El Dorado Seaside Suites

My wife and I usually don’t return to the same resort twice, but we’ve enjoyed El Dorado by Karisma Resorts over the years enough to come back and invite friends to join us this time at Seaside Palms. Overall, the resort has many strengths. The grounds are beautiful, the setting is relaxing, and the atmosphere is exactly what we were looking for during the holidays. Our rooms were comfortable, and the general experience met the expectations we had based on previous stays with the brand. That said, there is one important area where we feel improvement is needed: management of wildlife interactions, particularly around dining areas. During our stay, we regularly saw raccoons and coatis roaming freely near outdoor restaurants. While seeing wildlife can be part of the charm of a tropical setting, we also observed guests feeding the animals—and, at times, staff interacting closely with them. This creates the impression that close contact is safe and acceptable. Unfortunately, this became more than a theoretical concern. One evening at the Arrecifes restaurant, a friend in our group was bitten by an animal while seated at an outdoor table. Several guests witnessed the incident. While the situation was handled calmly, it left us feeling that clearer prevention and stronger messaging would help avoid incidents like this altogether. We fully understand that resorts in natural environments face challenges balancing guest experience and wildlife protection. However, clearer guidance to guests, consistent staff behavior that discourages interaction, and tighter controls around food areas would go a long way toward improving safety for both guests and animals. We truly enjoyed many aspects of our stay and would still recommend the resort—with the caveat that guests should be aware of wildlife presence and exercise caution, especially in outdoor dining areas. With a bit more structure around wildlife management, this could easily be an even stronger experience.

