Geary Curtis
Very laid back. No nightlife at this resort. The resort was purchased by a large chain and is closing in January for a much needed remodel. Everything was very dated. Rooms are decent and spacious, but our leaked badly after a rain storm.
Listed as a 5 diamond resort. (Yea a few years ago)
Food was mediocre at best.
The "formal" restaurant was hit or mis, and you didn't know what they were serving until they opened.
Beach was ok.
Spa was nice and relaxing (ladies, if you go for a message, ask for a female masseuse as a male masseuse, apparently let's his hands slip inappropriately).
Most of the employees are awesome.
Waitstaff and front desk, bellman are all doing a great job.
M H
Room was wonderful, the staff was amazing and delivered true service. The only downer was the lack of diversity in the food selections, should of upgraded to their Impressions level.
This was an extremely relaxing environment which is the whole purpose of a vacation
Nina Smith
So glad that the bad reviews didn't scare us away!
We stayed at Zoetry Paraíso de La Bonita for 3 nights and it was exactly the very relaxed vibe that we were hoping for.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the congenial doorman Miguel who gave us a tour of the property and drove us (via golf cart) to our room.
It's true, the property is older and not modern nor super luxe and there are a few signs of wear and tear (e.g. frayed towels, spotted a few ants in the bathroom the last night, small leak under the vessel sink, etc.). However, I enjoyed the traditional aesthetic and found the place very charming. Everything was clean and our room (ocean view with terrace and plunge pool) was spacious and lovely! We enjoyed spending evenings out on the daybed, listening to the waves. (We did spot a few mosquitos but our Thermacell kept them at bay.) It's a small property and you can really feel that, but I think it makes things feel cozy and friendly; everyone, guests and staff, greets each other when passing by.
One dinner service was a little bit slow but besides that we had no other issues. If you are used to the multiple dining options at, for example, Secrets (sister properties to Zoetry), this is very different: there were only two nightly options (plus room service, though we didn't try that) but we were fine with that. It was nice that no reservations were needed and every night we were seated immediately for dinner (sometimes a short wait if you wanted to sit outside).
There aren't any options like a 24-hour cafe/room service and there was one night when there was no buffet option, but we found the food to be very tasty with plenty of choices, even as a vegetarian. They also hosted a daily tea time in the Library with coffee, tea and both sweet and savory bites.
The beach does have quite a bit of seaweed/sargassum and the water is not clear on this side, but the beach was very private and there's a nice long stretch that you can walk along. There are also a few docks right there with boats that you can charter.
The pool area was well-maintained and always had at least a few chairs vacant throughout the day. It was odd, though, that there were no umbrellas; stands yes, umbrellas no. They said if it was too windy they would take the umbrellas down, but we never saw any up in the first place. In addition to pool seating, there were lots of nice, airy common areas to hang out in. Manuel and José took very good care of us at the pool, checking-in frequently for any food or drink orders we needed.
There were a few activities on the calendar (yoga, crafts, etc.) but I didn't see a staffer gathering guests or leading the activities. Also, the internal webpage with menus/schedules didn't update very often, but we just checked the posted schedules around the resort.
One of the best surprises about this property is all the wildlife! Every day we saw adorable, busy coatis, a handsome peacock, sereques and iguanas. Sofia the macaw is a beauty with a spunky personality to boot! She squawks, flaps, spins, hangs upside down, munches on seeds--I loved stopping by to visit her, but it makes me sad that her wings are clipped.
I think the scathing reviews of Zoetry Paraíso de La Bonita are off-base and totally unfair--but definitely do your research so you know what to expect. It's a quiet, clean, cozy resort that left us feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Lynne Richard
Our suite on the second floor was roomy with two balconies- one off the bedroom and a larger lounging area off the living room. The bed was comfy. The bathroom was huge. Is it dated? Yes, travertine tile and stucco are “out” but it was clean; and I’m fussy.
We were confused with housekeeping- the bed was made each day and espresso cups replaced but coffee supplies and the fridge were ignored. Used dishes sat outside our door for days.
The “fruit plate” held only two very tired apples; we wondered how many guests had also chuckled at them.
Zoetry’s beach is unfortunate; in spite of frequent clearing the cove location holds on to seaweed and worse, lots of bits of trash; I just couldn’t swim in it. You won’t get the pretty blue Caribbean Sea view here. Pools are nice- we always found chairs where we could still see and hear the waves.
Drinks are weak unless you order doubles or ask for an additional shot to help achieve the proper proportions.
We had mostly great food with interesting variety. It would be nice if menus or themes were posted sooner, so that guests can plan meals and avoid two Italian (or Mexican, or Thai) nights in a row.
In general, service was outstanding. Front desk agents always had a smile and a “yes” for our requests, Manuel at the pool bar was impressively efficient and made sure guests were attended to. Victor makes a great drink. Our very favorite person was Ernesto at Kaax. He made our week even more special; he’s an excellent server with a terrific sense of humor. If I owned a restaurant he’d be the first person I’d hire.
So, we had a lovely time in this pretty resort, thanks to mostly terrific service. I know a remodel is planned; my bet is that the refresh will send Zoetry into the 4.5 star category.
M C
I am writing this review with a sad heart. I still have a few days left here but I feel I need to write this so others who are paying top dollar as we did, and haven’t arrived yet will have the chance to cancel and find another place.
If you have paid the extra $$ for the Impression side you will be disappointed!
All the extras it says you will receive are not true. This place is very understaffed and will be closing end of 2023 to renovate.
The phones in the rooms do not work, so no unlimited world wide calling.
If you want your fridge restocked you have to ask. There is only 2 restaurants open each night and the bars in the Impression side are never open. There are no beds on the beach and out of the 7 they have in the impression side only 3 have the curtains.
There are no loungers on the impression side anywhere!! And only 15 in total on the beach which anyone staying here can use.
Your bottle of wine you’re supposed to get each day doesn’t show up in your room unless you request it and still sometimes it doesn’t arrive. If you’re a beach lover and ocean swimmer do not expect to be able to enjoy this as the ocean in very dirty and brown here most days.
If I want a drink I mostly goto main bar myself (only one open) to get my drinks so I can make sure they are made right. The library bar does open at 5 pm.
Sometimes there are premium liquors and sometimes not.
I did finally complain and speak to the manager who said they would put loungers and umbrella on beach for us by impression side but that never happened.
The employees here all talk and are not impressed that we are not happy.
But I do wanna say thank you to Carlos and Eddy! You are wonderful people!!!
Our complaints are nothing against you, and we know you do your best everyday with what you have to work with.
I would never recommend this place to anyone! Hopefully after they renovate and reopen next year they will raise their standards.
The one bedroom with plunge pool room is very beautiful. This is they only thing that didn’t disappoint.
4.4
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