Need help choosing Resort for Wedding location

[lkamp]

Hello,

I am new to posting on this site but have spent the last week reading various posts and researching as much information as possible.  My fiance and I are currently looking for a place in Mexico's Riviera Maya to have our wedding in mid-May 2006.  We have been to the Riviera Maya before last May and stayed at the Grand Xcaret Hotel and loved it, the only problem is that you are unable to get married on the beach at this resort as there is not much of a beach area at all.  Also, about a year ago she went to a wedding at the Barcelo Maya resort and loved that but would like to choose a different location for our wedding.  Currently, we are considering the Iberostar Paraiso locations, as well as possibly the Palace locations such as Moon Palace and Mayan Palace.  I have a few questions and concerns, some of which may have been asked on this board before and if so I am sorry, as I said I am new and having trouble coming up with answers to many of these issues. 

I have seen several posts asking for opinions of which resort is better for children or this or that between Beach & Del Mar or Lindo & Maya but my question really is that out of all the locations: Del Mar, Beach, Lindo, Maya, Tucan, Quetzal, which one is best for a wedding?  The most important thing is that we are able to be married on the beach in the sand.  We will have about 20 - 25 guests, mostly adults and of course want them to enjoy their time as well but want to make sure that it is as much romantic as it is fun and exciting. 

Has anyone stayed at the other resorts I have mentioned that can compare the Iberostar locations to these such as the Xcaret, Barcelo, or Moon Palace?  That would be a big help for us as a frame of reference in making our decision and all necessary arrangements.  We have a friend who has stayed at Iberostar locations and does enjoy them very much but has never really been anywhere else to compare it to.  I have read many many reviews over the past week or so, and some are very good and say they loved their stay and can't wait to go back, all the way to they hated it and wouldn't recommend it to their worst enemy.  I realize you can't please everyone, and that we all have different tastes and expectations, but I would just like some very honest open comments and feedback especially in regards to having a wedding at one of these locations. 

Thank you in advance for any and all information provided. 

[mexicanbob]

First off let me congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials. I can't speak of the Tucan/Quetzel as I have never stayed there but I have been to the Del Mar and also Moon Palace. I was lucky enough to have a room in building #10 which is the only ocean front building at the Paraiso complex. From our balcony we witnessed about 4 weddings on the beach. Each one looked very nice with almost no noticeable gawking by other fellow guests. They held the beach weddings right in front of building#10 and beside the dressel dive shop because the beach is quite spacious there.

As for Moon Palace I was there in 2000 I never once witnessed a beach wedding, although the beach itself is very nice with deep sand. Ocean Swimming at the Moon Palace is probably less desireable than at the Paraiso complex because there is a lot more sea grass there. Both resort pools are very similar in the fact they are both tremendously large with loads of loungers. Some aspects of Moon Palace I preferred and some aspects of the Paraiso complex I preferred. The grounds at the Paraiso complex is far more beautiful ( in my humble opinion) than those at Moon Palace. What I did like about Moon Palace was it was easier to get a room with ocean view as the resort is spread out along the caribbean whereas the Paraiso complex is a narrower strip of land with less beach frontage. But I think if you e-mail the Public Relations manger Loreto Lazo at the Del Mar you could easily find that you will receive a very nice suite in building # 10, especially since you would be getting married there.

Now I thought the food at Moon Palace was very good but that was before I stayed at the Paraiso complex. The food at the Iberostars I found to be anywhere from very good to outstanding, Service at the Iberostar Paraiso in my opinion was also superior to that of the Moon Palace. The rooms at the Moon Palace were heads and tails nicer than those at the Iberostar Del Mar but even after saying that the Iberostar's rooms were not too shabby either.

One thing the Iberostar's do very well is run a hotel with customer satisfaction extremely high on their agenda. There are never any time share hawkers bugging you whereas at the Moon Palace they disguise themselves as guest services counsellors although not terribly bothersome.

I personally found the Moon Palace to be a little bit more upscale than the Del Mar/Beach, more like the Lindo/ Maya. There was a little more top shelf liquor and the lobbies seemed more upscale at the Moon. I don't think you could have a bad choice at either location. It really comes down to what is the most important factor for you personally. I hope this helps a little in your quest

[CoralReef]

mexicanbob did a great job of comparing Riviera Maya resorts. I've only visited the Iberostars on RM, but I've stayed at other chains, and I think you'll have a hard time finding as much value for the $ as at Iberostar. Bear in mind that recent reviews were probably influenced by Hurricane Emily. In May, you most likely won't have weather damage issues to deal with.

I would steer you away from the Tucan/Quetzal (really one resort)-- only because you want a beach wedding. This resort is close to Playa del Carmen... which is great... except that there are popular resorts on each side. The beach gets a lot of foot traffic. Unless you want topless women and men in Speedos strolling past your ceremony and showing up in the video, I would opt for the more secluded Iberostar Paraiso properties.

At the Paraiso complex, the Beach and Del Mar are basically the same property. The Lindo is more expensive and has more amenities, and the Maya is the most expensive and most exclusive. **All share the same beach.** If your guests are on a budget, I would opt for the Beach/Del Mar. I've seen a lot of posts where the bride and groom went with the Lindo or Maya, but the guests didn't want to pay that much and went with the Del Mar/Beach, so then they had to figure out where to meet up, and whether to buy day passes for the guests to come to the Lindo/Maya. The Del Mar/Beach offers a similar experience for a lower price.

