Pics and trip report from El Dorado Royale

louden48 · 09-06-2004

We just came back and had a wonderful time! Our trip was <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="8" Day="1" Year="2004">Aug. 1-6, 2004</st1:date>. We also have a hotlink with pictures from our trip. There are a couple of the same pictures…sorry…loaded them on different days. This is a very long trip report but I hope it will answer some of your questions about the area and resort.

<O:p</O:p<O:p

Rooms-We paid for an Ocean Front Jr. Suite. It was nice...but the air in room 517 does not work correctly. We requested a room change because of the large palm tree that interrupted our view of the ocean (Some friends we met on the way to the resort ended up in our first room). Apparently, the palm trees are at the right age to perfectly block the view from almost any 2nd floor room.

After looking at two other rooms, we ended up in room 626 which had a fabulous view of the pool and the ocean...but was on the 3rd floor. This created quite a dilemma on how many times we wanted to go up and down the stairs each day. It is also not very fun when it's 2am and you tied one on in the Swing Bar, to have to walk all the way back to your building and then up 3 flights of stairs!!!

Dinner, reservations, and special amenities-We forgot to set up our reservations when we arrived. I called the front desk and was directed to a lady who took our reservations. We also remembered that we had forgotten to talk to them about our anniversary package. Called again and talked to a man named Francisco. He asked us to come to the <ST1:p<st1:PlaceName>Main </st1:PlaceName><st1:PlaceType>Building</st1:PlaceType> and talk to him. Francisco was fantastic. He set up our reservations at each restaurant we wanted to go to and finalized our anniversary package. We also found that our reservations that were *made* when we called from our room were never really made. We had great food at all of the places we dined. Remember, the servings are small, but you can order as many different appetizers, entrees, etc. as you want. We agreed that the Italian restaurant was the best! One thing to think about…if you take later reservations, you can always order room service to tide you over. You can also order mixed drinks and wine with your room service meals.

If you want to order wine, order it by the glass. You can order as many glasses as you want (for free) but when you order by the bottle, it will cost you. As part of our package, we had dinner on the beach one night. It was very romantic! There was a mostly full moon and the breeze was just right. The food was fantastic. Our server, Maria really catered to us and helped it be a romantic evening. Another thing to consider, while we found that at many of the restaurants, you could arrive a little earlier than your reservation time and they will seat you…except when you dine on the beach. We did eat pizza and burgers by the pool a couple of days. I didn’t really care for the burgers, but the shrimp pizza was very good

Pools-We frequented the main pool while we were there. It was close to the action and there were always nice people to meet or take shots with.

The other pools were not very busy. Although we didn’t go down to the casita section very often, there never seemed to be anyone in the pool. The saltwater pool was really neat. There is a small barracuda in the saltwater pool, but he was just interested in eating the fish around there. We snorkeled in the saltwater pool but found that there were bigger and more fish around the breakers. We walked around the rocky tidepools behind the saltwater pool and found a much larger barracuda hanging out.

Beach-We spent one whole day on the beach in one of the palapa beds. Swim, eat, drink, sleep, swim...! It was soooo relaxing and perfect. If you choose the right one, you may be lucky enough to have some of the topless sunbathers walk over, rinse off and walk back by you.

My husband decided we were never leaving after that! I know everyone complains about the wave breakers. When we were there, we were glad they were near the beach. The wind blew quite a bit while we were there and we were glad to have the breakers. They made it safe to swim (red flags were out). They are also fun to try to climb on. The fish use those wave breakers as an artificial reef. When the water is calm enough to snorkel, they are quite easy to find. We did find that you can snorkel better in the more calm waters in front of the casitas. And, yes, do bring water shoes. I thought that was a bunch of bunk until I got down there. We frequent the gulf (<st1:State><ST1:pTexas</st1:State>) and I never wear shoes...Well, I don't really need them in <st1:State>Texas</st1:State>, but when there's a reef right off the shore, you better believe there is coral lurking just under the surface. However, there are rock and coral free areas on the beach...you just have to look real hard for them and don't expect to see many fish in those areas. It seems that the rock free area of the beach is south of the dock.

