Palafitos Overwater Bungalows

This place will not disappoint. From the service to the food. The staff is amazing and always willing to help out however they can. If you want to be treated like royalty, please take the leap and book your next vacation here. One word of advice, ask for a bungalow furthest away from the beach. The seaweed, which cannot be controlled, is cumbersome in the closer bungalows. We celebrated our 10-year anniversary and after we got back on our last day from the Cenote trip the staff had decorated our bed and drew us a bubble bath. The attention to detail is amazing at this place. We would not recommend eating anywhere else besides the Palafitos Wine Bar. The food is top notch.

We had an excellent experience celebrating our 60th birthdays at the Palafitos. Everyone at Eldorado Maroma went out of their way to make our vacation special. Aldo and Yasser were very attentive to details to make our visit comfortable and relaxing. They were more like good friends looking out for us and making sure things ran smoothly and each day was going exactly how we wanted it to. The experience renewed our faith in Maroma and the Palafitos after all the changes over the last few years. The Palafitos are once again our "go to" place when we need downtime together. Thank You for elevating the experience for us!

Incredible visit/stay from start to finish! My husband and I booked here to celebrate our 25th anniversary and it did not disappoint!! Everyone we encountered was fabulous , from the wait staff, drivers, beach attendants , bar staff etc. Special recognition to Fernando, Aldo, Janet, Alberto and Randy! They made it a point to go above and beyond and made such a lasting impression. We appreciate you all & look forward to our next visit!

We celebrated my 40th birthday at the Palafitos and it was the best vacation we've ever had. Its absolutely beautiful there, the whole property. I was one of the people reading all the reviews because I was unsure and couldn't decide if we should go. GO!!! You will not regret it! It is expensive but worth every penny! I have never been treated so well on vacation and we have traveled to many places. Every single person was so nice and helpful starting from the driver that picked us up at the airport. Anyone you pass by says hello and is smiling even the people cleaning the seaweed up on the beach. They work very hard every day to keep it looking beautiful for all the guests. The bungalow is amazing and you could easily spend the whole vacation there and never leave. We did try out the resort amenities as well at El Dorado which are also fantastic. The whole property is gorgeous. I read many reviews about how much better the food is at the Palafitos restaurant than the resort restaurants. It is delicious but we tried all the other restaurants and loved them all. I thought the food was very good everywhere. My husband loves tacos and they have a cute little taco stand where we definitely spent a lot of time! We ate so much food because I couldn't decide which restaurant to go to everyday, I loved it all! Especially the fried shrimp tacos at Papitos! We were taken care of very well by our butlers Enrique, Pilar, and Alberto who drove us around. They make the experience what it is and are amazing, we miss them already! They will get you anything you need at any time of day. I recommend the free jetski excursion and the camel ride through the jungle(not free but worth it). Also the brunch on the beach after the excursion is unbelievable. I will never forget that food. I think I had the best burger I've ever had over there! You can also get a free 10 min massage by the pool which was great, and we loved the hydro therapy pools at the spa. If we had more time there we would have paid for a longer massage because it was great! I could not recommend this place more. If you are questioning it just do it you will not regret it. It's a once in a lifetime trip that I hope to be lucky enough to do again one day. They treat you like royalty and I couldn't have loved it more!

This experience was out of this world! Every aspect of our time there was amazing! We are telling everyone about it. Our butlers Fernanda and Liz were absolutely amazing. I really loved the fact that everyone greeted you anytime you walked by. The food was amazing! Just outstanding. We are looking to come back next year along with bring our kids to the generations resort.

It was an overall great experience. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by very friendly staff. Fernando went out of his way to make sure we were pleased and we did not need anything. The food at the Palafitos restaurant was very good . The only one I was impressed with the presentation but the food itself was not as good was the elements dinner on Saturday. Otherwise, the food and the staff were outstanding. Although we may return to Palafitos, there is one thing that I would like to address. We were approached by the marketing staff for. Promotional offer, we agreed to one hour presentation which turned out much longer and did not end the way we would have liked. Perhaps, that can improve. However, I understand they are doing their job. We went for just the weekend and did not get to try the other restaurants on the complex. Hopefully next time we can stay for a longer time. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality!

Wow, Next level. Worth every penny... if you can afford it, do it! Right now they have a sea weed problem because of the summer. Not their fault and they work REALLY HARD to minimize the impact of it. We are going back in winter when this is not an issue. You get a butler, private airport pickup in a navigator, plush plush. they pamper you. The people are amazing. The food... uffff. Gourmet chef Gilberto loves what he does. Amazing food all you can eat. Can't wait to go back for our anniversary. Just do it, you wont regret it.

We highly recommend this place is a paradise. We had an amazing time at Palafitos overwater bungalows. The food, service, and room were all excellent. The staff consistently checked in on us and were always ready to help with anything we needed. This is the place to relax and enjoy the sun. One of the highlights was having a personal butler available they truly made us feel cared all the time. Highly recommend! Specially Alberto taking care of our ride around the side thanks to Alberto (super man) And also our butler William and fernana was so kind to us. Also Danial in the restaurant. Everyone was so kind. They made our stay truly memorable. Thank you🥰

I had a blast at this resort! Everyone was so nice! The grounds are beautiful the food was excellent. I had a massage with Tania and she was great! When I go back I would definitely request her again and do a longer session. The entertainment was spectacular, always had something to do from water volleyball to beach volleyball. They have salsa classes, a guacamole challenge and cooking classes. The drinks were flowing, I never had a dry cup. My favorite bartender Karen was on point. I only had to make eye contact and she knew exactly what I wanted. I will definitely be back!

We stayed in the over the water bungalows for 7 days for our honeymoon last August. This was by far the most memorable experience we have had in all of our vacations to Mexico. Walking out to our patio to eat our breakfast in the warm Mexican summer sun, taking a cool dip in the crystal-clear warm water before heading to the luxury gym for our mid-morning workout. Take me back. Palafitos really does know how to do luxury. With our own personal butler 24-7 an incredible house cleaning staff (this was mid Covid19) and friendly, happy staff everywhere we went we felt like the king and queen. The all you can eat gourmet cuisine was incredible. With in-room dining options and a handful of other restaurants nearby we indulged to say the least. Our favorite was the restaurant at the end of the pier by our bungalow. With stunning views of the endless turquoise blue ocean, we were in a true oasis. They went above and beyond to make our experience special. With a private diner on the beach to a rose petal covered bed.....we were in romance heaven. I cant wait to go back to our oasis.

A lovely resort with even more lovely employees! We went to Palafitos for our honeymoon. The staff right from the start was amazing. The personal concierges, Aldo and Mauricio will go above and beyond to make sure your stay is nothing short of fantastic. They did an amazing job making us feel so welcome and giving us such a romantic and special honeymoon. The rest of the staff is great as well. Chris is the event coordinator, always had fun events going on (beach volleyball, fiestas, karaoke etc) and was so nice!! His colleagues, Omar and Octavio, were also so wonderful and very funny. They made our trip!! The resort Dj Rene is so fun! He plays at ricks bar every evening and will do his absolute best to ensure you have an amazing time . And bartenders Paulina and Octavio are so sweet and great mixologists!! There's other awesome staff, Fernando, Giselle, Mauricio y Julian, Enrique, Felipe, Fabian, etc etc etc... You see a pattern?! The staff is amazing. The resort is gorgeous. The food is incredible. So fresh and didn't have any tummy problems! The spa is so serene and relaxing. We got the Kukulcan massages and it was one of the best massages I've ever had. Ava y Perla are amazing masseuses. The grounds are lovely and there are so many fun activities-cooking classes, volleyball, musical trivia, etc. The Thursday Fiesta was a definite highlight! Mariachi, folk dancing, and tamales! Don't even think twice if you want an awesome vacation! Will definitely be back someday!

We stayed in the over water bungalows called Palafitos for our 20th wedding anniversary. Wow. Stunning views and a gorgeous room. Glass floors so you can see the ocean below. The food and the customer service were all above top notch. There are many pools to visit, we visited right after a storm so the beaches were covered in seaweed. The sand is pure white and I'm sure at other times of the year, the sea is clear and blue. Having butler service and being able to request rides to areas on the property made this trip for us so enjoyable. Even though tips were included in our package we did tip individually for those hard workers who always seemed to go above and beyond for us. We were here in June 2021. Definitely something always to do and see. Visited the spa as well and again, above high standards. Highly recommend the over water bungalows!

