El Dorado Seaside Suite — Hotel in Quintana Roo

Transportation lomas|We were greeted by Adrian from lomas travel at the airport, he stayed with us at every moment. The driver provided a regular service (it was a private direct service) ... He didn't feel like having a conversation, therefore was a quiet drive for an hour. we suggest they could have their transportation clean as our wasn't, they had exposed their cleaning products and had a strong smell in the back to gasoline or something which made us feel dizzy upon our arrival to the hotel.|The transportation on our way back to the airport was way much better, cleaner and the driver was very sociable with everyone ||Rooms|Nice room,perfect for a small family, they did their best to accommodate us and we highly appreciate it. The housekeeper Carlos always left the place spotless! ||Entertainment|First day we didn't see anyone, except for the DJ during the evening. The live music (singers) play and sing nicely, however somehow they don't manage to attract the public or engage much, somehow it's needed a bit more of thrill and excitement. |Fire show; the guys did a great job, specially one of them who definitely controls every move he makes, on the other hand the ladies need to work on their synchronization, balance and flexibility to provide a good act, overall it was okay.||Jose and Luis from the palms entertainment team, they did their job, Luis was always dancing and prancing around and Luis communicative and inviting your to their activities in a kind way. They both were great, hope to see "Petunia" one day with the staffs t-shirt.||The duo that played and sang on Thursday evening at the bar we simply enjoyed it, on the other hand during the live Mariachi, it was a group of 15 people with not that big of a crown and didn't seem very excited, we will pass on that.|The catrina show was very well executed, good technique by all of them, they each had their moment to showcase their skills and tell the story, probably they could use a bit of more promotion as it's a nice show to watch,I would say the best of the whole week, one can appreciate and see they do train hard to give a great act.||Pool waiters and bartenders;|Most of them need to take a customer service course or learn how to be nice and provide an equal service for everyone instead of picking their favorites due to the tips. Once again I insist that one must not judge for someone's appearance, as flashy money doesn't buy you kindness or education. Therefore I will not mentioned who actually did stand out from this department.||Restaurants |The beach dinner was quite nice, good variety, all the proteins were cooked nicely, except for the desserts they offered that evening, could have been better. There's good lighting on one side, the other lacks, also it would be great if the stage would be fully visible for everyone and not just the ones who have a "reserved" table in front.|Sheila the hostess was one the first ones who welcomed us with a nice smile and very sweet during our whole stay, we appreciated that from her, she always made it possible to arrange something small for a celebration we had, she made sure it was received and she even was there for that special moment, thank you Sheila!||Arrecife |Breakfast during the buffet it's not the best, has good Variety and the cooks are quite nice, however the consistency is not the best. The champurrado and the whole milk is mixed with water as it loses its original flavor and consistency, the juices they offer are not good at all,they can consider putting a top of the abandoned waffle and pancake station (non gluten free) so I guess it's one thing for another. |Ubaldo the cook was always smiling and provided a fast and efficient service every time we saw him. ||On the other hand arrecifes dinner "Caribbean night" was superb! Every single dish was just amazing, the flavours , the smell and the portions was more than amazing. Just one small thing, it's important to have every meal and section labeled and placed before opening hours as some guests don't know what they will be choosing... Just to avoid any complaints .||Driftwood; esthetically it's vibrant but not modern as the whole suite side. The whole menu was quite good, very good portions, delicious, one can't ask more of that place.||Seaside market; was way much better than the arrecifes morning buffet, definitely tastier and you can actually find natural juice, warmer dishes and better quality. However the quality should be everywhere... The only bad side, the floor is slippery and while they have and leave water splattered around the floor, one can call and this will definitely cause some accident... At least place the "careful yellow cone.||Gourmet pub; very nice decor, sound and dimmed lights make it standout for sure. Servers same as the Mia casa, they give you an express service, no warm greeting or anything, it's more interesting for them to chat between them, other than getting to know the guest. Food in overall was bland, the highlight would be the ribs, and case closed.|||Suites side the beach area was not as nice as the palms... Definitely could see and smell the seaweed there, but it's not anyone's fault for sure as we saw every morning and during out the day the staff removing what was possible for them, which kuddos for them! ||Thinking there would be more action on the suites side, there wasn't, maybe a bit more out louder guests, but that was all. What we did notice was that the staff on the suites side were a bit more non talkative.