El Dorado Royale & Spa Hotel

4 readers found this review helpful

Absolutely wonderful, the perfect place to totally relax and be pampered. Must go for a Casita Suite though as all the extras really make a difference.
Room sensational, would recommend a top floor casita as no one can see in and you get a good view of the sea from your balcony and jacuzzi. We had room service for breakfast on our balcony every morning, it was always on time and delivered with a smile.
The restaurants were all excellent and we had no trouble getting bookings, it helped as we were in a casita suite and also tended to eat before 8.00 pm, from 8.00pm people seemed to be competing for a booking.
Make sure you utilise the spa treatments, we had a couple of fantastic early morning massages in the sky cabins. You are right over the beach and have a lovely sea breeze blowing across you.
The Palapa beds on the beach were great to veg out on all day, drinks, newspapers and food are all bought to you if you so desire. Swim up pool bars also great. Try the Health bar just outside the casita area. Fantastic smoothies.
The martini bar was our favourite spot for a drink before and after dinner. Lovely setting, friendly, efficient staff and great selection of cocktails and other drinks.
This is a really romantic getaway, if you choose to you can totally revel in each others company without any un-requested interruptions.
The jewellery boutique has some fantastic pieces that are very tempting and much cheaper than in the UK
We have been to 5 star hotels in several other Caribbean countries but not on a par with this excellent resort. We would highly recommend this resort for a perfect, romantic, get away from it all luxury break.

4 readers found this review helpful

This resort is fantastic. You must stay in a "Casita" if you like the royal treatment. Even try the "swim-out casita" for added convenience and direct access to the lazy river and on to the swim-up bar.
Food is top notch and the 24 hour room service is great. They are constantly adding new sections, bars, and spas. This was our 2nd time and we can't imagine going anywhere else.
The only reason we rate this hotel 9/10 is the beach area is not the best in all areas of the hotel.

7 readers found this review helpful

Went to El Dorado for my honeymoon, fretted so much over where to go and this hotel met and went above and beyond my expectations.
We arrived to be helped off the bus by the staff they got our luggage for us gave us a glass of champagne and an iced towel to help us cool down they we were whisked away in a golf cart to the casita section which was lovely and on the way there given a guided tour round the whole of the complex showing us where the bars and restaurants were.
Once greeted we were shown around our room shown how to use everything the room was fantastic it was huge!
We had our own personal concierge who booked you reservations for the restaurants not all of the restaurants require reservations!
Also there was a section in the concierge area where you can get DVD’s and books to use during your stay.
Ok so back to our room the bathroom was a very good size had double sinks a shower in the bath also a door that led outside to a private shower no one could see you in there it was set into a stone wall and was fab showering under the stars at night.
Our bed was huge and we had a pillow menu to choose from! Also we had a new towel art everyday which the maid did. The TV was huge we had a coffee machine to the Jacuzzi was filled when we arrived also we had a bottle of champagne ready iced in a bucket with wine glasses sitting by it .
The mini bar was fab had beers water and soft drinks and was refilled every day!
Our patio was fab we had a table and chairs and a hammock also we had our own double bed out there too our pool was just across the way which you share with only a few other casitas.
The beach was lovely and clean they brought you newspapers cold towels and drinks on the beach.
The restaurants were fab never had a bad meal had room service a few times excellent every time.
To be honest I could not fault this holiday and this resort and first choice were excellent we upgraded to star class which was worth it for such a long flight we had priority check in and boarding champagne on take off a three course meal snacks and ice cream during the movies fab and fab! Would advise this for everyone!

1 reader found this review helpful

We reluctantly returned to the UK last week after a wonderful 14 day holiday at the El Dorado Royale, it seemed far longer. Thank you all the staff who pampered us during our stay especially during the 2 days of Hurricane Dean! What an experience!
The food was excellent and the a la carte service second to none. Well Done! It was so good that we have booked to go back in April to celebrate my 60th birthday. The only problem was some of the weather but the EDR staff could have no influence on that!
Thank You and see you next year.
Margaret and Gordon, UK

1 reader found this review helpful

What a lovely place. My wife and I first came to Mexico 2 years ago when we stayed at the Moon Palace resort.
We loved it that much we decided to come back this year after opting for Cyprus last year, which was a huge mistake on our behalf.
This time we chose to stay at the El Dorado Royale resort and I have to say we were very pleased we did so. The complex was absolutely wonderful.

The swimming pools were brilliant, the food and bars were also top notch (recommend the Italian). We enjoyed our stay every bit as much as we did 2 years ago in the Moon Palace.
We chose one of the junior suites with Jacuzzi and sea view which was wonderful. The room was quite spacious and the beds were extra comfy.
The air conditioning worked very well and ensured that we had no uncomfortably hot nights. The hammock ... I just loved to lay on that on an evening with a cold beer.
In all the resort was a great place to be, lots of activities and some lovely little boutiques that my wife just couldn’t keep away from. We spent a lot of our time in the martini bar which provided a nice relaxing atmosphere.
The beach was nice, great to chill out on in the hot sun. The Health and fitness facilities were also great; we made use of these frequently.
Our only regret about this holiday is that we only went for 1 week. We wished we had gone for longer but there’s always next year.
This holiday was thoroughly enjoyable and we would definitely go back without a doubt.

