El Dorado info Please
Sep 6th, 1998, 01:00 PM
#2
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I would also like information on the El Dorado. Myself and 11 friends are planning a trip for january. I came across the El Dorado in the Mayan Coast in one of my travel books. Everything looks great except for the swimming. The beach looks very nice but I am curious about the part in the brochure which states ocean swimming is via pier. From what I can make out in the pictures it looks like the water is very rocky. What did your travel agent tell you?
Sep 8th, 1998, 10:29 AM
#4
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The beach isn't swimable, there is coral and rocks. You can walk south about 1/2 mile to swim. The rooms are very large and clean. If you look at the funjet brochure, we stayed in the top corner room of the building that is pictured. The food was the best that I have had a a Mexican all inclusive, you can order off the menu at every meal. Even the "buffet" restaurant lets you order off the menu if you ask for one. The resort is very isolated, it costs 105 pesos for a taxi to Playa del Carmen. <BR> <BR>Doug
Sep 10th, 1998, 05:41 AM
#6
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You can also take a Taxi to Akumal, 25pesos the beaches are very nice there. The hotel will pack you a box lunch, but you have to order it the night before at the buffet restaurant. There is a free shuttle to Playa at 11:00 each day, sign up the day before. The beach north of the Porto Real(in Playa) is beautiful. Take your box lunch and make a picnic. My wife and I did and had a great time. 
Doug
Doug
Sep 13th, 1998, 02:13 PM
#7
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Doug--thanks again for the info. <BR>If you wouldn't mind, could you answer a stupid question? <BR> <BR>When at the beaches, are your personal items safe? I mean, would it be acceptable to just leave your bag <BR>and go swim? or are there lockers? <BR>or do I have no business taking along <BR>anything that may get stolen? <BR> <BR>TIA--Jill <BR>
Sep 16th, 1998, 08:00 AM
#8
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Our experience in March 1998 at El Dorado was very disappointing. The hotel complex itself is quite pretty, the rooms are spacious and decorated in the typical Mexican fashion. The housekeeping staff is very attentive. Many rooms open right out onto the beach and the view is lovely. The beach is not swimmable because this area is on the windward side of the coast and the surf is quite rough. In addition, the water is very rocky and you can barely walk in it. In order to swim, you have to walk out about 1/2 mile to be in water that is deep enough, but the undertow out there is quite dangerous ( I am a better than average swimmer and love to snorkle). You can walk about 45 minutes to a non rocky beach but the surf and wind and undertow are still there and this beach is deserted ( no lifeguards) The hotel has two pools, both of which had broken ladders for entrance. The pool water was ice cold - no one at the resort could figure out why the water was so cold. During my three days there, I saw about 5 people use the pools for less than ten minutes. There is a whirlpool and the water in it was filthy. The food was very institutionalized with some Mexican specialities being quite good, and some non - Mexican food being lousy. There are daily bus tours that enter the resort for lunch, so it's difficult to find a place to sit at lunch time and you always feel like you are competing with the bus group. The hotel is not near anything, so, unless you take a trip into town (Playa del Carmen) , there's nothing else to do near the resort. There are a multitude of day trips that you can sign up for from the hotel and the folks at the tour desk are very helpful. We left this resort very dissatisfied and went to Cozumel where we did have a terrific time. I hope that this posting helps others. If I had seen this type of information about this hotel I would not have selected it. <BR>
Sep 17th, 1998, 01:14 PM
#9
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Don't take anything that you don't want stolen. That said, my wife and I have never had a problem. We usually carry a camera, snorkel gear, towels, H2O, sunscreen and a little money. If something is stolen its not that big a deal. I think that i general most of the beaches are very safe. I feel like I should take the same precautions that I would here in Wisconsin. At the places like Xel Ha they have lockers for rent.
Sep 20th, 1998, 03:44 PM
#10
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Doug, would you say that the beach in front of the hotel is nice other than the fact that you can't swim in the water? Did you find the water in the swimming pool to be freezing too? It is funny how one person can like a place and then another absolutely hates it! Last but not least do you think a group of 12 all in there mid to late twenties would like this resort?
Sep 22nd, 1998, 10:11 AM
#11
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There is a sand beach and it is well maintained. It is really nice in front of the two newer parts of the hotel. There are palm trees for shade. You may not think this is important, but on a 90degree day they come in handy. the pools were cold, but I swam and found it refreshing. With a group of 12 you can make your own fun. One of the couples that was on the bus with us brought their own CD's from home and the DJ in the rooftop disco played whatever we asked for. They also have karoke. They put on a really nice Super Bowl Party for us while we were there. All the Wisconsin people had a great time even though the Packers lost. As for age it ranged fron the 20's to 70's with most in 30's and 40's.
