El Dorado Seaside Suites, a Spa Resort by Karisma - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

6544 reviews

• 

  Service above and beyond

  This was our fourth visit to the El Dorado Seaside resorts (both Suites and Palms). Because the two resorts are side-by-side, you have access to the restaurants, shops, and activities both places. This is especially nice since the resorts have a different ambiance; you can enjoy both. As always, the gourmet restaurants served excellent food. The spa services were top-notch. But…what excelled was the attentiveness and service of our three butlers: Angel, Moises, and Victor (in alphabetical order…they were all three excellent!). We’ve always enjoyed excellent service from our butlers, but these three went above and beyond. I had a medical event and they arranged transportation to and from the hospital ER. Afterwards, they made certain our room was stocked with plenty of juices and fruits. They worked with the restaurants to ensure I had delicious meals that also met the recommendations of the hospital staff. They checked on me several times a day. I laughingly said that if you have to have a medical emergency, this was the place to do it.

  Apr 20, 2026
• 

  Spend your money else where!

  This is not a 4–5 star resort. Calling it that is misleading. At best, this is a 3-star experience across service, food, rooms, and overall organization. My husband and I came to celebrate two special occasions, including his birthday, and the resort completely dropped the ball. A few days before his birthday, staff knocked on our door while we were getting ready for dinner, asking if they could come in immediately to set up a birthday surprise they showed us on a phone. Completely inappropriate timing. Then on his actual birthday, there was zero acknowledgment. Nothing. I had to decorate the room myself with items I brought from home. I later ordered room service and requested a birthday message on a cake, which thankfully was done, but that was the extent of it. Meanwhile, other guests were getting candles and staff singing. It was inconsistent and careless. The day before we left, a concierge asked what we were celebrating and seemed shocked we hadn’t received anything. He told us he would “take care of it.” Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. It felt like empty talk just to check a box. Food was another major failure. Booking dinner reservations is a mess unless you’re willing to eat at 9:00 pm or later every night. We only got into two restaurants because of how limited availability was, and both were nearly empty despite supposedly being “fully booked.” Food quality was mediocre at best and nowhere near 5-star standards. Restaurants were randomly closed and didn’t match what was advertised. The vegan restaurant, for example, was closed our entire stay. On top of that, the resort completely lacks any authentic Mexican or Latin atmosphere. The music was almost entirely American the entire trip, and the food options barely reflected where you actually are. Aside from the taco stands, there was very little that felt local or culturally rooted. I expected to feel like I was in Mexico. Instead, it often felt like being at a generic American chain restaurant. It was honestly disappointing and took away from the entire experience. We paid extra for a swim-out suite, which was a complete waste of money. The water was freezing and barely gets any sunlight. My husband forced himself to use it twice, and I didn’t use it at all. Most of these swim-outs are in the shade, so unless you want to sit in cold water with no sun, don’t bother. This upgrade is not worth it. The pool and beach chair situation is chaotic. Guests reserve chairs early and disappear for hours, and staff does nothing to manage it. Expect to waste time every day just trying to find a place to sit. The worst part of the trip was the last few days. We dealt with constant noise late at night that sounded like furniture being dragged around until after midnight. Then, the room next to us started renovations. We had strong chemical and varnish fumes coming into our room, loud construction noise, and music starting as early as 7:00 am and continuing well past 5:00 pm. When we complained, staff repeatedly told us construction only happens between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, which was blatantly untrue. Being lied to while actively experiencing the problem made it even worse. It escalated to water leaking into our room from the connecting door more than once. Staff came in laughing and mopping it up, only for it to happen again. At that point, it felt completely mishandled and not taken seriously at all. We were offered a room change less than 24 hours before checkout, which is not a real solution. Checkout was just as disorganized. We were told no receipt exists, then later asked for a checkout card we were never given. Even at the end, there was zero coordination or accountability. This resort is absolutely not worth the money. The swim-out upgrade is a waste, the service is inconsistent, and the overall experience falls far below what is advertised. I would not recommend El Dorado Seaside Suites to anyone. There are far better resorts at this price point that actually deliver what they promise.

  Apr 17, 2026
• 

  Not a five-star resort—closer to 3–3.5 stars

  El Dorado Seaside Suites is marketed as a five-star resort, but in our experience, it falls well short of that standard. There are definitely positives: the property is beautiful, rooms are very large, and the included excursions are a standout. Our trip to Maroma Beach was incredible and easily the highlight of our stay. One staff member who truly stood out was Gabriel on the Palms side (Bali beds/exotic lounge)—he was exceptional and made a real difference in our experience. However, the overall experience doesn’t match the five-star claim. The rooms are spacious but dated, and we had several issues (non-functioning shower, broken phone/TV, balcony door that didn’t lock). Some problems were fixed quickly, others weren’t addressed at all. Food was a major disappointment. Aside from a decent meal at Mia Casa, the buffet and room service were poor—closer to a budget resort than a luxury one. Service was inconsistent. Staff were friendly, but concierge support noticeably dropped after we declined the timeshare presentation. We were also given incorrect information that caused us to miss an event. The reservation system was frustrating, with only very early or very late dining times available—and no flexibility—even though restaurants never seemed full. Transportation around the resort was another frustration. While walking is absolutely an option, the shuttle service is advertised as running every 15 minutes, which was not our experience. There didn’t seem to be coordination between staff and drivers during busy periods, and we experienced multiple long waits (20–30 minutes), including one that nearly made us miss our transfer. This could be especially frustrating for guests relying on the service for accessibility. One of the biggest issues was the lack of enforcement around loungers and Bali beds. The resort states that unattended items will be removed, but this was not enforced at all. Guests regularly left towels or belongings on beds for hours at a time without returning, effectively “claiming” them for the entire day. We personally watched beds sit unused for over two hours while others waited with no access. This created a frustrating and unfair atmosphere that felt far from relaxing. Overall, this is closer to a 3–3.5 star experience, not five-star. There are clearly guests who love it here, but for us, it didn’t deliver on the expectations it sets.