First and foremost, we will never return to this resort, ever again! This was supposed to be a special birthday trip for my SO... During check-in, we asked about our honeymoon suite to double check to ensure it had a swim-out area... the resort clerk said, "no, I do not show that on your reservation..." So, we argued that we paid for a swim-out through our "Book-it" reservation - she said, "you can upgrade if you like for $115 per night." Why would we upgrade when that's what we already paid for? She stated we would have to call "Book-It" because our reservation states "Honeymoon Suite" with no other description and they have several types of Honeymoon Suites (obviously a "Book-It" problem as well.) Fine, I'm tired, irritable, hungry - just take us to our room. Bell hop grabs our luggage and we walk about 100 feet, "we are here," he says. We start walking up the stairs... and walking... and walking... and walking... the bellman is obviously struggling with our luggage. I asked, "Where are the elevators?" In reply the bellman says, "I wonder that too!" We climbed 7 flights of stairs- our room was on the top floor! We finally get to "our room" and there is a cute "Happy Honeymoon" banner on the door. I thought, "Awww, what a nice gesture after what we've just been through regarding our room..." The bellman tries to open the door but the key would not read- he tries and tries again. Notta. He decides to use the master key and says he will run down to the main office afterwards to replace ours- he opens the door, I walk in but my SO is yelling at me and saying, "Babe! Babe! There are other people's clothes and shoes in there..." We can also hear the shower running! Imagine our shock! Imagine THEIR shock knowing that strangers just entered their room! We are mortified! The bellman apologizes and turns to the room next to it and states, "THIS is your room." (No cute banner on door.) He lets us in and "WOW, what a disappointment!" No swim out. No mini bar. No special amenities- not even a bath towel animal. No chocolates. No wine or champagne. Just a plain, bland, boring suite. Zero frills. We expressed our dislike to the bellman- he apologized to us. Not his fault. We are physically & mentally exhausted. I immediately tried to call "Book-It" - tried to reason with the agent- he was rude, pompous, kept putting me on hold and ignoring my questions- which upset me even more...he basically said, "You reserved a Honeymoon Suite and you got a Honeymoon Suite." I asked, "Do you realize there were several honeymoon suite options on your site, when we booked 6 months ago, and one was with a swim-out (photos included) and we purchased that option?" The agent continued his rudeness and patronization- would not transfer me to a supervisor, gave me a fictitious name and "badge/agent number" that I requested...I ended up hanging up on him. Told my SO, "this is IT, this is what we get for 3k, no one can do anything about it!" We decided to go speak to our concierge- we expressed our displeasure with everything- he notified his manager and he suggested we go eat while he handles the situation. He gave us a restaurant map and options on food. (It's now around 7 pm) We received 2 choices for places to eat... TWO! We opted for the Caribbean Grill. Staff was super friendly upon entering, the place was dead, maybe 3 couples in the whole place... the waitress takes our food/drink orders, comes back to pour my water and a huge fly comes out of the pitcher. Gross. She's obviously embarrassed, apologizes and removes my glass from the table. She comes back a second time, still apologizing from the first go around, pours my water and ANOTHER huge fly goes into my glass. My SO and I are BEYOND disgusted, yet, we stayed because there was really nowhere else to eat. My SO's steak was awful- he ordered medium rare- it was completely raw inside and tough like leather. My pork tenderloin was small, paper-thin pieces that were also like leather. The breakdown: 1. We learned this is a huge timeshare property, if you're not a member, and you are paying out of pocket through a travel agent, forget about getting a nice room- you won't! Their "members" get TOP priority and the nicest rooms with upgrades. 2. Forget multiple restaurants and night life... this resort is SUPER limited on places/times to eat and the food is sub-par. 3. Forget about getting in the water- so much seaweed, the water was brown... barricades in the water. Take my advice: Go somewhere else. Happy traveling!

We've been here twice now and I am ready to give my review. The first time we were there we were upgraded to a presidential villa which had 2 floors, a kitchen, fountain, and private pool. BEAUTIFUL. However that trip was quite rainy and there wasn't much time to really enjoy the pool. The ocean then was quite full of seaweed but we used the kayaks anyway. We made the best of those things and enjoyed the dining and Rick's bar where we were the only ones every night. LOL This past trip was much different. Check in was a breeze and we were greeted with cold towels and champagne. We got a brief tour of the property to remind us of where things were. We stayed on the 4th Floor of Villa 5. The stairs were brutal but it was worth it for the view. I felt so bad for the staff who had to hike up for room service and cleaning and turndown but they did it with no complaints and seemed happy to help. We only used the concierge once to blow up our raft and they were happy to help. I liked that they "knew" our name. The pool was fun. We were there over the 4th of July (Group of 12) so they had a fun Patriotic party with red white and blue people, guys on stilts, a motorbike, you name it. They then had a red white and blue balloon foam party. That I DID not like. I am not sure what the draw is to a foam party but I just think its silly and that took us right out of that pool and over to Bar 24's pool. The one night they had a Mexican Party with a mariachi band which was great and the food spread was delightful. They had Mexican vendors out to sell their wares and they had a separate bar out there. It was so nice. Dining Bar 24 - You could get breakfast or lunch here. We never had breakfast but on arrival day since it was late-ish and we were hungry we had lunch. It was nice to sit outside and relax with some drinks and our first meal. I had a cheeseburger and fries and they were just fine. Papitos - they were open for breakfast and lunch as a food display (buffet) We had breakfast there a couple of times and it was pretty good. You could get omelettes made to order and they had pretty much anything you could think of in terms of breakfast. I didn't have lunch there this visit but in the past they've had some pretty good seafood and you can get drinks there anytime. At night I guess they host some of the parties there food wise but I don't think they're open for dinner. That's another thing about this resort is, while they have a good amount of restaurants, not all of them were open all of the time so you had to kind of plan accordingly. Mio - Mio was good. They had done some remodeling since I've been here last and it looked great! The service here was great and the food was actually pretty good for Mexican prepared Italian food. The sauces had great flavor and the presentation was great. Sabores - Mexican - This was fun. The desserts were all odd here but good to try. The margaritas were tasty and the service was great. They had tacos which was good and ceviche which we all enjoyed. This trip we didn't try the Peruvian or the Caribbean or, come to think of it, the Asian. Bummer. We had a private dinner in Villa Maroma one night which was so cool. They had a signature cocktail for us and they had music playing and served us a wonderful dinner family style. Other than that we spent a day off property so we pretty much ate what was open on the nights we were there. Everything was great. The service this trip was perfect. Room service was quick and delicious. We actually had turn down service every night (some trips here we haven't get that at all or at least not every night!) They had our slippers set up nice and waters at our bedside, darkened the room and had some classical music and chocolates. AHHHHHHHHH Also you could pick the pillow type and smell too. Hmm what else. The water was great this trip. I could see some seaweed some areas and some mornings but for the most part this was the best water I've seen down here in recent trips. We spent a lot of time in the water with our floats and the beach butlers kept bringing us buckets of beers. One thing I will say is the new Rick's bar is really nice. The bar is so nice and the rooftop seating to watch the stars - awesome. They do some amazing cocktails there and hooka if you want it and they also have activities in there every night. I am not a fan of the dance floor/couch area. There is a pool table but its carpeted and has this office like furniture..reminds me of a conference room. But we had a good time with our friends and that's all that mattered but night life wise if you're not with friends or you just want to stay and look at your spouse, then maybe this isn't the place for you. I think I've covered the best points of the trip. I love Mexico and the service staff is always happy to serve so treat them well. If something is not to your liking - tell them. They'll make it right.

This place was great! We went during the off season & it was easy to do whatever wanted whenever we wanted. There was lots of comfortable beach seating. It's very clean and immaculately groomed. There's even an orchid garden. The food is phenomenal, lots of fresh ingredients. The staff are friendly and go out of their way to make your vacation special. It really is an all inclusive resort. Great entertainment and activities. Make sure to do the Mexican dinner party on the beach! There are quieter areas and ones that are more party friendly. There are only two things I didn't like and they are not really part of the resort: 1/ Don't go to the presentation. It's a waste of time and you don't get much for attending. Our sales was derisive to the staff and not very knowledgeable about the resort. 2/ Avoid ANY excursion associated with the resort and the Maroma property next door. We got swindled and it's not as safe as the resort itself. We had a much better experience booking with privately with myquestconcierge.com! They were cheaper and much higher quality.

