We had the pleasure of spending our honeymoon in a little piece of paradise in Riviera Maya, Mexico (about an hour from Cancun) called El Dorado Seaside Suites. This blog post will inform you of our experience, tips, pros and cons, and give you a review of various things available to help give you more information!
Cancún Airport
One of the big tips is getting through Cancun Airport. Once you arrive, you become completely overwhelmed with getting through customs and making it to the resort. There will be a ton of sales people waiting for you once you arrive to try to sell things and get things out of you. This will be after customs. KEEP WALKING AND DON’T MAKE EYE CONTACT. They almost had my husband stopped, but luckily I kept walking and he followed. Once you get outside, make sure you know who you are transferring with and find them. Most of the people outside will lead you in the right direction if you can’t find your transfer company. But again, do NOT talk to anyone until you have made it outside and only tell them your taxi company name. Make sure you know this info beforehand of how you are getting to your resort! There will also be other taxi drivers telling you they will get you there quicker, but just stick with your transfer.
For departure flights, make sure you bring a battery pack charger because there are no outlets if you have a long wait.
Arrival+ Departure
We used Lomas Travel that was included in our package, and it took about a 20 minute wait for a taxi and then a little over an hour upon arrival. The vehicle was very nice and air conditioned, so we did not mind the drive. When arriving, everyone takes your bags and moves them and loads them for you. The same thing happened for check out. We scheduled a check out with Lomas, and it was so easy. They had a timed check out for us that included a ride to the airport and then when we arrived someone showed us the kiosk, how to use it to check in, and where to drop off our bags. It was really nice! We basically had to do nothing, but check in when we arrived as well. When you check in, they will not setup any of your reservations/dinners, and this will be what you do with you concierge either that day (if you arrive before 5 pm) or the following day. It’ll be fine either way! During check-in they will:
Tell you about all of your amenities
Let you know of extra amenities you can try
Give you a run down of the property
Provide you with the app you can use to request room service, make spa reservations, any maintenance requests, and see the map of the resort area (no paper copies provided)
Provide you with your room location
Its also important to note that even if you are staying at the Seaside Suites, you have access to the Palms area of the resort as well and Hidden Beach (extra charge, if you want to visit).
Honeymoon Package
We stayed in the ocean front honeymoon suites, and I asked about the amenities that we get for being in our honeymoon because I saw them listed on the website. Our vacation agent, recommended bringing our marriage certificate but they did not ask for that. It seemed as if they give every guest these amenities that are staying in these suites, but I’m not 100%. The package included the following:
Candlelight 4 Course Dinner
Chefs Breakfast in Bed
15% off spa services
Floral Arrangement
Romantically Decorated Room after dinner
These amenities were absolutely amazing. The Candlelight Dinner is worth it all in itself! It is a beautiful teepee setting right on the beach with the sunset and moon depending on your time (6:00 or 8:00).
Rooms
The room did show some slight signs of age, but they were definitely above average, in my opinion. There was a safe, rain faucet shower, jacuzzi tub, tv, 360 sofa, king bed, and a walk out pool on your balcony with chairs and lounge bed. We requested the top floor and building 7. The water is warmer up there and the sun will face you in the afternoon. Otherwise, the lazy pool water is pretty chilly. I would recommend doing this by emailing npaz@lomashospitality.com at least a couple of weeks before. The water can be very cold on the lower floors and the sun shines perfectly onto those suites. We absolutely loved the walk out pool. Many people will complain about the rooms in all inclusive resorts being hot, but I can tell you that is also not a problem here. You can make the room go all the way down to 60 degrees, and it has two ceiling fans. The people at the property are constantly working to repaint and reconstruct everything, so that it looks great for everyone.
Also, it took us a bit to figure this out, so wanted to give a heads up. When you walk in, on the side of the wall there is a place to insert your key card. You will need to put your card in there so that the lights will turn on and off!
The rooms are also stocked with a mini bar that includes waters, coke, Diet Coke, sprite, Fanta (2 each), and various beers (Heineken, Coors, Dos Equis, Tecate Light, etc.). They come around and restock these between 9-5 pm. If you do try to get them restocked before or on the same day, they will charge you extra.
