Ultimate Guide to Ocean Riviera Paradise Resort
The Ocean Riviera Paradise Resort is a resort located in the Riviera Maya of Mexico. This all-inclusive resort in Mexico features lush tropical surroundings, and is located right on the ocean.
This resort is a family-friendly resort, but has an adults-only section for those wanting to relax or have a romantic vacation.
Before we begin I do want to say this resort is listed as a 5 star resort, but to be clear it is a 5 star budget resort, not a luxury resort, and that is reflected in the price. However in my opinion, this resort is worth it if you are not looking for a super luxurious vacation because you do get value for your money. Read on to find out all about this resort and if it is right for you.
Where is Ocean Riviera Paradise Located?
Ocean Riviera Paradise is located about 45 minutes south of Cancun in the heart of the RIviera Maya, not far from Playa del Carmen. This makes it convenient to take a taxi downtown to do some shopping, eat at local restaurants, and explore the culture of the area.
Resort Categories
Privilege
Privilege is the highest category of room at Ocean Riviera Paradise. If you choose this category of room, you will receive upgrades throughout the resort. The privilege rooms are in certain buildings located near the center of the resort which is a convenient location. Privilege level rooms have a jacuzzi on the balcony or rooftop depending which room you book.
My favorite perk of this category is the butler that is assigned to you during your stay. The butler can make dinner reservations for you, get you things that you need for your room, mine has gotten me medicine from Walmart, etc. They give you their number through WhatsApp so you can contact them, and mine also always finds me at the pool each day to see how things are going.
Privilege guests have special sections at the pool, and also at the beach. These areas come with drink service so you do not need to leave the area to get a drink. This room category also has access to the Privilege Lounge which is a special restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner to privilege guests. Privilege guests also have access to upgraded liquor with this category.
If you are looking for an upgraded experience for your vacation, booking a privilege level room is the way to go.
Daisy
The daisy area is the part of the resort for families. The daisy building has the waterpark directly in front of it and a small sandy area with swings and a slide.
The daisy buildings are the closest to the restaurants and lobby making it convenient when going to dinner. It is the farthest from the beach, but you can jump on the tram if the little ones are too tired to walk.
El Beso
El Beso is the adults-only section of the resort. This section is towards the middle of the resort near the daisy section and close to most restaurants. El Beso guests can dine at Blue Moon, the adults-only restaurant for breakfast, exclusive to this room category.
El Beso guests get access to the adults-only pool in front of the suites which often hosts party games at the pool, plus the other pools at the resort.
Eden
Eden is the last section of rooms at the resort. These rooms are the closest to the beach and have rooms that are ocean view. The location of the Eden building puts it close to the beach and 2 pools, but is the farthest from the restaurants.
Accommodation Types
Ocean Riviera Paradise offers an extensive selection of rooms and suites, each designed to suit various tastes. From standard rooms to luxurious swim up suites, everyone is sure to find a room type to suit their needs.
Just a note, children under 12 cannot be in the swim up or rooftop suites due to safety concerns.
Junior Suites
The junior suite is the general room category that is most common throughout the resort. This room type offers one king bed, or two full beds, with a pull out sofa in the living room. There are three different types of junior suites: the regular suite, a swim up suite, and a rooftop suite.
The swim up suite will have the standard features of the junior suite but will be on the ground level and have a swim up pool in front of the patio.
The rooftop suite will have the standard features of the junior suite but will have an upstairs patio that features a jacuzzi. The rooftop suite will also have an extra upstairs bathroom which makes getting ready easier because you do not need to share a space with another person.
Master Suites
Master suites are a one bedroom suite with a separate bedroom area with a door that closes, a living room area, and two bathrooms. This room is ideal for larger families or those that want their own separate space. This room features one king sized bed, and a pull out sofa in the living room.
Similar to the junior suite, the master suite has three different room types: a regular master suite, a swim up suite, and a rooftop suite. The master swim up will have the standard features of the master suite but will be on the ground level and have a swim up pool in front of the patio. The rooftop master suite will have the standard features of the master suite but will have an upstairs patio that features a jacuzzi.
Restaurants
Ocean Riviera Paradise offers an extensive dining experience for guests. There are eight different a la carte restaurants to choose from, each offering a specific theme, and one international buffet restaurant.
Amaranto
Amaranto is the international buffet restaurant. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. Each night the buffet offers themed nights where they showcase a specific food type. Monday is Hawaiian, Tuesday is Italian, Wednesday is Mediterranean, Thursday is American, Friday is Gala, Saturday is Mexican, and Sunday is Oriental.
The buffet has a lot of variety to choose from which is great for those who want to try something new, as well as little picky eaters.
Pez Vela
Pez Vela is my favorite restaurant at the resort. It is located on the beach and offers fresh seafood dishes. They are open for lunch each day and dinner certain nights. The menus are different for each of these.
For lunch they offer burgers, burritos, pizza, hot dogs, and similar items. My husband’s favorite dish at lunch here is the whole fried fish. Be warned, the head is still attached to the fish when served, which was surprising to me.
For dinner they offer a variety of seafood dishes. I like the croquetas appetizer and the fish bites for the main entree. They are so fresh and delicious and I order them every time.
A word of advice if eating here for dinner, wear bug spray because they come out in full force at nighttime.
Pez Vela Lunch
Pez Vela Dinner
Blue Moon
Blue Moon is the adults-only restaurant at the resort. It is open for dinner for all adults, and breakfast for those staying in El Beso. El Beso is a French themed restaurant and offers an elevated menu.
Since El Beso is an adults-only, upscale restaurant, there is a dress code. Men are asked to wear pants, shirts with sleeves, and closed shoes. Women are asked to wear smart casual wear such as a dress or skirt. Flip flops and swimwear are not allowed. It is worth noting that sometimes the dress code isn’t strictly enforced, and some have said they have been allowed to wear polo shirts and dress shorts.
