El Dorado Casitas Royale

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay! Our casita was just steps away from our covered bed at the beach! The dining was fantastic and the service was outstanding especially from our concierge Luis! He went over and above to make our anniversary extra special! I see why there are so many repeat customers!!

Merely to be here is a cure for weariness, anxiety and sadness. A too-short stay at El Dorado Royale Casitas—our review. We vacationed at El Dorado Royale Casitas from Thursday, October 18th, 2018 until Monday, the 22nd. Because our opinion is not without bias (and in an effort to impart to the reader some perspective), I think that we must first provide a brief description of ourselves: we are a middle-aged American (Texan) couple, being 31 and 34 years of age. We have three children under seven and (perhaps not surprisingly) we prefer the beach, quiet and solitude. By our recollection this was our 6th trip to a Mexican beach resort. Previously, we have stayed at resorts by Iberostar, Secrets, Excellence and Sandos. I will begin (and summarize) the review by stating that we both very much enjoyed our time here and that we fully intend to return. The grounds of the resort are immaculately kept, with nether a sign of trash or refuse. Although the natural foliage was abundant and encompassing, it seemed that no blade of grass or wayward vegetation was left unkempt. The coconut trees were harvested and trimmed daily. The resort is large, and sprawling, but the long walks from our room to the main pool or lobby were without burden. For those so less inclined to walk, shuttle stops are abundant and efficient. The Casitas rooms are arranged in “pods” and centered around a pool and pool bar. Each pod appeared to have some additional amenity. Ours (in the 2800s) had a ping pong table (which was practically used only by us); others had a hot tub or extra seating. The pool itself is well-sized and ringed by approximately twelve loungers. We never experienced any difficultly with finding a chair at the pool. The service at the pool bar, under the steady leadership of Ricardo, was fantastic. If you see him, be sure that you ask for a “Scooby snack,” a tradition which must endure. During our stay, our pool was dominated by a large group celebrating a wedding. They were loud and boisterous (as is perfectly proper for such an event) and played their music at a volume which many would consider rude (a Bluetooth speaker is available at the bar). Although it was not particularly an issue for us, we largely avoided the pool and preferred the beach at most times. As for the beach, it is unfortunately in rough condition. The flags were red. No activities took place in the water and few dared to swim even more than a couple of feet from the shore. If long stretches of pristine beach and easy ocean swimming are a priority for you, then perhaps this may not be the resort for you. However, and even though we consider ourselves “beach people,” we were satisfied. The beach is short and narrow and interrupted often by rocky outcroppings. During our stay, again in late October, the waves were rough and the beach was covered in a stunning amount of seaweed (Sargassum). Although staff worked continuously to remove the seaweed (a Sisyphean effort, to be sure), it remained abundant. In an effort to prevent further erosion of the beach and its sand, large concrete blocks and sandbag “whales” have been placed approximately 100 yards from the shore. In my opinion, they do not distract from the view too much, but their presence must be noted. We’ve been told that the waves and the beach are much more amendable during the summer months. All told, the natural and unavoidable condition of the beach is largely rectified by the plentiful and comfortable beds and loungers located directly in front of and above the surf. We made one such bed our “home base” as it was mere steps from our pod, pool bar and room. The beach beds are incredibly comfortable, covered in fresh towels, and served by beach butlers, who are invariably prompt and attentive. And, if you are feeling more independent and active, the pool bar or a neighboring beach bar (as anchored by the illuminated Jonathan) were only a few steps away. When needing an escape from the sun (and an escape from the dangerously endless and delicious frozen drinks), we were able to quickly retreat to our room. Our room was located on the second level, accessed only by stairs. The wooden stairs presented somewhat of an adventure, and I could imagine them being particularly dicey for older or less athletic folk. The room itself was well apportioned, if perhaps a bit dark, and adequately served our needs. A patio, with a small lounge and table and chair overlooks the rear of the pool bar and adorns the front of the room. We spent little time there. We ordered room service only once—the food arrived quickly and was of quality. The minibar, of course, is fully stocked and can be easily ladened with whatever is requested. The best feature of the room, in my opinion, is the outdoor shower, which is amazing and difficult to leave (and to properly describe other than as a quasi-religious experience (inquire further with my wife)). Our concierge, Luis, was immensely personable and welcoming. His attitude and demeanor seemed to (as if by some old magic) warm our hearts and assuage any remaining anxiety. I can only hope to maintain a portion of his spirit back home and in my day-to-day affairs. Perhaps a trifle, but we were offered both a pillow menu and a variety of scents and soaps for the room. And although our requests were moderate (I hope), we truly felt that no request would have been too absurd or too impossible for Luis and his staff. Between drinking at the pool, napping in a beachside bed and being pampered to an embarrassing degree, we were forced, at times, to eat in one of the resorts restaurants. Of all of our (all too limited) vacation experience, El Dorado Royale features, by far, the best food. For breakfast, we preferred the ample yet somewhat simple buffet at Cocotal. Our favorite restaurant for lunch was Jo-Jos, which is more causal and located directly on the sea. The soup and the catch of the day were particularly noteworthy. The pizza and hamburgers located next door were also robust and cheerful fare. As for our more formal dinners, we enjoyed Santa Fe, “Kampai” and La Italia. We also dined at Fuentes, which, while delicious and entertaining, was an exhausting two-and-a-half-hour marathon. I would only recommend it for those with the necessary time and energy. In sum, the food was awesome and we greatly appreciated the wonderful service and reasonable portion sizes. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the drinks, which were invariably made with expertise or at your specific direction. Top shelf liquors were heavily featured and it seemed that even the most obscure request could be procured and delivered with haste. Because I have now rambled at length and perhaps offended the patience of my readers, I will conclude by saying that we would wholly recommend this resort and that we cannot wait to return for a another and longer stay. I again would like to thank all of the staff, but especially Luis, Ricardo and Jonathan. Hasta la vista, baby. As an appendix, we are offering the following advice: We arrived at noon, but our room was not ready until three. In hindsight, we would have taken a later (and cheaper flight). Bring your own cup (Yeti-style), beer salt and sturdy plastic straw. Bring a Bluetooth speaker if you’d like to play music in your room (or the outdoor shower ((highly recommended)). Pack a swimsuit in your carry-on luggage. That way, in the unlikely event that your room isn’t ready when you arrive, you will be able to immediately change and get into the water. Tip your staff (these are your people) and try a bit to get to know them. WiFi was available everywhere, even at the beach. A swim-up room (for us) would not have been worth the additional cost. (They are kinda cool though.) Try not to cry when you leave.