Concierge Meeting
As stated above, if you arrive before 5 pm you might meet with your personal concierge to setup bookings. If not, you can do it the next day. For this, there is a building beside the shuttle/gift shop where you can meet with your concierge. You will have to go in there to find them, they may or may not find you. There is also a table beside the building 7 elevator where some other concierges are located.
During this meeting, they will go through each day with you and setup anything you need booked including the spa, special dinner, excursions, etc. The concierge will tell you that they need you to book the spa through them, but you can also book it through the app as well and it’s no different. You will still get the 15 percent off either way. I even got an email the 2nd day morning said I could get an additional 10 percent off a spa service. So, you may want to wait to see if you receive the same email.
The concierge will also get you setup with the 2 restaurants that require reservations if you want them. He/she will also try to sell you on attending a 90 minute timeshare information session that provides breakfast- it is best to firmly say no thank you. They may ask “why” and we just told them we want to keep our days free to ourselves. They didn’t ask again. I heard a few people during my time complaining about the 90 minute session turning into 3-4 hours of time of their day, and the sells people during these times being super “pushy” so I would recommend just saying no and moving on. The meeting is to try to get you to become a member. They do offer free couple massages if you attend, but just know what you are getting yourself into.
They will also try to provide free excursions to a few of their properties for free. I did not do these, so I know no information on these.
Shuttles
This is one of the great things, but also can be a burden. There is one stop right in the middle of the hotel for seaside suites. The golf carts fit 8 people including the driver. During peak times (dinner, breakfast) it can be full of guests waiting, and it may take 20-30 minutes. Sometimes, you don’t have that much time so you have to walk. The walk is a decent walk from seaside suites to the front lobby area where the 3 main restaurants are. It is also a little bit away to walk to the Palms area. It is a beautiful walk though. At night time, it is not so bad, but midday it can be a bear with the heat. Sometimes, you get lucky and there is room on the golf cart shuttles or there is more than one going. It all just comes down to luck. If you want to wait, one will eventually come but it can take some time.
Staff
The staff at the resort are one of the highlights. They are always greeting you, and trying their best to make your stay wonderful. In our experience, the bar tenders check on you often and often would provide “resort favorite” shots without you asking, especially if you were tipping them. The servers will try their best to give you what you want drink wise and food wise, you just have to ask for it. They will never say no. Sometimes there are minor language barriers, but that’s part of visiting their country. Seeing how hard these people work, makes you want to tip them and give them more!
Transportation + Excursions
So, this was a big learning curve for us in our first time out of the country trip together. We decided on the morning of our 3rd day to take an impromptu trip to Akumal Monkey Sanctuary. We did not have transportation from our hotel to the monkey sanctuary, and it was 6 miles (12 minutes) down the road. We asked for a taxi with the bell boy and just hopped in assuming it would be $10-$20, and when they dropped us off it was $60 FOR ONE WAY!! And we had to pay that to come back as well because there were no other options. So $120 for about a 12 mile trip total. From now on, we will only book excursions out of the country that have transportation included because they sky rocket the taxi rides because they know it’s your only choice if you want to go. They also only let a certain taxi cab service on to the property, so that company takes advantage of it. The next night we were supposed to have an excursion off a marina that was about an hour away, and when we asked how much they told us $400 round trip! 😳 Luckily, it got cancelled due to the incoming rain weather from the hurricane! Therefore, make sure you only book excursions that have included transportation or bring a bunch of extra cash if you want to leave the property.
Food
I would say that my husband and I are extremely picky compared to most people, and we will only eat certain things. However, we did not struggle to eat here. Here were some of the restaurants we tried:
*Seaside Market- my husband loved this one. It was a dinner and breakfast buffet with a wide range of selections, and even had American traditional breakfast (hashbrowns, bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, cereals).
*Gourmet Pub- we tried this out the first night, and returned the last night, so needless to say… we enjoyed it. It has a cactus blossom (yes, like Outbacks) and cheese wedges. We ordered short rib (to die for!) and fish and chips. We liked both of these things. They also had jerk pork ribs, grilled sausage, and shepherds pie.
*Mia Casa (requires reservation with concierge) - Wow! Michael (my husband) was not looking forward to this one because it is Italian, but he ended up loving it. He ended up eating the filet (said it was amazing) and I had the chicken parmigiana (amazing!!!). They had many pasta choices including lasagna as well. The desserts included cannolis and chocolate cake.