Did research and was told they have day beach club at 130 a person which is steep but we wanted to check it out . Its ok for the info to be wrong but they tried to embarrass us about it I recommend you skip places that treat people like that!

El Dorado Maroma was so bad, we checked out 12 hours after we arrived. I chose El Dorado Maroma for the vacation we take to celebrate my husband's birthday and our wedding anniversary. It was advertised on Costco Travel with a 4.75 rating, but I truly cannot comprehend why. El Dorado's website says it is "a luxury four-diamond gourmet inclusive spa resort." I've stayed at less pricey all-inclusive resorts in Mexico that are leaps and bounds better. It is not luxury by any stretch of the imagination, the food is not gourmet or even edible for the most part, and the spa is old and smaller than any other spa I've seen at a hotel. We booked the junior suite advertised as ''romantically decorated" and having "a semi-private pool offering privacy in a quiet tranquil atmosphere." It did not meet expectations based on the description. I felt duped and sad I had chosen this place. I felt like I let my husband down and threw away money for a terrible experience. When we arrived at 11pm, we didn't get the warm welcome you normally get, but I chalked it up to it being late. We were escorted to our room (btw there are no elevators, you must use stairs) and we were shocked. The air was terrible. It felt thick and muggy and like there might be mold. Not great for someone with asthma and allergies. There was a wall A/C unit, but it was very loud, and located very close to the bed. The bed looked extremely old because there was a huge dip in the mattress that we both just rolled into. The furniture looked terrible. It was coming apart and looked like it had water damage. Even the mirror was so old you couldn't really use it as a mirror...I thought maybe it was weird art, but no. We did not have a coffee maker in the room and asked for one since the fixings for coffee were there, but that was never brought. When you open the door to the room you see the bathtub and shower with absolutely no privacy if a worker were to come by to fix anything or deliver room service. Even though we arrived so late in the evening, you could still constantly hear carts rolling by. In the morning, looking out to our "semi-private pool" we saw lots of workers rolling carts by and what appeared to be construction guys eating. I guess maybe that was a gathering place? It was loud and people were way too close with a view directly to our balcony. We ordered room service. Not good, minimal selection, but I figured that was because it was close to midnight. I thought I'd get better food the next day. It was worse! The selection was still limited and the food was not good. Or even warm. And that was at the restaurant that was supposed to be the better restaurant! Honestly, I didn't think I could stay 5 nights because there would be nothing I'd want or be able to eat. However, I didn't want to complain and was trying to make the best of it. I had explained some of the issues and asked if we could be moved to another room. The woman looked stunned and explained that we could move, but it would be closer to construction and not really any different, just up another flight of stairs. The whole conversation I felt like she was gaslighting me about how great it was despite everything I mentioned. I was nearly in tears and then she brought up the time-share like "exotic traveler's club." I think I might have said, "are you kidding me? I just told you how disappointed we were with every aspect of the "resort." By that point I couldn't pretend that this was going to turn out ok and I asked my husband if he would call Costco Travel and ask for them to move us somewhere else. They didn't seem to have a free number to call from outside of the U.S., so I was a bit concerned when the call was over 2 hours long. Anyhow, the agent was nice and advised to check out before noon so the hotel would not charge us for more than one night. The agent booked us at another resort we had previously stayed at. However, there was no "credit" for what we had already paid for the stay at El Dorado Maroma. El Dorado Maroma charged us for the full 5 nights despite our explaining and asking them not to. The Costco Travel agent called El Dorado Maroma and asked them not to charge us for 5 nights, but they did anyway. Costco Travel said they couldn't do anything about that and could not refund or credit us any of the purchase price to use towards booking another resort, so we had to pay for a new place to stay doubling the cost of our vacation.It has been more than a month and Costco Travel has yet to contact us to discuss this. My husband has called twice and spent hours on the phone explaining and asking that Costco make this right even if El Dorado Maroma would not. Costco advertises this on their travel website and our full payment went to Costco. Costco absolutely has the ability to provide some sort of refund or credit to us, but we aren't very hopeful given the discussions my husband has had with agents of Costco Travel.

9/4-9/13 trip review I must give kudos to the Awesome staff Another wonderful trip! The weather was perfect. It is always so great seeing the amazing staff and making new friends at Maroma. Special thanks to the resort for having security at the beach entrance at Palifitos side all day in the hot sun for safety I want to give a huge thanks to Omar Castillo pre arrival concierge (did not realize until we got there it was THE Omar We have all known for years with Alex and the activities). He was so helpful with our requests! Also Fernandina in members services who we met last year was very helpful with information. Our butlers Juan and Rodrigo were fantastic. Always must mention the amazing bartender Rene, We sadly didn't get to see Rene as much this trip because he was working nights. Agustin our tequila and mezcal guru. Willian wine guru Bartender -Felipe Waiter -Diego Activites staff Lierbag Angie Osvaldo Beach Butlers Jorge (took care of us almost every day) Eli Manuel Daisy Beach Bartenders Daniel Josue Waiters Mio/Caribbean Bertin Jorge Le Lima Lemon Marlene Alberto ? Jorge ? Papitos Dimas Noe Arturo Alberto Palifitos Manuel Miguel Enrique Mario Romantic Dinner waiters Jorge Dory Spa Services Betty Elena Yazmin

Planned Anniversary Trip for Feb 2021, and booked early. We found lower pricing last week during Amazon Prime sales week online, and contacted Eli. She gave us a discounted price in writing, then reneged, then said she would price match, then reneged again, then tried to give me a price over 3x the discounted price she gave us. The back and forth lasted a week, and now we can't cancel w/them and book w/the other site as the sale is over. All of this is in writing, time and dated screen shots, and they are still refusing to do anything. I would not recommend booking.

This property was exceptionally clean. The staff members were over the top with kindness, service, and attention to detail. Highly recommend this property. We will definitely be back!

We became members of Exotic a few years ago - we normally stay at El Dorado Casitas but decided we needed a change. Booked for Maroma. Our initial trip was booked for March but I ended up getting sick so we posted it till Oct/Nov. Traveling during October ends up being tricky because it's the rainy season so the place wasn't too crowded. Thankfully we had not 1 day of rain. Our room was very spacious - almost too spacious - with a beautiful view of the ocean. It had 2 sitting areas, a dining room, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, indoor and outdoor shower. The beach was tiny - the sand was white and had the consistency of flour. It was really gorgeous. There was seaweed (as there is all over the coast). The staff does a great job of removing it. The resort does offer some activities such as kyaking with snorkeling. I took this trip and was brought to a gorgeous, underwater cenote that was full of colorful, large fish. Totally gorgeous. Like all the Karisma properties, the staff was extremely nice and cordial. I really wanted to stay in Palafitos for a few nights so we upgraded and were able to stay there for the remainder of our trip. It was almost a mistake because now I can't see myself going back and NOT staying in a bungalow. This took our experience up 500 notches. The room was amazing - with glass floors - private deck into the ocean etc etc. I was mesmerized by all the fish. The room comes with snorkeling equipment incase you want to pop in and get a better look. The service in Palafitos was fabulous. The restaurant was amazing. I CANNOT wait to go back.

