December 6, 2004

Iberostar Message Board

Hola! Still can't get back to reality. We just got home 2 days ago from what started as a 7 night trip to Iberostar Quetzal and ended with a 2 night stay at Paraiso Maya the brand new hotel which is the other half of Lindo. We got a note, as did all of the other guests staying at Quetzal/Tucan offerring a two night upgrade to the Maya which officially opened last Friday. The hotel paid for us to take a cab to the new resort and made arrangements through FunJet to leave from there on our departure date instead of Quetzal. Well, let me tell you, Maya was absolutely fantastic! We stayed at Lindo last year which was brand new then and Maya was being built. We thought then that it would be hard to beat. Wrong! This time we were actually the first people to stay in our room. Each room is like a small suite. I compare it to an Embassy Suites type set up but with more class. A seperate entry area with double closets, mini-bar, vanity and coffee maker that proceeds into the rest of the room or to the bathroom. The bathrooms have double vanitys and a whirlpool tub with a seperate shower. All marble. The beds are actually real! With box springs!!!! All the other locations are matresses on a slab. A very nice change. Still a bit too hard for my liking but way better then the usual. The room had a 36" t.v. in an armoire directly in front of the bed. The room then stepped down into an additional area with a couch, coffee table and desk with internet capabilities. This led to the balcany with a table and chairs and a hanging basket type chair. Call it what you will! I know most people don't care about the rooms but it is still nice to retreat to a room that is as fancy and enjoyable as the rest of the hotel. Most of the 3 floor buildings had their own small private pool which only the people from that building could use. You could of course use the main pools as well. You are staying at the best they have when you are here so you have access to all the other areas. Like Lindo, people from Del Mar & Beaches are not allowed. Even at the beach they have a great bar and snack grill that is only for Lindo & Maya. Each building has it's own concierge desk like Lindo so all reservations can be made there without having to walk up to the lobby. The lobby and entire entry area is air conditioned! You actually sit down at a desk to check in. Most of the shops were not even set up yet. The main bar area just off the check-in area is the most fantastic thing I have seen. You are inside a mayan pyramid. It is huge with a giant hanging metal sculpture over the middle of the bar. You have access to the bar from 4 sides. Like drinking in the round. Or square if you will. A couple new restauraunts have been built. A seafood and my personal favorite, a Japanese tepenyaki (sp?) table restauraunt. Outstanding.. I have two suggestions for the hotel people. The beach is great but at this property it is huge! If you are a diver and are staying at Lindo or Maya, you have a very long walk to get to the dive shop since it is all the way at the far end of the resort. I understand that a new Iberostar, Paraiso Palace is the next to go up next to Maya with a golf course and shopping mall type area and at that point a new dive center will be buit at that end. I hope so because it is far. Also, this was our fourth year in a row to Mexico and all have been to an Iberostar. Paraiso Del Mar, Cozumel, Lindo, Quetzal & Maya respectfully. The nightly shows are virtually identical at all of the locations. I found myself able to recall some of the lines and sing along or speak along with some of the acts. They were that familiar. It would be nice to change up some of the stuff. Anyway, if you can afford and have the chance to stay at Maya or Lindo, do it. They really do not compare to the others. Service is unbeatable. Another great job by Iberostar. We are planning another trip the 3rd week of March and we will be looking for deals on these two properties. They are worth the extra money.

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Iberostar-Reviews.com user and not of Iberostar-Reviews.com.