El Dorado Royale, a Spa Resort - All Inclusive- Adults Only

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

17846 reviews

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  Honest Review

  Honest Review Jan 29th- Feb 6th, 3026 Room 1015 My husband and I choose a different resort every year to celebrate our anniversary. This year we chose Eldorado Royale after researching and reading reviews. We are Canadians and very low key travelers. We booked the package via WestJet vacations. We indicated it was an anniversary trip and requested a king bed room. So far I am extremely disappointed with our stay and will highlight the issues and end with some positive points. Bad- Upon arrival there was no welcome drink or cold towel which is advertised in their list of ‘more inclusive’ features (not a big deal but goes to inconsistent service we have experienced thus far). There was a line to check in and the process took some time and we didn’t feel particularly welcomed. You will get a weekly activity print out however there is no information on where the activity is located. For example-bike tour at 930 but no idea where it leaves from. Room has 2 double beds even though we requested a king and it was our anniversary Soaker tub dated and lots of stains on jets so we aren’t going to use it. Garbage from previous guest(s) in nightstand drawer. Shower has black mold. Dark on pathways and difficult to find anything especially if you’ve never been to resort before. We noticed many quests using their flashlight on their phone to navigate pathways in the dark. As we just arrived there were no options for supper without reservations other than the pizza place by the main pool which only offered 4-5 choices of individual pizza. Nothing else on menu such as salad etc. Hard to read paper map they provide you and you will need to scan the QR code to figure out reservations for other evenings. We can’t find an app associated (maybe it’s just us) but we have to rescan the QR code every time to access reservations, room service etc. No explanation at check in that you need to see your concierge outside your building to book reservations as an alternative to the QR code. Can’t book all restaurants at one time for the week (3 at a time with QR code) and good luck getting anything before 9 pm. We saw our concierge and they were of little help. Told we couldn’t book anything else until Sunday as they decide that day which restaurants will be open. When we asked to book a day trip to Moroma beach we were told we’d have to go to main lobby to secure a spot. We went to lobby to book that however you can only book one trip at a time therefore if you want to go more than once you need to come back from your first trip and then you are allowed to book again. Mexican (Rincon) restaurant second night was the worst food we’ve ever eaten. The steak was a really nice cut however was inedible based on the flavoring they added (over the top pepper). Soup was extremely salty and very small portions. We left hungry and I was almost in tears because of how disappointing our first supper was for our anniversary. As other reviews indicated you need to wake up around 6am to put a towel on chairs by main pool to get a spot. We got up before sunrise and found a spot by beach which is our preference. We double checked with a bartender to make sure it was okay to sit there. After the gym and breakfast we went to the spot and were asked by staff to move as the chairs were for members only. There was no sign we could see. By this time there were zero beach chairs and zero pool chairs so we laid on the beach on our towels which was frustrating and disappointing. Nothing special done in our room for our anniversary even after tipping our room cleaner and mentioning it to check in staff. There is a strong smell on pathways intermittently which caused me nausea. The only way to describe it is propane gas, sewage and pesticides. We noticed it was worse by pathways in behind casitas. I had to buy gravol which was 33.00 US at gift shop. Beach isn’t beautiful due to large rock installations however we knew that from reviews and there are small areas you can get in to swim which we did. You need to request (not sure how yet) to have mini fridge restocked. We ran out of water so we requested via the QR code app and it never got done. After numerous attempts to call front desk and room service phone numbers (no answer) literally no one picks up the phone. By 9pm we walked to front desk and we were told to go to the martini bar in lobby has cold water bottles. We noticed a pile of garbage (napkins etc) on floor of martini bar. Room service booking is disappointing. If you book breakfast at 8am expect it to come at 9am and cold. Both times we ordered the food was late arriving and cold. You can NOT get food at any restaurant and take to beach. We wanted lunch to have on the beach (one of our fav things to do at resorts). We waited in a long line at the pizza place as it was only one close to beach and once we got served we were told we had to eat it there and we were not allowed to take it away. Expect to wait in line ups even if you have reservations for restaurants. Lots of smokers at resort so be prepared to sit on beach and be in a cloud of smoke from time to time and cigarette butts in sand. Staff at health bar was very unfriendly it felt like we were a royal inconvenience. Gym has equipment which is blocked off with caution tape and there is no sanitizer spray to use once you are done using a machine. 7am is a busy time at the gym so expect to wait to use machines. You can hear music from pool, weddings and entertainment (base of music) in your room. We are very fit and enjoy walking everywhere but if you have mobility issues this is NOT the resort for you. The golf carts are around all the time however watch out as they drive super fast and you’ll get hit if you don’t pay attention. Some of the bathrooms/toilets by beach aren’t clean and don’t have toilet paper restocked. Coffee in main restaurants and room service is weak. Coffee shop isn’t open all of the days. Good- Friendly bell hop took us to our room via golf cart. Nice view of garden from room. Beds are comfortable. Vegetation and grounds are beautiful. Breakfast at Santa Fe is amazing. Supper at Asian restaurant was good however long line to get in even with reservations. Beach towels are nice and plentiful. WiFi is excellent. Drink service at beach was decent which we weren’t expecting to get served on beach so this is very nice. Room cleaned daily. Drinks are amazing quality Some bali beds on beach are free just make sure you aren’t sitting in members only area and you’ll have to ask other guests as we couldn’t find any signage. Bali beds at pool are an extra cost. No bugs. Security at beach with machine gun to keep resort safe. Most staff are super friendly which is one of the reasons we chose this resort but not all. Hot water and AC in room work perfectly . Maroma beach is definitely worth the trip! Handy information Bring a jacket and sweater to have in the evenings and at restaurants. Gets quit cool at