Happenings-We met tons of people and ate lots of great food! Roberto and Franco are excellent bartenders. Ask for the "Roberto Special" if you meet up with him. Sunday night’s “Anything Can Happen” show is a lot of fun. We arrived late and wished we had been there from the beginning. I don’t know how the couples were chosen for the show but they had to do all sorts of “tricks and games” to win. It was very funny! Monday night was casino night. We chose to drink at the bar (Swing Bar) while everyone else gambled. Later in the evening, we took a crew down to the Beach Bar for the rest of the night as it was cooler down there.

I think we closed the bar that night! The Mexican Fiesta on Wed. night is a lot of fun. There is a great show that accompanies the Fiesta. Make sure you have your picture taken with the donkey. The hotel allows outside vendors on the property to sell their goods on Wed. night. My husband liked the cigar roller.

He rolls cigars for you while you wait. However, many of the things that were sold that night were more expensive than in Playa Del Carmen and even things you might find in the hotel gift shop down by the spa. <O:p

Shopping-Speaking of shopping…we took a short trip to Playa Del Carmen. I think the next time we go, I want to spend a little longer in the town seeing more than just the shopping area. We found most of the vendors carry almost all of the same things. Do bargain…they really like to put on a show. If you’re buying a hammock, buy one with nylon string that has a very small pattern. They are very strong and won’t hurt when you lie down in them. We also found a shell windchime (?) I’m not really sure what to call it, but it is made out of very large shells, sea hearts and other natural items. I think it is one of the prettiest things we brought back. Although many people want to bring back t-shirts, we found them to be on the more expensive side than what we were expecting. We did, however, pick up t-shirts at the gift shop near the spa for a good price.
<O:p
Living in <st1:State><ST1:pTexas, </st1:State>and not too far from the Texas-Mexico border, we found the liquor prices to be a little high. We did not bring home any liquor. We could buy it cheaper at Sam’s or Costco than in Playa.<O:p

Tours-We took the tour to Xel-ha and had a blast. If you want to swim with dolphins, take the <st1:time Hour="11" Minute="0">11am</st1:time> slot...that way you have all afternoon to snorkel and do whatever else you want to do. Also, if you want a video of your dolphin interaction, get it right after you finish your dolphin program...It's a pain to have to keep an eye on everything you're doing to make sure you get back over there to pick up your video before they close. Also, any pictures you pose for during your visit to Xel-ha are 8x10 sized. You need to buy "Biodegradable, eco friendly sunscreen" before you go as they will make you wash off your regular Coppertone sunscreen.

We also went deep sea fishing. Some friends of ours from home also went on the trip but did not stay in our resort. Before we left, they booked us on a chartered fishing trip. This was a waste of time, and I *love* to fish. One fish was caught in the 4 hours we were out there. Both my friend and my husband felt the need to show their breakfast (very rough seas).

If you really want to do something like that, pay $105 and go with the group from the hotel. At least you'll not spend 2 hours of your vacation driving to and from the place where you will fish. I think I was more disappointed that we went and didn't catch anything when we could have been lying under a palapa on the beach all day.<O:p</O:p

Overall-We had a fantastic time.

We were able to relax, meet new friends and enjoy our anniversary. We had never been to an AI before and will definitely do this trip again. The EDR was very relaxing and did not feel crowded. To view pictures from our trip, click on the hotlink below:<O:p
http://playadelcarmeninfo.com/media/showgallery.php?cat=all&ppuser=7758&password=bd3e6 dcfcf31b7d03592ca2ae7c3ba52<O:p</O:p<O:p

birdman · 09-06-2004

louden,
You must have fished out of Puerto Aventuras? Panga or cruiser? What fleet? I'm trying to figure this all out, we have fished alot on the west coast of Mexico but never been to the east side, so the more info I have the better chance of finding the right captain, boat, ect.

