El Dorado Casitas Royale by Karisma

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.

The grounds, the service, the food, the rooms, the location. This place was everything we needed to get away from the snow in Philadelphia. You know when you come home from somewhere and you keep thinking about it a week later? That's the sign of a good vacation. We're already talking about when we're going back. Only one complaint: I wish our concierge Angelica had given us a little more information about the option to go to Maroma. We had no idea until our last day. But now we know for next time 🌞

Just got home from our favorite casitas. It’s still a beautiful resort. A few things have changed and could be improved. Pre arrival service is a joke. They did nothing before we got there. There was 3 couples traveling together and they had us spread out all over the resort, I told them we are traveling together. The quality of the food has slipped and a lot of food has been taken off the menu and the willingness to adjust an order is not there. The actual food at restaurant has declined in quality also. Some of the employees are fantastic and try their best but you can tell management is holding them back from providing a 100% satisfaction. One problem that needs to be addressed is the number of cote rodents. They are everywhere and they are destroying millions of dollars of the thatched roofs. They need to be fed to the crocs in the back yard. It’s a beautiful place and a great vacation. Just needs some management decisions to make it great again like it used to be. Jacob was our helper and he was great. Rubin and Gaby were the butlers and really didn’t try to help much.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at El Dorado Casitas Royale. Overall, it was a fantastic experience. The resort is beautifully designed, boasting stunning views and lush landscaping that truly enhance its tropical ambiance. The staff were exceptional—always friendly, attentive, and eager to make our stay as comfortable as possible. From the restaurants to the poolside service, the level of hospitality was commendable and definitely a highlight of our trip. I would also like to acknowledge that we had made a special request for our group of 10 to stay in the same casita block, which was accommodated for the most part, and for that, we are grateful. Dining at the resort was excellent, with restaurants and snack bars offering a wide range of delicious options. Standouts included the Mediterranean, Kampai, D’Italia Casitas, Wine Kitchen, and the breakfast buffet at Cocotal. The Health Bar's smoothies and paninis, as well as the coffee and ice cream bar, were highlights. Wait times were long due to limited staff. The burger at La Isla was a favourite. However, our group did not enjoy Rincon Mexicano. I would suggest adding nightly entertainment options, as we missed the weekly Mariachi band due to conflicting dinner reservations. I would urge anyone with mobility issues to carefully consider if this resort can meet their accessibility needs. While the grounds are visually appealing, pathways can be uneven and long, making navigation difficult for those requiring mobility aids. Many restaurants and lounges are situated on the second floor, with only stair access and no elevators for guests. The resort does offer golf carts to reduce walking distances, and we experienced minimal wait times for them. However, the overall design does not prioritize accessible routes, which should be considered when planning your stay. I was also disappointed not having direct access to the ocean. I recognize that the resort has attempted to compensate for this by offering a free daily shuttle to the beautiful Maroma Beach Club. Food and beverages, a three-hour catamaran snorkelling trip and 30-minute use of a jet ski were all included. That was fantastic, and we took advantage of this on two occasions during our stay. The food and service at the beach club were excellent and in line with the resort's standards. Nonetheless, the trip to Maroma involved a degree of planning, requiring us to be prepared to leave the resort at 8 a.m. and not be able to return until 5:30 p.m. It also involves a 30-minute line upon arrival at Maroma to check in. In conclusion, while El Dorado Casitas Royale offers a wonderful resort experience characterized by an incredible staff and beautiful surroundings, I would urge the resort to be upfront and transparent about the accessibility challenges and the lack of direct ocean swimming access so that those considering this resort are fully aware of the resort’s limitations, thus avoiding any disappointments. With the beach situation, we opted to spend more time by the pools, which are lovely but lack the direct ocean swimming experience we were hoping for.

We had a great vacation at El Dorado Casitas Royale. Stayed in section 31 on the upper floor casita with a private pool, outdoor and indoor shower, jacuzzi, and ample space in the room. Each section has their own pool area with bar. Plenty of space and towels available. The grounds are very nice and well maintained. The staff is very nice and the service good. Room was clean with twice daily service. There are some things that are not perfect. If you are looking for a nice beach with walking into the ocean and swimming this is not the place. The beach apparently has eroded a lot and while there is space to sit in the sand on the beach this is not for swimming. Very rocky in the water. There are also huge concrete blocks in the water to protect from further erosion which are not a very pretty sight. The resort covers in total 3 sections, El Dorado Royale, El Dorado Casitas Royale, and El Dorado Generations. It is quite spread out along the ocean. Beautiful for walks or getting a run in. Not so much for people that don't want or cannot walk. There are shuttle services with golf cart type vehicles but frequency depends and seems a bit of hit and miss going by other peoples opinions. We walked everywhere and did not use the shuttles. The restaurants and layout are not ideal. In the casitas sections there are only 2 restaurants that both require reservations. There is a buffet style restaurant in the Generations section but you need to be there early for space and food selection. It is also in the family resort area so there are families with children. If you book and all adults resort there should be at least a buffet option in the adult only area. There are more restaurants in the Royale section. Reservations are hard to come by and the Mexican restaurant was not very good. There are a bunch of add on services offered at an extra cost. From dinner options and dinner theatre to spa services. Found the spa services way overpriced. Can get these for less at home. We did enjoy the stay at the resort but it is not a 5 star experience. Would we come back? If there is a good deal, yes.