El Mangroove, Autograph Collection

We recently stayed at El Mangroove, Autograph Collection, with high expectations given the Marriott brand. Unfortunately, the experience fell well short of what we would expect from an Autograph Collection property. From the outset of our stay, we encountered a number of issues that impacted our overall experience. What was most frustrating was not just the issues themselves, but the lack of effective response and accountability from on-site management. Despite raising concerns early during our stay and requesting to speak with a manager, we were unable to do so until the day of checkout. This meant there was no meaningful opportunity to resolve issues in real time, which significantly detracted from our ability to enjoy the property. The overall condition and experience at the hotel did not meet expected standards, to the extent that we found ourselves regularly leaving the property for basic meals — not something you would expect when booking a resort stay. While Marriott Bonvoy customer service did follow up after the stay and offered points as a gesture of goodwill, this was an insufficient resolution and did not address the core issue — the lack of service recovery when it mattered most, during the stay itself. There is a clear gap between the standards associated with the Marriott brand and the experience delivered at this property.

I can not say enough positive things about this hotel. We stopped at the El Mangroove after reserving (and prepaying) at another hotel across from them, that was well below standard. We were nervous to pull up to the gate and admit we didn't have a reservation, but the gate guard was so friendly and welcoming and called the front desk and ensured us it was no problem to check-in. We drove to the front desk and instantly felt like family. The bellman welcomed us by name and ushered us to the checkin counter and introduced us to Patrick who listened to my story of what had occurred elsewhere and told us 'no problem we will take care of you". Then came the freshly made welcome drink and cold towels. It was my partner's birthday - and they went above and beyond. Management (Victor) happily approved a room upgrade (oceanfront -stunning!) and everyone went out of their way to welcome us. Beach is clean and sunset is amazing, very few vendors and they accepted 'no thank you' without any ongoing harrasment. They have a designated swimming area in the ocean so no need to worry about boats or seadoos. Pool is very large and not crowded. We were invted to attend 'happy hour' to meet the managment team and we were once again treated like family. The servers at the beach front bar addressed us by name (thank you Edgar) and we had a very enjoyable conversation with the team while enjoying a drink. We ended up cancelling our reservation for dinner in town and decided to eat at the restaurant onsite - well worth it. Live muscian that played French, Spanish and English songs in a volume that did not disrupt a conversation shared over a bottle of wine. Meal ended with the musician singing Happy Birthday to my partner with a complimentary desert with a candle. They have bikes and kayaks to use that are included in the price as well as excusions to surrounding areas that can be added on at an additional charge. This resort is a boutique hotel that should not be missed. Its size and handpicked staff, is perfect for ensuring personalized service and name recongnition. We will be back! As a side note - there was a large wedding party that evening and the music level did not overpower the singer nor was it intrusive to our meal. The rooms are very quite and we never heard the party at all once we were in our room.

A beautiful setting, wildlife everywhere while relaxing by the pool or at the beach - great for couples retreat - they do a great job of separating the kids pools from the adult pool. Peaceful and relaxing - However, Saturday and Sunday can get loud, even at the adult pool. The staff is amazing - Evans, the head of guest experience makes sure everyone is well taken care of. And I have to call out Steven at the front desk, a local surf master, He made sure we felt welcome from day one.

Overall, we had a good stay and a nice family trip - nice location. There are a few things worth noting for future travelers so you can go in with the right expectations for the value paid and expected. The staff was friendly across the board, especially around the pool and in the restaurants. You can tell there are people working hard to create a good experience. We also appreciated how easy it was to find chairs by the pool, and the cabanas are well positioned, especially if you’re traveling with kids or want to stay close to the action. The setting itself is beautiful, and we loved seeing iguanas around the property in the mornings—a fun and memorable touch. There’s also a pool table that turned into a nightly family ritual for us, which we genuinely enjoyed. Check-in was mostly smooth. We arrived about two hours early and were able to get checked in, but our room wasn’t ready yet which we were prepared for. We asked if we could be notified when it was available so we could relax at the pool, but were told by the gentleman checking us in at the front desk he would be “too busy” to notify us and that we should come back around 3pm. That was a bit surprising, though we ended up getting a notification through the Marriott app anyway and it worked out fine. A few areas could use attention: • The pool was consistently cloudy, and had a lot of leaves and debris despite staff working hard to keep up with it (blowers and scoop nets) • The area around the pool was very slippery—there were caution signs and staff squeegeeing off and on, but we saw multiple people slip. Something as simple as adding discreet non-slip mats could make a big difference • In the room, the shower handle was not attached and had a visible gap in the wall, and the blackout curtain was off the rail. We made it work given how much we were out, and I shared this at checkout so it can be fixed • We placed our trash can outside one day to be emptied and it was taken and never returned, which was a bit odd but manageable since it was late in our stay For food, it was pretty typical of resort dining—good, but not standout. The passionfruit margarita was excellent, and there’s an off-menu black bread veggie burger that was good. For gluten-free travelers, they were accommodating and brought out small gluten-free bread options at breakfast, but no gluten-free pancakes or waffles, which is usually a standard offering at similar properties. None of these things ruined the trip—we had a nice, relaxing stay overall—but they are details you’d likely want to know when choosing a beachfront Marriott property. We enjoyed our time, appreciated the team, and made great family memories. That said, we would probably try a different property next time in the area.

The hotel is nicely appointed and in a secluded location. For the price point, is a great value for the area. One thing to note for the owners, the about 1/3 of the wait staff are working against what the others are trying to accomplish, which is good customer service. The staff at the Matiss bar poorly represent the business. You should spend extra attention to how this can be fixed.