Neen's Paradisus RM Review Part II

neen · February 24, 2008

OK, so once we checked in, dodged the timeshare ladies, and met the porter who took our bags, we hopped into a golf cart and were driver to our room. The resort pathways are lined beautifully with tropical plants and flowersâ€¦definitely not a disappointment. And really, the golf carts a convenience, but the resort isnâ€™t huge â€“ def walkable in 10 minutes.

Accommodations â€“ We stayed on the second floor with a balcony facing the pathways, notthe beach, but it was lovely. The room looked EXACTLY like it did on the website so I donâ€™t need to go into detail and I didnâ€™t bother with pics. I will tell you that the rooms have an iron, ironing board, hair dryer, safe, and robes. The electrical outlets are the same as in the US so no need for adapters of any kind. The bed was a bit on the firm side, but we like it that way so it didnâ€™t bother us in the least! I didnâ€™t see a single bug the entire trip (Iâ€™ve been known to have a panic attack if I see any kind of bug in a hotel room). Oh â€“ its not quiet in the morning at the resort. If youâ€™re not a heavy sleeper, youâ€™ll probably hear the ice maker, the golf carts driving around, people, etc. This is SO not a big deal, but just be aware.

The Food â€“ I was honestly terrified of eating and drinking in Mexico because of the all the horror stories. I was very careful on Day 1 â€“ no salad, no fruit, no mixed drinks, no fountain soda, no nothing that traditionally is considered â€œunsafeâ€. FI on the other hand ate and drank everything in site and when I saw that he was perfectly fine on Day 2, I went for it. We proceeded to gorge ourselves at every meal and both of us returned home perfectly healthy and happy (and a few pounds heavier, Iâ€™m sure).

OK, so Lâ€™Hermitage is the French restaurant and is very good. It has a bit of a stuffy feel, but whatever. We liked everything except the Fois Gras.

Sumire is the Japanese restaurant and it was our favorite. We were seated at one of the outdoor tables and it was just a great evening with a very tasty meal. Definitely reco the beef and chicken satay!

Capri is the Mediterranean restaurant and it was also very good. It is located just outside the main buffet dining room and they keep the doors closed at all times so I donâ€™t think a lot of people realize theyâ€™re open for breakfast and lunch (without reservation).

Tequila is the Mexican restaurant and although we ordered half of the things on the menu, we didnâ€™t really like any of it.

Tequila is connected to the main buffet dining room. Both the main buffet (which was good) and Tequila have lots of windows facing out onto the TEQUILA TERRACE where most people have their wedding reception (us included!). The Tequila has drapes that can be closed so diners arenâ€™t looking right out at your party, but the folks eating in the buffet dining room will be able to look right out at your party. We didnâ€™t know this going in and weâ€™re not totally thrilled about it. Another thing we didnâ€™t know was that the Tequila Terrace is just an extension of the deck that serves as the Reef Grill dining area. This means folks eating at the Reef Grill will also be able to watch your wedding and reception from their tables. This was really not what we wanted, but they wonâ€™t close the Reef Grill from 4-6pm so weâ€™re planning to have white â€œcurtainsâ€ hung to separate the spaces so we donâ€™t have an audience! Perla and Elise said this wouldnâ€™t be a problem, but we have to pay for the material (no big deal). We are also going to hang paper globe laterns across the Tequila Terrace â€œroofâ€â€¦just wanted to mention that because Iâ€™m excited about it 

The Tequila terrace has steps right down onto the sandy beach. Though pictures make it look very secluded, thatâ€™s not exactly the case. On the one side, yes, on the other youâ€™re really only 20-30 yards from the end of the Paradisus beach section/chairs. For a before sunset wedding, there will definitely be sunbathers in view (though security is set up so none can walk past or thru the ceremony). Donâ€™t get me wrong, theyâ€™re NOT right on top of you, but if you were expecting a secluded beach area like I was, youâ€™ll be a little disappointed.