One of our favorite boutique-style resorts on the BEST beach in all of the Riviera Maya!  As always, photos first and then our review.  Back to Mexican Resorts.

El Dorado Maroma is an incredible resort.  I have had the opportunity to do two site inspections at this resort as well as stay here with Ryan for four days.  For photos and commentary from our last stay, visit:  El Dorado Maroma 2011

El Dorado Maroma is a beachfront gourmet all-inclusive resort for guests age 16 and older.  For people looking for an intimate resort with friendly staff who know your name, this is a great option.  It also has the incredible fortune of being located on one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Riviera Maya.  The sand is soft, powdery, and white, and the beach wide and long.  If you long for a lovely midnight stroll, it’s just perfect.

Size:  El Dorado Maroma is now a 101 room resort.  It is small, intimate, and very easy to navigate.

Star Level:  I would have to rate this resort with 5 stars.  It is truly an exclusive getaway with the highest level of service, at least each time we have visited!

Category:  This resort was made for relaxation.  It is very laid back and fantastic for couples especially.  Now that the new Generations Maroma is next door, however, it has become a lot more active, with volleyball and a younger crowd present.  It is still a great getaway though.

Beach:  As I explained above, Maroma is renowned for its soft powdery white sandy beach.  It is truly one of the most spectacular beaches I have ever visited.  The water is calm, clear, and has amazing shades of green, turquoise, and blue.  The beach is wide so you can place your chairs anywhere and never feel too crowded by others.  We visited El Dorado Maroma for four days in 2011.  At the time, they had “sandbags” in the water (see photos from our previous visit).  When we visited a few weeks ago, those sandbags had turned into a little man-made island with palm trees that you can swim out to.  It was a neat little addition and made the waters close to shore very calm.  I recently read that this addition may have made parts of the ocean floor close to shore “slimy” but this was not our experience, so if anyone does experience that, please let me know.  The suggested solution was just to swim out past the island.

Facing the resort from the water, there are no resorts to the left, so this minimizes walk through traffic, which is fabulous.  With the addition of Generations Maroma, however, a family resort, the peace and tranquility that was present three years ago has definitely changed somewhat.  That is something that is really important to note.  This didn’t seem to be a problem, but as always, it’s important to be aware of the changes.

One of the things we loved the most was how long and soft the white sandy beach was.  We headed north past Generations Maroma, and found ourselves on a secluded section of beach with tons of privacy.  It was lovely.  We continued walking and discovered that Secrets Maroma was our neighbor, but I’m guessing it took us about 45 slow minutes to get there.  It’s lovely for people who enjoy long strolls on beautiful beaches.

Rooms:  There are 13 different categories of rooms at this resort.  The standard, least expensive room here is the Hotelito.  While some agents sell this category, I am not sure if I would.  I found the room to be rather small and uninteresting compared to the other categories, but that’s just me.  Here, you can also find suites that range from garden views, jacuzzi suites, and swim up suites all the way up to a one-bedroom spectacular villa with full oceanfront views and private plunge pool.  The villas have two stories and offer close to 3,000 square feet of private space.  They are out of this world, but so are the prices, so be prepared!

We had the pleasure of staying in a top floor honeymoon suite with beautiful ocean views and an extremely large deck with a private double bed to enjoy the views.  We loved this category of room and the privacy and views it offered.  We also enjoyed being on the top floor, for the added privacy, but be forewarned, there are a lot of steps between the ground floor and your suite, so make sure you’re up to the task.  If you are, then it’s well worth the “hike”.

Activities:  As I  mentioned before, this resort was made for relaxation, so there are not a ton of activities available.  That said, El Dorado Maroma has a marina conveniently located right next to it, so if you are interested in any water sports or perhaps some jetskiing, you have only steps to go!  It’s the perfect combination of relaxation and activity for those interested in both.

Nightlife:  There is very limited nightlife at this resort.  The only thing available when we visited was a little bit of entertainment in one of the bars upstairs.   Otherwise, you are left to enjoy the resort on your own, which is very easy to do for the right guests.

Dining:  There are only a few restaurant choices at this resort, given the size, but let me tell you, every single restaurant in which we dined was absolutely fabulous!  For breakfast and lunch, you could grab a taco or some Spanish Paella at Papitos.  Sabores is a fine Mexican Restaurant, offering all sorts of Mexican and Caribbean specialties.  For dinner, make sure to visit both Kiyoko, their Oriental restaurant, or Mia Cuccina, which as I’m sure you can guess is their Italian dining venue.  Honestly, we are food snobs, and every single meal we had at El Dorado Maroma was fantastic.  We even ordered room service one day, and the quality and flavor of the food was outstanding!  When they say “Gourmet All-Inclusive”, they mean it.  If you are a true Foodie at heart, you will love the dining at El Dorado Maroma.

Overall:  At this point, I think you already know what I’m going to say.  Yes, we absolutely love El Dorado Maroma.  It is a very unique place with special people who bend over backwards to make you feel welcome and comfortable.  Keep in mind, however, that it is not for everyone.  If you are looking for a large resort with tons of activities, parties, or restaurant choices, then you may want to consider an alternative resort.  If, however, you love the idea of quiet, intimate, personal, and enjoy excellent cuisine and drop dead gorgeous beaches…then make sure to visit.

What other Trustworthy Travel Agents and Friends Have to say:

“Thanks for the great review and pictures, Deena!  I loved Eldorado Maroma.  We actually stayed in the hotelito, and loved it!  Great view, walk out to the beach, and the pool butler brought us drinks on our patio!”  Cindy Watty, Friend and Travel Agent

“I so love that place. I literally teared up and almost cried when we had to leave.”  Tina Messamore, fellow Travel Agent