Ocean Riviera Paradise - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

16550 reviews

• 

  Very average and in need of modernisation

  This is our fourth trip to Mexico in the past ten years, and we’ve also stayed at some of the best resorts in Europe, including several in Turkey as well as Ikos and Sani in Greece. We know what genuinely high-end resorts look and feel like — so view this review with that context in mind. The layout of the hotel is the first disappointment. The resort is a long, narrow rectangle, which means the beachfront is small and very few rooms have a sea view. In reality, there are probably only around 15 rooms in the entire place with anything resembling a proper view — everything else faces internal walkways, trees, or concrete courtyards. A word of warning about the swim-up rooms: don’t even think about booking one if you’re expecting sunshine or a premium experience. Every single swim-up pool is in permanent shade, and in 11 days we didn’t see a single one being used. They’re also set against bare concrete patios with no atmosphere. It looks far better in the brochure than it does in real life. The design also creates another issue — the hotel has no proper bar area. The only real bar is inside the lobby/reception, while the evening entertainment is held outside in the central square with no outdoor bar at all. There is a sports bar, but it doesn’t open until 4pm and is almost entirely focused on American sports — so forget about watching football there. The beach is small and not particularly enjoyable. It’s also extremely rocky to enter the sea, which clearly puts many guests off going in — and it’s something the hotel could easily improve, but hasn’t. The hotel itself is old — very old — and nowhere near a genuine 5-star resort. At best, it’s a tired 4-star, and in reality it feels much closer to 3-star. We initially checked into a Privilege land-facing room with two queen beds and a sofa bed. Our room number mysteriously changed during check-in and we were moved to a ground-floor room instead of the first-floor room we’d originally been assigned. The room was dark, damp, and overlooked trees, with a balcony that never saw the sun. The furniture was worn and dated, and for the price paid it was a real disappointment. By the next morning it was obvious we couldn’t spend 11 nights crammed in as a family of four, so after a lot of negotiation we upgraded to room 4371 — one of the handful of rooms with a genuine sea view. The room was better, with a separate lounge and bedroom, but still felt dated. The bed frame creaked badly, the mattress was tired, and despite asking for proper bedding for the kids, they were only given thin, itchy blankets. Considering the upgrade cost an extra $1,500 USD on top of an already expensive stay, the value simply wasn’t there. To make matters worse, even though this was peak season — and given what we were paying — we had to put up with the adjacent room being refurbished while we were staying there. The smell of paint and chemicals coming through was awful and completely unacceptable in a so-called premium room. We also had to deal with staff using petrol leaf blowers at around 9:30pm, which is a ridiculous time to be running loud maintenance equipment in a family resort. It completely breaks the evening atmosphere and shows a lack of consideration for guests trying to relax or get children to sleep. We did have a butler through the Privilege service, and to be fair they handled all our restaurant bookings — which matters, because without that you have to queue every morning just to reserve dinner. That alone says a lot about how poorly the system is run. The Privilege restaurant was one of the few positives: the food there was generally good and the service more consistent than elsewhere. Sunloungers were another low point. They’re cheap plastic beds, several cracked or broken, and the hotel makes no effort to stop towel-reservation. People were reserving beds before going to sleep, and by 6am most were already “claimed”, with staff ignoring it completely. The same lack of care showed elsewhere — rubbish left in corridors, and at one point a dirty nappy beside a lounger that multiple staff members simply walked past until we reported it. Food across the main restaurants is repetitive and fairly uninspired. We walked out of the Italian restaurant after 30 minutes without being served. Drinks service was wildly inconsistent — sometimes fine, sometimes staff simply couldn’t be bothered. At one restaurant I was told the only drinks available were Coke and Sprite, despite having been served ginger ale and zero-alcohol beer elsewhere on multiple days. Even basic orders rarely arrived correctly. We also paid extra for the Christmas dinner, which was frustratingly only sold as a package that had to include a bottle of wine — even though we don’t drink. There was no option to remove or substitute it, so we paid for something we neither wanted nor used. Yet again, it felt like upsell over guest experience. The gym was fine in the sense that it was open 24/7, but all of the equipment was old and badly in need of replacement. The spa was worse — a complete let-down. Even with Privilege status you’re only allowed 30 minutes of access, which is absurd compared with other resorts where spa facilities are included and unlimited. In truth, after using it once we wouldn’t have wanted to go back anyway: a freezing cold pool, worn-out steam and sauna rooms, and a generally neglected feel throughout. If you’re in a beach-facing room, be aware that for some reason the staff drag all the collected seaweed up to the area by the volleyball court — directly in front of the rooms. It smells awful and again feels like poor planning and zero consideration for guests paying a premium for those rooms. For families, Route 66 was decent and the kids enjoyed it, and bowling being free was a nice touch. But again, corners were cut. The pool table cost $2 a game, every cue was damaged, and the table felt had a large tear that had just been glued down. The arcade was worse — machines that looked 15–20 years old, also $2 a go, and even our kids didn’t want to go back. Overall, this hotel leans heavily on its glossy marketing and “5-star” branding, but the reality doesn’t match the price. Ageing rooms, weak service, poor maintenance, bleak swim-up rooms, renovation fumes, late-night noise, dated facilities, and a general lack of care all add up. Yes — there are a few bright spots — but nowhere near enough to justify the cost. We won’t be returning, and I wouldn’t recommend this resort to anyone expecting true luxury or even a well-run 4-star experience.