When we arrived at El Dorado Maroma things went south quickly. However, once the management was informed they did everything to make our trip better. Special thanks to Jocelyn because she really changed our experience and made us life long customers. She works in the front office and really cares about the guest! America, the resort manager, also checked in with us multiple times to make sure everything was perfect. If something is wrong let them know because they want to fix it! I eat gluten free which was a major reason we chose this resort. At first a few of the hotel employees weren't totally sure but at any point you can ask for the chef and they were very knowledgeable. I have Celiacs and never got sick on this trip! They never hesitated to meet a special request which was really wonderful. We ate four of our meals at the Palafitos Restaurant which was exceptional! Chef Miguel came to our table at every meal and even remembered our favorite things. He made us off the menu items (gluten free) which was exciting! We had a cauliflower risotto, king crab, fillet mignon, lamb lollipops , eggs Benedict for breakfast and so much more! Plus the view from the Palafitos restaurant is breath taking. The resort has different restaurants available on different days. At every restaurant they have GF labeled on all of the items. We didn't eat at Papitos much but sitting on the terrace overlooking the beach is what you come to Mexico for! We also enjoyed breakfast at Mio a lot! They had a great gluten free pizza crust, my partner preferred it over the gluten crust! We also enjoyed all the swim up bars. Another neat thing this resort does is create event themed nights where they go all out. We attended their Mexican and BBQ parties. They set up elaborate festivities right by the pool and on the beach. We enjoyed tons of food, mariachi bands, premium tequila tastings and even a fire show. We stayed in a honeymoon suite for the majority of our trip and then spent our last night in a bungalow. It was worth every cent. Our butlers, Alma and Alan were great and we really enjoyed Alex. He was a waiter for us at our bungalow and the Palafitos restaurant. He makes the best mojitos (even better than the bartenders) and he was super friendly! If you see him have him make your drinks! Our bungalow room faced Maroma beach. The glass floors were so neat! We do wish they had privacy to protect people from looking up into them. Maybe like a reflective sheet. We had a few paddle boarders that got close to having a show! But if it took away from seeing the fish then we wouldn't change it. We spent the entire day in our bungalow and we will be returning to stay in one again! The breeze, the sounds, the birds, everything about the Palafitos is peaceful. The second reason we chose this resort was because we are planning a wedding. Nelly, the wedding coordinator, got us so excited about having a wedding destination at El Dorado Maroma. She also alleviated some of the planning anxiety we were having. The venue possibilities are endless and everything we imagined. We can't wait to start working with Nelly and the team at El Dorado Maroma to bring our entire family back. Plus with all of the events they offered nearly every night our guest will be so entertained! To summarize if you're looking for a great destination check out the Palafitos at El Dorado Maroma. While they aren't the cheapest they are worth it! You will leave with a huge sense of serenity. Almost everyone we spoke to was a repeat customer and we can now see why. We will be coming again this year and then for our wedding next year!

It's another 3-star that really means it's decent... just maybe not our thing. Read on, and you'll see what it is and why it might be your thing... or why it might not be. Went in Nov 2017 for our honeymoon. Booked thru Costco. Good: - Junior suite was excellent... furnishings were nice and comfy. Everything exceeded expectations. - Food was very good (at times not our favorite, but very good) , drinks were good. Nobody held back and I never left unsatisfied. - Staff was wonderful. Very helpful and very accommodating. - Property is well kept and IMMACULATE. Lots of attention to keeping the place maintained and clean. - The nightly events are fun... a bit campy at times, but entertaining and enjoyable. - Extremely laid back and relaxing. Plenty of time and great places to just chill and read. - Tours booked through their concierge, both off site and at the place next door, were all good. - Although part of the beach got washed out while we were there, it was a very nice beach and a wonderful place to hang out and enjoy cocktails. - Safe and quiet. Not as good: - Being beachfront, I hoped that at least one place had a relaxed dress code. Papitos, for example (being at the beach) could be an easy place to cruise into for lunch after beach time... in shorts and a shirt. - It's completely isolated, except for the small activity center next door. The long driveway dumps you out on the highway... and it is so far away that walking out there to visit a shop or catch a bus is a chore. A side effect of how quiet and away it is. - Nightlife is minimal to nonexistent... possible a side effect of: - The average age is 45+... and this isn't all bad, we met some great people and had a good time. But we one of only a few early 30s couples there. Rick's bar after 9pm is pretty dead... just grab drinks and go. Maybe it's when we went, or maybe we had the wrong idea. But know that quiet nights are easy to get here. Our expectations were for a more lively atmosphere... maybe it's our fault... after all it IS an adults only outside of major tourist areas. As much as we wanted to enjoy each other's company, it took great effort to try and make a few friends. We enjoyed quiet nights in our room or wandering the property, but at times we felt a bit trapped by the quiet property. If we were to do it again we might do it with another couple... or we'd book somewhere in a more lively area within a town. If you book here you won't have a bad time, just know what to expect and go and enjoy yourself.

I was a guest of a close friend's wedding at this resort. I've never stayed in a big resort before, so I was excited to enjoy this mini vacation. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and extremely hospitable employees. Throughout my entire visit, everyone was amazingly polite, courteous, helpful, and genuinely caring about my needs. The drinks and food were out of this world! Everything I ate, including the room service was delicious. The room was one of the most excellent rooms I've ever stayed in, and I've stayed in plenty. The entire facility was beautiful and just inspired a joyfully relaxing atmosphere. I just wish the ocean had been cleaner, as it was riddled with sea organisms and foliage. It wasn't the kind of water I felt comfortable swimming in, but I know that can be hard to control. Luckily they have amazing pools! I cannot wait for another opportunity to visit this outstanding resort!!

We really enjoyed our stay, but it was not what we were expecting. Perhaps a bit overpriced for what you got as our travel agent sold this place as a "luxury" beach resort, and while everything was very nice it was not I would call luxury. Pros: 1. Only around 200 or so guest at the resort, so nothing was crowed 2. Sand and cabanas where beautiful (just like the picture or better) 3. Staff is incredibly friendly and professional 4. Activities scheduled every 2 hours or so 5. No "pushy" time share pitch 6. Quite and relaxing, you never feel rushed 7. Good food with gourmet presentation (they did an excellent job plating the food) 8. The rooms were nice/clean and the beds were big and comfortable 9. Beach towels are large enough to wrap around a really fat guy (me) as well as being thick and soft, it's a small thing that made my experience much more enjoyable Cons: 1. Only certain restaurants were open nightly (not enough guest to open them all) 2. The water was full of seaweed and even though we went the month it's the worst, the captain of the catamaran said it's been bad all year round for the last 3 years (if you had one of the villas over the water you would be highly disappointed) 3. The staff isn't always good at their job (didn't deliver bags for several hours, random early morning knocks on doors because they had the wrong room, drink recipes changed from day to day) 4. Place is dead after 9pm, no night life, only one activity scheduled at a time during the day, and some events where members only 5. This place is a time share (which we were not aware of- travel agents fault not the time shares) so non-time share guest do not have access to some things 6. If your not in a group you might/well get bored 7. We often eat at some of the nicest restaurants in Houston, and would not consider the food gourmet, and while each place had an item or two that was considerably above average the rest was merely good (Chili's level or better for reference) 8. No elevators which could get old if you were on of the fourth floor 9. Sunscreen provided is lotion type not spray on, but you can buy spray on at the gift shop for 25-30 USD, I know that is super nit picky 10. $500 credit can not be applied to excursions, and can only be applied to half the cost of whatever you are using it on Many of the items listed as cons I did so ONLY because the resort was slight more expensive than other options and it was marketed to me as a "luxury" resort. The resort is nice to very nice and a great place to relax. I would recommend it to friends that were looking for a more private and less crowded vacation, but tell them to do their research because I suspect (but don't know) that you could get a similar non-time share feeling experience for cheaper.

