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As a part of a current press journey with TUI, Tom and I spent seven nights at El Dorado Seaside Suites Spa Resort by Karisma on Kantenah Bay close to Tulum in Mexico.
I wished to share my evaluation of El Dorado Seaside Suites, though this piece of content material isn’t a part of my settlement with TUI and all views are my very own.
We stayed on the sister lodge, El Dorado Royale, again in January of this yr on our annual vacation, so I’m in a position to evaluate the 2 resorts.
In case you’re making an attempt to determine which resort to ebook, learn till the top of this evaluation the place I’ll share an in-detail comparability of El Dorado Royale versus El Dorado Seaside Suites, and weigh up the professionals and cons of the 2 resorts.
Like El Dorado Royale, El Dorado Seaside Suites is an adults-only spa resort with connoisseur all-inclusive eating. It’s a TUI BLUE lodge, which means it’s ideally suited for {couples}.
My evaluation of TUI BLUE El Dorado Seaside Suites Lodge
A very powerful factor to pay attention to when reserving a keep at this lodge is that there are two sides to the resort: Seaside Suites and Palms. Seaside Suites is the newer part, with a extra trendy room design and up to date really feel.
Alternatively, the Palms part has a extra conventional, Mexican vibe which I actually appreciated. It’s a matter of non-public choice.
In case you’re torn between the 2 sides, I’d encourage you to ask your self whether or not you favor to remain in genuine, rustic rooms or if a extra up-to-date aesthetic higher fits your tastes.
The opposite factor to consider is how necessary accessing the seashore is to you.
The Seaside Suites aspect doesn’t have a lot of a seashore to talk of and no direct entry to the ocean, whereas the Palms aspect has a correct sandy seashore which is painstakingly cleared of seaweed each morning by a workforce.
The Seaside Suites aspect feels extra compact for my part, so it will maybe be higher for travellers with mobility points.
Regardless of which aspect of the resort you select, you possibly can entry all sides’s numerous services, together with the completely different swimming pools and eating places. So realistically, it doesn’t matter that a lot which aspect you ebook!
We discovered that Palms was the place British TUI vacation prospects stayed, whereas the Seaside Suites was the ‘American aspect’.
Attending to El Dorado Seaside Suites
The automotive journey between the airport and El Dorado Seaside Suites takes round 60 minutes, relying on visitors.
I’d positively suggest reserving a non-public switch from the airport to the resort. We had one and it was a welcome aid to not have to attend for everybody else on our flight to get by way of immigration and refill a coach after such an extended journey.
Premium block suites at El Dorado Seaside Suites
We stayed in room 607 within the premium block. The room consisted of a HUGE mattress (this was one of many issues we cherished about our room at EDR too), a cushty sitting space, plus a extra formal desk and chairs.
Our lavatory had two sinks and a separate bathe and bathroom. There was additionally an enormous whirlpool tub. At EDR, we had the identical tub however it was subsequent to the balcony moderately than within the lavatory.
Our balcony was furnished with snug lounge chairs and a big day mattress. We had a sea view overlooking the premium pool, lush palm timber and past, the fantastic Caribbean sea.
Wanting straight down, a number of the rooftops of the varied lodge buildings beneath us appeared a bit grubby however it wasn’t one thing that upset us.
Our mini-fridge was totally stocked with beers, tender drinks, bottled water, crisps and an area chocolate bar. It was refilled each day.
We had been additionally stunned with extremely intricate edible creations made with native chocolate ready for us in our room after dinner most days.
As a part of the turn-down service, ambient music could be taking part in once we entered our room within the night, which we thought was a beautiful contact.
Due to the excessive warmth and humidity, I did discover our suitcases and belongings had a robust musty odor once we got here dwelling, however that is frequent once you go to humid climates and it simply means airing out your suitcase earlier than you retailer it away.
You possibly can positively order dehumidifier luggage to take with you in the event you’re visiting at a damp time of yr! I’ve used those I’ve linked earlier than in my damp pupil flat (that was a number of years again now!) and also you wouldn’t imagine how full they get.
All rooms within the Premium block have a sea view and the corridors overlook miles of inexperienced forest in the back of the lodge.