Believe the reviews this place is AMAZING. I would recommend the Casitas but stay on the 1st floor. Having your own pool on the 2nd floor seemed like a great idea but the 1st floor pool is much more practical.

We had a nice time at El Dorado Royale / Casitas Royale. I use the slash as Casitas is an expansion on the original Royale resort. Royale is very 1980s style, but Casitas is more luxurious and modern. (and more like other Riviera Maya resorts) The Pros: * Casitas Pools are, indeed, seriously beautiful. (See attached) * Royale Pools are fairly nice. * In Casitas, several of the room types have private, "outdoor" showers. Very sexy, very unique. * Casitas was pretty quiet, except directly next to the pool. * Swim up bar service in Casitas is very good. * Individual staff members are very nice, polite, and eager to please. * The food at D'Italia is very good. * The food at Jojo's Caribbean grill is pretty tasty. Try the octopus. * The food at Fuentes Culinary Theater is avant-garde but pretty tasty. The experience, though, is mediocre. See below. * Even though room was not handicapped accessible, they installed two small ramps so that I could get my wheelchair back in my room. The Cons: * The resort is not very handicapped accessible. All roads are bumpy, by design, and your teeth will end up rattled. Several restaurants and bars are accessible by taking stairs, only. Most of the bathrooms are one step up. * Even though I notified the resort of my disabled status *far* in advance, I had to ask *again* at check-in for ramps and a shower chair. * The resort is so expansive that golf carts roam the grounds to ferry people from place to place. * The window near the Jacuzzi tub leaked all over, and the concierge said this was because "the rain is coming from a different direction". Sure, whatever, dude. * The Jacuzzi tub jets only operated for about five minutes. * Touching the Jacuzzi faucet in the brief period that the jets are on results in a mild electric shock. * There are many bars, but they are almost all the same. Gaviotas, Beach Bar, and Guacamayas are all the same concept. They, and the Swim Up bars, all serve the same cocktail menu. Bellini's, and the Lobby Martini bar, are almost the same concept and decor. * Several restaurants and bars were closed at times, with no notice or warning. Given the size of the resort, this ended up being disappointing. * Food options near your room limited, no takeaway * Resort calls itself "Gourmet Inclusive", but the food is only fair. Santa Fe and Kampai were particularly disappointing. The food at other Riviera Maya resorts has been much better. * Room Service likes to come collect plates even if the Do Not Disturb sign is on. * The Fuentes Culinary Theater experience is heavily hyped, but it's like watching a Food Network show with nothing but advertisements for wine. * No matter what restaurant you are at, if you ask the staff if something is good, they will say yes, even if it is not the restaurant's strong suit. * Concierge made us a reservation for Santa Fe grill, which ended up being closed that night, and they did not notify us at all. Similarly, Concierge asked to help us with our airport transfer, * Beach has many ants and sand fleas, and is steep to access the water. If you want sand, pick a Maroma area resort. The pools are the highlight here.