  Feb 02, 2026
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  Our 4th Visit and Still Fantastic

  We just finished a one week stay at El Dorado Royale, and it was our fourth time visiting—and it continues to be one of our favorite places to relax and recharge. Beach & Excursions While the beach itself isn’t the prettiest, the resort more than makes up for it with the free Maroma Beach excursion. The catamaran ride and snorkeling were a blast, and the food options at the marina were surprisingly great—everything from Mexican dishes to pizza to Thai. We also still managed to get into the ocean at the resort by walking around the rocks. Pools & Seating One of the biggest benefits: plenty of chairs around both the pools and the beach. You may not get your first choice every day, but you will not be wandering around trying to find somewhere to sit. If you want a quieter pool experience, Fuentes or Spot are the perfect options. Dining The dining options at the resort are excellent. We never struggled to get reservations, and several restaurants will take walk ins. You may wait a bit for a table, but with a bar nearby, grabbing a drink while you wait is easy and enjoyable. Lots of variety, great flavors, and consistently good service. Entertainment The entertainment team keeps things fun throughout the day, and the evenings at Guacamayas were a highlight. They offered everything from a circus show to live bands, a DJ, and even karaoke. They also had late night food pop ups, which were perfect after the shows. Service What truly keeps us coming back is the people. The staff is always friendly, attentive, and willing to help with anything you need. We had a small issue with water temperature in our shower, and it was fixed immediately once we mentioned it to our butler. A special shout out to the team members who made our trip exceptional: • Butlers: Miriam & Jhonny • Beach Butlers: Ramon & Emi • La Isla Waiter: Antonio • D’Italia Casitas: Jairo & Rodrigo • Bartender: Cesar — the best! Overall: Another wonderful stay. If you are looking for great service, lots of dining choices, fun entertainment, and a relaxing resort experience, El Dorado Royale continues to be a fantastic choice. We will be back again.

  Jan 30, 2026
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  Don’t go - worst vacation experience ever!

  Where do I even start - to say I was disappointed is an understatement. Only pro - I didn’t get sick drinking their ice and drinking the water they provided. Cons: - The food is TERRIBLE, my boyfriend & I waited to eat until we got to the airport our last day. -They have a “dress code” and I was denied entry into breakfast in my workout clothes. It would be one thing if the food was top notch, fancy….but we are talking the lowest of the low. - You cannot take any food out of the restaurant, you have to be seated and eat it there…no to go so you can’t even it if by the pool or beach. - There is reservation system for dinner and after checking in the earliest option they could provide us to eat dinner was 9:15pm - what a joke. - The resort has a long coastline of beach but you can’t even go in the ocean, it’s all coral and rock! I found one pocket where I could walk out through rocks to a sand area…my boyfriend and I were the only ones in the water there the whole time. Overall, I would grade this as a tier lower than carnival cruise. You couldn’t pay me to go back. 5 star resort my ass….

  Jan 26, 2026
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  A very tired resort. Needs updating. Most staff great

  The vast majority of the staff at the hotel were lovely. They were helpful and courteous and nothing was too much trouble. However the staff on reception were mostly awful, unhelpful discourteous and gave us conflicting information. They were very sarcastic about our requests and I single out Alejandro as the worst of these. He seemed to take delight in telling something would be fixed when he clearly had no intention of doing so. At booking we asked for a king size bed and we got a twin. Not a huge issue, we got one 3 days later but we had to move our own bags and the assurances we got about the help we would get for this turned out to not be true and we were gaslit with regard to this. The resort is very tired, lots of old furniture some rotten on the balcony. Our safe didn’t work. The maintenance guy instructed us to hit it to make it work. Our jacuzzi didn’t work. Despite asking several people, several times we only ever got coffee bags on our first night. It’s very difficult to book the restaurants even off peak. The access to Nickelodeon was great

  Jan 24, 2026
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  Definitely not a 5* like so many say.

  Definitely not a 5* like so many say. The property is very large but the problem is a lack of signage. Lots of luck locating many things. They give you a map too small to see anything. There is hardly any beach so get up at 6 if you might want to get a chair. Difficult to find out what/where any activity is. Make all your dinner reservations as soon as you arrive with your concierge. The concierge did attempt to help us with some small problems…example..took 3 requests to get Diet Coke in our fridge as they just seemed not to come by. Worst of all was how DIRTY the area around our swim up was. We showed them pictures and they made a small attempt but the area was filthy. Enjoyed the Italian and Santa Fe restaurants the best. Not sure if we would return.

  Jan 21, 2026