The swimming pools at El Dorado Seaside Suites
There are 4 swimming swimming pools at this resort.
On the Palms aspect of El Dorado Seaside Suites, there’s a stunning quiet pool lined with Bali beds. I cherished to learn there within the mornings, and it’s deep sufficient to do laps.
The primary pool on the Palms aspect is slightly on the small aspect and it may very well be difficult to get beds round it in the event you don’t get there early.
The primary pool is the place the water-based actions happen so it may well get loud there. My tip is to not nab a mattress close to the audio system in the event you’re planning to sleep or learn!
The swim-up bar on the primary pool is a hole-in-the-wall hooked up to a restaurant and there isn’t a variety of room for visitors to sit down on the bar itself.
As premium visitors, we had entry to the unique pool hooked up to that block. We didn’t actually trouble with it as we didn’t really feel there was something particular about it.
It does have a swim-up bar and I feel lounge-chair service is extra frequent at this pool, however we most popular the vibe on the primary pool.
There’s a giant shaded space with Bali beds and so on close to the Premium pool which might positively be of use to you in the event you endure within the solar.
There are additionally smaller blocks on the Palms aspect of the resort which I imagine are for members, and the bottom flooring suites have swim-up swimming pools.
Within the Palms aspect, there are additionally suites unfold across the stunning backyard areas which have extra intimate swim-up swimming pools. They range of their stage of privateness.
We sauntered over to the Seaside Suites, ‘American’ aspect of the resort a handful of occasions.
The Seaside Suites pool runs the size of the Seaside Suites constructing. It has a big swim-up bar and the pool get together will get fairly lairy. I wouldn’t have appreciated to have been staying in a swim-up room on that aspect, as a result of there isn’t a lot privateness!
There are additionally sizzling tubs on the Seaside Suites aspect.
The seashore at El Dorado Seaside Suites
The Palms aspect of the resort is the place to be for beach-goers. There are many sunloungers and you may wade out into knee-deep, heat water for what appears like miles.
Seaweed is an issue on this a part of Mexico however an enormous staff of males works tirelessly every morning to clear a big part of the seashore on the Palms aspect so lodge visitors can swim within the shallows.
We made certain we popped the chilly tender drinks from the fridge in our room right into a bag and gave them to the employees, which they appreciated.
They’re normally completed working by noon after which the seashore is evident. Nevertheless, there are some components I might keep away from!
On the newer aspect of the resort, there’s a strip of sand with loungers which is separated from the water with a low wall.
Lodge bars at El Dorado Seaside Suites
There are 11 bars at El Dorado Seaside Suites, and regardless of our greatest efforts we didn’t fairly handle to go to all of them throughout our seven-day keep!
Our favorite bar for sundowners was Cotorros. It’s the bar nearest the seashore, subsequent to La Carreta. It has a relaxed vibe and is without doubt one of the extra romantic spots at this lodge.
The Guacamayas bar had simply reopened after a facelift once we visited. It tends to be the late-night bar the place the events occur, and the place everybody on the seashore takes cowl if the rain begins.
I struggled to discover a good espresso martini till our closing evening, once I spied the barista machine on the Connoisseur Pub and ordered one earlier than our meal. It was scrumptious.
Eating at El Dorado Seaside Suites
There are 10 eating places at El Dorado Seaside Suites. Many are open for a couple of meal every day, however I’ve damaged them down as greatest I can beneath.
Breakfast
For the primary meal of the day you possibly can select from the buffet restaurant which is Aricifes, the out of doors buffet on the Seashore BBQ the place you eat at picnic benches along with your toes within the sand, or the Culinarium, which is a la carte.
We additionally walked over to the Seaside Suites aspect for breakfast one morning and ate at Seaside Market, the place there was a formidable choice. They even have their very own peanut butter machine, which I’d by no means seen earlier than!
Lunch
We had been stunned to seek out that we loved the buffet restaurant immensely at lunchtime.
We usually ebook all-inclusive inns that supply quite a lot of a a la carte eating choices as a result of we favor a sit-down meal, however the cooked-to-order steaks, fish and array of different recent meals on the buffet gained us over.
