Iberostar – Profile Of A Family-Friendly Resort Company

Iberostar, the brand behind all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, and other countries, has both a storied history and a high rate of approval from vacationing families.

Grupo Iberostar has been around for a long time—its presence in the travel industry dates back to 1930, when it was founded in Spain under the name “Viajes Iberia.”  Now the leader in the Spanish tourism market, the company has emphasized moderate, steady growth throughout its history.  Grupo Iberostar’s hotel industry branch, Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, first made their way across the ocean with the opening of their first hotel in the Caribbean in 1992, and things have only grown since then. 

Iberostar Hotels and Resorts take family travel seriously—one of this all-inclusive chain’s founding principles, after all, is “ideal holidays with children.”  Overall quality is a priority as well, as reflected by the chain’s six straight Apple Vacations Crystal Awards for Best Hotel Chain. Since this award is determined by a survey of over 200,000 vacationers, many of whom are families traveling through their regular travel agent, it speaks volumes about the memories that these resorts create for their guests. 

Being an acknowledged favorite among tour operators like Apple Vacations and Mark Travel says a lot about this Spanish-owned company. Most of their properties in North America are large (over 300 rooms) and well suited to group business, with large buffet restaurants, large theatres for evening entertainment, and big public spaces. Several resorts have sister properties with different names adjoining them, allowing the company to market a greater number of resorts even though these properties share resources. And while catering to groups enables resort chains to keep their occupancy level up throughout the year, it can mean serious overcrowding over the peak school holiday periods.

Yet Iberostar manages to keep the quality of their food and activities program high at resorts around the world. The Iberostar website is designed to educate families about the brand’s properties in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Brazil, Croatia, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia and their homeland, Spain.

Because of their common language and heritage, this company catering to many Spanish-speaking Europeans operates several resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic alone. The Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort opened in Montego Bay in May 2007 and was the first of three Jamaica resorts — clustered together in the Iberostar way — to be built.

Pools, fitness centers, wellness spas, numerous water sports, tennis, volleyball, and nearby golf courses offer activity for vacationers who aren’t busy doing nothing on the beach or sampling food from the buffet or diverse specialty restaurants. The five Iberostar resorts in the Dominican Republic are all within close proximity to well known golf courses, including Casa de Campo’s famed “Teeth of the Dog.”

Guests at Iberostar Paraiso Beach, Paraiso del Mar, Paraiso Lindo and Paraiso Maya, along Mexico’s Riviera Maya, benefit from staying in a complex of adjacent resorts with unique individual styles.  The so-called Playa Paraiso complex has a common shopping area with local crafts and artwork, specialty restaurants, an ice-cream shop, and over and under-18 discos. The newer five-star Iberostar Quetzal and Tucan were built nearby in Playacar to meet the increased demand for this classy, full serice type of vacation.

Iberostar’s highly acclaimed kids program relies on the concept of “edu-entertainment,” or teaching while the kids are having a blast.  Iberostar’s program for youngsters ages 4-8, Lucy’s Mini Club, operates year-round with activities like painting, swimming, Olympic-style games, clay modeling and treasure hunting.  During holiday periods, Lucy’s Maxi Club opens up for kids ages 9-12, offering sports activities like ping pong, volleyball, soccer, basketball, and water polo.    

Daily all-inclusive rates at Iberostar resorts include accommodations, all meals and snacks, drinks and cocktails, room service, the fitness center, the children’s program, activities, nightly entertainment, and gratuities.  For more information or for reservations contact your travel professional, call 888/923-2722 or visit www.iberostar.com.