TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Reviewed by a well-traveled couple celebrating 20 years of marriage My husband and I have been frequent travelers both before and after having children, typically visiting all-inclusive resorts at least 17 days per year. We chose El Cid for our family’s spring break after touring the property the previous year while staying at a neighboring resort — we were genuinely impressed and looked forward to our stay for months. We booked a two-bedroom suite with ocean view and had high hopes. Unfortunately, the experience fell short in nearly every category that matters to us. The Beach — Disappointing We actually toured this property in person the year prior, so this was not a case of being misled by photographs. However, during the tour we were deliberately kept at a distance from the beach and shown sweeping views from afar. It was not until we were actually staying as guests that we understood why. The sand barriers that have been constructed create what can only be described as a stagnant lagoon that is unpleasant to be near. Reaching actual swimmable beach requires walking a considerable distance. In hindsight, the tour route was intentionally designed to prevent prospective guests from getting close enough to notice this. For a beach resort, this is a significant drawback and was the first sign that the stay would not meet our expectations. The Room — The Clear Highlight The rooms are genuinely outstanding. Ours was spacious, immaculately clean, and offered a beautiful ocean view. The housekeeping staff deserves special recognition — this was unquestionably the brightest spot of our entire stay. The one caveat: the pillows are extremely firm and uncomfortable. Fortunately I had read prior reviews and came prepared with my own. I would encourage otero to do the same. The Pools — Extremely Frustrating This was our greatest disappointment. The pools are at full capacity before 7:45 a.m. with no relief throughout the day. One morning I was at the pool by 6:30 a.m. to reserve chairs with towels. When we returned at 7:15, our towels had been removed and our chairs taken. We did not use the pools a single time during our seven-day stay. Combined with the beach situation, our family — including our teenage daughter — returned home without any sun exposure whatsoever. When she went back to school, her classmates asked if the trip had been cancelled. The Restaurants — Exclusionary and Inconsistent The food overall is repetitive and does not meet the standard we have come to expect at comparable resorts. More frustrating was the attitude surrounding restaurant reservations. Despite repeated attempts, we were only granted access to the marina restaurant once and the Mediterranean restaurant once over seven days. The staff member managing reservations was consistently dismissive and unwelcoming. To be fair, the wait staff throughout the resort was exceptional — we tipped generously each evening because the food quality and reservation difficulties were clearly not their doing. Final Thoughts This trip coincided with our 20th wedding anniversary, which made the disappointments feel more acute. We love Cancun and return regularly, but we will not be returning to El Cid or any affiliated property. For the price point and the expectations set during our tour, this resort did not deliver. We hope this review helps other experienced travelers make a more informed decision.

My wife and I had an amazing time at this resort. The food, amenities, the service provided by Saul, Sebastian and Mary was superb. This was one of our best vacations ever!

Food is good I can give 5*, but beach is -0*. Explain why: They build in water as you see barrels to protect beach send, so that the water brings sand and does not take it back. But this made the problem even more serious because it brought all the dirt and everything stayed on the beach. The water is not just dirty, it looks like rust. In order to swim in the sea, we walked 5 minutes to another nearby hotel ( Dreams Jade) where everything was great. Even if the sea were clean, in order to go in and swim you would need to walk and climb over obstacles like a "roller coaster", after which you wouldn't want to swim. If you like swimming in pool than yes, but if you like see than choose other options hotel, not Marina El Cid Spa And resort!!!!!

I am absolutely blown away with the property, the location, and especially the staff, The staff made everything even better. I was assigned 2 butler's Saul & Sebastian and they blew me away with the best service I've ever had at a resort, checking in daily bringing me whatever I needed, to flowers in my room and a souvenir gift to take home.. WAY TO REPRESENT GUYS.

Our Waiter Carlos Gonzales was incredible!! From the pool to the rooftop bar to the romantic dinner. Top notch service and great personality!!!