El Dorado Casitas Royale By Karisma

This is a difficult review for me to write. This is a very special resort for my wife and me because we got married here 15 years ago. This is probably the 5th or 6th review I've written, and the only one that wasn't 5 stars. There is a very specific reason for that, which I will explain shortly. This was the 6th time we've been to this resort. I first want to say that l'm like everyone else. I read the reviews prior to coming here to get a sense of how people are experiencing this resort just before we arrive. After returning home, I will say one thing - IF YOU HAVE BOOKED OR ARE THINKING ABOUT IT, DO NOT WORRY, THIS RESORT IS FABULOUS. For the first time ever, the reviews had me concerned, but now I really can't understand the negative reviews. I'd assume it's very anecdotal. Did everything work perfectly for us? No. But we had a great time. We were a group of 14 people in the 30 section. The rooms were as great as always. People complain they are a bit dated. Maybe, but they're still great. The outdoor shower is worth price of admission by itself! Bed was comfortable. Air conditioner worked great. Food at the restaurants was generally very good. We did the Fuentes dinner theater twice. It's great every time. Other favorites were the Casitas Italian restaurant and Kampai. Room service is a means to an end, so to speak. Low quality, but it puts something in your belly. It's very easy to book ahead of time through the resort website. So, what was my reason for not giving it 5 stars? Tipping, plain and simple. I'm an American. I tip. I always have. I generally bring a few hundred dollars to tip. I tip housekeeping every day. I'll tip our swim up bar bartender. I'll tip the waiter at dinner. This time, though, I forgot small bills. All I had were 20s. I'm not tipping $20 every time I tip. There were three separate times where I, or someone else in our party, did not tip. The employee was deliberately not quiet when he (always a guy) called us names, like the Spanish word for a-hole. Never before has tipping been an expectation, or, more specifically, an obvious expectation. There are tip jars all over the place. If I'm not mistaken, tips are supposed to be included in the all-inclusive deal. I see non-Americans complain all the time about how the Americans are always tipping. I don't agree with the complaint, but I can understand their point of view. El Dorado Casitas/Royale management, you need to clarify your position on tipping ASAP. I went through several hundred dollars tipping just to be called an a$$hole for not tipping once. Anyways, we still love this resort and I'm sure we'll be back within the next 5 years.

We travel frequently, including to several resorts throughout Mexico, and chose El Dorado Royale Casitas based on its premium marketing, adults focused positioning, and emphasis on elevated dining and personalized service. At this price point, we expected a well managed and cohesive experience. That is not what we received. Before arrival, we attempted to contact the property to arrange dining in advance and were told reservations could only be addressed after check in. This limited our ability to plan and placed full reliance on on site coordination. From arrival forward, communication and operational coordination were inconsistent. Orientation at check in was minimal and key information about dining access, activities, transportation, and property layout was not proactively provided. We were initially told most restaurants were fully booked, with limited options other than very late seatings or the buffet at the adjacent family property. Later, we observed restaurants with visible empty tables while being told there was no availability. Reservations that were supposedly made could not be located by hosts. Communication between concierge, management, and restaurant staff appeared fragmented, and follow through was inconsistent. The property appeared understaffed, which likely contributed to reservation confusion, slow service, and lack of follow through. The result was repeated uncertainty about basic dining access at a resort where dining is a central component of the experience. When we were able to dine, the food quality did not reflect the “exquisite cuisine” promoted in marketing materials. On multiple occasions meals were poorly prepared and largely uneaten, and in at least one instance room service food was inedible and returned. Room service wait times were quoted at approximately two hours. When food did arrive, quality and presentation were inconsistent with a property positioned at this level. We escalated concerns to management while still on property and formally documented the issues in writing during the stay. Despite that, the underlying operational problems persisted across multiple days without meaningful correction. Several broader facility and condition issues compounded the experience: • The main gym serving multiple properties was poorly maintained, with sand and debris on the floors, overflowing towel bins, limited and outdated equipment, and inadequate ventilation. • Wayfinding signage across the resort was minimal. Given the size of the property, navigation at night or in the early morning was difficult and uncomfortable. Buildings, meeting points, and facilities were not clearly marked. • Shuttle transportation is effectively required due to the length of the property. Shuttle service was inconsistent and could not reliably be summoned. When transportation is unreliable at a resort of this size, it materially affects access to dining and amenities. • Beach conditions included large boulders in the water and litter on the sand, which differed materially from promotional imagery. • Lounge chairs and daybeds were worn, unstable, or missing covers. • Garbage bins in public areas were observed overflowing. • Free roaming cats and raccoons were present in common areas and directly adjacent to guest accommodations. Raccoon feeding structures were located near our Casita. Animal waste was observed on walkways. This appeared to be an ongoing managed presence rather than incidental wildlife. • The Casitas pool environment did not reflect the quiet adults oriented atmosphere emphasized in marketing materials. Our room had comfort and maintenance concerns including a persistent musty odor, plumbing inconsistencies, and outdated television equipment that limited basic functionality. Individually, some of these issues might be manageable. Collectively, over multiple days, they significantly diminished the value of what is marketed as a luxury adults focused experience. Ultimately, we chose to shorten our stay and depart early at our own expense because the cumulative issues made it unreasonable to continue. Some individual staff members were courteous and attempted to assist within their roles. However, the broader operational execution did not match the premium positioning or the price paid. If you are considering this property at its price point, I would strongly advise looking elsewhere. There are many resorts in Mexico that better align with their marketing and deliver a more consistent and professionally managed guest experience.