This is just my experience, that I would have loved to have known before booking. The resort has amazing employees. They are continually cleaning. The grounds are beautiful. The sand is like powder. It's so beautiful. Workers continually worked to keep seaweed cleared. But the Ocean water is HORRIFIC. No waves, murky, smelly, mushy swamp lagoon. It really is more of a lagoon. I love a beautiful ocean. This isn't one of them. After going into this lagoon our skin was Itchy and red. Very unfortunate. We never went back into the ocean. We are still using cortisone cream, like body lotion to stop the itch. I was wondering if the nearby Marina was dropping there waste in the water?!? Unsightly huge sandbags around the weedy island and overwater bungalows. It's very pretty lite up at night though. There is also a tractor that is moving around sand on the beach. I was thinking they were going to have a huge sand castle contest or something. Nope just moving around sound with a big noisy tractor?!? Bugs- horrible problem. They spray and bomb pesticides around us while we are swimming and eating at the pools, since we couldn't swim in the ocean. They also add chemicals to the pool water, while we were swimming. We were never able to enjoy the balcony or hammocks due to bugs. We Slept with gnats and mosquitoes In our room. Before bed, I sprayed myself with bug spray to sleep at night. Horrible ! The one respite from bugs, a shower. Except keeping the water temp regulated was a challenge. To hot, to cold ugh! Of course I brought my own bug spray which was gone in a day. I called the front desk 2x for bug spray. They directed me to buy it at their store. Then come to find out while speaking to a "member" in the pool. She got 2 free bottles. Wow, that made me so mad. There also was no bug spray at the pools by the lotions. There wasn't any there our entire stay. I bought 2 more bottle at the resort. I asked on our shuttle rides, "if anyone had a bug problem at their resorts?" They did NOT have a gnat and mosquito problem at their resorts. We assumed maybe because of the surrounding mangroves, I don't know ?! Starbucks in the resort was closed due to no water. Resturants- food was delicious. But Only 2 Resturants open at a time. I only need one meal, so I was okay. But surprised since other resorts I've stayed at didn't close Resturants. On Mexican fiesta night its the only place open to eat. No other restaurants are open that night. The Bugs have the fiesta, they ate us, during the "outdoor only" fiesta. They were doing random room construction. It sounded like they were replacing a pool on a balcony. So sitting around the main pool getting poisoned by pesticides wasn't by soothing music. It was by jackhammering, sawing and hammering. In front of my front door, boards were pulled up and exposed, which exposed pipes underneath. I assumed this may be the cause of Starbucks not having water. It was exposed our entire stay. Couldn't they have put the boards back after working on the pipes daily? It was unsightly. Very interesting. The activities were hit and miss. Didn't happen daily. I work for a major airline, I travel extensively. This is the 3x this year I've been to Cancun/playa area this year. I've never complained, I adapt, enjoy and move on. I figure this could have been a fluke. My friend said "she would want to know about this experience." So, I'm writing my truth. I wish I would have known this info. I seriously wish it had been different.

Extremely nice and relaxing place for retreat! The food is amazing, everyone that works here makes it better, great customer service, great environment, the spa is very beautiful, massage and facials can be done by the beach if you please... and the best of all is that every employee are encouraging people to protect wild and sea life from contamination ....such plastic!

TLDR : Work staff is great, Run away from the Exotic Travelers Club presentation as fast as you can, don't expect alot from your room, food is inconsistent, don't come here if you are expecting a 5 star experience. Left early despite no refunds. My husband and I stayed here for New Years and our long awaited honeymoon. I don't typically write reviews, but I feel like I need to try and save others from my experience at El Dorado Maroma. We booked the hotel through Costco - which had limited options for rooms, but we chose the Mi Hotelito Beachfront option since we saw that it was labeled as beachfront and looked very nice online. We arrived on site about 7pm - temperature checked, everyone had masks on - which was great during Covid. We get our room to only realize that it wasn't really beachfront at all, but instead directly next to Bar 24. We were so close to the bar that there was a table about 3 feet from our patio. The bar was very loud and our room provided zero privacy. I asked my husband to see if they have another room option for us and the original response was to "ask me tomorrow". My husband told me that he signed us up to do a 60 minute sales presentation for the "Exotic Travelers Club", a discount program for the Karisma Resort line of properties. In return for attending this sales presentation they would give us dinner at the Palafitos exclusive restaurant and have a conversation about upgrading our room. At first we were interested, we are looking to travel more and are interested in signing up for a time-share program - so we figure why not listen, especially if it's only an hour and lunch. The morning before the presentation, the concierge tells us about three different rooms that just opened up that we can move into, with different options at different prices per night. They showed us a nice villa, told us we would see the other two on our tour of the property, and that they would hold them for us so we can decide after the presentation. We meet the Exotic Travelers Club saleswoman named Janette, she gives us a tour of the property, and near the end pulls us into her office and drops the hard sell. Nearly 2 and a half hours later, meeting with 3 different sales people (they brought back up), we were finally able to leave the sales office. After we left, we went to the lobby to choose our new room and pay for the upgrade (while passing Janette on her way out). We decided to choose the Beachfront room we saw on the tour - $100 USD more per night, with a shared private pool, and private cabanas - we were excited. The concierge in the lobby (because the one that told us about the rooms has left for the day... at 2:30pm) told us the room they said they would hold for us was no longer available. Obviously we were confused, they were supposed to save the rooms so that we were able to make an informed decision after seeing them, I wonder what Janette was doing before we walked in? The concierge told us that there is another room available with an ocean view and that we can go and look at it. This new room is at the back of the property, far away from the beach but on the top floor so at least there is a view of the beach, we are also away from Bar 24 so it should be more relaxing. They offered us the same price as the beachfront room, $100 more a night. The concierge also said they would provide us with a honeymoon package in the room, that they would "Do something special." for the confusion. We really wanted to get away from bar 24, so we agreed. We went back to the lobby and paid the additional fees, and was told that Housekeeping needed some time to clean the unit and that it would be ready by 6. At 6 O'clock nobody came to our room, we waited for a while and My husband left to see if the room was ready. A bellman came, helped us with our bags, and we were in our new room! But now there was a smell. It seems like no matter what we do, we couldn't catch a break with Maroma. The smell in our new room was like someone had smoked in it, and then tried to cover it up with a scent bomb, the weird part is that this smell wasn't here before "the cleaning" that took 4 hours. We tried to air out the room by opening the doors and windows, but it was getting late and we had to eat. The next day, the air conditioner broke and leaked water all over our bags, clothes, and electronics, (we mentioned this to another couple, and they said there was a massive pile of broken ones behind the spa) it seemed like whatever could go wrong, did and Karisma didn't do anything without directly profiting from it. I should also mention that there was no "honeymoon" package in our room, maybe they forgot like always. This property is the definition of over-promise and under-deliver, it seems like the experience is curated to get you in front of the sales staff for the membership and once you say no they stop caring.

We absolutely loved our visit last month. Thank you for making our honeymoon so memorable. May I make a suggestion? I wish there were more maps so I didn't get lost on the resort.

I had a massage with a man named Jorge at the beginning of my stay so I decided to book again with him (even tipping him prior to my treatment because of how great my first experience was.) The second time around, I was completely violated internally and externally. I pray that all women see this post and report anything that happens to them on property. Jorge was removed from the property for the duration of my stay, and I was told that he would be fired and would be ineligible to work for any of the other Karisma properties. However, the police report did not go as planned due to EDM's lack of concern, accuracy and preparation of how to handle the situation.

The service could not have been better, the property was immaculate, and the food and drinks were plentiful and satisfying. I definitely recommend an over water massage. The waves and breeze made it such an awesome experience. My only gripe would be the lack of nightlife in Rick's Bar. My husband and I stopped in one evening and there was only one other small group there. We grabbed a drink and left pretty quickly, but weren't too upset. We were there for our honeymoon and we're looking for someplace upscale, full of amenities, yet not overrun with loud partying, so a lack of nightlife was a trade off we were willing to make. We will definitely be returning!

Wonderful accommodations ,, attentive staff and incredible gourmet dining,, however the actual beach property is on is not the best ,,, you can't have everything and it's nothing the resort has control over ,, however you can be at the best remote beaches within a 10 min walk. We upgraded to the beach front property with private pool,,, made all the difference ,, you have it all ,, ground level with direct access to the beach from your room. Beach Canopies available at first come first serve ... again the dining is all ala carte at their wonderful restaurants including breakfast ,,,

Great experience here. We started off our stay at the Palafitos and the service is just amazing. I felt it is was worth every penny. The restaurant at the Palafitos serves all three meals. For breakfast I especially liked the different types of coffee you could choose from. Also, my husband and I went deep sea fishing and brought back our bounty. The chef did an amazing job - Mahi Mahi four ways, each and every one delicious. The beach is one of the nicer ones that we have been to with all the different Karisma properties. We later switched our room to a non-palifitos room so that we could also check it out. The service there was great as well, and the butlers between the two areas were definitely talking since the new butlers knew our like of ice and lime (all in our room quite quickly). The one thing that didn't get transferred over was our choice of pillows, but the pillows in our room were more than nice. On Friday they had a Mexican feast which hit all the right buttons for authentic Mexican food. I only wish I could eat more (or they did it more often). I could see my husband and I going back here again.