09-06-2004	#1 (permalink)
louden48 Hillbilly Chica Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas Posts: 1,888	Pics and trip report from El Dorado Royale We just came back and had a wonderful time! Our trip was <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="8" Day="1" Year="2004">Aug. 1-6, 2004</st1:date>. We also have a hotlink with pictures from our trip. There are a couple of the same pictures…sorry…loaded them on different days. This is a very long trip report but I hope it will answer some of your questions about the area and resort. <O:p</O:p<O:p Rooms-We paid for an Ocean Front Jr. Suite. It was nice...but the air in room 517 does not work correctly. We requested a room change because of the large palm tree that interrupted our view of the ocean (Some friends we met on the way to the resort ended up in our first room). Apparently, the palm trees are at the right age to perfectly block the view from almost any 2nd floor room. After looking at two other rooms, we ended up in room 626 which had a fabulous view of the pool and the ocean...but was on the 3rd floor. This created quite a dilemma on how many times we wanted to go up and down the stairs each day. It is also not very fun when it's 2am and you tied one on in the Swing Bar, to have to walk all the way back to your building and then up 3 flights of stairs!!! Dinner, reservations, and special amenities-We forgot to set up our reservations when we arrived. I called the front desk and was directed to a lady who took our reservations. We also remembered that we had forgotten to talk to them about our anniversary package. Called again and talked to a man named Francisco. He asked us to come to the <ST1:p<st1:PlaceName>Main </st1:PlaceName><st1:PlaceType>Building</st1:PlaceType> and talk to him. Francisco was fantastic. He set up our reservations at each restaurant we wanted to go to and finalized our anniversary package. We also found that our reservations that were made when we called from our room were never really made. We had great food at all of the places we dined. Remember, the servings are small, but you can order as many different appetizers, entrees, etc. as you want. We agreed that the Italian restaurant was the best! One thing to think about…if you take later reservations, you can always order room service to tide you over. You can also order mixed drinks and wine with your room service meals. If you want to order wine, order it by the glass. You can order as many glasses as you want (for free) but when you order by the bottle, it will cost you. As part of our package, we had dinner on the beach one night. It was very romantic! There was a mostly full moon and the breeze was just right. The food was fantastic. Our server, Maria really catered to us and helped it be a romantic evening. Another thing to consider, while we found that at many of the restaurants, you could arrive a little earlier than your reservation time and they will seat you…except when you dine on the beach. We did eat pizza and burgers by the pool a couple of days. I didn’t really care for the burgers, but the shrimp pizza was very good Pools-We frequented the main pool while we were there. It was close to the action and there were always nice people to meet or take shots with. The other pools were not very busy. Although we didn’t go down to the casita section very often, there never seemed to be anyone in the pool. The saltwater pool was really neat. There is a small barracuda in the saltwater pool, but he was just interested in eating the fish around there. We snorkeled in the saltwater pool but found that there were bigger and more fish around the breakers. We walked around the rocky tidepools behind the saltwater pool and found a much larger barracuda hanging out. Beach-We spent one whole day on the beach in one of the palapa beds. Swim, eat, drink, sleep, swim...! It was soooo relaxing and perfect. If you choose the right one, you may be lucky enough to have some of the topless sunbathers walk over, rinse off and walk back by you. My husband decided we were never leaving after that! I know everyone complains about the wave breakers. When we were there, we were glad they were near the beach. The wind blew quite a bit while we were there and we were glad to have the breakers. They made it safe to swim (red flags were out). They are also fun to try to climb on. The fish use those wave breakers as an artificial reef. When the water is calm enough to snorkel, they are quite easy to find. We did find that you can snorkel better in the more calm waters in front of the casitas. And, yes, do bring water shoes. I thought that was a bunch of bunk until I got down there. We frequent the gulf (<st1:State><ST1:pTexas</st1:State>) and I never wear shoes...Well, I don't really need them in <st1:State>Texas</st1:State>, but when there's a reef right off the