Lorry Perkins
Writer, Travel Blogger
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Ocean Riviera Paradise Reviews: A Riviera Maya Resort Near Playa del Carmen
Ocean Riviera Paradise is located approximately 30 miles from the Cancun International Airport and nearby to Playa del Carmen. The contemporary style resort has 4 sections including Daisy for families with a kids pool and water park, Eden with direct pool access, El Beso, the adult-only section, and a Privilege, VIP section. If you prefer a smaller resort, this could be a nice place for a family vacation.
The Ocean Riviera Paradise resort is not too large meaning it is walkable unlike the megaresorts, but there are shuttles in case you need a lift. It is laid out like a small village, so you can easily walk from the lobby through the “town” to the beach. Along the way, in addition to the guest’s rooms, there is an ice cream parlor, coffee shop, small retail stores, and restaurants on either side of the wide walkway. It’s a smaller but very spacious resort.
Free Upgrade to Adults Section
We chose this resort at the time because they were offering a great deal and we wanted to save some money. When we arrived, we were given a free upgrade from the Daisy section (family rooms) to the El Beso (adults) which was fantastic. The rooms had air conditioning and a hot tub on the patio. We had direct access to the adults-only section and found it convenient to go to and from the lobby and the beach areas. At first, I didn’t want to like the resort, but the longer we stayed, the more its charms took hold of me. Ocean Riviera Paradise offers everything you need for a delightful vacation.
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The Ocean Riviera Paradise rooms had a modern contemporary design to them. The bed was comfortable, and the room was spacious. We had a jacuzzi on the back patio with chairs and a bed for lounging. This room was next to the adult pool which was convenient.
Ocean Riviera Paradise Adult Pool Party
This was the first time we stayed at a resort that had, what I refer to as, an adult “party” pool. The adults were having so much fun that the kids at the adjacent pool were probably a little jealous. The first adult party we experienced was the foam party. From the “shake your booty music” to the high-energy entertainment team shouting for everyone to join in, it was a lively and fun-loving atmosphere. We felt like college kids as we sat on the sidelines watching everyone get excited as the foam started to roll across the pool and laughing at the absurdity of it. A couple of days later they held a “pink rush party” featuring floating pink swans and an acrobatic show on the edge of the pool. Again, the music had everyone dancing in the pool and “getting their groove on.” The swim-up bar was always “hopping” no matter which days we were there, and the pool bars were a great place to meet people.
Daisy and Teen Kids Club
We passed Daisy kids pool, which is suitable for families with children, every day on our walk. If you are traveling with children, there are activities at the resort to keep them busy at the Daisy Club or the Teen Club. The Daisy Club for children ages 4 to 12 features a waterpark, playground, game room, and bowling alley. They have special activities including pirate day, eco-days, kids Olympics, music, kids shows, and more. For the teens, ages 13-17, the Teen Club features sports, games, and activities including a gaming area with PlayStation and Xbox, movie theater, board games, beach volleyball, beach football, and more.
Best Pizza in Mexico on the Beach
We had a favorite spot in the indoor/outdoor restaurant by the beach. We often had lunch here, then came back in the afternoon to grab our favorite table that was nestled next to the beach, but in close proximity to one of the best pizza shops we ever found in a resort. Continually throughout the day they made their own fresh pizza dough and baked them in an oven that produced the tastiest pizza we’ve ever had in Mexico. Between the drinks, the pizza, and the view, we couldn’t get enough. One day they had a yoga class on the beach where we were happily planted, so I peeled myself away long enough to join in the class…then I indulged in a cool drink and another piece of pizza.
Monkeys in the Resort
In the first few days we were there, we caught a glimpse of what I believe to be a family of howler monkeys wandering freely in the adjacent jungle area within the resort. Clearly, they were avoiding people, but we were able to see a number of them making their way from the tops of the trees to the lower branches quietly and carefully before they disappeared from sight. This is the first and only time we have ever seen monkeys wandering around in an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. Definitely worth the price of admission.
