Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort - All Inclusive

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing Vacation at El Cid & Ventus Ha– Puerto Morelos! We had an absolutely wonderful experience at El Cid and Ventus Ha in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and very well taken care of. The resort is beautiful, clean, relaxing, and especially wonderful for families. What truly made our vacation memorable was the exceptional service and the amazing people who work there. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, professional, and always willing to go above and beyond for us. I would especially like to recognize a few wonderful people who made our stay extra special: Gustavo & Moises at Reception – Thank you for being so welcoming, helpful, and professional. Your kindness and assistance were truly appreciated. Leo at the Market – Thank you for your friendliness, great service, and for always making us feel welcome. We truly appreciated you! Juan at Kobe – Thank you for the excellent service and for helping make our dining experience so enjoyable and memorable. Herrera, the sushi guy at La Hacienda – We definitely cannot forget you! Thank you for the delicious sushi, your friendliness, and the wonderful service. You helped make our dining experience extra special, and you absolutely deserve recognition! There were also so many other wonderful employees whose names I unfortunately don’t remember. From the restaurant and bar staff to housekeeping, entertainment, pool staff, and everyone working behind the scenes—please know that your hard work did not go unnoticed. We truly appreciate every one of you. A very special mention goes to the Kids Club team. Our children had such a wonderful time! The staff were caring, friendly, and kept the kids entertained with so many fun activities. Seeing our children happy and excited to go to the Kids Club was a wonderful part of our vacation and one of the main reason to go return for 4 consecutive year. Our kids grew with the staff at the club. We enjoyed the pools, restaurants, beautiful grounds, entertainment, and the overall atmosphere. But more than anything, the people are what made this vacation special. A resort can have beautiful facilities, but it is the kindness, hospitality, and dedication of its staff that make guests want to return. We left Puerto Morelos with beautiful memories and a great appreciation for everyone who took care of our family. We highly recommend El Cid and Ventus and would absolutely love to return! A heartfelt thank you to Gustavo, Moises, Leo, Juan, Herrera, the Kids Club team, and the entire El Cid and Ventus family for making our vacation truly unforgettable. ❤️🇲🇽🌴 Five stars and very well deserved!

The resort had a welcoming atmosphere from the moment we arrived. The pool was a crystal-clear water inviting us for a refreshing swim. The area was maintained, with comfortable lounge chairs and vibrant greenery, creating a relaxing oasis. My room was impressively spacious. What truly enhanced our experience, however, was the staff. They were attentive and genuinely friendly, always ready with a warm smile and helpful recommendations. Their exceptional service made our stay even more enjoyable and memorable, as we felt valued and cared for throughout our visit.

Our vacation started at the end of June into the beginning of July. Our front guest staff, I believe his name is Sergio or Sebastian was extremely pleasant. The resort itself is beautiful, clean, & safe. We had fun everyday with the activities at the pool. There are 3 separate resorts on the one compound. The friendly staff members will take you to any location on the compound for free at any time of the day or night. One of the resorts has a rooftop infinity pool which is good for adults. Don't worry about food allergies, the chefs will accommodate your dietary needs. All of the food is delicious. No matter where you eat, you won't be disappointed. The French restaurant has a goat cheese bread that is to die for and I don't like goat cheese. The restaurant near the infinity pool had a delicious garlic bread for the table and their chicken burger is scrumptious. I ordered it at least 3 times during our stay. I also ordered without extra bread. No matter when you go, what activities you do, or just sit around and relax you will have a wonderful time. I gave it a 4 star instead of 5 starts because of an excursion we went on. I told the concierge that I was on vacation just to relax and not spend a lot of money nor do I drink any alcohol. I did want to explore the country in its natural habitat. He suggested a free shopping excursion where you could just walk around and enjoy the beach. We did that excursion and the first stop is at a jewelry store and where they lack of a better term do not want you to leave unless you buy something. They make you speak with a private salesperson who encourages you to spend money. We did not buy anything again I did not need any jewelry. Next door is a tequila store. And you're at this location for about an hour and 15 minutes which is absolutely insane. The only way to get back to the resort is to pay for a cab which is about $60 or an Uber. After our transportation came they dropped us off at a beach resort and we were told that our transportation will pick us up at 6:30. This became a problem because the beach resort closes at 6:00 p.m. and after that you do not have any access to the bathroom unless you pay to use the public restroom. I'm not sure if it's because I'm from America but I'm not used to paying to use the facilities. I remember as a child you would have to pay like a nickel or a quarter to use the bathroom but that was back in the seventies. Needless to say, we have to pay to use the restroom. Our transportation driver arrived around 6:45 but we did not leave until 7:20. He claims he's waiting for more passengers to arrive but there was no room in the van for anyone else to so after I became a bit angry I told him we needed to leave because we were running late. That was a waste of a day and the worst time I had in Mexico. At this point I was done in just wanted to come home. The rest of our days was peaceful and relaxing. I will post as many pictures as I can. If you stay at this resort enjoy yourself. I also encourage everyone to bring a bunch of fries or singles so you can leave a daily tip for the resort cleaning staff. Oh! I did forget to mention that we could not use the beach because of global warming. The men were out everyday doing their best to clean up the seaweed but it was too much for them to do. I'm not sure if it was because of the time of the year we went but the beach was closed. However, we did have a wonderful time going snorkeling which the snorkeling excursion is on property. One last thing, I told them we were celebrating my child's college graduation and they were so generous and left decorations, balloons, and a chocolate cake for us an hour room. The cake was so big I ended up sharing it with some family members that I did not know on the beach. That was a great highlight to our vacation.

We had a fantastic trip at the Ha. Service was simply over the top, from the concierge to our butler, to everyone working at the reports. They made us feel special and part of their family. Our room was amazing, grounds were immaculate, food was great, entertainment was fantastic. 5 star resort and service. We will be back!

I booked a family vacation at El Cid Ventus Ha. However when I got there, the hotel receptionist suggested that I would probably like Ventus better, because the pool was closer and kids activities. She said she would give us ocean view. But let me tell you, after paying an upgrade fee of $280, I quickly realized this was not an upgrade. As my family and I walked over to Ventus there was a strong, pungent smell that was unshakable. There was no ocean view, just a small view of sludge and a pool view. I could have probably stayed through all that, except the resort did not have family friendly activities for the whole family. There was a kids and teens club and a pickle ball court but no real entertainment. Food was not bad at the buffet. However their speciality Italian dinning was like eating ravioli from a can.

