El Conquistador Resort

This resort is newly renovated and fabulous! It has literally everything. The lazy river and ferry to Palomino Island was our faves. Location of hotel was 20-25 minutes from main attractions such as waterfalls and rainforest. The onsite tours agents were fabulous with recommendations and easy reservations for off property adventures. I cannot wait to take our teenagers back here! The gondola was also my fave for the views and getting around. Highly recommend

I booked 6 nights here as was on a conference and then a few days chill time I booked through the hotel website I paid the amount for the 6 nights On arrival I get told that to use any pool, gym or even Wi-Fi that I needed to pay a resort fee. This would be an extra 450 US dollars. No where through my booking process did it say that otherwise I would have chosen a different hotel I believe by law they should inform you of the resort fee. Well they did not Next conquistador will be charging you for use of an elevator or having a bed in the room. I was planning to organise a conference here but there is no way I will now Please avoid as it is a rip off I don’t mind paying anything extra if it was clear beforehand Also the shower gel had run out in my room Rang house keeping 4 x and yet not replenished

We stayed a week at El Conquestador with our 6 year old and had a wonderful time. It’s a large property with lots of exploring that can be done. The 3 main pools provided plenty of options for water depth, crowds & age ranges. The water park was a big hit. There is a 48” height minimum for the water slides that they take seriously. There is a very nice beach on their private island. Tons of room on the beach. The ferry runs every ½ hour to 1 hour and takes about 20 minutes. No cost & no reservation required. We went over 3 times in our week. Morning at the beach and afternoon at the pool or waterpark worked great. There is a good selection of restaurant’s & bars. La Ezkina is casual Mexican that we found especially good. Okinawa is Japanese and is FANTASTIC! We didn’t plan on going but due to a large event many of the restaurants were booked. We sat at the bar and had the best sushi ever. We went the next night too…. By far the best dinner value. We averaged about $330 per day for food and moderate drinks for the 3 of us. The property is very nice. We were very happy with it and would highly recommend it. In hind sight and from recommendations we would have taken a trip to the rain forest. Nice feature – Water bottle refill stations sprinkled around the property. Biggest request – Open the Gelato stand earlier. 5pm is way too late and interfered with dinner. There is a gelato popsicle shop but it wasn’t a hit.

My partner and I stayed at El Conquistador from May 1–6. The property is beautiful and expansive, with amenities like a golf course, tennis courts, pools, a splash bar, and a water park. However, the customer service did not meet expectations. Many employees seemed more focused on personal conversations or their phones rather than assisting guests. The resort is extremely large, but there is little transportation available, so you have to walk almost everywhere, which can be inconvenient. The funicular only runs between the marina and the main lobby. The space itself also feels underutilized, with several areas left empty and lacking character. The recent renovations appear to have stripped away some of the resort’s original charm, leaving a very plain, white aesthetic. One of the biggest issues was the lack of communication about activities. Entertainment was minimal or nonexistent on some days, aside from a cover band or a magic show. Construction noise, including jackhammers, started as early as 8 a.m., which was disruptive. Staff also gathered near guest rooms (1210–1215), creating loud noise in the mornings. Additionally, many staff members were not particularly welcoming—some did not greet guests or were unable to provide directions or information about resort activities. At Palomino Island, we were told seating was free, but in reality, cabanas cost $150, which was not clearly communicated. On a positive note, Joe at Ventanas was an excellent bartender, as was the evening bartender at Highline, who handled a large crowd on her own with grace. The afternoon bartender at Ballyhoo was also very friendly and attentive. Overall, we enjoyed aspects of our trip, but I would not return. Compared to other resorts like Moon Palace in Cancun, Bahia Principe in the Dominican Republic, and Excellence Punta Cana, this resort falls short in service, entertainment, and overall value.

Excellent stay and the shows were so fun to watch