  Dec 29, 2025
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  Won’t come back

  Honest review from someone who isn’t usually a “review person.” We stayed at Ocean Riviera Paradise (all-inclusive) from **Dec 23–29**. We booked **two rooms** for our family of six, and the total **before taxes was about $6,500**. **Arrival/Check-in:** Once we landed in Cancún, we found the *free* shuttle to Playa del Carmen easily (about a **50-minute drive**)—but you **do have to reserve it in advance**. Check-in was smooth, and we were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to an **El Beso swim-out suite**. Staff were friendly and helpful, especially with getting us oriented and getting luggage to our room. **Food & reservations:** We quickly realized most of the restaurants require **reservations**, so we ate at the buffet the first night. Honestly, it was a **2/10**—not good at all. The property itself is beautiful, though, and we ended the night with ice cream and a walk around the grounds. The next morning started strong: **excellent lattes** at Mike’s Coffee & Tea House and good pastries. We spent the day at the beach/pools and ate lunch at Pez Vela. It was better than the buffet, but still nothing to rave about. Overall, we were shocked by how poor the **food and alcohol** options were for an “all-inclusive.” The beer they serve (a version of Dos Equis) tasted nothing like what we’re used to—more like a bargain light beer. Most of the liquor brands were unfamiliar, and even **Jose Cuervo was considered “premium” with an extra charge.** Trying to book the “fine dining” restaurants was frustrating—the app is clunky, and it was difficult to find reservations for a party our size, especially with two rooms. **Beach vendors/excursions/transportation:** We were approached and hassled on the beach a lot. We also booked an excursion that was disappointing—it basically took us to what felt like a trash dump and called it a cenote. The snorkeling part was awesome, but on the way back the boat **broke down**. When I tried to leave the resort for better food, the resort taxi quoted me **$110 round trip**. I ended up using an app called **iDrive**, which was about **three times cheaper**. **Best part of the trip:** We ate off-site **3 out of 6 nights** in **Playacar** (about 25 minutes away) and the food and drinks were **amazing**—honestly the highlight of our week. **Final straw:** On our last night, I called “all-inclusive room service” to order a pizza and was told it would be an extra charge after 10 PM… so I hung up. **Shout-out:** Luis, the bartender at the kids pool, was the best bartender we had all week. **Bottom line:** The resort is **gorgeous**, and the staff were generally kind, but for what we paid, the food, drinks, and reservation system were a huge letdown. I wouldn’t stay here again for the price.

  Dec 28, 2025
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  Amazing Experience team!

  Amazing Experience Team! The experience team at Ocean Riviera Paradise has been one of the best parts of our stay! The daytime pool games are so much fun, and the nightlife events keep the energy going every night. We genuinely look forward to seeing them every day—they are energetic, friendly, and do an awesome job getting everyone involved. We’ve even won 7 times so far during our trip, which has made it even more exciting. Huge thanks to the team for making our vacation unforgettable!

  Dec 27, 2025
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  The experience team is the best!

  The experience team at Ocean Riviera Paradise has been one of the best parts of our stay! The daytime pool games are so much fun, and the nightlife events keep the energy going every night. We genuinely look forward to seeing them every day because they are energetic, friendly, and do an awesome job getting everyone involved. Special shoutout to William, Vanessa, and Gustavo for making our experience even better! We’ve won 7 times so far during our trip, which has made it even more exciting. Huge thanks to the team for making our vacation unforgettable!

  Dec 27, 2025
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  Nice stay

  Great stay. Very tasty food too. Service was on point - really appreciated Ken in particular…great chat! The animals on the campus were a nice touch too!

  Dec 27, 2025