! Our family had a wonderful week at Marina El Cid Beach Spa & Beach Resort in Puerto Morelos. We flew direct from Winnipeg (about a 4.5-hour flight), making it an easy trip with our two preteens. We also booked a private shuttle through Canada Transfers, which was fast, professional, and had us at the resort in about 30 minutes. Check-in was smooth, and the resort accommodated my request for a ground-floor room due to some mobility issues. Our Family Room was clean, spacious, and comfortably fit our family of four with two double beds and a Murphy bed. The highlight of the resort is definitely the pools. Our kids couldn’t get enough of the cliff jump and surprisingly fast waterslide at the main pool. There was always a fun atmosphere with music and activities, but it never felt crowded. We also visited the pools at Ventus and Ventus Ha, which are included with your stay, and they were all beautiful. During the off-season, finding pool chairs was never an issue. The food exceeded our expectations. Café Dolores was fantastic for lunch, with tacos, ceviche, crêpes, Italian food, salads, pastries, specialty coffees, gelato, and more. We loved the Italian, Teppanyaki, and Mexican à la carte restaurants. Thursday night’s Taco Festival was one of the highlights of the trip, with amazing food, churros, mariachi music, and a great atmosphere. The buffet also had plenty of quality choices without trying to overwhelm you with endless options. The staff throughout the resort were friendly, hardworking, and always greeted us with a smile. The grounds were immaculate, and you could tell the property was constantly being maintained. Puerto Morelos is worth visiting for an afternoon. It’s only about a $15 USD taxi ride each way, and we enjoyed wandering through the shops and exploring the town. Our favourite excursion was with Extreme Adventure Cancun. The ATV, ziplining, and cenote swim were absolutely incredible. If you book it, choose the morning tour before the afternoon heat sets in. The only reason I’m giving this resort 4 instead of 5 stars is the beach. Unfortunately, the seaweed situation made it unpleasant for swimming during our stay. The resort worked hard to clean it, but it’s simply a reality throughout much of the Riviera Maya and isn’t really the hotel’s fault. Fortunately, the pool complex is so good that we honestly didn’t feel like we missed out. Overall, Marina El Cid is an excellent family resort with outstanding service, great food, beautiful pools, and a relaxed atmosphere. We’d happily return and would definitely recommend it to families visiting the Puerto Morelos area.

We had a wonderful week at the El Cid Riviera Maya trio of resorts. The food at the many restaurants was top notch and quite diverse. The grounds were immaculate, with beautiful pools and hot tubs and comfortable, modern, and functional outdoor furniture. The staff were professional and friendly. 8 years ago we spent a similar week there, before the third resort, Ventus Ha, existed. Then, we had a great excursion to Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and a cenote. This time we decided to stay on resort for the entire week. The extensive grounds of the 3 connected resorts leaves one with plenty to do and experience. I love how the natural wildlife are integrated into the experience. Birds, iguanas, geckos, coatis, raccoons, tortoises, crocodiles, and more can be found. The sargassum seaweed that’s prevalent at this season is a drawback here and across much of the Caribbean, but the staff work hard to reduce its impact.

Very Nice resort, multiple pools, very clean and good food, just no beach access. The room was very nice seemed new, very cool as the AC was working top-notch. Stayed here last week June 16-20. Was very nice had no complaints. Nice shows, great food and plenty of seating. Food was served in two areas primarily. We could only book two restaurants, both were very good. Italian and Mexican was very chill and great food. Overall I give a 5star.

We spent a week at El Cid from 5/30 to 6/6 and had a great time. I was initially going to give them 4-star review because of the AC issues we had for 3 days, but since they tried hard to remedy the situation and later offered to move us to a different room (which we didn't do since we were there already 3 days) but I don't want this one issue overshadow the entire stay. Now to the good stuff and there was a lot of good things. The grounds, pools were kept clean and nice. The food at the Dolores Market was great, so was the coffee and the sweets at the cafe. The food at restaurants was also very good. The service was excellent, they really work hard to keep you happy, and you have a nice, relaxing vacation. Please tip them good as they fully deserve it and are hardworking people. High Five to the Ladies from the Kid's Club that kept our two Boys Casper and Michael entertained and did excellent job. We also enjoyed the evening shows. Esmeralda was a great guide for our bike tour to Puerto Morelos. The Cleaning lady Jasmine was outstanding and kept our room very clean. Overall, we had a great Family time, and we plan to return next year. Keep up the great service and great work you do.

Spent a week at Hotel Marina. The staff goes out of their way to assist and make sure you have a great vacation. Rooms were spacious and the restaurants were great as well. The amenities were fantastic. Only complaint was due to the weather so we could not enjoy ocean activities. The tours were great and I would highly recommend the day trip to Chichen Itza. Great tour guide and was booked at the resort. Great place and definitely be back!

The concierge team Omar, Ricardo & Freddy were great. Our 3rd trip in a year- def coming back

Overall we had a great experience at the resort. This was our third time in Mexico and we wanted to try a new resort. This was our first stay at Marina El Cid. The staff here are friendly and warm. A shout out to some of the staff who made our stay memorable. Marisol who takes care of the a la carte reservations was very nice and accommodating. Patricio who works at the front desk area sent us a cake for our anniversary. Raymundo was the first person we met when we checked in. He was always pleasant and friendly. We also met Jose who was a waiter at the breakfast buffet. He was very kind to us. The grounds are well maintained and very clean. It is very lush and lots of vegetation everywhere. There's an area by the water where you will see a baby alligator and turtle hanging out in the afternoon. One thing to note is that pool seating was always at all times. This resort has a policy of no reserving seats at the pool. You're able to leave your towel for an hour but after that it will be removed if it is unattended. The cost of the towels were $40 USD each. With this policy in place, guests were not leaving their towels to reserve spots.There are several pools to choose from but there are a few which are adults only pools. Keep in mind the beach area is not fit for swimming. We knew that the beach wouldn't be top notch like Cuban beaches but it wasn't swimmable at all. There are barricades to block seaweed but it prevented for swimming altogether. This was disappointing because it would have been good to at least have a few days at the beach. The food options are very good as you would expect in Mexico. The breakfast and lunch were served as buffet style. There was always plenty of options to choose from. The lunch place Mercado de Dolores was a lovely place to eat. They set it up like a food court. They offered a crepes station, Asian, Italian, shawarma, burgers and steak, seafood, a ceviche station and my kids favorite was the Pokè bowl station. The food was hot and kept clean. The presentation was always inviting. The resort also allows guests to make 2 a la carte reservations per day. This gives you a chance to try all of their restaurants. We were able to try the Japanese, Mediterranean, Italian and French a la cartes. Jesus who works at Kobo is awesome! One thing that we didn't expect was the way they deal with wifi. They charge for the service at the resort. We were told that each room is entitled to 2 wifi codes but since we booked with Sunwing, we were given 4 wifi codes for access. Otherwise, if you needed more than the 2 codes, they offered a daily and weekly rate for wifi. We've never had an issue with getting wifi at a resort before. There was entertainment in the evenings but they start early some at 8 pm. If you're eating at an a la carte, it can be challenging to see a show after you meal. We weren't able to get reservations for 6-8 pm. It was always either 5 or 530 or after 8 pm. It would be better to have shows start later like 9 pm. Also the area where the shows were held was kind of smaller area, either at the convention center or just outside. Overall this resort would be worth a visit for a nice vacation.