BOOKING We booked directly with Lomas Travel about three months in advance. I feel that we received a good rate with 44% off the regular room price. Booking directly with Lomas made the difference and we booked flights separately. Transfers were easy: I emailed our flight info to Lomas and was told we’d have a shared ride to and from the airport. Pro Tips • If your dates are flexible, ask about promotions. I was able to email back and forth with different dates/room types and choose the one that best fit our plans. • Keep all booking confirmations – print or take a picture of all transactions as you go along. ARRIVAL & TRANSFERS We didn’t check bags for our weeklong trip and honestly, I didn’t need all the items I brought with in my carry on. The last time we were in Cancun, we checked luggage and it took almost two hours to retrieve from baggage claim. Going through customs was super easy and took maybe 10 min from deplane to exit. Outside, we found a Lomas rep right away and we were directed to their transport area. Within 3-5minutes, we were in a black SUV and on our way. The ride was supposed to be shared, but I guess we got lucky. No complaints & we had a direct ride to our resort. Pro Tips • Skip checked bags if you can. • Look for the turquoise-shirt Lomas reps & don’t talk to the people trying to get your attention between customs and outside. CHECK IN At El Dorado Seaside Palms, check-in started strong: a warm greeting, welcome drinks, and no waiting. They found our reservation and told us we would get a free upgrade to the Premier Section (a newer, taller building right on the main drag near pools and restaurants). The offer to upgrade felt rushed, so I reiterated that we had booked beachside. Glad I stopped him because: What we learned: • The Premier building’s location = main drag. Great if you want energy and nightlife close by. • The room offered was on the second floor. While the rooms do face the ocean, there would be limited visibility of the ocean at this level. • The building is newer, so the rooms likely feel more updated than the older beachfront buildings. • For us, quiet and privacy mattered more than proximity to the action. We stuck with our original booking and were assigned Room 2901, a ground-floor corner in a two-story beachfront building. Older? Yes. But private, quiet, and steps from the beach and our favorite pool. The team helped us connect to the app and advised booking dinners ASAP (more on that below). Pro Tips • If offered Premier/a different section ask about view, floor, and noise before deciding. THE ROOM Room 2901 delivered on location: ground-floor facing the ocean, with a sand path to the beachfront walk and Bali beds (mostly first-come; more on that later). Décor was minimalist and looked a bit slapped-on with paint. A few hiccups at first—missing washcloths, mini-fridge not stocked, jacuzzi not working, and bathroom windows ajar (gnats and mosquitoes). Maintenance came the same day, returned the next afternoon with a part, and got the jacuzzi up and running. I ran bleach tabs with hot water for peace of mind. Housekeeping Housekeeping refreshed our room every morning without prompting and respected the door sign. We always had clean towels, restocked toiletries, and a tidy bathroom. On day 5, we saw one very large cockroach—only one sighting the whole trip. We tipped $10/day, and by day 3, the towel animals started arriving (four total), ending with two kissing swans on departure day. Turn-down happened daily between 6–7 PM while we were at dinner, with chocolates and fresh towels. For Christmas Eve, we got four macarons “for Santa.” On Christmas Day, there was holiday card and festive treats. Mini Bar Restocked each afternoon before dinner. We left notes requesting specific beers/waters; they delivered. Options included Dos Equis and Sol (plus Coors Light and Heineken if you want them—we didn’t). Snacks were two Sabritas mini bags (better than Lays, IMO). We tipped the mini bar team $2–$3/day. Pro Tips • Leave notes for housekeeping/mini-bar preferences; it works. • Tipping goes a long way to getting great service. • Close bathroom windows; no screens. DINING Here is a link to the restaurants We did room service a few times—usually lukewarm—but one night the spaghetti, ravioli, and Caesar salads hit the spot. (Day drinking helped I’m sure.) Breakfast & Lunch • La Sandwicherie (outside Mia Casa) became a daily ritual: handmade tortillas, taco fixings, and guac + pico from the nacho station that were chef’s kiss. Get there early afternoon—the guac runs out. I ate tacos almost every meal: beef, chicken, pork, with rice, beans, salsa roja, and salsa verde. The salsa verde? So good I’m trying to recreate it at home. • Mia Casa in the morning handled the breakfast buffet. Solid, reliable, no frills. Beach BBQ Bliss • Frontera Beach BBQ was a highlight: ribs, chicken, nachos, hot dogs, burgers—grilled right by the ocean. The ribs were excellent and we loved the quiet area. Dinner & Reservations Three spots required reservations: Mexican, Asian (Klay Talay), and Italian. Our concierge Emelio was fantastic—he got us three nights despite most prime times being booked and pinged us via WhatsApp when openings popped up. • Klay Talay (Asian): our favorite; we ate there twice – sushi, rolls & wok. • Italian: good, but tacos still had my heart. Walk-ins and tapas filled the gaps—plenty of variety. Pro Tips • Meet the concierge early; provide a WhatsApp number for updates. • Don’t sleep on Frontera BBQ—best post-beach meal. • Klay Talay (Asian) is a must POOLS, BARS & BEACH Main Pool (Arrecifes Swim Up Bar) The party pool—loud, somewhat crowded, Bali beds claimed at dawn. We walked through but didn’t swim. If you love energy and social vibes, it’s your spot. Not ours. Quiet Square Pool Between La Carreta and Mia Casa, right by the ocean. Many Bali beds available even late morning, no swim-up bar, and sunny all day with a great breeze. Adjacent hot tub was heated but I have heard that is not always the case. Gaviotas Pool Our favorite. A swim up bar, a mix of shade and sun, and Bali beds are usually available even later in the morning. Janett, the bartender, was excellent—friendly and wanted to get to know you. It’s next to the swim up suites (buildings 41–38) but open to everyone. We met a few folks here and liked the laid back vibe. We preferred the Bali beds under the canopy—firmer mattresses, better rain protection and drinks at arm’s length. Frontera Beach Discovered on day 3 and instantly became our beach. Natural coconut canopies shade many loungers for a private, exclusive feel, with a line of Bali beds facing the ocean. Beds go early and are first come, except one reservable. The vibe was chill, music low, and the bartender made rounds and brought drinks. We tipped $1/drink. Pro Tips • Gaviotas for chill + swim up bar; ask for Janett. • Frontera for the most private-feeling beach setup. • If you need sun + breeze, the Quiet Square Pool is your friend. Grounds • The grounds are lush and