Blue Moon Breakfast Menu
Blue Moon Dinner Menu
Margarita
Margarita is the Mexican a la carte restaurant. The restaurant features traditional Mexican cuisine from different regions of Mexico. If you love Mexican food, this is the restaurant for you.
Margarita is open for dinner, and sometimes breakfast. Ask staff at the resort if breakfast is being served at Margarita during your stay.
Margarita Menu
Sakura
Sakura is a favorite among guests who stay at the resort. At Sakura you can order sushi, but the main draw is the teppanyaki dinner. Guests can dine at one of the grill tables and watch the chef prepare their food table side.
This is a fun experience often with singing, food throwing, cooking tricks, and more. Not to mention the food is delicious. It is sometimes hard to get a reservation here because it is so popular. If you are staying in the privilege section, your butler can make the reservation for you. For all other guests, you have to line up in the morning in front of the buffet to make a reservation at 8:00 AM. Come early if you really want to get your spot at Sakura.
Sakura Menu
Route 66
Route 66 is the American themed a la carte restaurant at Ocean Riviera Paradise. This restaurant features traditional American fare such as burgers, onion rings, BBQ, and southern sandwiches.
Route 66 Menu
Steak House
The Steak House is an a la carte restaurant offering many different types of steaks and seafood items. The Steak House also offers vegetarian options as well for those who do not eat meat.
Steak House Menu
La Locanda
La Locanda is the a la carte Italian restaurant. This restaurant offers traditional Italian cuisine with some more unique choices as well.
First thing you receive is a delicious bread with balsamic vinegar and oil dip. This is my favorite part and I could fill up on just this. They offer some salads and soups as starters, the main course, and classic Italian desserts such as tiramisu and cannolis.
This is one of my favorite restaurants at the resort, and if you like Italian food, be sure to try it out during your stay.
La Locanda Menu
Privilege Lounge
The Privilege Lounge is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is only for guests staying in privilege level rooms. It is located in one of the 2 privilege buildings making it a very convenient option for privilege guests.
For breakfast there is a small buffet option with a larger a la carte menu. You can enjoy the buffet while waiting for your food to arrive.
Lunch offers sandwiches, meat skewers, and paella, plus appetizers, soups, and desserts. My favorite are the beef and chicken skewers covered in goat cheese sauce. They are so good and I get them every time we go.
Dinner at the Privilege Lounge is a more elegant affair. They offer pasta, chicken, steaks, and many other menu items. You definitely want to eat dinner here at least once if you are booked in a privilege level room.
Privilege Breakfast Menu
Privilege Lunch Menu
Privilege Dinner Menu
La Terraza Live Cooking
Pools and Beach
Ocean Riviera Paradise had 5 located throughout the resort. The first pool is the pool at the daisy section. This pool has a waterpark and a small regular pool area. The pool has a swim up bar, and a nearby snack bar. The daisy pool has a foam party each week, and often has games during the day that kids can participate in.
The adults-only pool is at the El Beso section. The only guests that can use this pool are guests of El Beso and Privilege guests. This pool often hosts games and has a bar.
The privilege building has a pool with a swim up bar. This pool tends to be the calmest of the pools. It has a section for regular guests, and a section for privileged guests. There is a swim up bar, and privileged guests can order food from a select menu from their chairs while at this pool.
The pool at the Eden building is considered the party pool. They have a foam party and a variety of different games. The pool also has volleyball for those who like sports. They have a swim up bar and a nearby creperie where you can sit and order crepes and waffles.
The last pool is the pool on the beach. This pool offers an amazing view. There is a bar close by at the Pez Vela restaurant where you can walk and get drinks.
The beach offers a sandy area where you can sit and relax. There is a regular section and a section for privileged guests. The beach area is small and is very rocky. I would suggest wearing water shoes, especially for children. It is not a very nice beach area, but if you are beach people, there is a nice public beach a little farther to the right from the resort.
Entertainment
Ocean Riviera Paradise offers various entertainment throughout the day geared towards different guests.
First for kids, they have a kids club that offers crafts, games, and other children’s activities. They also offer kid specific games at the kids pool throughout the day.
At nighttime there are also activities children can participate in such as dance parties, movies, and even a piñata party. If staying at Ocean Riviera Paradise, your children can find activities to do to keep them occupied and having fun all day long.
For adults, there are drinking games that are offered including giant beer pong, food and drink classes, and foam parties. There is also a piano bar in the lobby where you can enjoy music while having a drink, and they sometimes offer karaoke.
For the entire family, Ocean Riviera Paradise offers cultural shows, silent discos, silent dance parties, and more.
The resort has a full schedule of activities each day, and you can check out what is happening by downloading the app to your phone.
Wildlife
This resort offers a lot of different wildlife for you to see while visiting. The most loves are the monkeys. Each morning you can see many monkeys at the little cenote between the Daisy and Privilege buildings. We often see little baby monkeys with their parents which is very cute. If you have food in your hand, they will come and try to take it from you.
At the cenote there is also a crocodile that you can see in the water sometimes. There are many coatis in this area as well, as well as all across the resort. This is the animal you will see most often, and is often referred to as the Mexican raccoon.
The resort also has regular raccoons, iguanas, lizards, and cats. When we come we always bring a few bags of cat treats and give them to the cats when we see them.
Recap
Ocean Riviera Paradise is a nice resort for those looking to maximize the value they get for their money. There are many activities to keep you busy all day long, five pools to choose from, a kids water park, and delicious restaurant options.
If you are wanting a budget friendly all-inclusive vacation in Mexico, Ocean Riviera Paradise is a good option, and one that you should consider for your next vacation.