shore, you better believe there is coral lurking just under the surface. However, there are rock and coral free areas on the beach...you just have to look real hard for them and don't expect to see many fish in those areas. It seems that the rock free area of the beach is south of the dock. Happenings-We met tons of people and ate lots of great food! Roberto and Franco are excellent bartenders. Ask for the "Roberto Special" if you meet up with him. Sunday night’s “Anything Can Happen” show is a lot of fun. We arrived late and wished we had been there from the beginning. I don’t know how the couples were chosen for the show but they had to do all sorts of “tricks and games” to win. It was very funny! Monday night was casino night. We chose to drink at the bar (Swing Bar) while everyone else gambled. Later in the evening, we took a crew down to the Beach Bar for the rest of the night as it was cooler down there. I think we closed the bar that night! The Mexican Fiesta on Wed. night is a lot of fun. There is a great show that accompanies the Fiesta. Make sure you have your picture taken with the donkey. The hotel allows outside vendors on the property to sell their goods on Wed. night. My husband liked the cigar roller. He rolls cigars for you while you wait. However, many of the things that were sold that night were more expensive than in Playa Del Carmen and even things you might find in the hotel gift shop down by the spa. <O:p Shopping-Speaking of shopping…we took a short trip to Playa Del Carmen. I think the next time we go, I want to spend a little longer in the town seeing more than just the shopping area. We found most of the vendors carry almost all of the same things. Do bargain…they really like to put on a show. If you’re buying a hammock, buy one with nylon string that has a very small pattern. They are very strong and won’t hurt when you lie down in them. We also found a shell windchime (?) I’m not really sure what to call it, but it is made out of very large shells, sea hearts and other natural items. I think it is one of the prettiest things we brought back. Although many people want to bring back t-shirts, we found them to be on the more expensive side than what we were expecting. We did, however, pick up t-shirts at the gift shop near the spa for a good price. <O:p Living in <st1:State><ST1:pTexas, </st1:State>and not too far from the Texas-Mexico border, we found the liquor prices to be a little high. We did not bring home any liquor. We could buy it cheaper at Sam’s or Costco than in Playa.<O:p Tours-We took the tour to Xel-ha and had a blast. If you want to swim with dolphins, take the <st1:time Hour="11" Minute="0">11am</st1:time> slot...that way you have all afternoon to snorkel and do whatever else you want to do. Also, if you want a video of your dolphin interaction, get it right after you finish your dolphin program...It's a pain to have to keep an eye on everything you're doing to make sure you get back over there to pick up your video before they close. Also, any pictures you pose for during your visit to Xel-ha are 8x10 sized. You need to buy "Biodegradable, eco friendly sunscreen" before you go as they will make you wash off your regular Coppertone sunscreen. We also went deep sea fishing. Some friends of ours from home also went on the trip but did not stay in our resort. Before we left, they booked us on a chartered fishing trip. This was a waste of time, and I love to fish. One fish was caught in the 4 hours we were out there. Both my friend and my husband felt the need to show their breakfast (very rough seas). If you really want to do something like that, pay $105 and go with the group from the hotel. At least you'll not spend 2 hours of your vacation driving to and from the place where you will fish. I think I was more disappointed that we went and didn't catch anything when we could have been lying under a palapa on the beach all day.<O:p</O:p Overall-We had a fantastic time. We were able to relax, meet new friends and enjoy our anniversary. We had never been to an AI before and will definitely do this trip again. The EDR was very relaxing and did not feel crowded. To view pictures from our trip, click on the hotlink below:<O:p http://playadelcarmeninfo.com/media/showgallery.php?cat=all&ppuser=7758&password=bd3e6 dcfcf31b7d03592ca2ae7c3ba52<O:p</O:p<O:p Last edited by louden48 : 09-06-2004 at 11:34 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

09-06-2004	#2 (permalink)
birdman añejo Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wa state Posts: 1,578	louden, You must have fished out of Puerto Aventuras? Panga or cruiser? What fleet? I'm trying to figure this all out, we have fished alot on the west coast of Mexico but never been to the east side, so the more info I have the better chance of finding the right captain, boat, ect.

register to remove these adverts