beautifully maintained. Mature palms, ground ivy, and sand paths connect everything, with sidewalks for easy navigation. The grounds crew works constantly—picking up debris, trimming palms, and removing coconuts (though a few fall naturally). Wildlife adds charm: coatis, raccoons, iguanas, anoles, squirrels, a couple of cats, and those large guinea pig-like critters (agoutis). We loved watching a family of coatis near Frontera Beach. The beach is private, with occasional cigar or hat vendors who don’t bother you. Water can be rocky in spots—bring water shoes. BALI BEDS & LOUNGERS Don’t reserve a Bali bed. Not worth it. On our last day, we rented the one reservable bed at Frontera for $117 USD. For that, a butler set it up with towels/reserved sign, brought a cooler with mini-bar staples, a bottle of wine, and a fruit basket—which was… odd. Whole apples, bananas, a couple strawberries, and small yellow pear-like fruits with seeds. I expected a tropical platter; this felt cheap. Great photo though! Like most places, the Bali beds are first come, first served. If you want one, get up around 7 AM and claim it. Elsewhere along the middle beach, some beds are reservable, with tiered pricing depending on service/snacks—less private but great views. Pro Tips • First come beats reservation: arrive early and save your money. • Canopy beds have firmer mattresses and rain cover—we preferred them. • Loungers under coconut canopies are comfy, but back issues may prefer beds. MEMBERSHIP SPIEL (Exotic Travelers) This was a hot topic among guests; we met a couple who signed up. Our offer: ~$15,000 for Sapphire, $5,000 upfront or 30% down, then ~$350/month for 36 months. Benefits included “upgraded rooms,” “exclusive perks,” and “discounts,” with blackout dates and not as much in fine print so it felt like a shady deal. We did run a few searches and saw quite a few negatives, particularly that benefits can change and the math doesn’t pencil out for many. Fernando, our presenter, was lovely and showed us parts of the resort we wouldn’t otherwise see. The closer, Jeanette, turned on the hard sell—lots of variations to get us to “just sign something” for savings later. We declined. After we finally begged off, we were given Naay Spa certificates for two 50 minute relaxing massages. Pro Tips • Research Exotic Travelers thoroughly before signing. • If you’re not interested, say no early and reclaim your vacation time. • If you accept a spa certificate, read the fine print and photograph it. SPA (Naay) & THE FINE PRINT The spa itself is serene, professional, and easy to book. They frequently offer specials, and reps roam the resort pitching deals. Across the board—not just the spa—most transactions don’t include paper receipts, and there’s an undercurrent of upcharges/bait and switch. Take photographs of receipts whenever possible. Our certificate said, “must present at time of service.” We booked 50 minute deep tissue (not “relaxing”) and didn’t bring the paper. At checkout, it turned into a headache—front desk called the spa and went back and forth to honor it. The difference was 40 pesos per massage; we paid 80 pesos total—but only after standing firm. Not the smoothest end when your airport ride is waiting. Pro Tips • Book exactly what’s on the certificate; bring the paper and a photo. • Expect upsell attempts; politely decline what you don’t want. • Take photos of every receipt/charge; most are paperless. WHO DOES WHAT (It’s a Multi Company Resort) It took a minute to decode: • Lomas Travel: airport transfers and offsite excursions. • El Dorado: hotel staff (concierge, butlers, housekeeping, bell service, chefs, bartenders). • Exotic Travelers: membership sales; if you sign and later try booking with Lomas, they may redirect you to Exotic. • Naay Spa: spa services and promotions. Pro Tips • Know who you’re dealing with for each service. • Keep names + photos of offers/receipts to avoid confusion at checkout. DEPARTURE Give yourself at least 45 minutes before your transfer arrives to settle the bill and clarify charges. Expect one last pitch (we got a $500 coupon offer). Stay polite; keep your wits. We booked Lomas transfers, and it was smooth. The day before, we scheduled bell service to pick up our bags from the room and drive us to reception. Don’t skip this, it simplifies everything. Our ride back was a shared mini bus, scheduled to stop at El Dorado Royale, Generations, Maroma Beach, and possibly Nickelodeon—but no one else boarded, so we enjoyed a private ride to the airport. On arrival, a Lomas rep walked with us all the way inside to our airline counter, handled our bags, and ensured a smooth handoff. Unexpected and excellent. Pro Tips • Bell service the day before = stress free checkout. • Photograph your final bill and any certificates. • At the airport, look for Lomas reps—they’ll escort you. ________________________________________ FINAL THOUGHTS Would we return? **Yes—**with realistic expectations. The resort shines in service, food variety, and location. Rooms in older buildings could use a facelift, and the membership pitch is a buzzkill, but overall, we had a relaxing, well-fed week with standout moments (Gaviotas pool, Frontera beach BBQ, Klay Talay, and the above and beyond Lomas airport handoff). ________________________________________ Pros & Cons (Quick Look) Pros • Excellent Lomas booking rate and smooth transfers • Housekeeping and turn down are consistent and thoughtful • La Sandwicherie, Frontera BBQ, and Klay Talay shine • Gaviotas pool vibe + Janett (bartender) • Frontera beach canopies feel private and relaxing Cons • Older rooms feel basic/dated; initial maintenance hiccups • Membership hard sell; benefits/fine print feel shifty • Paperless receipts + occasional upcharges require vigilance • Main pool scene can be too loud/crowded for some

Lovely food and plenty of choice. Nice staff. Alex served us and he was so friendly and attentive. Back for breakfast tomorrow

The good: food was good, especially Mexican. The room service and house keeping was excellent, Antiono took care of us as dis the swim up bar. You can not throw a rock without hitting another bar. The rooms were dated but comfortable. The bad: any other restraunt that took reservations was always full, the excursion extras were also full or got cancelled, the concierge was unhelpful or non-existent as was the travel people. Stood in line for a very long time trying to get return airport travel scheduled. Additionally the birds were aggressive.. people need to stop feeding them! All in all it was good for the cost.

We had such an amazing time at el dorado seaside palms. Our room was spacious and clean with great access to the beach. The beach was clean and tidy, with workers working around the clock to keep the beach and resort tidy. We never had a bad meal at any of the restaurants included, all the drinks we had were delicious. Staff were fantastic and so helpful. We loved the included tours with more inclusive. Highly recommend this resort and would return.