*Driftwood Bar and Grill- this restaurant is right on the ocean front and near all the activities. It has more BBQ like foods such as ribs, hamburgers, wings, Caesar salads, and fish tacos. We enjoyed this more home cooking-like meal. Don’t be afraid to ask for double fries (small portions) or even double entrees. The desserts include ice cream or different types of pastries at a little cart they have located in the restaurant that you can visit after you are done eating.
*Room Service- this is avaliable 24/7, however, the menu is different depending on the time. They have breakfast, lunch/dinner, and a late night menu. There are choices such as omelette, French toast, pizza, hamburgers, spaghetti, etc. You can also order wine or sodas that are inclusive. You can order through the app or the room phone, and its prompt service. We found that sometimes the app was quicker and easier to order through.
*Klay Tay (requires reservation with concierge)-this is the Japanese/ Asian cuisine restaurant. We did not try this one just because we know ourselves, and our taste buds, but people who enjoy that variety of food and sushi did mention that it was great.
*La Sandwichere: has 3 different stations with pizza, burgers/ hotdogs, and burritos and you can customize them with the cooks. It does take a little bit of time for them to cook some of the items given that they make them right there in front of you. However, it was good food. They did close it down a little bit early though, which was disappointing because we were wanting some more.
*Other restaurants: La Caretta (authentic Mexican), Arrecifes (buffet style dress up dinner), and Culinarium (Mediterranean cuisine)
It is also important to note that there are a few restaurants including Mia Casa, Arrecifes and Klay Tay that require you to wear nicer clothing. I did see some people show up in jeans and a t-shirt to the reservation restaurants, and my husband did wear tennis shoes with nicer clothing, and he was not turned away. On the other hand, I also saw someone try to go to Arrecifes in a bathing suit and they told them no. Ultimately, they are trying to make the vibe of the restaurants give off upscale/5-star. Also, most restaurants only have Dos Equis lite or Dos Equis amber for beer options. But, you can also get wine or a daiquiri/ pina colada.
Another important note is that the portion sizes are a little smaller. Sometimes we had to order extra sides, or went back and got room service later. The food is good, but if you want to really eat you may feel hungry still after. Also, they don’t have a bunch of late night options unless you have reservations or dress up, so we utilized room service frequently as it is 24/7.
Activities
They had so many activities every day for us to choose from that it was a little bit overwhelming. They provide a daily schedule of events that included classes, shows, a DJ, live music, games, exercise classes, sports, trivia, crafts, and more. Sometimes, the location did not match where they were actually held. The hosts of all these activities were actually awesome and funny as well. They made everything a little brighter and kept us laughing. Their activity guides have a little bit of something for everyone and for different preferred hobbies. On Channel 4 of your Tv and on the app you can find your daily activity guide. The app is more up to date with weather changes, etc. Any of night time show experiences were held in the ballroom on the 3rd floor of the lobby area. We went to the “fire show” and while it didn’t have much fire and was more so lights, we enjoyed it. It was a lineup of acts doing various things. We also watched a singer there who was very talented, and she played some very well-known songs for the audience.
This is an example of a schedule of events found on Channel 4 of your TV:
Spa
I visited the spa on my 2nd day, and it was a great experience. Like I said above, they gave me the 15% off included in my honeymoon package, plus sent me an email for an extra 10% off. They did try to get me to buy extra services and add this or that, but I just kept politely telling them no. They offer a plethora of services including massages (deep tissue and stress relief), pedicures, couples massages, manicures, facials, and more. You can also get massages either on the beach or in the spa itself. These are all not included! You will be charged to your room for these. The facility is awesome where the spa is located, and they offer robes and a shower room with lockers to put your stuff in. I did the 50 minute massage and it cost me around $190 after discounts. I included in that price a $20 tip and I bought a massage cream for $10. Other than our taxi ride, excursion, and some snacks this was the only thing I bought during our stay.
Wildlife
As you may or may not know, we are a suckers for wildlife. The resort has many types of wildlife and they can/will get up close and personal. These include iguanas, raccoons, moths/butterflies, lizards, coati, monkeys, agouti, and frogs. One night at the bar, a raccoon was randomly walking through the middle of the crowd with no worries and looking for food. We did not see any monkeys, but the staff mentioned that every so often they might see one. I’m sure there are more, but these are what we seen!