If price is not an object for you or your guests, then go for the Lindo or Maya. In May, you and your guests may appreciate the greater access to A/C restaurants. But it's the same beach. A gorgeous beach, by the way

[almi50]

Oh!  I love this board!  I was looking for information regarding the Iberostar resort we are going to for a wedding next year, Lindo when I came across a posting that i just had to answer to.  And looking at other postings within this site it looks like I am safe in saying this.

I was a destination wedding bride at another resort but I found a great destination wedding coordinator that handles the travel and wedding planner in one shot.  And since she is not geared towards any certain hotel and I think has been to all, she can give you some honest advise to compare to.  I was ready to turn my brain to mush trying to figure out what to do for my wedding when I found someone talking about this company on a message board, Debbie's something.  So I contacted her and got all the information and wedding packages that I needed to decide on what I wanted to do.  Plus personal pictures her staff and she takes sealed our deal.  We have used her several times after our wedding for our own travel plus refer.  But this Iberostar Lindo resort we are going for a wedding was my maid of honor, so that was word of mouth.  You can check out their website at www..com and ask for Lindsay  .  I am not going to give out her email address incase someone on this board likes to send out hate mail.   ilkamp maybe she can give you a pro and con to help you out.

Oh, I am so glad I clicked on the wrong link!

See ya - Laurie   

[nkblondie]

lkamp,
I might be of some help to you. I was in your shoes about three months ago and drove myself crazy with all this research.
My Fi and I are getting  married 1/16/06 at the Iberostar Paraiso Beach/Del Mar and neither of us can not be more excited about it.

We have never stayed at an Iberostar before, we have always stayed at the Palace Resorts.  We knew we did not want to get married at ASP or "X", (one has a man made lake and the other does not allow anyone under 18 and we have a few teen-age nieces and nephews that will be coming) so that only left the Moon Palace.  The deal breaker on the Moon Palace was the beach and the beach alone.  I have seen many, many pictures of brides and grooms standing on the beach at the Moon Palace and all the sea weed just did not please me.  Some people will say it is not that bad but the photos alone were bad enough for us.

We looked at the Barcelona very extensively and liked the facilities alot, but in the end the Iberostar chain, and especially the "Paraiso complex" won us over.   We liked the idea of all four of the resorts creating one large complex.  It seems like they have something for everyone - from activities, to food, to entertainment, to just nothing but lying on the beach.  The Maya and the Lindo are more expensive and we did not want our guest to have to pay more for a nicer room. (Heck, you are only in it to sleep.)  From most of the research that I did I found out that you are still able to use most of the facilities at the Linda and Maya but you just can not eat at their restaurants.  I understand that they have more A/C facilities over there too.  In the past when we have traveled to Mexico in January, once the sun went down we did not need A/C - in fact some nights we needed a sweater with that ocean breeze blowing.  (But that is just us and I think you are looking at May so more AC options might be important to you.)

I have not spoken with the wedding coordinators over at the Lindo or Maya but I can do nothing but PRAISE Priscilla and her assistant Rene at the Del Mar/Beach.   They have been nothing shy of spectacular so far.
The Iberostar resorts do one and only one wedding a day, so you are their #1 priority ALL day, not just for your "time slot".  I have seen lots of wedding photos at the Beach/Del mar - both at the wedding gazebo located in the middle of the grounds and then on the beach.  None of the beach photos show "gawkers" in the back ground.  (That was my fear - a bunch of old fat men in too small speedos in the background of my wedding photos. YUCK - what a visual!)   We still have not decided if we are getting married on the beach or in the gazebo and we may not decide until we arrive in Mexico - who knows.
 
We did consider staying at the Lindo or Maya and then paying for the guest pass if anyone wanted to stay at the Del Mar/Beach instead because of the cost factor but in the end it was much more important for us to have everyone together instead of spread out and trying to make "meeting times".  (In fact, my travel agent has already put a request in with the resort to have all of our guests in two buildings right next to one another.)  We of course will not be near them - this is our "weddingmoon" for christs sake!!!!  Actually we are in an ocean view suite (building #10) and our guests are all in standard rooms - a few buildings down from us. 
 
So my vote is 100% for the Iberostar Paraiso Beach/Del Mar.  If you want to pay a little extra, or you need the AC or whatever, than go with the Lindo or the Maya but I would definitely recommend the Paraiso Complex - I know when we put the deposit down that we made the right choice for us.

Hope this helps you!
 
   

[lkamp]

Thanks to all that have posted info so far regarding this topic!  It has been a great deal of help in making our decision.  We have pretty much ruled out the Palace areas now, primarly Moon Palace, due to all the bad reports and postings.  Seems like its a good deal more money and not really worth it because of the beach area and other things like restaurants and rooms.  We have heard that their weddings are nice but we have decided against going there for sure.  So now it really just comes down to 2 different resorts.  We have decided on either the Iberostar Paraiso Del Mar / Beach resort or the Barcelo Maya Beach Resort.  Due to a lot of the feedback and other info it sounds like the Beach/Del Mar is the best bet for area and price in the Paraiso Complex, and is what we want want to go with for the wedding.  The Barcelo Maya is also a comparable resort that offers a nice wedding package and good prices.  Does anyone have any experience with the Barcelo Maya Resort or can you compare it to the Iberostar chains.  Again, any advice is much appreciated.  We are going to have to make a decision and book a place very shortly!