||Culinarium|Breakfast was good, small portions every single dish is made in the moment... The only bad side they take too long. Being the first ones to arrive at 7:00am sharp we received our main breakfast meal at 7:46am, there were 6 other tables which arrived later on and they were all served first... So waiting over 40min for your main dish is just not fun (most of us ordered the same basics like yogurt and oatmeal, but we were served last) |Dinner at the same place didn't exceed any expectations, the cream's they offer seemed more like water with orange paint, extremely small portions, hard dry duck, salads are fine I guess and just didn't feel like having dessert. Enjoyed more being at the lobby with what they have to offer with tea, and cookies. |||Casa mia; apparently reservations were not needed, the whole structure, decor and lighting were wonderful, you definitely feel in Venice, in Portofino, Food was delicious, prepared at the moment where you can actually see the chefs in actions, drinks were good and the whole setting we would say. The only bad thing would be the servers, they are way into a hurry that they forget some things and they are not quite interested in providing a good service, just to get the job done "in and out" .||Klay talay;|It's an absolute yes! You have to reserve to go here, and it's worth it, you just want to keep eating, every single appetizer, main dish, dessert etc is very very good. Antonio the captain and Daniel our server did a good job, not only with us but with every single guest they provided a good service as it should be. You actually feel in Japan while eating there.|||All the dinner menus could and should be improved, as providing a standard white paper with the menu printed out doesn't seem very fancy.||Mini bars; requests a slight change with concierge on the arrival date, however it was not done... Until 3 days later with concierge reporting and informing them every time and day.||The absolute best;|Evelyn reservations; what a lovely lady we met, she was the only one who went beyond her job to help us as we didn't have any response from anyone else, 100 percent for sure our family vacation would have been a disaster and nightmare if it weren't for her and her follow-up. Her attention, service and empathy say a lot. Hopefully they will have more staff like her rather than people who insist in being around with the phones and faking a smile just to get tips...||Congrats|Aimeri public areas, Jose (tall slim) waiter, Juan concierge, Sheila hostes, Alejandro concierge, Humberto and Francisco bellboys.|All the guys cleaning the sargassum did and do an awesome job, daily and constantly cleaning up, it's a very exhausting job, mostly with the heat and they do it, it would be quite nice and kind of the hotel for the GM to provide them with a special place with shade and water for them to rest and keep hydrated, maybe a bonus would be nice as well.|Lucia who was located at the seaside market area (outside) she is a very sweet lady who makes very delicious tacos with the handmade tortillas like the authentic ones, lots of the guest don't know about it, but it's worth to go outside and ask for tacos with her.||Cons|We saw during our whole stay many employees with the phone in every area, a few bartenders in the middle of the grounds texting while we pass through greeting them, they are too busy answering their phone instead of greeting back. Something I didn't like at all was the constant use of foul language between them in front of the guests. Some of us do know what they are saying, and even though it might be used a a joke between them, I don't think it's professional to be talking like that during working hours inside the property.||It's not very wheelchair accessible, if you are fully disabled it's not the best place. Even though they all did what they could from their side to make us feel comfortable.||We don't like the fact of having sales people on the suites side just shouting to purchases whatever they are selling in the middle of when ones resting. Not sure if the suites side entertainment team identifies which guests are from their side but we were never invited to any of their activities, they didn't even care to approach us as we actually enjoy doing the activities, basically they scan you and if they think you are a party person they will smile... Otherwise your simply a "next" to them.||Bellboys; they have a lot of work to do, we insist that they should help and provide service to all not only those who flash the dollars, seems more like a big hassle to them when you are not the big bucks at the moment, it reflects with their face gestures and comments. ||There was a day where we are guessing there were around 12 employees due to an employee's beach volleyball tournament which I find it great for them to do. What I disliked was the fact that we were struggling very much to open and place the sun umbrellas and none of them decided to help out, until 2 guests approached us offering their help.||Not sure at what time the actual bar (drink service) opens as you don't see any servers around till 11am, but oddly they do appear when it comes to foreigners... If your a local or national basically you're ghosted.||The golf cart of trolleys that they use to transfer you from one side to another they seem to not care about having guest walk through and by as most if them are using them as go karts and speeding around. They have to take in count that there is seniors or anyone in general that can be taken by surprise and might injure them, but seem they don't care and they keep going. Wondering why is there cameras if they don't actually tell the staff to please slow down or it's simply not allowed to do so.||Overall we did have a nice stay, just those "minor" situations that can definitely be improved to avoid any future incidents and complaints. I do hope they recognize the employees who are genuinely nice, who provide a great service no matter how the guest looks like and to those who their job because they really enjoy it, Management should see that it's not only about the profit but also...