Absolutely a terrific time the staff is excellent , the facility top notch and the hospitality outstanding. This is our 5th visit snd it never disappoints. Orlando and Ore took super great care of us all week. Highly recommended!

I wanted to add to my previous review 2 very special people who have waited on us when we go Gamaliel in the Akat restaurant he is fabulous and Alaam in the Italian for breakfast and the Delores for lunch !!! Both are just the very best at accommodating and making us feel at home!!! Kudos to both these gentlemen

We had a good time at the resort, but missed some of the amenities that other resorts offer - mainly free wifi service and a more extensive room service menu. Also, there really is no beach to enjoy at the resort.

Stayed at Marina El Cid Ventus for 7 days. The resort itself is nice, but the staff treatment completely ruined the experience. One day the Ventus lobby employee yelled at our party of 8 after making us wait 20 minutes for a cart (you have to take a cart because some restaurants are across the street). He then took over the cart and drove us the long way around the resort while being rude the entire time. Completely unacceptable behavior. For a 5 star resort, this was extremely disappointing. We won’t be returning and would not recommend it based on how we were treated.

As the title suggests... two major shortcomings that will prevent a return trip: 1. Beach quality: Was expecting at least a basic beach experience. Alas, the beach is literally unusable due to lack of sand, massive (ugly, unscalable) wave break barriers, and of course the sargassum. Do not visit this resort expecting a beach experience. 2. Sun chairs: I know this is a problem everywhere, but I have been to the Caribbean 15 times, several times to Mexico, and have never see a worse example of sun chair 'towel reservation' than at this resort with absolutely no attempt at managing the problem. Nothing available after 8am. Stressed out just trying to find chairs for my family to sit ever day because other guests claim chairs at the crack of dawn but decide to visit the pool some time after lunch. It was so bad. Interestingly, both of the above issues are linked. If there was a reasonable beach, as claimed in hotel photos, you wouldn't have 100% of your guests battling over pool seating. Sorry Marina, I'd give you a 3, maybe 3.5 stars at best!!

Overall: We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and thought it was well worth the money. Friendly staff, great food, and a variety of pools, bars, and restaurants made it a great place to just go and relax. Access to the resort was limited and constantly monitored. We felt safe everywhere on the resort. Vibe: Diverse, in every sense. Lots of families, lots of older couples, lots of Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, even some Europeans; honeymooning couples, retired couples, young families, multigenerational family groups with grandparents and teenagers and toddlers all mixing together. With 13 pools there was a spot for everyone; just explore until you find a place that matches your mood, and then make that your 'spot'. When to visit: We visited in April, and my wife has been to nearby resorts in October. Both are great times to visit. We’d read about overcrowding during Spring Break, and that’s certainly possible given the seating and layout of the place, BUT if you don’t come during peak periods, finding pool deck chairs, lounge chairs on the beach, seats at the lunchtime buffets and the nighttime shows, etc. shouldn’t be a problem. The room: We didn't go for any upgrades, and still got a beautiful room with two queen beds plus a couch (and a murphy bed behind the couch, which we didn’t use), and a balcony overlooking another resort building and a jungled courtyard in between. (A construction site next door got loud sometimes, but it wasn’t unreasonable, and it looks like it’ll be finished before Fall of 2026.) The room was spacious, though noisy neighbors were a bit of a problem--bring ear plugs. The beds themselves were firm and comfortable. The minifridge, stocked daily with water, sodapop and beer, was a nice touch. The bathroom was large, clean, and comfortable, with a stepover walk-in shower. The food: Wow. High quality, tremendous variety and selection. The menus offered lots of interesting options and sometimes unexpected pairings, but we enjoyed everything we tried. The ceviche fish at A’Akat, the desserts at Ile de France, and the risotto and swordfish at Tratorio del Giulio are all not to be missed. Loud Americans insisting on “just a steak and potatoes” was the worst experience we had at the a la carte dinners. Note: Reservations for the a la carte dinners are required; you can only make two reservations at a time; and (it appears) reservations from 6-7:30 are only available for Platinum Club members. We ate at 5pm most nights, which was fine, as it allowed us to eat heavy meals and then walk them off as we enjoyed the evening, or went to the rooftop bars at Ventus Ha’ to enjoy the sunsets. The pools: What a variety! Want to drink while hanging on the edge of a pool overlooking the jungle or the beach, with no kids around? There are 3-4 pools for that. Want to jump and play games while the dance music thunders? There are several pools for that. Splash pools for toddlers? Several. Waterfalls? Slides? Places where shaded lounge chairs are in the pools themselves, with waiters delivering drinks? Yes. All within the resort. The beach: Not great. Concrete berms lie in the water to prevent erosion, and lots of seaweed washes up. They’re constantly raking up and carting it away, so walking on the beach is possible, but swimming and splashing in the salt water is not something that you do at this resort. Trips to Isla de la Mujeres or snorkeling at a nearby reef can help scratch that itch, but at a (reasonable) extra cost. Tipping: It’s an all-inclusive resort, so tipping isn’t required. That said, lots of people do it, and it’s appreciated by the staff. Most people bring US dollars, and tip every now and then for table service or rides or drinks. But it’s NOT necessary: the staff are just genuinely friendly and helpful, and we never saw someone doing things for a tip, or expecting a tip for service. Logistics: Before arriving, a staffer at El Cid texted to welcome us and warn us that the hotel only covers the ride in from the airport, not the ride back. We asked them to set up ala carte dinner reservations for us, but they could only do the first night. Flying into Cancun International Airport was no problem. Immigration was simple. The wait for our bags to finally show on the carousel took about an hour. We then headed through customs (waved through) and past all the vendors, down the sidewalk and out to the bus terminal to look for our El Cid driver. After about 20 minutes we got into the van, and so about hours after landing, we arrived at the Ventus main entrance. They lined up the bags outside and we headed in to check in. Passports, credit card, room upgrades (Platinum Club? Ocean view? Room with its own access to a private pool shared only with others in similar rooms?) are handled by one agent. Then we chatted with the agent who had been texting with us for a couple of days who wanted to set up a breakfast presentation for us about the leisure club El Cid is part of, in exchange for about $200 in coupons for on-resort amenities (including the $60 Wifi connection fee for one device, a two-for-one massage, a two-for-one catamaran/snorkel cruise, etc.-- all things we were interested in). We were curious about the club so we said yes. In hindsight, we should have politely declined. (See below if you’re curious why.) Finally, about three hours after touching down, we were in our room. Handicap accessibility: At the airport, we picked up a guy in a lightweight electric chair who was unable to to get himself out of the chair. The driver and wrangler picked up the entire chair and wedged him just inside the door of the van. If it had been an old-fashioned heavy electric chair, or if he’d been a big guy, I’m not sure what they would have done. But they made it work and he got safely and happily to the resort. Tile floors are everywhere. Since I use crutches, wet floors are potentially quite dangerous, and I had to be constantly vigilant. I found puddles and wet spots just inside the elevators, just outside the elevators, and in public restrooms, on a regular basis. Be warned. That said, there were ramps everywhere, and we could request rides anytime to get around the three resorts. We found the whole 3-in-1 resort to be walkable, even for a crutch-user. Still, if you’re restricted to a wheelchair and can’t easily move in and out of your chair, just know that your experience will be different. At the two older resorts, El Cid Marina and Ventus, most of the public bathrooms (the ones you use while lounging by the pool, for example) are a little tight on corners for wheelchair users. There are a lot of stairs throughout the resorts, and while there are also ramps, sometimes you’ll have to cover a lot of extra distance to get to where a walking person can get very quickly. Ventus Ha’ (the newest of the three resorts) was by far the most accessible, with dedicated restrooms near the pool with wide automatic doors and all the amenities you’d expect in the States. Still, we did not see any pool cranes anywhere. * About the leisure club: they offer multiple packages, running from $10k (5 year) to $30k (20 year), which entitles you to at least one all-inclusive week at El Cid properties per year, plus multiple weeks at a large number of worldwide properties and cruise lines ($500-700 taxes per week not included), plus seriously discounted rates for more vacations, free/reduced airfare if flying into Mexico, etc. It starts as a soft sell, with breakfast one-on-one with a sales agent. Then they lead you through an interactive presentation where they help you understand how much you’re spending on vacations now, and how much you could save if you booked all of that travel through their leisure club. Eventually the ‘manager’ joins you to make the sale and/or sweeten the deal. If you say no, then a third “quality control” guy comes in to try one more time. Honestly, by the time the whole thing was done, I was feeling a bit drained, but I’m one of those folks who has a hard time saying no. Why did we say no? The quality of the resort is great, the daily prices they quoted were reasonable, the staff is universally wonderful, the food is fantastic. We just didn’t feel comfortable committing to a $3-6k down payment and the $200-400 monthly payments for the next 48 months. My advice: Unless you’re tempted by the deals outlined above, just decline the $200 in discounts and say “no,” you don’t want to meet with anyone to talk about the leisure club, you’re just here to enjoy a vacation. The presentation cost us a morning and more stress than it was worth, at least for me.