We just finished a glorious week at this resort. From Maria at check in to Oscar on departure the staff were excellent. We ate in most of the restaurant. Papitos for a quick breakfast and lunch. The coconut shrimp on the Caribbean Grille were to die for. Sushi was exquisite. Bar staff especially Diego were top notch. We walked the beach each morning. You can go for miles on the beautiful white sand. Our room had a private pool so we didn't spend any time on the beach or at the main pools. I've attached some photos so you can see the room. This is our second trip and won't be the last

I've been humming and hawing amongst myself on what rating level to provide to the Palafitos Overwater Bungalow resort. There is definitely a ton of good and great services provided, however I am very cognizant of the overall price and try to take that into consideration when writing any review. As such, I've decided on a solid four stars for the reasons listed below. This resort is beautiful. I'm not even saying that in the sense of "oh it's nice" or "oh that was lovely", no the resort is beautiful, it's breathtaking, it's almost surreal. The bungalows seem to rise above the water, lifted by their own majesty. The interior of the bungalows is extremely spacious, with high speed wifi throughout and covering the entire resort. The bed is firm and you are given a choice of pillows and interior scent. When staying at the bungalow, you are provided with a personal butler to assist you with your every need throughout the day. Our butlers, Israel and Alan were phenomenal and very helpful. They assisted us in nearly all matters needed and would ensure that everything from housekeeping to room service was met. The bungalows also have their own private restaurant which is overlooking the water. This is a more fancy restaurant and the food quantity is reflected as such. You're not getting slathered food, but rather gourmet, made to order, picturesque entrees. The food is good, but nothing to brag about. I felt the resort went more for looks than taste. You are also provided access to the resort, which has their own restaurants and pool. We went to the Asian restaurant on our second night and immediately regretted it, I'd advise to remain within the bungalow resort and order room service if you tire of the restaurant. Overall, I felt that the resort took every step to accommodate our every need. The bungalows and resort itself is gorgeous and the staff is extremely attentive. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Beautiful beach, but not worth the $60 we were charged just to see it and walk on it for an hour. We probably got ripped off by the guard at the gate. I wouldn't bother.

We had high hopes after all the reviews. The property is gorgeous and the staff hardworking and kind. But this resort falls short in many ways. We never were asked to Upgrade our room and it was our honeymoon. Knowing what we came to find out about our room we would have. First our room was not what was advertised. We had a room in the fourth floor and when we went in it wasn't even ready at 6 pm. So they gave us the room next door which looked half done in terms of decor and furniture. The worst was that the room itself was so hot and damp. Our sheets were wet every night. Which was disgusting. The air clearly was broke and was leaking by the second day. Housekeeping was slow and didn't clean our room till after 4 pm and we never had towels. Shower would not get hot and so we had to shower outside! Massage was okay, but expensive for what u got. Gym needs updating. Obviously guest rooms need updating. We did listen to the presentation on the time share but after telling them about our experience they only offered to upgrade us for $200 which gladly we would have paid if we could have got into the room at 12 not 4 on the last day here. And truthfully when we did voice our concerns they referenced it was our fault for not being more vocal about our concerns and that our expectations were too high. Well for what we paid I think we expected a lot more. Ocean is gross lots of seaweed. Felt bad for those cleaning it every single day. Service was slow no one asking for drink or food orders at the pool. Food was good for the most part the Asian restaurant was not! Mio was. Liquor was good with brands but missing Tito's. Cabana's were nice. Sadly this was not what we thought it was going to be. We're not difficult or high class travelers Westin and Marriott brands tend to be our go to's but this was our honeymoon and we wanted more. And for what we paid we should have gotten more considering the Ritz in Cancun is $332 a night.

My husband and I just got home from our beyond wonderful and fabulous honeymoon at this resort. Literally every single person we encountered was amazing. Room service was prompt, the food was the best we have ever had, the wait staff were so wonderful, the concierges were all fantastic, the excursion planner was great and the bar tenders and the beach butlers were all fantastic! We went on an excursion to xplor xcaret and did some amazing zip lines, amphibious vehicles, cave rafting and more with our guide Nashla. We also went on an ocean safari and snorkeled in a cenote and through a large coral reef, and rode jet skis with our tour guide Tino. Our final day here started with a four course breakfast in bed, and ended with a romantic four course dinner on the beach at sunset. To say we had a good time was an understatement. We felt truly cared for and enjoyed every second of our honeymoon. Special shout outs to our wonderful waiters: Exar, Andres, Diego, Karen, flugencio, and many others! You were all great! The bartenders, bravo! I especially remember Gio at the swim up bar by Mio. Our house keeper, Alfredo, and our concierge, Artyno. Thank you all!!!! (Sorry if I spelled your names wrong!)

The grounds are pretty and food is ok, but I was eaten alive by either fleas, sand flies, mosquitos or bed bugs. This took all fun away from my vacation as my entire body was covered in bites. There was no bug spray in the shop and the staff was dismissive.

The food and service was incredible. Staff was so nice and helpful, we were so impressed. I would truly recommend.

My husband and I stayed here to celebrate our 10th anniversary and it was AMAZING! Definitely one of our best trips ever. The beach was very nice with some of the softest sand I've ever felt. The ocean had such beautiful contrasting colors. Every meal was delicious. The drinks were flowing ;) We didn't leave the resort the entire week! We did snorkel one morning and ride the wave runners, but they were located right next to us. The service at this resort is excellente! Every member of the staff that we came in contact with couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. We never went thirsty on the beach thanks to Diego and his Mango Locos. Jose at Kiyoko was the only waiter both nights we went, but he was fast and pleasant and always smiling. Victor at Bar 24 always greeted us with a smile and remembered exactly what we had drank the night before. Kiely at the spa gave me the best massage! I don't like very hard pressure and she was perfect! It was so relaxing :) Our butlers Erik and Carlos were sooooo great! Really anything we asked for they accommodated. One day we were at the pool and happened to see Erik walking by. We simply waved "Hello" and he came rushing over to see if we needed drinks and to make sure we were happy. Carlos was incredible. He made sure our bar was stocked and booked us massages, pedicures etc. and was constantly asking if there was more he could do for us. He was so nice and fun to talk to. He really made our trip special. The night of our anniversary we had the In-Room Dinner experience. It was beautiful! There were rose petals everywhere and the food was the best we had the entire time. A chef, a waiter and a butler came to our room and doted on us. It was so cool to watch the chef work. He really is an artist. There's really nothing negative I could say about the El Dorado Maroma. It was tough to leave this paradise but I have a feeling we will be back!

My husband and I stayed at the "palafitos" for our honeymoon in Jan 2018. One of the nicest trips I have been on. We had two butlers - William and Alan. They made us feel so special! The weather was chilly and cloudy but we still had an amazing trip. The food at the private restaurant, the in room dining and even the small restaurant buffet were delicious! The grounds were manicured and the staff around us seemed so happy. I was amazed at how much detail was put into everything. It was the perfect, romantic honeymoon. Thank you! My husband and I are already trying to plan our next trip!

Thank you so much to the marvelous staff of Eldorado Maroma! We came for our honeymoon July 19-28 2020 and we treated so well. We had such wonderful food, service, and were shown great kindness and patience by all staff. The Directors of Fun (2 gentlemen that led the activities on property) Omar and Alex were awesome! They were so attentive, positive and made sure my husband and I were aware of all the beach volleyball, trivia, pool volleyball times. We played trivia in the pool and as team sombreros we won 3 times! Again Omar and Alex who lead the resort activities were awesome! At the main bar the bartender Carlos was very conversational and made perfect, consistent drinks. At Bar 24, and our romantic dinner we had the pleasure of getting to know Areturo the server! Every morning and afternoon Areturo has been there so help us order breakfast and lunch! He's very kind and even organized a special Shrimp Cocktail for us! It was amazing and so delicious. Our personal concierge Dennys was very kind and did his best to welcome us and check in every day. He assisted also in booking a two for one couples massage on the beach in honor of our honeymoon. Of all the restaurants we tried on property we loved Bar 24, Lima Limon, Carribbean, and Mexican. Overall we had a marvelous time. Thank you so much to the staff of Eldorado Maroma. Despite COVID we felt more than safe and healthy! Thank you again to Alex, Omar, Dennys, Carlos, and Areturo! - The Beckman's!