The resort is nice but part of a large sprawling resort with 3 sections. There are shuttles but were often full or you had to call to get one. Very long walks from the Casitas to where majority of restaurants are located. The primary Restaurants are all by reservation unless you want the buffet. We arrived on Sunday and met with our concierge to make reservations right away. Unfortunately there were very few reservations available and only could make 3 unless we wanted to eat at 9:15pm! We were looking for anytime before 8pm. We were also told that the restaurants fill up fast and don’t take walk ins. When we arrived at our set times we found half full restaurants. Seems like they “pushed” you to the buffets. The Santa Fe grill is the “steakhouse” but the steak was like shoe leather, very tough and over cooked. Wait staff didn’t seem interested in quality but rather pushing the wines at an up charge. Our best meal was at Fuentes which is a culinary show with an up-charge. This was definitely worth the extra charge as it was entertaining and the food was excellent. Pros: Spa service was great Bartender at pool bar building 28-fantastic Housekeeper (Sandra) was exceptional Fuentes was fun Room was comfortable Room Service-breakfast most mornings Free Bali beds Outdoor shower Cons: Part of a huge, sprawling resort-plan to walk. Restaurant reservation system. No real beach! Don’t plan on swimming in the ocean. The Bali beds and beach chairs are on a man made section about 6 feet above the actual beach. Shuttle system- long waits and we were told “members” had priority. Concierge was dismissive once we said no to the “presentation” to become a member. Overall we had a relaxing time but it wasn’t quite what we were expecting. Having been to other resorts this one we feel is overrated.

My wife and I just got back from what we thought would be a relaxing stay at El Dorado Casitas Royale, but it turned into such a letdown that we both agreed we'd never go back. We paid for the "more inclusive" package, expecting great options, but on our first night the check-in concierge told us the only place open was the pizza spot, which had literally just four kinds of pizza, no salads, no other dishes, nothing else. We were starving after traveling and ended up eating sad slices because nothing better was available. Very expensive for the value you get. Room service was even worse. We ordered in one night and waited two full hours for it to arrive cold. The wings we got? Only two slimy, ice-cold ones. It felt like they barely tried. The room itself had plenty of problems. There was mouse poop, cockroaches and the blinds wouldn't close properly, so we got woken up every single morning way too early by very loud equipment or the phone. Sometimes it was the concierge calling to push us to check out earlier than we'd already agreed on at check-in, other times it was staff pressure washing or leaf blowing right outside our door. The outdoor shower looked and sounded fantastic until I turned it on and realized that they had just drilled holes in a pottery stick sculpture and it resulted in one painful jet of water blasting you with other smaller jets shooting the electrically energized lighting fixture. On our last day, coatis (those raccoon-like animals that are everywhere on the resort) completely overran our balcony. They're aggressive and bold, and they actually broke a bunch of dishes we had out there. The staff did nothing about it. They just left all the broken glass and porcelain scattered across the balcony and even in the pool. We were horrified thinking about guests stepping on it barefoot and cutting their feet open. We had to keep shooing the coatis away constantly and watch every step to avoid the shards. We were really looking forward to a nice, peaceful trip together, but between the limited food, slow and disappointing service, early wake-ups, those pushy coatis, and the dangerous broken glass left lying around, it just wasn't the luxury escape we hoped for. Save your money and pick somewhere else. We wish we had.