Many of the lunch choices are casual. There’s the Seashore BBQ, which is buffet-style, and a burger and pizza joint outdoors the buffet the place our standout dish was the deep-fried burrito.
Dinner
The Culinarium is a Latin American fusion restaurant, although we didn’t suppose that was instantly apparent from the menu. We did get pleasure from our meals there although. My sea bass with mole sauce was glorious.
The Asian restaurant, Klay Talay, was one in all our favourites. The octopus sushi was unbelievable and so they even serve Asian beers and sake.
La Carreta is the Mexican restaurant, the place we opted for a number of small plates as a substitute of a primary dish every. The waiter did attempt to encourage us to order extra although! We totally loved our tacos there.
The Connoisseur Pub is right for fussy eaters or those that like a world menu the place they’ll depend on discovering one thing they’ll like. The french onion soup and burger sliders there are notably good.
We discovered the meals on this restaurant very wealthy, however completely delicious!
There are two Italian eating places at this resort, serving related menus. I order seafood pasta from each menu I can discover it on, and it didn’t disappoint.
In case you’re celebrating a special day or planning to suggest at El Dorado Seaside Suites, you possibly can ebook a non-public candlelit dinner expertise on the seashore.
I imagine the candlelit dinners beforehand passed off on a wood pier, however it was sadly destroyed throughout a storm. The pier was being rebuilt throughout our journey and it ought to be prepared quickly.
There may be additionally a restaurant referred to as Driftwood on the American aspect of the lodge, however we didn’t eat there throughout our keep.
Leisure and actions at El Dorado Seaside Suites
There’s loads to do in addition to lounging by the pool at El Dorado Seaside Suites. Day-after-day, we’d examine the TUI app to pick out our actions.
You don’t need to ebook something, and in the event you don’t wish to obtain the app you’ll discover paper indicators hanging within the resort which present the exercise timetable.
From arts and crafts like coconut portray and clay mug portray to gastronomical delights similar to a cacao expertise (critically, the chocolate there’s unbelievable!), there’s one thing for everybody.
Sporty actions embody seashore and pool volleyball, aquarobics, circuits, dance lessons and Kubb. These periods are all overseen by an lively leisure staff, who do a stellar job.
You possibly can be part of yoga lessons on the seashore some mornings, and there’s even a ‘accomplice yoga’ session on Wednesdays within the studio, which we actually loved!
In addition to deliberate tournaments, it’s also possible to make use of the varied sport services everytime you like.
If none of that takes your fancy, you may be extra taken in by the blackjack tournaments, bingo, Spanish classes and ‘Query of the day’, which takes place across the pool.
Throughout our week-long go to there have been two pool events, one on all sides of the resort. On the Palms ‘color pool get together’, the pool was full of inflatables and the leisure staff led the dancing. That they had slightly Aperol pop-up bar, which I believed was cool.
The ‘different’ / American aspect’s get together was a bit wilder, with some girls selecting to go topless within the pool. Assume Spring break!
Nighttime leisure at El Dorado Seaside Suites consists of reside singers, DJs, a silent disco, saxophonists and extra.
There are additionally common theme nights, like a Mexican Fiesta and Seashore BBQ. On these nights, a number of the eating places shut and you may as a substitute get into the get together spirit with gala-style dinners.
We thought the seashore BBQ was sensible, and the fireplace present leisure was thrilling.
Sadly throughout the Mexican Fiesta it rained fairly closely and we had been left consuming our soggy dinner whereas the Mariachi band packed up within the downpour as a result of there was no shelter over the set-up. This put a little bit of a dampener on the evening, excuse the pun!
We additionally discovered the buffet set-up for the Mexican Fiesta meant lengthy queues. We a lot most popular the a la carte eating places, however it was enjoyable to do one thing completely different for dinner that evening.
I observed an indoor theatre too, however it didn’t appear to be in use. Maybe it’s reserved for rainier months.
The Náay Spa at El Dorado Seaside Suites
We had been fortunate sufficient to have a spa expertise organized for us by the lodge supervisor, who had heard from TUI that I used to be visiting and that I might be sharing my journey on my social media channels.
My husband and I had a journey by way of the spa’s thermal suite, adopted by a {couples}’ therapeutic massage.
