El Dorado Seaside Suites by Karisma, Cancun - Anyone been?
El Dorado Seaside Suites by Karisma, Cancun - Anyone been?
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13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 10th January 2012
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Just booked the above for 10 nights all inclusive in middle of June.
Has anyone been? Any tips? What`s it like?
Photos look amazing and it gets great reviews on Trip Advisor (bar the usual few grumpy yanks!!).

Can`t wait bounce

http://www.karismahotels.com/resort/el-dorado-seas...

2pad

292 posts

182 months

Saturday 14th January 2012
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Yep - went on honeymoon last year. You won't be disappointed, its as good as the reviews suggest it is.

13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Sunday 15th January 2012
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Cheers 2pad that`s good to hear, were the beaches ok? Seems to be the only thing a few people have brought up.

Husky610

114 posts

180 months

Monday 16th January 2012
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Going this Thursday for 10 days, from the pictures etc and what folk say on the likes of trip advisor and their Facebook page Im sure it's going to be a good trip.

Will let you know what we think.

Scott.

Husky610

114 posts

180 months

Monday 16th January 2012
quotequote all
Going this Thursday for 10 days, from the pictures etc and what folk say on the likes of trip advisor and their Facebook page Im sure it's going to be a good trip.

Will let you know what we think.

Scott.

13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Monday 16th January 2012
quotequote all
Husky610 said:
Going this Thursday for 10 days, from the pictures etc and what folk say on the likes of trip advisor and their Facebook page Im sure it's going to be a good trip.

Will let you know what we think.

Scott.
Have an excellent time chum, please do let us know how you get on thumbup

Husky610

114 posts

180 months

Monday 30th January 2012
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Well..Great holiday really enjoyed it.

Pro's - Good food-Great staff/service-Great booze (top shelf stuff) - water sports (seadoo's parasailing kayaking Scuba etc etc- Lovely beach

Con's - Small complex- Maybe 5* in Mexican standards but a 4* at the very best British standard-you have to get up 5-5.30 to secure one of the nice beach beds (Very nice sunrise tho) -Evening entertainment is shocking if your under 40 not bad for the older generation. Americans make up 90% of the guests. Need i say more!

Naturist resort next door makes for a intersting walk on the beach left to the hotel!

JuniorD

9,013 posts

254 months

Monday 30th January 2012
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Went there 3 years ago (El Dorado Royale then) and it was brilliant. You'll have a great time. The food was amazing. I might go back this year too.

13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Monday 30th January 2012
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That`s excellent news Scott, glad you had a good time mate.

I had read before on Tripadvisor about having to bag a beach bed early, but bloody hell 5am sounds keen yikes

What happens if you leave it to go for breakfast? Does it get nabbed?

Husky610

114 posts

180 months

Tuesday 31st January 2012
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Rules of the hotel is if the bed is vacant for over 45 minutes people are entitled to remove your towels/belongings, however this rule isn't policed in any way shape or form most of them stayed vacant until 10-11. If your a tea drinker take your own over the stuff over there is vile! also there is no kettle in the room only a coffee machine so ask your concierge for one when you get there.

Your flying Thompson/First Choice expect delays every flight out and back in is always delayed we were told..Ours 5.5 hr delay going out and 2.5 back.

Have a great trip.


13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 31st January 2012
quotequote all
Husky610 said:
Rules of the hotel is if the bed is vacant for over 45 minutes people are entitled to remove your towels/belongings, however this rule isn't policed in any way shape or form most of them stayed vacant until 10-11. If your a tea drinker take your own over the stuff over there is vile! also there is no kettle in the room only a coffee machine so ask your concierge for one when you get there.

Your flying Thompson/First Choice expect delays every flight out and back in is always delayed we were told..Ours 5.5 hr delay going out and 2.5 back.

Have a great trip.
Sounds fair enough mate, typically we are flying Thompson/First Choice I`ll pack a good book hehe

Accumul8

427 posts

194 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Apologies for the thread resurrection!

What did you make of the resort, OP? I have just booked to go there for 2 weeks for my honeymoon next June. Having read the tripadvisor reviews they are generally very positive bar a few Americans who complained of small portions. And on the topic of Americans, a few of the British reviews mentioned that the Yanks received better service because they were more willing to tip greater amounts more often. Was this an obvious issue on your trip?