The last time we came to this resort was 9 years ago to the Royale section. This time we decided to go to the Casitas side, as we remembered how upscale and desirable those rooms were. First, our room was massive. There is a lot of space and at no point do you feel crammed. We had a private pool in section 32. We loved the outdoor shower and we didn't even touch the indoor shower. My wife was skeptical about the outdoor shower, but we used it everyday. The balcony was calm and we almost had 2 nights where we almost fell asleep outside. The bed was comfy, but the air conditioning was blowing directly on top of us, so we needed to find the right balance for temperature in the room. Sinks and bathrooms were mostly good. We had one day where tiny ants/bugs were crawling around and got into my wife's overnight bag. The toilet pressure was weak and we noticed that it took multiple flushes to get anything down. After a few days, we did get a whiff of a sewage smell that came from our toilet. This also motivated us, to use washrooms in other parts of the resort so that we didn't have to think about it. The private pool is a great concept, but we hardly used it. We probably used it twice because the seats at the pool were taken at the end of the day and we just wanted to relax quietly. Room cleanliness was pretty good, minus those little ants/bugs. The cleaning lady did 'okay'. She would move furniture and get into corners, but sometimes we would find some places she missed. We weren't too bothered by this, because we are out of the room most of the time. We had 2 days where she did something special; she placed flowers on our bed and pillows. Other than that, we didn't get much else in bonus. We remembered our stay last time with all the towel art, so we were hoping for something, but nothing came of it. Yes, we did tip. The pool in section 32 was very clean, but cool. I was typically the first one in, and didn't see anyone jump until about 10:30 most days. The pool bar was well run and the guys were good. Jovany was amazing to chat with and gave great ideas for new drinks. He even took the time to clean our mugs before he made new drinks with them. The mugs are recommended, the cups they use are a little flimsy and a small gust of wind can blow them over. When we first came to Royale, they had a drink menu, but that is gone now. Luckily, these bartenders are good and made us some pretty good drinks. Reserving chairs is a fiasco. Some guests resorted to putting mugs, hats, books, and/or towels as early as 6 AM. By 7:45, all chairs are booked. It was frustrating to see the chairs get taken up and people not coming to use them until 1-2 PM. The restaurant behind 32 (named Thirty-two) was amazing. Best lunches we could ask for. Our waiter, Jesus, was amazing and attentive. The salmon ceviche and sea food cocktails were fantastic. The tuna poke bowl and Baja Tacos were also favourites. We are fairly active people so we would often walk to Royale for the weight room which was decent. Lots of machines and a few racks for free weights. No Olympic bars. There is only one bottle of cleaner for the entire gym. Suggestion: 2 or even 3 bottles would be easier for people to clean their machines. The health bar was a great refreshment after the workout and we followed it up at the cafe in front of Kampai. This was something to look forward to each morning after our workouts. Beach volleyball was a huge draw for me. Met some great people and played some games for fun. Ulysses, Heybraham, Dulce and Luis were great and kept score for us. They brought a lot of energy and it was fun to see them connecting with guests. The grounds do look well taken care of, and the staff are diligent in keeping it that way. The esthetics and settings will stay with you for a while. The long walks from section 32 to Royale were always memorable. There is a shuttle, but we wanted to make up some steps, so we enjoyed the walk. Restaurants : Favourite was D'Italia Casitas. All the food was amazing and Rodrigo was helpful. We would have gone there more often if we could have. We are at Kampai twice and Santa Fe twice. Both have good options. We love sushi, so Kampai was able to satisfy that craving. The main dishes were good, but didn't stand-out. Santa Fe - we had a great first dinner. The short rib and beef picanha were great choices. Our second dinner was less enjoyable. 7:15 reservation didn't end until 8:45. We felt forgotten a few times. We tried new items on the menu, but we weren't as impressed this time around. Jade - main course was dry and bland in comparison to appetizers and sushi. Mediterranean - my veal was great, but again not much else stood out for us here. Tucked in a corner and service was slower again. Room service was another frustration. Ordering was delayed. It took them 20-30 minutes to confirm orders, which meant it would be anywhere from 30-45 minutes for it to get there. We ordered through the app, as the phone line was often busy and we couldn't get through. This was most frustrating on our first night and our final morning. We arrived late on Friday, so we could only order off the late night service. We tried calling but no answer. Finally we got the app to work. And it took 20 minutes for the confirmation. So by the time our food arrived, my wife had already fallen asleep. Our last morning, we ordered the day before. They confirmed the order. It was supposed to arrive at 6:30. 7:15, and still nothing, so called. Finally spoke to someone and told them that our order never came. By 8:05, it finally arrived. We were almost ready to give up and just eat at the airport. Check-in and check-out were fairly smooth. Emiliano, our concierge, was great and helped us solve our issues with our transportation company. Others spoke very highly of him whenever he was brought up, and we would be sure to do the same. They will try to get you to sign-up for the membership. We were offered 2-25 minute massages or a candlelit dinner on the beach or a gift certificate at the gift shop. We spoke to one rep who wanted to schedule us for a formal meeting, but we played hard to get. She did increase the massages to 80 minutes with 50 minutes of hydrotherapy. We almost bit, but we had gone through it 9 years ago. Speaking to other members, they said they enjoy their memberships, but they wouldn't buy again, and discouraged us from buying. They mostly indicated the decline in quality of food and services as the main reason why they wouldn't extend. We are also not in a position with our jobs to commit to yearly travel. Overall, we had a great time and if inconsistencies of the resort were cleared up, it could go back to what it was. We also stayed at Valentine, a few resorts down, so we have some ideas and experiences to compare. The decline is apparent, and when we first came to the Royale side, we were impressed with everything. Now, we can see some holes and how priorities have maybe shifted since the Karisma separation. Would we go back? Probably, yes. Are we going to shop around? Definitely.