The spa itself is a complete oasis, with a serene courtyard and softly-spoken employees able to cater to your each whim.
The thermal suite journey consists of a collection of cold and warm rooms, a dip within the giant jacuzzi pool and timed periods within the chilly plunge pool and jacuzzis.
There have been only a handful of different visitors within the suites throughout our go to so though we had loads of area, I clearly couldn’t {photograph} the general public spa areas.
After the thermal journey, I showered in a stunning bathe with a view to slightly backyard space, then had been had been proven to our therapeutic massage suite.
The {couples} therapeutic massage was unbelievable. My therapeutic massage therapist even braided my hair for me!
Afterwards, we had been urged to slide into the large bubble tub they’d drawn for us and left to get pleasure from some glowing wine and chocolate-covered strawberries. It felt so indulgent and was one thing we’ll bear in mind eternally.
On the seashore on the Palms aspect of the resort, sheltered from the noise of the primary pool in a quiet zone, there’s an open construction the place you possibly can have a therapeutic massage overlooking the ocean.
Issues to do close to El Dorado Seaside Suites
Among the must-sees in Riviera Maya embody Chichen Itza, Xochimilco and the Xaret parks.
We did the TUI tour to Holbox which was simply heaven on earth.
You possibly can ebook excursions and actions by way of GetYourGuide right here.
El Dorado Royale / El Dorado Casitas versus El Dorado Seaside Suites: which one do you have to ebook?
Aesthetically, the Palms aspect of the El Dorado Seaside Suites resort is sort of indistinguishable from El Dorado Royale. Effectively-tended gardens with swaying palm timber, luxurious lounge areas and hammocks abound.
The vast majority of the buildings on the seashore and gardens respect the native architectural fashion, as does the inside decor.
The Seaside Suites aspect of EDSS is, as I discussed above, extra trendy.
Total, the El Dorado Seaside Suites resort is far smaller than El Dorado Royale. There are golf buggies that will help you get round in the event you want them, however we discovered these had been a lot much less mandatory (and subsequently much less frequent) at EDSS than EDR.
Customer support
We aren’t members and we felt the customer support was to a excessive normal at each resorts. Nevertheless, we did discover extra ‘particular touches’ at EDSS.
I used to be celebrating my thirtieth birthday at El Dorado Royale in January and so they didn’t do something to make sure we had a memorable day, whereas at EDSS the supervisor appeared much more on the ball and communication was higher.
Based mostly on conversations with different visitors, I don’t suppose this was merely all the way down to the actual fact I used to be there as a visitor of TUI.
Seashore and swimming pools
The seashore at El Dorado Royale is sadly closely impacted by the seaweed difficulty and the massive concrete bolders have washed up on the seashore, spoiling the view. There aren’t any boulders on the seashore at EDSS.
With regards to swimming swimming pools, the EDR swimming pools are a lot bigger than the swimming pools at EDSS. We struggled with the chilly water at EDR in January however fortunately, the swimming pools at EDSS had been a pleasing temperature in August.
Meals
The one factor I might change about eating at El Dorado Seaside Suites is the lunch providing. At EDR, you possibly can go to the Asian restaurant for sushi and noodle dishes at lunchtime, however sadly the Asian restaurant at EDSS isn’t open throughout the day.
I additionally cherished the well being bar for grab-and-go smoothies, salads and sandwiches throughout the day at EDR. There was a well being bar at EDSS, however it appeared to be mixed with the seashore BBQ and it wasn’t clear if there was a separate menu, or the way to order from it.
I can’t evaluate the 2 spas sadly, as I solely had a therapy at EDSS and never EDR.
Total, had we not already visited EDR, we in all probability would have been rather more impressed with EDSS. El Dorado Royale had extra of the wow issue for us, and I feel in the event you’re planning an extended trip it’s value selecting this resort just because it’s bigger.
That’s to not say I wouldn’t suggest El Dorado Seaside Suites. It’s a greater possibility in case your price range is decrease and there’s no compromise on total high quality. We had a superb week there!
That was a mammoth lodge evaluation, so nicely carried out in the event you acquired this far! In case you’d prefer to see extra of my journey, check out my ‘TUI Blue’ spotlight on Instagram – my username is @danniellelily.
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