Ocean Riviera Paradise Restaurants
Unlike other resorts, you do not need a dinner reservation for the a la carte restaurants. The steakhouse was one of the most popular with a line forming outside at dinner time with a fairly long wait. The first time we went to the steak house, we decided not to wait in line and went elsewhere. On our second attempt, we arrived earlier and were seated in a reasonable amount of time. The resort featured a Mexican dinner gala in the square right outside of the lobby during the week we were there. In addition to the festive costumes and decor, they served delicious Mexican cuisine and provided entertainment with plenty of music for dancing. Another night, after dinner, we stumbled into a gathering by the pool with a band playing relaxing music and a fabulous spread of hors d’oeuvres and decadent desserts. We were full from our dinner, but we tried a couple of the offerings and were impressed. We didn’t order room service, but it was available if you prefer to eat in your room.
Almost every night after dinner, we walked to the lobby bar. Unlike other lobby bars, this one is air-conditioned. They made the most delicious lattes with Bailey’s Irish Cream that we just couldn’t resist. The theater features evening entertainment or there is a sports bar open from 4-10 pm, and a piano bar open from 7 pm-1 am.
While there, we were convinced to take a marketing tour for their privilege program. The salesperson was a friendly, but a persistent woman who offered us so many gifts that we couldn’t say no to the tour. One of those gifts was a gift certificate for an excursion which we used to visit Xenses. We booked it with an Apple Representative that we met in a prior year at another resort. While at the previous resort, he recommended an excursion to the Isla Mujeres which was one of our most memorable experiences in Mexico, so we valued his input. We had a fantastic day at Xenses, and we made sure to find him when we return to thank him for the suggestion. It was great to catch up with him too. You can read all about Xenses in my blog post.
The plusses for this resort include close proximity to the Cancun International airport (so you don’t waste valuable vacation time traveling to the resort), and Playa del Carmen if you intend to spend some time there. The staff was very accommodating. One pesky little detail stands out that I must mention though. I’m not sure if it was the time we were visiting, but we were annoyed by being asked every day and every time we passed by the lobby to attend the marketing sales meeting. I can’t recall any other resort where we were bothered by salespeople every single day.
We knew when we booked Ocean Riviera Paradise that it wasn’t going to be as great as our favorites, so we didn’t have high expectations. We wanted to get out of the cold winter for the week and spend time lounging by a pool and digging our toes into the sand while food and drinks were served to us. It checked all of the boxes. But that being said, we do have fond memories of this trip because of the adult pool parties, the pizza by the beach, and our fabulous experience at Xenses. However, I’ve noticed that the guests that use the privilege club have given the resort rave reviews, so your vacation could be a different experience if you go that route. In conclusion, if you find this resort is offering a great deal, and you are looking for a place to go to be spoiled and relax, this resort is a great option.
Book Your Travel
When traveling to Riviera Maya, we always book with our travel agent Jim Lucente. Rest assured that you will know the latest Covid protocols and will have the added layer of a professional that you can contact directly with any questions or concerns. I highly recommend that you contact Jim Lucente, owner of Lucente Travel at 412-299-7699 or email him at jim@lucentetravel.com to book your all-inclusive vacation.
If you prefer to book online, you can book here or compare reviews at Tripadvisor.
This looks beautiful! I wanna go!!!
What a beautiful resort! I appreciate there is a dedicated family section. We would likely travel with our toddler, and it’s nice to know we would not be ‘intruding’ on adults who came to relax!
after these covid times, I think this Ocean Riviera is the best place in the world to get a proper vacay. Looks amazing! <3
It was a long cold winter without a trip south to thaw out. The Ocean Riviera Paradise looks like it would have been an ideal escape. I love the idea of separate sections so that we could enjoy an adults only part of the resort. And a jacuzzi on the back patio would be perfect! Even if I would not want to be joined by a howler monkey.
Stunning! Viva Mexico!
This resort looks lovely, like it has something for those who want to be in a bit of a quieter spot (compared to the mega resorts), whilst still being social.
Sounds like the perfect holiday, your pool experience is sure to give holiday pangs to anyone!! Would love to explore Mexico some day! 🙂
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