El Dorado Royale by Karisma

So we decided to return once again (13th time) to Mexico and when there the gold standard has always to date been El Dorado Royale. Excellent accomodation, first class food and drink, well maintained grounds and plenty of Bali beds to relax the day away so we were really looking forward to it even if we had to fly TUI (😫). But the reality soon kicked in on arrival where, unlike on past visits, we were not met with a drink and cool towel before being taken to be booked in but we're basically left to find our own way. We were then taken, as usual, to our room via golf cart. Being early evening by then and with the now imposed booking restaurants via your concierge (which was closed) we were lucky that we were able to find a restaurant (Mediterranean) who could take us. First word of warning - Mediterranean is an extremely cold restaurant so wrap up before you enter. Ok so new day reasonable sleep and off to get ourselves sorted. Visit to concierge to plan restaurants for at least first few days - no great issue but considering the place was apparently only 35% full seemed a bit unnecessary. Cocotal for breakfast - on first appearance nothing had changed then we noticed no antiseptic gel on reception, limited fruit choices (no berries any longer) bread a little stale, hot food not refreshed so often had to either try and catch staff to ask them or wait. Now these might seem to many to be small points but they reflect the "new" Royale - small corners being cut, money savings here and there things maybe a first timer wouldn't really notice but becomes blatantly obvious to any repeat visitor. But hey ho we came to relax so headed for "beach" and a Bali bed - and again another shock - many fewer general Bali beds available lots being reserved for Exotic club members or payable (in an all inclusive resort ?). We luckily found a nice spot just at the edge of the site by the Kick restaurant which we then occupied for most of the next 2 weeks - it gave us access to a very small sample of sea which unlike the rest had fewer concrete blocks - no real beach any longer has over the years been degraded completely - Warning number 2 - ignore the beachfront statements in the publicity blurbs there really isn't any form of swimmable beach. Also, and not a hotel issue, the amount of seaweed is overwhelming. This is starting to sound like a journal of a holiday so I will instead try and outline the good and maybe not so good bits instead. Good - food in most restaurants is very good, well presented, well made and well served - there are some exceptions. Staff are generally helpful although you will come to hate the word "Hola" 😂. Pools are warm and clean with a number of swim up bars although beware the main pool if you want a quiet holiday. Not so good - mislabeling of Vegan meals - a number of times we questioned the voracity of Vegan meals as shown on menus only to be told then that actually they weren't vegan. Drink selections - the variety has gone down appreciably and even when supposed to be available we came across a number of instances where they had run out - never know of in old Karisma days. Golf carts - the drivers appear now to excel in ignoring people who are walking whereas always if space would offer lifts - as an example we were walking after our meal from Generations to Royale in the pouring rain and were totally ignored by a number of fairly empty carts heading in our direction - really bad customer service. As I said earlier the number of available Bali beds has reduced appreciably with many being reserved (and on the whole empty) for Exotic club members and hire. No saltwater pool which used to be at least an alternative to the sea. Spa - we have always enjoyed an end of day steam and sauna but this time visited and we're basically told they close at 5 so we went earlier and found neither facilities were on and took ages to warm up meaning that we had little time. When I asked if they could switch them on 15 minutes before we arrived I was flatly told "...come earlier...". Lack of privacy - there is no privacy between the bedroom and bathroom no blind on the glass wall - we were given a blanket to drape over the wall - a real top class hotel solution NOT. Although grounds are still being well looked after there is a severe danger from falling coconuts - might seem laughable but the number of times we heard/saw one falling to the ground feet from a client shows how dangerous a situation it is. Staff are on the whole really nice people who try their hardest - a lady in Rincon was so helpful and caring when I felt ill providing me with hot peppermint tea both there and to take to my room BUT except for Cocotal at breakfast the restaurants seem very understaffed and the staff seem under immense pressure. Summary - if you have never been there before it is still, in the main taking the warnings into consideration, a nice place but for us, and I am sure most returners, a vastly downgraded Royale from the one we knew and loved. Would we return again - probably not now which is such a shame.

It was great. Rooms were nice and clean. The grounds were spotless. Excellent Food and Staff. Check in and check out was great. I will be back.