We went as a family of ten of us. We booked private transportation and still had to stand around outside the airport for 30 min. When we got to the hotel about 1500 our rooms were not ready. We waited around for about 30 minutes to get our rooms. The bellboys were awesome getting us to our rooms and a little tour at the same time our room was nice and clean with the fridge stocked. We went to the lunch buffet next to the pool for a snack they were awesome. Went for a swim and a few beverages with no complaints (other than no beach towels available) Dinner buffet was very good with a nice selection, service was great. We hit the sack pretty early that night as it was a long day. Room was quiet and the blinds kept the room dark We went for breakfast buffet and no complaints. (Jason was my grandson’s favourite friend/ server) Then off to the pool. Chairs are hard to get as people get up very early and scoop up the chairs. Bar service was great, they were busy but did their best to keep up. After a day at the pool we retired to our rooms to rest and get ready for dinner that was 4pm our rooms weren’t clean yet so they didn’t get cleaned that day. The pathways don’t get cleaned as often as they should. Overall we had a wonderful vacation there.

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!!!

We stayed in a one bedroom with a view of the water that was breathtaking. We had wonderful food, we felt cared for by waitstaff and bartenders. And the butlers? Simply the Best, Are and Orlando. Fantastic! Angie, our concierge was wonderful. We swam with the dolphin, loved it! Hector drove us to Playa del Carmen and Cancun, great trips! I could go on. Making plans to go back in November!

Spring Break 2026 - the best part was the amazing room! We had the 2 bedroom on floor 5 (top floor) with a living room and dining room table. Super super clean- I can stop mentioning that the room felt like home, comfortable and very spacious. We hung out and played cards as a family every night. The service- also exceptional! Shout-outs to Carols & Lois at Zan Zi Bar (poolside), Elvis at A'AKat for Lunch especially- and dinner there was also Amazing! I do not have their names but we had also fantastic service at the Mexican Restarurant- make sure you try the mexican coffee that is made at your table! Pool chairs needed to be saved but this was spring break and we were at the main pool. The only advise is room service takes time- meaning when my kids at lunch I ordered with ample time. And room service breakfast was only toast and cereal. Another plus - 2 roof top infinity pools - adults only- quiet and chill.

We love Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. We have been two years in a row and the food is great and the resort is safe for our family. We love having Orlando and Are as our butlers as they provide a great service to make your stay easy and comfortable.

Our 3rd spring break in a row here. Everything from the food to the pools to the drinks and most of all the service including how well Are and Orlando took care of us!!

We love ElCid! The staff is the best, we have our favorites no lie, starting with our butler’s Are and Manuel. Then some of the bartenders/waitstaff like Carlos and Gilberto. Thank you all for treating us so well!

