Just Returned From Iberostar Paraiso Lindo 2/4 - 2/2/4 - 2/11

[lougatzo]

Hello,
I just returned from The Iberostar Paraiso Lindo and since I received so much help from this board, I wanted to return the favor. 

The trip to Mexico was very long.  I went with GWV vacations out of Boston.  I was at the airport at 800 for an 1100 flight.  Lots of hurry up and wait.  The flight down was 1 hour longer than expected due to flying into the wind.  On the way back it was 1 hour shorter, so no big deal. 

When you get to the airport, get ready to wait.  Hurricaine Wilma destroyed a terminal, so everyone was packed into one terminal.  Get through customs, get your bags, and DO NOT STOP FOR ANYONE.  People with official looking badges will ask you where you are staying.  Pretend you are deaf and GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR TRAVEL REP. (GWV, TEN, FUNJET, Etc.)  Everyone will try to take your bags to your bus and then expect a tip for taking your bags 50 feet.  Just find your rep and bus.  The bus ride takes about 40 minutes.  Everyone in Mexico is relaxed.  No one is in a hurry.

The LINDO is spectacular!!.  Some travelers in our group got bumped to the Maya. which is also beautiful.  The Lindo and Maya share a campus (that's the best way to describe the property).  The pool is great, but cold.  The bars and waitresses are great.  My advice is to bring almost all of your US cash in $1 (ones) for tips.  Tips are not mandatory and no one really bothers you for them, but they are appreciated and go a long way if you tip early in the week.

Restaurants:  The al'a carte restaurants are a great feature for an all-inclusive resort.  They are very good, but not out of this world.  The better breakfast and lunch buffets are at the Italian restaurants in the Lindo and Maya.  The buffets at the end of the pool are not as good.  If you are from a major US city, the restaurants will be very good to you, but nothing amazing.  Don't get me wrong, they are very good, but if they were stand alone restaurants in your home city, you probably wouldn't go back.

Tulum & Xel-Ha:  Great day trip to see 2 places.  Xel-Ha is the Mexican Seaworld/Busch Gardens.  Swimming with the dolphins is great here.  Tulum is like a mini-Chichen Itza.  Just enough since you are there 2 hours. 

Playa Del Carmen:  Not worth the trip unless you like being molested to buy cheap mexican stuff.  Blankets, sombreros, t-shirts.  If you do go, always pay less than half of the price they quote you.  Example:  Blanked quoted me at $120, I got the price down to $40.  Sombrero quoted to me at $60, paid $4.  NOTE: All the Cuban cigars in Playa Del Carmen ARE FAKE.  There is a cigar bar in the Lindo, they are real there.  The "cubans" in the Lindo gift shop are also fake.

Before you request a building/room, make sure the building is non-smoking or smokling.  Entire buildings are smoking or smoke-free.  Building 53 was smoking.

Dinner reservations: make them early in your trip and get the slips.  Japanese, Gourmet, Cajun, Mexican, Chinese, Seafood are very good.  Since there is no nightlife there (no casino and cheesy shows) I recommend early dinner and earlier bed, early rise to take advantage of the pool.

Pool chairs:  Pleanty of chairs, but people like to reserve the good ones with a towel early in the day.  This is not fair, but most people do it.

Leaving: again, lots of hurry up and wait.  The cancun airport is a mess.

The LINDO is one of the best and most beautiful hotels I have ever seen.  I heard people at the Paraiso Beach and Del Mar were disappointed with the food (Specialty restaurants only 3 times).  The Lindo is great great great!

I saw the construction of the newest Iberostar next to the Maya.  Open Dec 2006.  Rumor says it will be called The Grand or The Palace.  Adults only, no buffet.

Oh yeah, the kids:  LINDO had lots of kids, not too bad though. 

Weather: Low 80's all week, a bit cloudy, but no rain at all.

I hope I got everything.

[IB lover]

WE were in building 53 when we first got there and our room was non smoking. I think each row of rooms is either all smoking or non, but not the whole building.

[MikeOKC]

Thanks for the report.  I am returning this July for my 3rd trip to the Lindo and 7th to an IB*  They really do have a great experience.

MikeOKC