WOW! We visited El Dorado Royale for 2 weeks in August 2025. Overall, it was an excellent stay: RESORT: The grounds of the resort are 10/10 for beauty - lush, full of coconut trees, and impeccably maintained gardens; beautiful murals and art installations peppered throughout the resort. We loved the long walking path along the beach. Being a guest at Royale also offers you access to the restaurants at El Dorado Casitas and El Dorado Generations. This is not a good resort for people who love swimming in the sea, however the sand and relaxation areas by the beach are beautiful and is great if you're looking to relax. HOTEL ROOM: We booked a basic room at Royale (Luxury Junior Suite) and have no complaints about it. The room was clean (most importantly), the WiFi worked, and we had no issues. We appreciated the amenities - there was a safe, an iron, bathrobes, slippers, a mini-fridge (restocked daily with beer, water and soda), hair dryer, and bathroom amenities. FOOD AND DRINK: All restaurants are delicious with great services from the staff. We ate the most delicious fry/bake fish lunch in the Palm. SERVICE: The staff were generally friendly and attentive, creating a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere throughout our stay. Many team members went above and beyond, providing thoughtful service that made our visit special. However, there were some inconsistencies in service—occasionally, we encountered staff who seemed a bit disengaged, which affected the overall experience at times. Despite these few lapses, most of the team were eager to help and contributed positively to the stay. With a little more consistency and attention to detail, the service could easily match the resort's breathtaking surroundings. All in all, the staff added value to the experience, but there’s room for improvement to make it truly exceptional. We had exceptional service from: Alberto, Juan & Tanya (server at Spot, Kick, Rincon), Clemente, Joel (Cocotal), Andrea & Juana (smoothie-maker at Health Bar), Eduardo (server at Wine Kitchen), Javier (server at Santa Fe). The coffee and gelato shop (near Casitas) has the best coffee and Fernandez is great! Our concierge – Galilea, was very gentle & helpful. There are many more whose names we could not remember. Overall, our 2 weeks stay at El Dorado Royale was excellent and we would recommend it to others. The resort was beautiful, the food is delicious (most of the time), the service staff are lovely, the rooms are clean, and the amenities are excellent.

Recently went with 4 other couples and stayed at Royale. The staff was absolutely amazing, several went above and beyond. Joel at the Mediterranean Restaurant saw my family member in distress as she was needing to go to the hospital and her phone was dead. Joel immediately took his personal phone charger out of his pocket, handed it to us saying take this I don't need it - its yours. His kindness and selflessness was astounding. Alfredo in Cocotal has a memory like a steel trap and the most endearing air about himself. Every morning after our very 1st visit when we would come in he would remember all of our special requests from the 1st visit whether it was a special coffee drink or a side of something - it ALWAYS ended up on our table without us having to ask. He made sure you knew you were important. All of our butlers, Cuau, Fernanda and Ruben were also amazing. They were very attentive and helpful for any and all request no matter how small. Sarai even went into town to get us something that we needed that we couldn't get on property. Irene in the spa/manicure at the Casitas spa was an absolute delight. I was with her way longer than necessary as we were laughing and talking and just lost track of time. EVERYONE who works at the resort is always warm, welcoming and pleasant. We always leave cloths and other items in the room with a note for them to share with the less fortunate. We have been to the resort 3 times now and will definitely be coming back.

Low occupancy 20% and they still make you wait until after 3pm to check in . Was offered a room upgrade for $99 a night declined other guest were offer the same room for $35 a night . Safe in room did not work they came and fixed it right away . Breakfast at cocotal the waiters were always goofing off did not want to get drinks for customers poor service , food was cold always early in the morning when they opened later the food was warm to hot. Same food everyday tamales were dry and tasteless . Food was bad in general at all the restaurants so was service. Beach is not swimmable at el dorado royale . Our concierge Silvia called us on day 5 out of 7 we never met her . Not sure why she bothered to contact us since she did not provide any information about the resort or help us with anything . Went to El dorado maroma was nice we went to eat at the restaurant my husband got sopes and took 1 bite and was throwing up. The waiter seen him brought him another napkin and refilled his glass of water . The waiter said there is something on this plate the has a sour smell to it . We did not eat anything from the restaurant after that . Not enough entertainment during the day extremely boring and no good music playing . At the main pool so people were charged for the Bali beds and others were not charged . Would not recommend this resort to anyone . Our last day there we went to the Italian restaurant at casita there were 4 couples of head of us and they were all told they could not eat there . 2 of the 4 couples were upset that the concierge made the reservation they had to wait 45 minutes before they were able to get in after speaking with someone else concierge. We were there to celebrate a milestone birthday no banner on the door, no fruit or wine in the room , no decorations in the room or bed. No turndown services ..