Upon arrival we are greeted with chilled towels and our choice of champagne or a mandarin sour. We are at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraíso. Located on the white sugar sands of Playa Paraíso in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the property features all-suite guestrooms with superior 24-hour butler service and breathtaking views of the Caribbean.
Their honeymoon villas are especially luxurious, with oversized rooms, crochet hammocks, enormous bathrooms, a private plunge pool, double loungers, and high walls of greenery to ensure total privacy. Our bags are delivered to our room while we are taken to La Brisa, an elegant restaurant located directly on the beach, for a delicious lunch. After a short walk to the desk of our personal concierge, Victor, we are once again greeted with champagne, then brought to our room. Victor insists that his number one priority is that we enjoy ourselves thoroughly. The opulent suite’s beautiful view is of the Caribbean, less than a hundred yards away.
When we return to our room, after enjoying the beachside butler service, saltwater pool, and swim-up bar, a bubble bath has been drawn and champagne has been served. After getting ready, we walk to the lobby, where a pianist and singer perform nightly. The elegant setting has an Old-World feeling to it, and couples romantically holding hands pull their chairs close together. We enjoy our cocktails then walk to The Steakhouse, where the food is delicious, beautifully presented, and expertly served.
After dinner we return to our room, where another bath has been drawn, and the room is lit softly by candlelight. We choose what we want for breakfast before retiring to the bed, with its luxurious high-quality linens. Early the next morning we stroll along the beach, which is nearly empty, save for a handful of couples walking hand in hand at the edge of the water. They stop occasionally, pulling each other close for a kiss or warm embrace. The Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraíso has taken care of all our day-to-day needs while making us feel completely pampered. The only thing we focus on is our love for one another. — Noemi Smith