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

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

17863 reviews

• 

  Beautiful landscape, but dining reservations are problematic

  El Dorado Royale review - Overall we had a fantastic time, but wanted to give our perspective on some of the issues since Lomas taking over. We had many positives but also negatives, as with any resort. The resort is very beautiful, although it is quite spread out. We all felt they really need much better signage given how large the property is. Some of the restaurants are just hidden in the property, so you really have to know where you are going. We truly appreciated the incredible staff. There were so many wonderful employees that truly catered to us and made our stay very special. I do believe the employees are why they have many repeat guests. Check-in was smooth and efficient, and we were pleasantly surprised that our room was ready upon arrival. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and we loved the variety of pools and activities available. The activity coordinators did an excellent job. The golf carts are helpful for getting around from time to time, but they can also be a bit of a nuisance when you have to constantly move out of the way while walking around the resort. I had visited the resort previously for a conference, so I was familiar with its size. During that stay, all dining had been pre-arranged. This time, however, securing dinner reservations was our biggest frustration. I went to the concierge desk at least three times in unsuccessful attempts to book reservations. I had even contacted the resort before arrival and was assured it wouldn’t be an issue because we had a group of 8, but that was not the case. I spent a significant amount of time trying to arrange dining for our group. I was able to pre-book one reservation at Fuentes before our trip, which thankfully worked out. Even so, we felt the need to double-check that it was properly scheduled because when we would ask, no one could see if on our reservation, which seemed odd. We did this with the wine pairing, and the experience was really incredible, so I would definitely recommend if you have guests heading there. I felt the cost was worth it. My friend was having her birthday, and she said it was her best adult birthday ever! We were only able to confirm one additional reservation at Santa Fe. Otherwise, the only available dinner times were around 8:30–9:00 p.m., which simply does not work for our group. We even tried splitting into smaller groups, but accommodations still weren’t available. It shouldn’t be this difficult to secure dinner reservations, and it was frustrating to spend so much time trying to book something that never materialized. Availability seemed nonexistent throughout our entire stay. I would mention that when I was in the concierge lounge one day, I saw another couple's reservations on the desk all for 6:30 pm, and I inquired how they were able to secure those. They claimed that because it was only 2 guests, it was easier. So then I asked her to check for us 2 x 4, and still nothing until after 8:30. I can't figure out how they divide those up, other than we tried getting reservations upon arrival and they wouldn't let us, so then we had to wait until the concierge arrived the following day. The competition for pool chairs was another frustration. We ended up renting a Bali bed each day just to ensure we had seating by the pool, which was disappointing since it required an additional cost of $100/day, but I'll say it was worth it. The wait staff were just phenomenal, so we didn't mind splitting that cost between the couples. It's just not something we've ever needed to do elsewhere. The breakfast buffet was outstanding, with a wide variety of options. The breakfast tacos and omelets were especially delicious. Lunch options, including the pizza and tacos, were also very good. In fact, the pizza became one of our favorites, though unfortunately, we had to have it for dinner one night due to the lack of reservations elsewhere. Santa Fe, that we were able to get into was average. Some in our group enjoyed their meals, while others did not. Overall, we felt that other resorts we’ve visited have offered better and more diverse dinner options. Breakfast and lunch were great, but dinner fell short. The options felt lackluster compared to what we’ve experienced at other properties, which was disappointing. I had a massage, and one of my friends did as well. I had made a reservation for myself, but they apparently put me down for two and I didn't realize it. As such, I gave the other one to my friend to use. I should have noticed they put two on the receipt, but I missed that, and they said I had to either use it or I would still pay, so I didn't argue. As we were departing, we were encouraged to purchase another vacation package at a discounted rate. I thought this was interesting, because we were standing in line to check out and he was showing us options for a 30% discount. So in addition to the timeshare, you have to warn guests of this. Given the ongoing issues with restaurant availability, returning to this property would be difficult to justify. The grounds are great, service overall was exceptional. Our servers, bartenders, and room attendant were all outstanding. We truly couldn’t have asked for better service in those areas. In summary, the resort has a beautiful atmosphere and exceptional service. However, due to the dining challenges and lack of accessible pool seating, I would hesitate to recommend it until those issues are addressed. I was a little disappointed, as I've sent so many clients here through the years, but I think the changes with Lomas did not help.

