"There's no place like Casitas!" - El Dorado Casitas Royale, Rivera Maya, Mexico.
Our second time visiting El Dorado Casitas Royale* (and certainly not our last), Tara and I really wanted to know if it was just a fluke as to why we liked the place so much (essentially, chasing after a feeling we could never achieve again) or if there was something truly magical about this place. And after 10 days at the resort (granted, some say 10 days might be a lot), we are even more hooked than before!
From the free excursions (they offer day trips with activities like a catamaran, a cenote swim, a trip to a waterpark, just to name a few), to the massages by the beach, to the free on-site activities like archery, rifle shooting, pot painting, aqua-fit, ping pong, volleyball, and bike tours (again — just to name a few), there’s so many things to do to fill your day.
Now, Tara and I aren’t really drinkers, so one thing that a lot of people who book trips to all inclusive resorts often say is “you wasted your money by not drinking all of the free alcohol!” Contrary to that, it almost felt like you’d end up wasting your money if you spent your entire time drinking by the pool (not that we didn’t hang out by the pool — we just ordered sparkling water with lime juice, and for Tara a salt or tajín rim).
But how was the food (many people wonder)? A lot of people who book an all-inclusive tend to complain about the quality of the food. And to that, I say: “you just paid for a bad resort.”
Not the cheapest getaway (though, offering much more value for your dollar when compared to a multi-night trip to somewhere in Canada, Europe or Asia), spending a few extra dollars to visit a really nice resort will surely have you not complaining about the food. With 11 gourmet restaurants to choose from, along with room service, food stands and mini shops (like the coffee and candy shops), we had no problem filling our 10 days with mouth-watering food. As a side note, for those of you planning to go, our number one favourite restaurant is Kampai. Hands down, the best sushi I have ever had (and I go out to eat a lot…)!
With our 10 days now behind us, I can’t stress enough how amazing this place is, and I know that if you choose to visit El Dorado Casitas Royale in the future, you will not be disappointed!
My only caveat, I have to admit (though, not an issue for us), is that it’s 18+ only. Meaning: no kids allowed. Granted, there is a connected section that you can stay at with the family called “Generations” and a Nickelodeon waterpark that the kids can visit, but you will have to keep them occupied if you want to visit any of the restaurants or do any of the activities on the Casitas/Royale side.
-enjoy your getaway — I know you’ll love it!
Note: I spent most of the time shooting video versus taking photos of the place this time around because I felt like photos could not do it justice. However, you can check out my old photoset from last year HERE*.