This will try and focus on the Marina El Cid portion but will overlap into the Ventus & Ventus Ha Pool - 9/10 Marina side has the main pool with swim up bar, rock cliff/waterslide for kids and is the only pool with loud music. There is also an adults only infinity pool overlooking the ocean, didn’t spend any time here as the seaweed smell and the view was quite unpleasant. Be prepared for the towel game with people getting up at 6AM and it not being enforced. Nowhere near enough lounge chairs or sun umbrellas for the size of pool. Ventus side has the same pools but the main pool has no swim up bar or music playing, we spent most of our time here so was a bit of a walk every day, never felt crowded as the pools are large. Beach - 1/10 The wife said book me a vacation by the pool so we knew going in that the beach was abysmal but the rating says it all and is the reality. The Marina side is the only area that has a small beach area with decent sand and a little bar but the ocean is unswimable with piles of sargassum. We took an uber (cheap $4) to Puerto Morelos instead for a beach day at one of the beach clubs and I went snorkelling with a company off the pier. Room - 7/10 Rooms were perfectly acceptable, nothing fancy but fine. Biggest issue was the AC was nowhere near cold enough for us as it only went to 20 and we struggled to sleep even with the ceiling fan as we had hot weather everyday. TV is a little small but there were adequate English movie channels. Balcony was nice with 2 small chairs and table. Bed wasn’t great as it was lumpy and lop sided with noticeable indent. We got stuck on the ground floor and tried a couple times to have our room changed but were told no rooms available as there was significant sewage smell when showering. Resort 8/10 My biggest issue is more with Sunwing on this one as we were charged a $200 resort fee for the week when this wasn’t identified anywhere in the booking process. *This does not effect the ranking score as was a Sunwing problem but be informed* The hotel is maintaining proper upkeep everywhere, grounds are nicely maintained with plenty of beautiful palm trees and shrub work along with the natural jungle. The drive to the resort was pretty brutal with windey bumpy roads if your on a shared transfer coming from other resorts further up the coast. Environmental - 10/10 Resort is doing a great job of eliminating single use plastics for guests. All cups are either glass or reusable hard plastic. Didn’t see a single use plastic anywhere. Make sure to stop in and see Brandom the crocodile and turtle friends!! Service 8/10 Staff were friendly and personable, gardeners would say good morning as you walked by. Waiters would strike up conversations and what not, couple bartenders seemed rather grumpy. Never had to wait long for a drink if you went up yourself, pool service was hit and miss some days. Food & Drink - 8/10 The resort really leans on their a la cartes but I was a little disappointed in the food from them. Buffet food was great for the most part but this is the only buffet for the entire resort and is wayyyyyyy way to small, be prepared for a 50 person lineup at supper just to get in. We could only make 2 a la carte reservations per day and we only ended up booking, KOBO - Teppanyaki at Ventus Ha The fried rice and sushi was delicious but other than that they just served some proteins and vegetables and was so so, I left hungry. A’AKAT - Ibero American at Ventus Ha I had the corn, tacos and catch of the day (grouper) and didn’t really care for any of it. Wife had the “roast beef hamburger” which was a 0/10 and should be taken off the menu as every person we saw had one or two bites. The best part of this place is the bread, make sure it’s served warm. Trattoria Di Gulio - Italian at Marina This was our best meal and would definitely recommend the swordfish. Pizza was wood fired but was no good. Pasta dishes were ok. Buffet - Marina Breakfast is served in multiple areas but would recommend the main buffet as they have fresh made smoothies, omelettes, pancakes and French toast. Decent selection of fruit and fruit juices, bacon etc. Mercado de Dolores - Lunch Buffet By far our favourite place to eat, fresh fish ceviche, fresh made crepes, great Asian food, fresh made tacos, salads and poke bowls (please please please add chopped mango to the poke bowl options). Props to management on this one. Coffee shop was attached with decent iced lattes, and bakery items but didn’t like the Frappuccino’s. Drinks They were good, a favourite was the michelada, by far the best house red cab sav wine I’ve ever had from a resort by a large margin so kudos to management on that one. Each lobby had there own bar and had a couple different drink menus to try from plus all your typical mixed drinks. Entertainment - 8/10 Staff did a good job doing the nightly show at the theatre location but wasn’t really our thing and the area was much to small for the amount of people. By far the best was the harpest and violinist at the Marina lobby, don’t miss these. My biggest gripe is that they just put paper posters up in a couple spots to let you know the days entertainment not even the next days. I would like to see a dedicated TV channel in your room showing these also. Would I come back - Yes but I think we’d stay on the Ventus Ha side and if we’re just looking for decent food with a pool to relax for a week.

We had an amazing time with amazing people. The atmosphere was safe and welcoming; and so beautiful. The rooms were spacious and always had a stocked fridge. The staff were the kindest, hardworking people you have ever met. Celine Botello and Samuel Venegas were exceptional butlers. They checked on us every day to make sure we didn’t have any questions or requests. They were on top of it! Very professional and personable. We appreciate them so much! We are definitely coming back next year! Love to all staff at El Cid outside of puerto Morelos. Thank you for such a wonderful experience.

Are Mendez was my Butler and during my stay, he provided Excellent Service. He was always on top of my requests. The other individual was Jorge from the Waves Lounge. I normally don't drink, but Jorge make me some cocktails that were superior. He isn't a bartender, he is a Artist

We stayed here for March break with our 3 kids (7, 9, 14). We enjoyed the food, cleanliness, and some of the shows (loved the Mexican night show especially!). However, there were a number of disappointing things to highlight: - customer service was awful! One of the nights it was raining and we (along with many) ordered room service. When after 1.5 hours it still hasn’t arrived (the original eta was within the hour), we called and were told it’s coming. It didn’t come and we ended up going to bed hungry; despite privacy on our door delivery person finally knocked and woke us up 3 hours later with the food! When I gave them feedback next day, they appeared very disinterested. - Lack of transparency about the beach. While their site says they have a beach and there are beautiful photos of it, it’s very misleading; there is a small sandy area around the waters that aren’t really swim friendly. Not much of a beach that we had in mind. - not as important but given we’ve stayed at other resorts it’s easy to compare; there was absolutely no snack bars or food beside pools and beach area. This made things more tricky with kids as we’d have to go to the restaurants every time we wanted food rather than a snack bar nearby. Also, limited ice cream options was disappointing. Overall, we would not stay here again and a big part of it was the lack of food and friendly service. There were a few people who did provide great service however, shout out to Marcus - he bought chocolate syrup on his own money to provide in drinks at the bar, which the kids loved, going out of his way to make things special.

Our 2 week stay was fabulous at El Cid. Our 3 butlers: Ricardo, Fredy & Omar were exceptional! They were so friendly & helpful & attended to all our needs with a smile! I loved how they sent a message at the beginning of their shifts and asked if they could be of service. It was nice to get a message with the daily events each morning. We have been going there since 2019 and this is by far the best butler experience we have ever had! We can't wait to return again!

