely rocky and if you want to go in the water, you have to walk down to the Maya property.
The Ugly: Multiple service failures for a 5star resort, the first night at the Ember restaurant we waited
20 minutes to be seated once checked in at 730, once at our table we waited another 20 minutes while servers whipped by us no one noticing we didn’t have water or be helped. I said something to the hostess and it was still another 10 mins before a very rushed and rude man came over asking what we wanted. My husband had gone to get us more drinks from the bar and because I didn’t know what he wanted he said, I’m very busy I’ll come back. The whole experience felt us dumbfounded. This happened again in the Ceviche restaurant at the beach. Waited and waited and went and asked for service, 45 mins later we left.
We also did not have tv remote, we wasted an hour and a half waiting for one.

Date of Stay: October 2025