  Mar 04, 2026
• 

  Great experience! Thanks to Luis!

  Large soft big bed tables chairs couch Big jacuzzi tub High quality liquor selections Entertainment team was excellent Haybraham was friendly and good at organizing activities. Luis from entertainment team is very experienced and speaks English very well. Luis does a great job managing the gym and keeping it clean and well stocked! He organizes volleyball and other activities and is always smiling and helping everyone have fun!

  Feb 27, 2026
• 

  Disappointing stay - not representative of adverts

  Disappointing Stay – Serious Issues with Service, Safety & Value We stayed at El Dorado Royal for 10 days in February as a couple, and unfortunately our experience fell far short of expectations. The most significant issue throughout our stay was poor communication and unreliable service. Each block of rooms has a dedicated concierge, who is very pleasant but, in reality, completely ineffectual. Requests were either forgotten or took days to action. For example, we asked for extra pillows early in our stay — they still hadn’t arrived by the time we were about to leave. We also requested that pre-arranged room service (morning coffee) be discontinued, as I had brought my own coffee. Despite multiple conversations, this continued. There was also a serious safety issue. There was a large hole in the ground near one of the swimming pools, which I unfortunately fell into. There was no apology from management. The on-site medic charged US$150 simply to tell me to go to hospital. Four days later, the hole still had not been repaired and remained a risk to other guests. We raised our concerns with both the TUI representative and the chief concierge. The response was disappointing and lacked accountability. Adding to this, we were charged $170 for a Valentine’s meal that we were unable to attend because my husband became acutely unwell that day. We cancelled at the last minute due to illness, yet the charge was still applied. Given that we had only eaten within the hotel during our stay, this was particularly concerning. In terms of food generally, we found it underwhelming. It did not feel authentic Mexican, much of it was served tepid rather than properly hot, and overall it simply wasn’t that tasty. On more than one occasion we felt we could have made better ourselves at home — even something as basic as spaghetti bolognese was uninspiring. The ambience in most of the restaurants felt more like a canteen than a pleasant, relaxed dining experience. Room service options were limited, and none of the restaurants offered takeaway — even at breakfast, which felt unnecessarily restrictive. We also felt there was constant pressure to purchase additional services, particularly massages, which were extortionately priced. The more attractive Bali beds by the pool are not included — you have to rent them. Even the on-site Starbucks costs over £5 per coffee, which feels excessive at an all-inclusive resort. The main pool area was very noisy, with loud dance music and most organised activities concentrated there. If you’re looking for a peaceful atmosphere, this may not be the right fit. The resort’s booking system, which operates via a web-based page (rather than a proper app), was supposed to be used to book restaurants but simply did not work at all during our stay. This made dining arrangements unnecessarily frustrating. In addition, the system was restrictive — we were unable to download any content onto our iPad to watch on our return flight, which was inconvenient and disappointing. We also felt the marketing images on the website are not truly indicative of the current reality of the resort. Overall, this was not the luxury, seamless experience we were expecting. While the staff were generally polite, the lack of effective service, poor communication, unresolved safety concerns and poor management response made this a disappointing stay. This did not reflect the 5-star luxury experience the resort markets itself as.