My husband and I stayed at El Dorado Seaside Suites for our 10-year anniversary in August 2024. This was our first time at an El Dorado; we typically stay at another adult-only brand and chose this one based on a travel agent’s recommendation, pricing, and similar rating. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t meet expectations.

Check-In & Room Experience: Check-in was average. We requested a 4th floor room and were initially assigned a 2nd-floor corner unit. After insisting, we were given a 3rd-floor room (6308) for one night, then moved to the 4th floor (7418). Both rooms had issues — thin walls, noisy neighbors, and minor maintenance problems like loose outlets and a squeaky couch. We also found the balcony “infinity pool” neither clean nor functional. Though the mini fridge was reliably stocked, we didn’t receive turn-down service each night, and amenities like the tub and room fans didn’t meet expectations.

Concierge Service & App Failures: The biggest disappointment was the resort’s lack of helpful staff. The two types of concierges (lobby and building) were largely unhelpful and constantly directed us to a poorly functioning app that was outdated and inaccurate. We were told dinner reservations were full until Saturday (even with 40% occupancy), and trying to make reservations for future nights was also a mess. We now avoid resorts that require reservations to eat.

Pools & Beach: Seaside pool was lively but lacked shade and servers. Palms pool was quieter and deeper. We were constantly bothered by vendors yelling from the beach and saw little effort from falconers to manage the bird situation. The beach had tractors running throughout the day and plastic chairs were uncomfortable. Drinks and food weren’t allowed poolside unless at Frontier Bar, and you had to serve yourself at the swim-up bars.

Dining & Food: Dining was inconsistent. Buffets were mediocre, Driftwood was subpar, and menus were difficult to read. Culinarium (at Palms) had great breakfast and amazing French toast. Japanese and Italian restaurants were decent but rarely full — making the need for reservations seem unnecessary. The Mexican show required bottle service for premium seating, which we found ridiculous at an all-inclusive. After voicing concerns on a Facebook group, we were contacted by a manager who offered us VIP seating... and then handed us a confidential “compensation agreement” to sign. We declined. I have a picture as proof.

Entertainment & Activities: Schedules were hard to follow due to conflicting info between the app and TVs. Events were often underwhelming (like a foam party with barely any foam). Some were hard to find or already over by the time we located them. The silent party and coconut painting were fun, but other experiences like the Mayan ritual were disappointing. The lack of a Delta rep onsite was also inconvenient.

Excursions & Spa: We booked two excellent excursions (not through the resort) with Cancun Adventure — Tulum ruins, cenote, and Yal-ku Lagoon — guided by Jacob and driven by Antonio. Highly recommend. The “free” catamaran/snorkel excursion to Maroma was okay but lacked real snorkeling. On our last day, we did a couple’s beach massage, which was wonderful, though we had to walk back to our room in robes.

Overall Impression: Staff often gave us conflicting answers. Once we stopped asking questions and just tried to enjoy our time, the trip improved. However, this is a budget resort marketed as a luxury one, and the experience doesn’t match the price or the rating. If we ever returned, we’d stay at the Palms side — but most likely, we won’t return at all. This resort may be fine for a first-time all-inclusive experience, but if you’ve been to better, you’ll notice the difference.

See my Trip Advisor review for a more in...

Let me say I work for a major hospitality company who does corporate events all over the world at hotels and resorts so my bar for hospitality is high, with that said I think some of the suggestions would elevate your guest experience. We stayed 5 nights and it lacked the extra special touches and hospitality. I had called before to request a double bed upon arrival people were shocked there was 3 of us in one room even tho the reservation was very clearly made for 3. Double bed was not Available left my sister sleeping on a big day bed kind of thing… was told it was an upgrade but based on other rooms it was not an upgrade… It was my birthday, nobody at the restaurant wished me a happy birthday, no candle in my dessert or nothing written on a plate anywhere, the housekeeping did decorate my bed but it was 8pm when they did it and we were done with dinner just to get back and then need 15 minutes so they could finish, cute but wasn’t there long could send up a bottle of wine, fruit something….. seeing as how it’s all inclusive…Went to book activities the guy didn’t try to show us or give us ideas of what to do just asked what we wanted to do…had to call and find out about stuff the property offered as we talked to other guest, instead of him running us though everything we could do.. and sale us on activities so that was disappointing. Catamaran and beach club were nice but my mom who is on 02 was advised she couldn’t do the catamaran or beach club due to it being all day. Turns out a van headed back mid day so my mom could have came for the morning… catamaran staff was amazing. Shuttles on property were unpredictable seems like sometimes you’d wait 5-10 minutes sometimes you’d wait 40-50 minutes and would have no one around to ask to call. Event’s up charging for vip tables to sit closer to entertainment that should be for everyone as we are paying to be all inclusive it’s crazy not listed anywhere, along with dress code that should be on the “app”. all restaurants closing on nights of events that are on the beach so if you don’t want to be eaten by bugs or want a different food type you have no other options was rough.. you should at least keep one other option open for guests who don’t want to attend that.. heard guest complain about not being able to eat stuff on these night due to dietary. Also not listed what theme the buffet was in the app so unless you call had no idea. pool parties/music only lasted 1.5 hours then the pool would be dead silent no background music leaving guest to play on there own speakers was disappointing the sun is still up and when you did play music it was the same songs everyday no theme changes or anything. Made people not want to come down and join in. The app was really a website and was missing a lot of information… when click the event it should give details dress code, time, location , theme, transportation, food servered, if upcharge vip options are available what those are.Map should be interactive so you can click the location and get all the info for it versus looking at the map then going back to the restaurant description and you couldn’t zoom so if your walking you can figure out where your going. Spa was amazing, The sauna and cold plunge great and beach massage, during the massage got asked to Upcharges for a oil really not the time for that felt very weird like you were trying to upsell at a vaunerble moment, that should be offered when you check into the spa… swim up was definitely the best part but there were napkins floating in ours after day 2 and no one ever cleaned it… made me wonder if anyone is checking the waters putting cleaning products in etc… Overall we enjoyed ourselves but I would probably try somewhere else next time and would recommend to friends but...