Good for family vocational trip

All-inclusive vacation A travel package where the price covers lodging, meals and many on-site activities. Our journey to El-Cid at Ventus Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort, Cancun Riviera Maya. My wonderful wife last year purchased a 5-day vacation at a charity event in the wine country and then surprised me when I arrived home from a business trip to Chicago. Day1: Our wonderful flight from SFO was delayed an hour due to the high traffic in/out of Cancun. We arrived, airport very busy, and it took an hour to get through customs and retrieving our luggage. Met our driver and it took another 25 minutes of paperwork between the driver and the company to check off who they were taking. Puerto Morelos is 25 minutes south of Cancun. El-Cid has 3 properties in the area. We showed up at 8:30 to the front desk and the clerk pointed out what type of room we would have, and it was with two double beds looking at trees. They moved us again as we complained this time it was ground floor looking at kiddie pool. Back to front desk, pay for an upgrade to an ocean front room with two rooms and a wonderful view. We had dinner at 9 at an Italian restaurant we did not choose as the one we did was closed. Before dinner we were told to see Adania tomorrow as she would show us what was available for us during our stay. At check-in they gave us wristbands to wear, felt like we were in camp and cut them off as soon as we got into our room and no one asked about them. Day 2: The word of the day was “we did not meet a minimum requirement.” We went down to have breakfast, then to meet our concierge, who would give important information. When Leah sat down, she had her first F-1 moment, 0 to 200 in 1 second, having never seen her so mad so quickly. She left to look a look at the jewelry store, and I sat down with him. We were told that if we sat for a 90-minute presentation, not a time share but selling you points to enjoy the resort, they would give us free Wi-Fi, guarantee reservations at the restaurants and spa credits. We passed. I then went over to the person who took care of the reservations, and she told us the on Sunday-Monday-Tuesday the only time was at 9:30 at night. We did get on Wednesday at 7:30. Next was the wi-fi issue. We went to front desk, and they told me 1 phone is $10.00 a day so if I want to use iPad, iPhone, and laptop would be $30.00 a day times 4 = $120.00 for our remaining time here. I chose only my phone. It was a rip-off city it was. That night we took a 20-minute walk to the other resort for the no reservation restaurant. Long lines, 25 minutes to get in, its sea food night, food ok. My F-1 girl again went from 0-200. We did get a ride back to our hotel via golf cart. So, day 2 of our vacation ended. We requested robes and slippers and their comment “you did not meet the minimum requirements.” Day 3: Weather was cloudy and cold, walked to breakfast, which was good and then back to our room, where we stayed most of the day on our balcony looking out at the sea, and reading. We are still not happy with how we are not treated, which is no fault of the hotel but at the company that the school used to sell us this all-inclusive package that was touted as a MBZ but was really a stripped-down VW. We decided that we would have dinner in our room that night instead of the no reservation restaurant. We ordered it, 20 minutes later it arrived, and it was not bad. I wanted to go back and tell them yes, we will go to the presentation, but F-1 said no. Our rooms are cleaned every day, and the staff is very nice, but the underlining bad points leave us with never again. Day 4: The day started out cloudy, then the wonderful sun came out for the rest of the day that we spent at the pool shaded by two palm trees. I am calm with the whole trip, it is what it is, Leah was sold a defective productive and we did best with what we were dealt with. We had dinner in our room again, rare burger well done and good chips. I have lost my appetite for the fatty food being served here. Nothing they serve is healthy for you. Day 5: Watched DT give a state of the union address turned it off at 15 minutes and went to sleep and read in the WSJ a quick breakdown of what was a 2-hour speech. This morning on our way to breakfast, we picked up our towels, and all the chaises had towels on them, they have a 1-hour rule, not one to enforce it. Then we walked over to the beach in front of our room and since we are not black but brown on our wrist bands, we are not allowed to be there. We do have a reservation at the French restaurant for our farewell dinner. Hope it is good. At breakfast today, F-1 told me that she really wants to leave on Sunday as she was so frustrated with the resort. In conclusion: blame the company “Privileges Redemption Center” for not spelling out to the school who purchase the item what and what it did not include. I would never purchase at any auction anything that had the name of Privileges Redemption Center on the logo. This was the worst trip of many years, if you go a property and know ahead of time what to expect that is your problem, this was again a trip that the buzz word was “We did not meet minimum requirements.” The staff at the El Cid Resorts were great and very helpful, the food was too full of calories, lines were too long and not enough chairs or attendants to enforce they’re policy of 1 hour of towels put on the chaise and if no person is sitting on it, they remove them so the next guest has a chance to sit there. My advice, even if it is not purchased through an auction, avoid the El Cid Resorts at all costs as there are hundreds of places in the Cancun area where you can get a better deal than what is offered here. 90 Minute presentation that people had posted was very high pressure to purchase to package of points to get what should have offered at any other resort and no cost. Also, the beach and water are unsuitable to swim in as the color is brown and the beach is full of dead seaweed.

We came there with our family of 19 people to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary at the El Cid Marina Resort. We all had a great experience except three people got sick and threw up and our hot water wasn't working but they were able to get it working promptly. The housekeeping was overall excellent. Sarah, the head concierge was our contact person for arranging the rooms that we needed and she did a wonderful job of keeping us all in the same building and even had us on the ocean. She went over and above in everything she did. She helped us with arranging ahead of time the dining room at the French restaurant for our special anniversary meal on Wednesday, as well as arranged for us all to be at the Japanese restaurant on the Monday. Sarah also helped us to decide where to hold our vow renewal ceremony (in the lounge by the French restaurant all in the Ventus Lobby). While we were out getting our pictures taken prior to our vow renewal ceremony, without us asking, Sarah arranged for red rose petals around the area in the lounge that we were to use for our vow renewal ceremony, as well as set up a table for the included communion and candle lighting ceremony, decked out with red roses petals and a wine glass with wine and a napkin on a plate . We were so surprised and amazed. It was beautiful and very much appreciated. Sarah even stayed throughout the ceremony to make sure all went well. When we went to the private dining area the large table was decked out with red rose petals as well!! Beautiful, we were so touched by all Sarah's thoughtfulness! Also when we went to our room to change after the meal, our butlers Celine and Samuel had organized on our bed swans made out of towels surrounded by a heart with red rose petals all over the bed, chocolates on our bed, and a bottle of wine and two wine glasses on the bed as well. Also they had a plate with Happy Anniversary written on it and chocolate covered strawberries. Likely Sarah had something to do with this as well. All this was done without our knowledge or expectation. We were made to feel very special and honoured. We can't give enough high praises to Sarah and our butlers for all that they did for us to make our 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration and evening very special. Our butlers also were great in arranging transportation with the golf carts to get our pictures taken, as well as, arranging to get carts for whenever we needed and when we were leaving; they readily took care of any needs we had. The food was great, there were lots of pools to choose from, the kids had options, there were evening entertainment options, and the Platinum lounge and the attendants there were all friendly and helpful. Probably the main negative was that the seaweed was abundant and sometimes smelly at this time of year. They worked hard to remove the seaweed. We will be returning!

Are is the best butler on the resort. Always attentive to our needs and tuned in to Our wants. We will request him again

Are Mendez provided exceptional service to us during our stay. He checked on us daily, and always greeted us with a great smile. He fulfilled our requests, and we never had concerns whether they would be completed.

The resort grounds are immaculately maintained and staff is constantly available to assist with the needs of guests. The beach is virtually missing and the water is not inviting in the Carribean due to what may be some restoration efforts. The Pools however are clean, inviting and big enough to hold lots of people. Meals were good but not excellent. Getting reservations in advance of the day is a must to ensure availability. Out Butler Are Mendez exceptional. Virtually anything that we needed he assisted with either obtaining or finding the right person. He checked on us multiple times a day and ensured that if a ride was needed for dinner it was on time and ready to go. I cannot say enough that Are went above and beyond. He is an asset to this resort and deserves recognition.