  Apr 14, 2026
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  Beautiful resort but some downfalls

  We recently stayed at this resort and it was a great holiday, however we had a bit of a mixed experience overall. Firstly, the positives – the staff were excellent throughout our stay, always friendly and helpful. The cleanliness of both the resort and our room was also outstanding, and the grounds themselves are beautiful, very well maintained, and a pleasure to walk around. It never felt overly busy or crowded, which made for a really relaxing atmosphere. Our room (3616) was comfortable but did feel a little tired in places. The bathroom mirror was cracked and chipped, which wasn’t ideal, and the phone in the room wasn’t working on arrival. That said, once we reported it, it was fixed promptly. The biggest issue for us was the restaurant booking system. We were told by our concierge that bookings opened every Friday at 8am, but as we arrived on a Saturday, there was almost no availability for our first week. This meant either turning up and waiting or using the buffet, which was quite disappointing for a 5-star resort. When we tried to book the following week, we were told to go to our concierge at 8am, he then said to come back at 11am, then again at 1pm – which was frustrating. Thankfully, a TUI staff member stepped in and helped arrange bookings for us. Unfortunately, the issues didn’t end there. One of our bookings was cancelled on the day as the restaurant had closed, however we managed to rearrange, but when we arrived at the Mia Casa, we were told there was no booking for us, which was quite embarrassing, especially as we were a group of six. After about 10 minutes, the staff kindly found us and managed to fit us in, but it was an unnecessary stress. Overall, the restaurant system really needs improvement – it was disorganised and took away from what should have been a relaxing experience. In terms of the food, there was a good variety, but it was often only lukewarm, particularly in the bookable restaurants. We also found that much of the food available there was very similar to what was offered in the buffet. Klay Talay (Japanese) was the best restaurant by a mile but came with a $25 surcharge which is not ideal when you have already paid for a 5 star all inclusive deal. Our clothes and sheets felt damp in the room - quite possibly the air conditioning, but not particularly nice. In summary, this is a really beautiful, clean resort with fantastic staff, but the restaurant booking system and food quality let it down. With a few improvements in these areas, it could easily match its 5-star rating. As it stands, I’d say it was 4 star. Firstly, the positives – the staff were excellent throughout our stay, always friendly and helpful. The cleanliness of both the resort and our room was also outstanding, and the grounds themselves are beautiful, very well maintained, and a pleasure to walk around. It never felt overly busy or crowded, which made for a really relaxing atmosphere. Our room (3616) was comfortable but did feel a little tired in places. The bathroom mirror was cracked and chipped, which wasn’t ideal, and the phone in the room wasn’t working on arrival. That said, once we reported it, it was fixed promptly. The biggest issue for us was the restaurant booking system. We were told by our concierge that bookings opened every Friday at 8am, but as we arrived on a Saturday, there was almost no availability for our first week. This meant either turning up and waiting or using the buffet, which was quite disappointing for a 5-star resort. When we tried to book the following week, we were told to go to our concierge at 8am, he then said to come back at 11am, then again at 1pm – which was frustrating. Thankfully, a TUI staff member stepped in and helped arrange bookings for us. Unfortunately, the issues didn’t end there. One of our bookings was cancelled on the day as the restaurant had closed, however we managed to rearrange, but when we arrived at the Mia Casa, we were told there was no booking for us, which was quite embarrassing, especially as we were a group of six. After about 10 minutes, the staff kindly found us and managed to fit us in, but it was an unnecessary stress. Overall, the restaurant system really needs improvement – it was disorganised and took away from what should have been a relaxing experience. In terms of the food, there was a good variety, but it was often only lukewarm, particularly in the bookable restaurants. We also found that much of the food available there was very similar to what was offered in the buffet. Klay Talay (Japanese) was the best restaurant by a mile but came with a $25 surcharge which is not ideal when you have already paid for a 5 star all inclusive deal. Our clothes and sheets felt damp in the room - quite possibly the air conditioning, but not particularly nice. In summary, this is a really beautiful, clean resort with fantastic staff, but the restaurant booking system and food quality let it down. With a few improvements in these areas, it could easily match its 5-star rating. As it stands, I’d say it was 4 star.

  Apr 11, 2026
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  Outstanding service

  This is our 4th visit to this resort but haven't been since 2019. This trip was phenomenal from beginning to end. Every single staff member greets you as you pass with a friendly acknowledgement. We are members here, and our butler team were absolutely outstanding and made our trip so perfect. Victor, Carlos, Angel and Moises. These 4 gentlemen made everything smooth and were readily available for anything we needed. We have never had such a great team. Isobel greeting us on arrival and made everything flawless from the start. Our experiences at all the restaurants were great.the meals were exceptional. Very happy with our time here and already planning a return for October.

  Mar 30, 2026