Monkey Sanctuary
The excursion we did get to take (with a hefty taxi fee) was to the Akumal Monkey Sanctuary. It was about 6 miles from the resort. They do offer transportation as long as you contact them days before you arrive (it may have been cheaper). The cost was about $70 per person to enter, and that was well worth it. You get to do a 2 hour tour through their sanctuary taking pictures and learning about the stories of some of the animals they have rescued. At first, we did not think we would need bug spray like they recommended, but we in fact did. I highly recommend buying this at the gift shop to utilize. They will have certain spots you can apply so that you don’t get any of the animals sick.
During your journey, you will get the chance to see various parts of the facility with a tour guide. We were able to see the following:
A farm area with pigs, donkeys, rabbits, etc., and a colony of spider monkeys
Flamingo and Spoon Billed Birds
Macaw Exhibit
Otters
Many monkey exhibits
Animal Ambassadors you get encounters with: Macaws, Boa Constrictor, and a monkey (they rotate)
To save you some time, make sure you don’t have any jewelry you can’t remove or that is shiny (my wedding rings were fine to keep on) and metal/shiny hair ties for the monkey encounter. Also, please bring a tip to tip the tour guide. They recommend $20 per family.
Gift Shops
They do have gift shops at the resorts if you forgot something such as hair ties, feminine products, want snacks, small souvenirs, water shoes, water proof phone holders, hats, sunscreen, glasses, etc., but I will say it can be a hefty expense. We bought a drink similar to a Gatorlyte, a bag of chips, and a mini- can of pringles and it cost $26. I would advise packing snacks and all the extra things you may need. The card machine also didn’t work a couple of times that we went, so either bring cash or you can charge to your room.
Tipping Recommendations
Transportation $5-$10
Bell Boy- $1-$2
Housekeeping- $5 a day
Room Service- $2-$5
Shuttle Rides- $1-$2
Bar Service- $1-$2 every other drink
Breakfast/ Lunch Servers- $5
Dinner Server- $10
I brought $200 in 1s, $100 in 5s, and $200 in 10s and it was plenty!
Alcoholic Shot/ Drink Recommendations
Rainbow
Spicy Mango
Mudslide (Strawberry Daiquiri, Baileys, and Coffee Liqueur)
Lemon Drop
Pineapple Upside Down
Pina Colada
Strawberry Daiquiri
Not Included Services w/ Honeymoon Suite:
*Spa
*Decorations and Celebration items
*Fruit Platters
*Steak and Wine Dinner
*Premium Foods: Surf and Turf (tenderloin and lobster), tomahawk, ribeye steak, porterhouse, and ribeye steaks- they did send me a coupon for 10% off a speciality food as well
Recommendations:
*Bring a water proof Bluetooth speaker for your pool
*Bring Imodium (took every day and night just in case and felt great the entire time)
*Don’t need shampoo and conditioners, hair dryers- theirs is awesome
*Bring 1 or 2 bathing suits- no one is going to see you a bunch of times so don’t bring one for each day
*Other medicines: Tylenol, Dual Action Advil, and Heart Burn relief (very expensive at resort)
*Sunscreen and Sunglasses
*Can bring an insulated mug (yeti type cup) and they will fill it up for you!
*Bring passport/ID to check in as well as your marriage licenses just in case they ask for the honeymoon suite amenities
*Take a picture or bring an extra copy of your passports/ IDs just in case
*From June to November, it is hurricane season and you may not get to go on the excursions you wanted and/or it may rain. In fact, it did rain about 15-20 minutes each day and then it stopped. Be prepared for the tropical like weather.
*Knowing a little bit of Spanish could be helpful to asking questions, but all the staff that interact with people could speak some English, at least.
*There is no need to exchange money if you are staying at the resort, we used only America USD and it was accepted.
*Have fun, and bring a positive attitude!
Below is the Map of the resorts you can have access to. The one on the right is the seaside suites that we stayed in!
Overall, we had an amazing time. It was well worth every penny that we spent and we would definitely come back to this resort. We had a couple of minor hiccups, but the food, the staff, the free alcohol, the setting and the vibe of the entire place was well worth it! We also met some new friends one night and they made it the best night we had there. This was our first all-inclusive adventure, and I’m sure it won’t be our last!
Xoxo,
the traveling tandem
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