We just returned from our 1st trip to Hotel Marina El Cid. It was about a 25 minute drive from the airport using Happy Shuttle. We arrived around 8PM, and checkin was relatively smooth at that time of night. We had a room near the pool in the 1600 block. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The main pool is where the entertainment is at for this resort and the two sister Ventus resorts. Pool lounge chairs can be hard to come by. There were people claiming multiple lounge chairs at 530 AM. By 700AM, not many, if any, were still available. The poolside entertainment team was great. The band playing in the lobby bars at night is top notch. The food at this resort is excellent. You would not know you were at an AI. One of the lunch buffets offered steak everyday. You have access to the sister resorts throughout your stay, both of which are very nice. The hottubs overlooking the ocean are wonderful. If you are a beach person, this is not the place. The water was not clean, and the beach was small and not a desirable location for us. I would recommend a different resort if you are a beach person. The free wifi is extremely slow. If you want better wifi, there was an upcharge for that, which is quite surprising to see in the modern times. Buffet lines can get extremely long, up to a 1.5 hour wait on one night. Fortunately we were able to secure two reservation-based a la carte dinners while we were there. The juice, water, pop, and beer selection in the room was excellent, and the various drink selections throughout the resort was great as well. Room service food and drink was superb. Most staff were friendly and helpful. I would consider a return stay at this resort, but I would also look elsewhere in the region for a resort that offers better wifi and a better beach, before making a final decision.

Superb butler service from Omar, Ricardo, and Fredy. They were always helpful and very responsive. Food at all El Cid restaurants was top-notch!

We absolutely loved this resort, and the service was phenomenal. Great food and drinks, and for our morning coffee, Noe at the Marina bar makes the best lattes!

We had excellent service. A special shout out to our Butler's, Are and Orlando. They were amazing keeping everything we needed or wanted available. There kindness will not be forgotten. Best service we have ever received.

We had an amazing experience at Marina El Cid, and a huge part of that was thanks to the incredible butler team—Fredy, Ricardo, and Omar. They truly went above and beyond to make our stay special. They checked in with us every day to make sure we had everything we needed, kept us informed of their schedules so we always knew who to connect with, and handled all of our reservations seamlessly. One of our favorite touches was how they made sure our fridge was always stocked with our favorite drinks—such a thoughtful detail that didn’t go unnoticed. Their attention to detail, communication, and genuine care for guests made our trip so much more relaxing and enjoyable. We can’t recommend them enough!

We have been here with a total of 6 kids and the amount of fun was just great. First things first - no beach so to say. But amount of pools and their cleanliness and organisation is beyond expectations. So many activities goung around, so kids were excited, occupied and happy afterall. Food was really great, great team at restaurant Ile de France (thank you, Miguel!), always kids oriented and accomodated our every need with that amount of kids. Service was great also, Platinum team is doing a great job and worth every extra you spend on the upgrade (we got platinum only because of a number of people of people we were and I must say what a pleasant surprise). The butlers do amazing job! Huge appreciation goes to Noah, Luis and Hugo! You guys were so friendly, attentive and responsive, thanks so much! Amount of concerts and evening activities were also beyond any expectation, how it was presented and organised! Kids were tired but made it to almost all of the events throughout our 7 day stay. Definitely would consider the next time we will be planning our vacation!

We had a great trip! This is our 5th time at El Cid. No BS-the beach is disappointing. The resort and the service are excellent! This trip we had Are and Orlando as our butlers and they were the best yet! Our group was a lot! 14 in total with children. Our butlers took care of every detail and were kind and friendly! They made our trip!! So grateful for these wonderful young men!

This is our fifth trip to El Cid and it never disappoints. We had a large group of family and everyone had a great time. What stands out about El cid is the people. Our butlers Are and Orlando made our trip extra special. They are by far and again the best butlers we’ve had. We’ve already booked our trip for next year and will request them if available!

I had the best time at Marina El Cid. Ricardo, Omar and Fredy took extra good care of our family. They went above and beyond ensuring that we had what we needed during our stay.

My sister and I stayed at Marina El cid in Cancun from January 10th to February 28 2026. We had 3 butlers: Luis, Noah and Hugo. They were excellent. Our butlers checked in with us daily and took care of every need from bottled water to room cleanup. We even hadcour butlers book our restaurants 6 nights out of 7. We had to do our laundry twice during our stay and our butlers made sure we had cart rides. They helped us with porter service both at the beginning and on the last day as we had to leave at 4:30 am. Also they booked a taxi to take us to the airport to catch our early morning flight back to Edmonton Alberta. Our butlers were awesome and we look forward to staying at ElCid next year. We hope to have Luis, Noah and Hugo as our butlers in 2027.

Excellent vacation with the grand daughters and family. The food was excellent as always and they were very diligent and cautious with my son severe food allergies. Our butlers, Alejandro and Ivan were very considerate and helpful throughout our vacation. They demonstrate what outstanding hospitality looks like.

This is our first time at El Cid Marina hotel Resort in Puerto Morelos for three weeks. Recommend this Resort? Absolutely. We have been to several resorts over the years and find that this resort has everything that we need. It's a beautiful and well maintained resort. The staff are more than helpful and cordial. In restaurants (foods are 5star) housekeeping (daily svc if you like, mattresses are firm and not mushy), room service ( 24/7), events coordination (nightly enterenement for all ages). Reservation help? They are there doing their best to please you. We also have a team of 3 butlers ( Ricardo, Fredy and Omar) who are greeted us each day with "what kind we do the help you enjoy your paradise?" Via WhatsApp. All are very quick with their responses. Ricardo and Fredy seem to help us the most only because their shifts tend to be when we needed something. And checking with us 2,3 times a day. We are sure all three are equal in their quality of services. We're just thankful to have butler's service. Thank you guys. You're the best. Sorry for the long-winded review. Maybe this is why I rarely do review unless I think it's worthy of my assessment to share with others.

The beach is not very nice at this resort, but I am not sure how it compares to others in the area. The pool and disco are a lot of fun, and most of the food is good. Many staff members are lovely, but there was a lot of poor communication and disorganization throughout the stay by others. We found the wedding coordinators to be particularly bad at their jobs and they did not take any accountability for all of the mistakes they made. This resort does not seem to value feedback. Would not recommend, as I believe there are better resorts in Mexico. Definitely would not recommend others to have their wedding here. Many many details of our wedding were missed, executed poorly or incorrectly, things were not organized at all, etc. etc.

We just came home from one of the most amazing vacations we've ever had. It was just my wife and I and our butlers Noah, Hugo and Luis we're fantastic! Everything that we asked for they got us and they got us quickly. Noah was the point man and made sure that every one of our needs were met.

7 restaurants to choose from, great food and service. I enjoy the atmosphere of the Marina. Good variety on the menu. The staff is always attentive and very friendly. Of course some menu items are better, but that is always a personal preference. My butlers Alejandro Niembro and Ivan Garcia were wonderful. They made my dinner reservations at the times I wanted, and were punctual with cart pickup. I appreciated all the help, always eager to make sure our trip was perfect. Thank you. As per other reviews, the beach has been hit by many hurricanes and sargassum. But there are so many great pools.