Stop reading and BOOK THIS RESORT RIGHT NOW!!!! The first question I always ask myself when looking at resorts online is: I wonder if it really looks like the pictures!? Yes. El Dorado Maroma lives up to all of the wonderful pictures you can find online. Just like the other Karisma resorts it is stunning! Definitely happy we booked and had a chance to stay at another great luxury gourmet inclusive. I'm giving this resort 5 stars as follows: *Beach - the beach is beautiful. Water is clear and there wasn't a lot of seaweed nor was it rocky like other resorts in riviera maya. There's even a little private island not too far off shore that you can kayak or swim up to. Plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas available. *Pool - Clean and well maintained. We spent a lot of time at the smaller pool with swim up Bar 24. The bartender Antonio was so friendly and made a cocktail that he called "Antonio's Especial" that my husband enjoyed. If you want to take a break from swimming there's a vendor with various ceramic items you can paint. At night you can purchase cigars and enjoy the live entertainment. The main pool has fun activities during the day and a few cabanas and lounge chairs. *Staff - Lovely staff. Very friendly and courteous. *Food - It's a Gourmet Inclusive and the food met our expectations. Consistent with the other Karisma resorts. My favorite dinner was at Mio Italian Restaurant. So, just make sure you book El Dorado Maroma!

Such an intimate pretty place. The staff is great, the restaurants are very good with nice clean food. The grounds are impeccably maintained. Really pretty place but the accommodations really vary based on the building you are in. Out room was gorgeous with a view on the third floor There is plenty to do ping pong, shuffleboard, an entertainment staff that coordinates daily events. Runs on the beach, yoga, Zumba, volleyball, you name it. The best white sand beach. Great beach chairs and cabanas. The ocean is filled with Fish everywhere. Snorkel till your hearts content. The property is adjacent to the company that does swim with dolphins and fishing or snorkeling expeditions. This is adults only. They have many restaurants and the one over the water is spectacular but there is a separate charge for that. The Mexican restaurant is to die for as is the Caribbean Grill but the very best is the Asian So yummy. Sushi and really outstanding food. Elegantly prepared.

Stay far away! Peace and quiet is not something you will get here. Pay over 1000$ a night and you'll constantly having construction noise, awful food and close to nothing customer service. We came here last year and this was our 2nd visit..and will be our last. Save your money and go somewhere else where they actually know how to let you relax.

We had a nice room next to the Ocean with an ocean view. Manuel the beach butler took care of us all week with a nice beach bed and attentive service. Pedro kept the drinks coming at Ricks Bar. Ricks bar had been updated and expanded and is a great place to hang out after a long day at the pools and ocean. Great Vacation.

We visited El Dorado Maroma in May 2021. It was our second visit and we continue to love this resort. The food, drinks, staff members, pool, quiet spacious beach, and weather are some of our favorite things.  It's hard not to feel like you're in paradise!  The menus below are from the table QR codes, and LOTS of details are in our review video (linked below): Menu Links for El Dorado Maroma: http://menu.karismawhatscooking.com/E... http://menu.karismawhatscooking.com/E... http://menu.karismawhatscooking.com/E... http://menu.karismawhatscooking.com/E... http://menu.karismawhatscooking.com/E...  ($$ for non-Palafitos guests) Video Review Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gg62K4bANU Food:  There are LOTS of healthy options available and vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free & gluten-free options specified on menus.  There are a variety of cuisines available and a paid Starbucks onsite (free coffee options available onsite as well). Everything comes with low to moderate spice and in moderate quantities.  All food and drinks are included except the Palafitos Restaurant (which is worth the upcharge). Checkout the menu links above! Drinks:  Makers Mark, Don Julio, Patron, Bacardi, Belvedere, Malibu, Jim Beam, Hornitos, Kahlua, Tecate & Tacate Light beers, Dos Equis, Heineken, and many more!  Good mid-top shelf options at every bar all day.  Most importantly, I trust that the liquor matches the label.  This isn't true of many resorts in Mexico.  You can always trust Karisma's liquor... and the bartenders make it right! Staff:  Wonderful.  Always.  From setting up your beach chairs, bringing you drinks, fast room service, and more!  They are the KINDEST people who genuinely seem happy to be helping you.  They always make sure you're comfortable, no one has been pushy, and everyone is helpful.  They do a great job, and are really the rockstars of El Dorado! Pools:  Usually empty - just the way we like 'em!  Lots of sun, lots of available loungers - no fighting over space here!  This was the busiest I've seen it with maybe 20 people in the main pool.  That pool could easily have 50 people and still feel plenty spacious.  There are daily activities (bingo, trivia, volleyball, water aerobics) available at the main pool, but if you prefer a quieter atmosphere we spent hours at Bar 24's pool without another guest in sight!  There are also many rooms with private pools, balcony pools, swim-up patios, and more. Beach:  THE GOOD: Lots and Lots of space.  Really nice beach chairs with umbrellas and beach beds are available daily at no extra charge. White fine sand, turquoise waters, and gentle waves.  Bring floaties, grab a drink, paddle out, and float your way back into shore!   THE BAD:  Seaweed.  This is probably seasonal, and they kept a part of the beach VERY CLEAN, but it was something to navigate.  Also, there are large sandbags near the shore of the entire beach.  This is a long-term plan for erosion, which does spoil the view a bit for now.  Some people were climbing on them and jumping from them, but they are a bit of an eyesore - and will probably be poking out of the water for a few more years. We love El Dorado Maroma & Casitas!  The Casitas/Royale property has a worse beach, more bar/restaurant options, and a bigger party atmosphere!  Maroma is quieter, more spacious, and more luxurious.  We recommend both!  Karisma resorts are now what we look for when traveling the Caribbean!  Checkout the video review above on my LeisureLuke YouTube Channel!

We have traveled a lot over the past 7 years at some very nice resorts and this is easily the nicest resort we have ever stayed at. The short: Outstanding facilities, food and premium drinks. all inclusive. Very friendly staff. we most definitely go back to this place. The whole experience(sans airport arrival...later) was awesome. We chose the hotel because they have magnificent swim up suites where you can walk out your patio, hop into the lazy river and tootle around to the swim up bar in the main pool. Very clean and comfortable. The food was absolutely excellent. We had a chance to try food from different places we which hadn't experienced before(such as Peruvian). Most meals were very nice sit downs, but even the buffet they have in one was quite good. Wide variety to pick from. 24 hour room service was very good! The staff was extremely friendly and always greeted us inn any encounter. We had a personal concierge who could help us with almost anything. Calls to the front desk for just about anything from small room issues to special requests were nicely handled. Another nice thing was the day trip booked through Lomas Travel on site. We went fishing and caught a 90 inch 150lb sail fish. THAT is a bucket item checked off! Hiccups: Shuttle: The weekend we booked offered free shuttle service form CUN airport to the hotel and back at the end. When we arrived, i expected to see a person holding a sigh with my name on it and our hotel name....nothing. This compounded the hassle because the reservation did not tell us who the shuttle service was, so we did not know what to do. We found and 'official' looking guy who checked around for us and found out it was Lomas Travel, at a desk farther down the walk. We had to wait close to 45 minutes to get our shuttle but after that everything was awesome and i would use Lomas Travel again for sure. Note to Karisma Resorts: please make sure that you show the name of the shuttle service on the reservation, and please make sure that they have a person with a sign waiting for us ;-) WIFI: free but the registration and usage was messy. had to login on every connection. Also it would not easily tolerate multiple devices as you have to register each one with your name and room number, but it wont let you register them uniquely. I'm a technical person and this stuff is a major hobby yet it still gave me tons of trouble. They need to clean this up and make it simple for us vacationers. But the WIFI was very fast - YAY!!!! Leaky air conditioner. just an inconvenience. twice during the week it was dripping a lot of water on the tile floor. the issues were promptly fixed by hotel staff. this kind of thing can happen and they handled it well! Rotten egg smell the last couple of days outside of room. Likely sewer gas. Not good. Hopefully that was just a momentary quirk and they have it fixed. In spite of hiccups, we would absolutely stay at this hotel again. Highly recommended for couples. Elliot