And lastly, did you get up at the crack of dawn of 'reserve' a lounger by the pool? I like to get up early, but 5 is a bit too early, especially on honeymoon!

TIA.

JuniorD

9,013 posts

254 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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With the jet lag and time difference you'll probably be waking up naturally at 0500 anyway!

13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
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Sorry for the late reply, I cannot recommend this place enough, it was truly superb biggrin

I wouldn`t use Thompson again if you paid me, they were stupidly painful from start to finish!

But......the Karisma hotel/resort was absolutely excellent, the staff were all brilliant, no-one could do enough for us.
I did tip most of the time, but my advice would be little and often, I generally tipped $1 US most times we had a drink and $5-10 US for meals but as it`s gourmet inclusive everything is included anyway and the staff really do deserve a little here and there.

You can lie on the beach and not move, they`ll bring you drinks non-stop, we built up quite a rapore with a couple of the waiters/waitresses and in the end they didn't even bother asking, they just dropped off a fresh beer and momosa every half hour hehe

I never deliberately got up early to reserve a bed and to be honest there was no need, there was plenty of beds to go round and all are very good. I see you`re going in June, which is when we went also, this is not their height of summer so not as busy as it could be and as such it rained every day, but this really doesn`t matter. You can be lying on the beach in amazing weather and all of a sudden there`ll be an epic storm for 10 minutes (run to the closest bar biggrin) and 5 minutes later it`s all over, the sun`s back out and it was as if nothing had happened.

You will have an amazing time mate, honestly. Don`t book any trips before you go, do it all when you get there, there`s a couple of lads who run a hut on the beach inside the resort who do all the trips at a fraction of the cost your travel agent will try to flog them to you for. I ignored this advice when I went and regretted it, I assumed it would be tricky to arrange and paid Thomson beforehand for a trip and they royally took the mick!

If you can do the day trip to Chichen Itza, do it, it`s a long day but amazing to experience (especially if they tie it in with swimming underground in a cenote).

They did give us some vouchers when we left and I just dug them out to send you and they bloody run out 4 weeks ago! frown (only valid for 12 months).

Oooh just remembered they`ll try and sell you dinner upgrades, lobster on the beach etc, keep saying no and as the week goes on it gets cheaper biggrin I think we paid $20 in the end for lobster and champagne!

Any questions chum, just give me a shout.

Dave

matt173407

515 posts

260 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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I went a couple of years ago , only problem is I have not found anywhere like it for the money and you always end up comparing !
only advice is take some shoes for the sea as it can be a bit rocky but other than that an amazing place !

Accumul8

427 posts

194 months

Wednesday 24th July 2013
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Thanks Dave for the detailed reply and the advice. I was thinking of tipping in line with what you did so there'll be no issues there.

We've not booked any trips but will definitely seek out these guys in the hut and see what they have to offer. What trips, other than the Chichen Itza did you do?

We mentioned to the travel agent (Thomson!) that it's our honeymoon and they said that a dinner on the beach will be included, along with a few other things, so we're really looking forward to that. But if we can get champagne and lobster on the beach for $20 then we'll definitely be doing that!!

Thanks again for the reply and the offer of the vouchers.

matt173407 said:
I went a couple of years ago , only problem is I have not found anywhere like it for the money and you always end up comparing !
only advice is take some shoes for the sea as it can be a bit rocky but other than that an amazing place !
matt173407, thanks for the tip, I'll remember to pack some disposable shoes!

matt173407

515 posts

260 months

Thursday 25th July 2013
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Also go to akumal and swim with the turtles, get a taxi its about a £5 hire the snorkerlling stuff there and get the guide its only a bout £10 and worth it
also Tulum again get a taxi and take your swimming kit fantastic beach and sea there smile

13 DJP

Original Poster:

665 posts

203 months

Friday 26th July 2013
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Accumul8 said:
matt173407, thanks for the tip, I'll remember to pack some disposable shoes!
We only did the one trip, but Sari`s sister went after us and said you have to go to Coco Bongos, it`s a sort of nightclub come stage show come huge party, apparently superb. Also another couple we met when there did a trip off road and through the sea in a huge 6x6 lorry thing which was also supposed to be great.

Good shout on the beach shoes, forgot about the stony sea bed!

matt173407

515 posts

260 months

Friday 26th July 2013
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not sure when the season is but if you can go swim with Whale sharks, we missed out by a few days but its meant to be amazing if you get chance