The facilities are very clean, the liquor top shelf, the bar staff very friendly and accommodating but.......the beach is horrible. If you like to swim or go into the water you will not be happy here. Very rocky.
All meals are sit down and take from 1-3 hours to get through. Service is extremely slow. When you arrive you must meet with your concierge and schedule your dinners for the week. Most of the week will already be full if you choose to eat at 8:00.
More than likely you will not be able to get into your restaurant of choice and will need to settle with what is left. There is no place to snack while enjoying the beach and you cannot order "take out." If you choose to eat it must be sit down!
I like to avoid a schedule when on vacation. If you do not elect to stay in the Casita's, you must avoid a huge portion of the beach reserved only for those occupants. I will not ever go back!

We went to Mexico for the first time in December 04 and stayed at the El Dorado Royale. Both my husband and I are relatively well traveled and never tend to visit a place more than once (the world is a big place and we want to see as much of it as possible). However, for this resort we have made an exception and have just booked to go back in April 2007. We loved it!
The staff were all very friendly and helpful. Our room was a standard junior suite (although we have booked Ocean Front for our next trip) and was great. Our maid was fantastic, always left great towel models, and I fell in love with the turtle she made on our second day, so I kept it all holiday.
The food was superb, particularly in the Japanese and Italian restaurants.
The only downside was being sucked in to a free gift! If offered, don't attend - it is a group of people trying to sell time share and they keep you there for nearly 3 hours. Fortunately, my hubby is a 6ft 3inch giant, so when he said no, they didn't push us too much. At least this time, we know not to go.
We had several spa treatments, and even did the relaxing room massage, which is great. They come to your room, light candles, massage you and then fill the Jacuzzi with scented oils in the water and leave you to it.
We had no problems in reserving the restaurants, we were able to book everyone we wanted for the evenings.
Everything is designed for two and we can't wait to go back and laze around the pools. It's certainly a place, where the toughest choices of the day are which pool to laze around and what to eat! Just the way it should be on a relaxing break.

1 reader found this review helpful

This is a fantastic hotel - we loved it here and will be going back as soon as we can.
There was a lot of American's there (no problem with that) they were nice people and most of them only stayed for one week - there was quite a few weddings within the two weeks we were there..( I would choose this place if I was getting married again)
Rooms - We had a jacuzzi room Room (No. 816) and it was lovely- we looked over one of the main swimming pools and La Isla resturant. The room was kept very clean - Air con worked well didnt need to have it on so much as I normally do a there is one of tho's fans over the bed whiched worked very well.
Pool area's - There was two main pools one that was very quite and one that had a few activities going on through the day - but both were lovely with swim up bars. There were other pools which you could go in all had swim up bars - these were near the Casita - again all lovely.
Sea - when we first saw the sea with those very large sand bags in them I thought how ugly they look and couldn’t something be done to make them look more attractive - but I had to say once the sun was out and you were sitting on the beautiful beach with crystal clear waters and a lovely cool breeze, you just didn’t take any notice of them. apparently these have been put there since the Hurricane and will be taken away a some point.
Bar's - The pool bars were all very good and we always got what we asked for (Congac and diet coke. Ummm lovely) or a cocktail sometimes which again was lovely.
Main bar ( near Jo Jo's)- Again no complaints. All the stuff were lovely and nothing was too much trouble.
Martini Bar (in reception) The guy behind the bar there was a bit miserable - but once we said about it he was ok - Please try a Chocolate Martini lovely jumble - I also had a brandy Alexander - that was very good too. Oh! And a B52 - yummy - it is cold in there though - which I liked but few people found it too cold?
There was s health bar which open during the day (Near the Casitas) for smoothies and health drinks - you could get lunch there too.
Restaurants - You have to book these by the concierge (sits by your hotel block in a little open hut each day. We had no trouble booking any of the restaurants but apparently sometimes there is. My only gripe here was that we were not told about the theme nights.
Jo Jo's (Caribbean) - We had lunch there and dinner and we enjoyed the food very much (Try the coconut ice cream) the service very good.
Italian - we only went to this restaurant once (supposed to go on the last night but couldn’t make it) but I would of booked this more if I had know how god the food was in there.
Cocotel - Again the food was lovely - don’t think it is open for lunch - but you can have breakfast in there
Ia Isla - This seems to be the main restaurant.
Breakfast This had all fresh fruit, cheeses, meats yoghurts etc -lots of different breads to toast - You got a choice of cooked breakfast that was waiter service - lovely
Lunch - very Nice
Dinner - Very Nice
Fondue - we only booked this restaurant once and were glad we did as it was a different experience for us - there are about 8 different cheese fondues to have with varied meat and fish and to follow the choice was white or dark chocolate fondue or fruit compote
Japanese - This was lovely too we went there twice and both times we had a lovely meal.
Mexican - this was out least favorite - The food was ok but the waiter was very miserable. Maybe just an off day!
As a whole the resort was lovely and all the reviews that o read where they said the food was not varied and other negative reports well! All I can say is that - they must of had a bad experience or they are extremely fussy and believe me though I am fussy too and I though it was wonderful.
Tipping - no need to tip - (but it always helps) anyway, we did as we felt the service was that good the tip was well deserved.

We went to this hotel for our honeymoon in August 2004. This hotel to me was everything and more than i expected. The hotel desk staff could not have been more welcoming and friendly, they carried our bags to our room which was a honeymoon suite which was out of this world.
All of the staff even room service staff were so welcoming and friendly which you certainly do not get in the nice hotels in the UK!
I can say that the only thing we did not like was the reservations for the restaurant, you have to reserve a restaurant every night and you can only book for 3 days at a time which was quite frustrating, but apart from that we cannot grumble whatsoever about this hotel. This is a five star hotel and deserves the rating.
I hope that anyone else visiting this hotel enjoys it as much as we did.