First time staying at El Dorado (Karisma) chain. It is a 4 diamond resort. We typically stay at a 5 diamond resort but ours was booked. The overwater bungalows looked amazing however are pricey. Unless you plan to stay at resort and not run off each day on an excursion I suppose they may be worth the cost. Super private. Overall hotel was nice. They offer excellent customer service. The only person I found to be slightly rude, not so friendly or approachable, would be an asst manager who wore a white shirt and often see walking around with the general manager who wore all black. Victor - MIO Oliver - Caribbean Grille (Oliver is on point and hustles. A perfectionist.) The young lady who seated us every day in Papatio These employees stood out with EXCELLENT service!!! They are an asset to this resort. Rooms were nice. Ours was haunted. I am not kidding. Room 210 - Villa 2. Mattress needed to be changed. Our backs were sore every morning. Everything you need is in the room. AC is not monitored so your room is cool after being gone all day. Restaurants were ok. Caribbean Grille we visited 3 out of 4 nights. They had excellent food. Went to Mio one night which is Italian. Didn't really offer pasta or many Italian options. Beach was ok. Best for wading around knee to waist deep. No fish so snorkeling is not at this resort. Beach area stunk like sewer often. Night entertainment was on par. The Michael Jackson Tribute was off the hook!!! That guy should submit for a talent competition on National Television, he was that good. Michael(?) at Lomas Travel was a great help to us. We went to Xcaret and Xel-Ha on 2 days. Had a blast at both parks. **TRANSPORT TIP!!** When arriving at airport, you ONLY have one option other than private transfers. That option is Super Shuttle. If you pay with cash, you will pay more. Pay with credit card, you pay less. Our ride was $50 to El Dorado Maroma for two people. $70 total if we booked return which we did not. They do not allow local taxis at the arrival terminal. To return to airport you may take local taxi. We opted for Lomas Travel. Paid $45 for us for a shared shuttle. We booked transport through Xel-Ha and Xcaret which was well worth it. We found a local taxi who offered $100 roundtrip to Xcaret which is much closer than Xel-Ha. Other transport companies wanted to charge (ready for this?) $265 for round trip. HA HA!!! Funny people.

By far, one of the best resorts I've stayed at ever! The staff made this resort, they where tentative to our every need! The food was beyond excellent! The white sand beach was perfect! Our room was large and had a great layout with the outdoor shower and the small pool on the balcony. There's nothing negative I can say about the resort.

Celebrated New Years here. Sorry but they lack. The room was dark and damp. I got sick after 2 days in the room. There was no jacuzzi in the room or at the pools. The pool water was cold and not heated. The beach had a huge amount of seaweed that had to be collected everyday. There was not a 5 star experience. Sandals was much better. HM

My husband and I booked excursions through Lomas travel at our resort which is the Bahia Principe Talum to ride ATVs, speed boats and het skis, when we arrived they told us we only had two activities, if I didn't have proof in writing this would have been their first con, so then they came back and stated as a courtesy they would give us the three, wonderful. Also as part of our excursion we also were told we had lunch included but to our surprise when we finished our activities they said we only had snacks, and tried to push is into buying lunch, very shady and disappointing indeed,. So while in Mexico trust no one, make sure everything is in writing. This is our third trip to Maroma beach activity center and this has never happened before, shame on them. This place is called Maroma adventures. BEWARE

I should start, to be fair, that my wife and i are used to elite resorts like Aman and similar spots. I say this to qualify the statements that are coming... we like nice places and expect the best, as when I'm able to breakaway from work I don't factor in cost, instead the experience and service is all that's important to me. We are not "deal" shoppers. I totally understand if getting a good deal, or saving money, is important to you. That said, that's not a factor for us. I rather spend 2-3x more money for the best, as it maybe a long time till we get to do something like this again. Now that I've pre-qualified everything for you all, my wife and i were NOT impressed with this resort. The staff seemed very amateurish. Reactive instead of proactive. We had to ask for everything, and sometimes more than once. We were there for mostly rainy days, and while that sucked, the staff did nothing to offset that. No suggestions. No help. Honestly, no nothing. We made our own good time, but the resort provided no assistance with planning an agenda that took in consideration for the rain. We ended up planning the caves... Rio secreto. It was really cool, and ask for victor. He was our private tour guide. DO NOT do this without a private tour guide. There were groups with 16 people. That would have killed the experience. The people at the resort had us waiting from 1pm to 1:55pm for the driver who never came, due to them not including transportation in the booking. We ended up getting a taxi to the caves. We were glad we went, and they took care of getting us back. The waiting for almost an hour midvacation made me angry. I never get angry, but they did it. My time is valuable and vacation time is even more rare. To sit for an hour waiting is unacceptable. My wife and I loved the caves, and our guide victor, so 100% do that. At the resort the only restaurant that is remotely acceptable is the one exclusive for the overwater bungalows. We ate every single meal there. We tried the Italian place and were disappointed with the service and they had no air condition. We walked out and went back to the main restaurant. That one can only be patronized by guests staying in the overwater bungalows. They provided butler, Tomas and Ivan, but they do very little for you and you have to ask for everything. In-fact, you can't even call them. You have to call the operator, and then the operator calls them and they call you back at their convenience. Overall, this place gets 2.5 out of 4 stars. I'd give it less, but I know our expectations are high. I won't return here again, and even if they offered 3 more free nights we'd decline. My time is too rare and valuable to give this place another chance. I will say that if you are deadset on an overwater bungalow, this place is a good deal. It's cheap.

WARNING! This review will be very long due to all of the accolades and high praises to the wonderful staff at the El Dorado Maroma. My husband and I were so blessed and honored to stay here for our 5 year anniversary. I originally found this gem on instagram where they advertised their palafitos (overwater bungalows) just based on the advertisement I fell in love with the all inclusive resort and all of its amenities. It is in beautiful Riviera Maya Mexico, being from Florida its a quick 2 hour flight. This destination is paradise, its an intimate adults only resort that is perfect for couples celebrating a honey moon, anniversary, proposal or getaway. If I could give this place 10 stars I would, they rolled out the red carpet for us and I am sure that they do this for every single guest staying there. When we first arrived we were greeted by very friendly staff that seem to love being here we were provided with a welcome drink and off the bat they were asking if they could do anything for us, they did not allow us to lift a finger, carry our bags and genuinely were invested in our overall experience from the time our feet touched the property. Check in was at 3pm and we arrived early so Nimzy at the Palafitos concierge went through all of the formalities until we checked in.. formalities included a welcome with champagne, a pillow menu ( choosing what type of pillows that you want in the room) room scent ( you choose the scent that you want in your room every night with turn down service) wifi access password and a map of the grounds,after all of those amazing choices we were set up to go for lunch at the Palafito restaurant- which is overlooking the water with a beautiful view. The staff deserve such high praises Alberto, Alexis, Guiermo, Fabiola Emilia they were all so wonderful. The chefs Mario and Mauro: Omg! Some of the best food that we have ever tasted. Our butlers Allan and Alma were simply amazing, they had surprises for us, they stopped at nothing to make sure that we were comfortable. We are so grateful for their services. Thank you to Paola and Nimzy for always being there to answer any questions that we needed, and always with a smile. The room: pictures do not do it justice, our room has an amazing balcony with a private plunge pool a bistro for seating and direct access to the water. The shower has infused citrus so the smell fills the room when you turn it on, there is another shower outside. The massive jetted tubnis perfect for a romantic evening ( we called to have a bath drawn foe us and the put rose petals, chicolate covered strawberries and chilled sparkling wine. The room is epic with two places with direct scenery to the ocean, its breathtaking. Anything that we desired the staff made it happen. My husband and I have traveled the world and there is no place like El Dorado Maroma. The service is outstanding, food is untouchable-gourmet cuisine. We are still here but I had to take the time out to write this review because it is just that fantastic. When we first arrives they said Welcome home and truely that is how you feel when you stay here. Keep up the great work!

We stayed in the Palafitos for our honeymoon in February 2018. The whole staff was great. In particular, Alan Torres, our butler was outstanding! His kindness, thoughtfulness and service were exceptional. Alan's the best! He made the week extra special and memorable! Thanks Alan! Alberto, a server was great....very friendly and great sense of humor. He was a pleasure to talk to. Daisy, the beach attendant was super. She was very attentive and a pleasure to see everyday. The staff were all very friendly and hard working, especially Alan, Alberto and Daisy! The food was great! The pool was OK...so, so! Needed more activities. The resort was very clean. Beautiful beach. Staff worked tirelessly taking up the seaweed (apparently in February/March).

Soooooo disappointed. This was my third year here. I was loyal, but they weren't loyal back. I came here for my 40th birthday. The room wasn't ready (which is fine because we got here before check in). We went back to the desk at check in and they said the room was ready. We walked to the room and they were working on it. The room was not in a great place at the resort. You would think as a return customer they would treat you better. Not coming back again.