  Feb 21, 2026
• 

  Disappoint Resort

  Giving 2 stars purely on the food and drinks, which are very good, lots of variety available and you will never go hungry. Drink choices are plentiful with international and Mexican options. The bad stuff and the reason for a low score; the sunbed situation is horrendous. This is meant to be a 5 star resort, yet the majority of sunbeds are given to the swim up rooms and members areas. Around the Fuentes pool, I counted 14 sunbeds in total. Some days we had to sit on our towels on the concrete floor. The evening entertainment was a joke, for the first 4 nights there was none at all. They decided to show movies in the main entertainment area, who flies half way around the world to watch a movie. On our last 3 nights, there was a live band on for 1 hour each night. Reservations for the restaurants are extremely limited, we couldn't get anything before 9pm, however when walking past restaurants they hardly seemed full. Reservations are clearly held back for members and the 'big tippers'. This was particularly frustrating on our first night at the hotel, we checked in at roughly 4pm, to be told all restaurants are full for the night and we would have to eat at the family resort buffet or order room service. We booked an adult only hotel, so this wasn't a great start. We tried to order room service, only to find our phone in the room was broken. We then also found that we had no hot water. Overall, this resort just did not live up to a 5* luxury standard. There is clearly a tiered system, and as TUI guests we were bottom of the ladder. I would not recommend booking here.

  Feb 19, 2026
• 

  El Dorado Royale & Exotic Travelers Not What They Used to Be

  This review is in regards to our recent visit to El Dorado Royale in Riviera Maya, but it also involves Exotic Travelers, their new Member Services, and Fly-back Mexico. We arrived on Saturday February 7th and were taken to the resort for our 7 day stay. In the past, Grupo Lomas would transport us by Lincoln Navigator but this time it was reduced to a Volkswagen Bus. Being Sapphire Elite members of Exotic Travelers for 12 years, the room was what we expected. On Sunday we went to the Exotic Member’s area on the beach and found a Bali Bed where we were approached by Tony, from Exotic’s Member Services. He explained to us that they were no longer hosting Member Updates in their offices but opted to meet with members in a more casual atmosphere to try and find out what they can do to make their services better, rather than just try and sell us something extra. I explained to him that our trips in November of 2024 and in April of 2025 I processed the paperwork within the 45 day window to secure our Fly-back funds and both requests were denied as I didn’t include a Letter In Good Standing from Exotic, which I wasn’t told Fly-back added. In August of 2025 I received a Letter In Good Standing from Michell Guzman, in the Exotic legal department, with a suggestion to submit to Fly-back explaining to them it wasn’t needed when we signed our contracts. That suggestion was denied. I told Tony I hold Exotic responsible for us losing $4,000.00 since they promoted the Fly-back program and specifically, because we didn’t receive the additional letter for almost a year after it was added as a requirement. Tony assured me that Exotic was in communication with Fly-back and would see what they could do. He also offered a complementary 50 minute massage for my wife and I, and that he would be in touch with further details on Tuesday or Wednesday. Never happened. It appears his visit was merely Lip-Service and Empty Promises! Side note, I was so disgusted with Exotic that last year I canceled our reservation for December 2025 to El Dorado Royale. But let’s continue with this vacation. I was deeply troubled to learn that the Cabana Pizzeria no longer offered gluten-free pizza, or gluten-free hamburger buns. My wife is celiac. They were something she looked forward to year after year. At another dinner reservation we found out that the D’Italia restaurant stopped offering gluten-free pasta. Why go to an Italian restaurant if you can’t have pasta. Needless to say that restaurant is now off the list! Another of our dinner reservations we had was at their new Mediterranean Restaurant. The food was very good and service excellent, or so we thought. It seems that something they told us was gluten-free wasn’t. My wife spent the night on the bathroom floor vomiting. Another restaurant off the list. No matter, there’s always room service… On the menu it instructs to dial ext. 62 to place the order, but neither phone in the room worked! I ended up calling our Butler, Claudio Delgado, who had the night off. He took our order and placed it for us. Claudio was definitely a highlight in our dismal experience! I know Mr. Martinez, who is the El Dorado Resorts, has always expected his resorts to be the finest they could be, let alone have a 4 Diamond rating with Conde Naste, but it appears, they don’t seem to care anymore. Under the circumstances, I don’t know if I want to gamble and have a repeat of this experience in the future.

  Feb 18, 2026