There’s nothing bad I can say about this resort. I’ve been to several in the Caribbean and this by far was the best resort I have ever stayed at. From the moment we arrived we were treated like royalty. We did get the platinum package, which was very well worth it. Instead of checking in at the regular desk, you are escorted to a suite with comfortable chairs and couches and a bar with a bartender. We had booked a three bedroom suite for the seven of us, but that is an understatement because it was definitely more like a large apartment. Three bedrooms all with private bath, living room, dining room, full kitchen and whirlpool bath on the patio. All the rooms had their own sliding glass doors to go outside. From our room there was a 30 foot walk to the beach and maybe a 20 foot walk to a beach bar. Room service was fast and tasty. All the venues we ate at were equally delicious. Everyone that worked there was so polite and very friendly. Housekeeping was excellent. We went into the town of Puerto Morales and had a good time shopping. $30 taxi round trip. The town seemed very safe. About a 15 minute ride into town. Be sure not to miss Urban Taco Night. There was a bar and tremendous amount of Mexican food and good entertainment. There were vendors there for the party, however, I thought the products were exceedingly expensive. Of course, everywhere has problems with the seaweed. They worked every day very hard to keep the seaweed under control. The pool at this particular resort was quite cool because it was February. However, you are welcome to use the two other sister resorts. At Ventus we were told there is a heated pool however we didn’t make it over there to check it out. It is quite a large resort so anyone with mobility problems would need to call for transportation. In summary, great resort, great people, good food. it was a great resort and I will certainly return the next time I want to visit the Mexican Riviera.

Our two butlers Orlando and Are were absolutely amazing! They were fast, efficient, thoughtful and caring - always with a smile. They made our experience wonderful. Thank you both!!

We had a very good stay at El Cid Marina. Our friends enjoyed their stay also. With the excellent serivce by our butlers Fredy, Ricardo and Omar which added to our pleasant stay. The food and the resort facilities are excellent. Our concierge, Sergio, the people at Platinum office and all the people like waiters, room cleaners, bar tenders, musicians, entertainers, cooks and maintenance people make our stay so memorable. Special thank you to Cynthia at the Aroma cafe for making me a good cappuccino.

We stayed here at the Marina side with a family of 5 during the February break. 3 kids ages 16, 13 and 11. We went with Westjet Vacations. Transfer was with Nexus Tours. We will do the review of this resort in categories. Room: Overall no complaints. Spacious, clean. We had 2 doubles with a Murphy bed. One of the kids made the couch/lounger into a bed also. Lots of hot water in the shower. The air conditioning doesn’t really get cooler than 21 degrees. We closed the curtains and it helped keep it cooler. The bar fridge was well stocked with drinks. But no snacks. (There is 24 hour room service) We didn't have a lightbulb on our deck.. we asked 3 times and it was not resolved. House keeping sometimes doesn’t come until after 6 PM. Food/Drinks: Drinks were great! Well blended with ice. Food was pretty good for the most part. The supper buffet our first night was terrible. However it definitely improved. Please note the posted theme nights at the buffet didn't seem to apply. Breakfasts at the buffet were great with the typical breakfast fare. We alternated lunches between the buffet at the Hacienda and the Delores on the Ventus side. Both of these were great. The burgers were great - worth standing in line for. The kids especially loved the crepes. Aromas coffee shop was great too and the line up went quickly even at 7 AM. We ate at four of the a la cartes for supper. Aakat, French, Italian and Mexican. At the Aaakat, the burger was more like a steak sandwich vs a ground beef hamburger. But it was still good. Our favorite was the French where we really liked the pork dish, French onion soup and the croque Mosiuer sandwich. Mexican was awesome too - The creamy corn soup and the Mole was delicious at the Mexican. Reservations - best to email the concierge Saturday mornings. Our reservations were at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30. We would swing by 10-15 mins earlier and they wouldn’t seat us even though there were lots of empty tables. Thursday nights is the Urban Taco Fest outside of the Delores. The food was fabulous - authentic Mexican fare complete with Mariachi band playing. Please note nobody got sick during our stay. Pools/Beach: Marina Pool is the activity pool. It has aquasize, games, and a swim up bar complete with loud music all day. It also has the cliff jump and waterslide. The kids preferred this pool over the others on the Venus At and Ventus Ha sides. The Ventus pools are much quieter. The Ventus sides are more modern. The infinity pool at the Ventus is adults only. There are no hot tubs at the Marina side. The towel/lounger game is a real thing here. You need to have your loungers reserved early. If you want your choice of the loungers, you need to be down there by 6:45 AM. They’ll be all gone by 7:00. There are a lot of tables with chairs in front of the towel exchange. We feel some of this area could be better replaced with loungers. If you are a beach lover, this is not the place for you. Having said that, we still spent a lot of time at the beach and in the water. We didn't feel it was that bad. It is still the ocean after all!! The water is shallow and suitable for young children. The situation with the loungers applies to the beach as well. There was drink service regularly around the pool and they even came around the beach on occasion. Anthonie at the pool was the man keeping us well hydrated!! Resort Grounds: Very lush on the Marina side. Crocodiles, turtles, coati mundis, raccoons, iguanas all on site. The maintenance and cleanliness of this resort was second to none. Every evening after dark, we would see employees literally scrubbing the loungers around the pool and on the beach. They were also doing general maintenance. We were in Building 19 and it was very easy to get around. 5 minute walks to the coffee shop in the mornings. It is not as large as it may seem at first. Evening Shows: They started at 8:00. Sometimes we missed the shows due to our late dinner reservations. The Michael Jackson show was really good! There was live music in the lobbies in the evenings. There are gift shops on site but you will pay the price! There was not much selection for cigars. They were only at the gift shop near the Delores and they were hidden under a towel which one has to ask for. Sunscreen costs over $50 CDN!!!!!! Uber vs taxi. Uber is much cheaper and they will meet you on the road outside of the gate to the resort. Uber $12 US one way to Puerto Morelos. Taxi is $48 for a family of 5 one way, Taxi is $24 one way for 4 people or less. Puerto Morelos - prices for everything seem to be up here vs past years with less room to haggle. Overall, this place delivered. We would highly recommend it and would return.

We had a wonderful vacation with our besties! The resort is beautiful! Our butlers, Samuel and Celine were very helpful with navigating the ins and outs of our week. I recommend you utilize their services as they take care of everything for you. Reservations are a must at the restaurants and hard to get decent times. The butlers took care of the reservations and the latest one was 6 pm. We are in our 60s and we cannot hang all night anymore, let alone eat at 8:30 or later :( We had an amazing room with the ocean view. The bar tenders at the pools were attentive as well as the bar boys and we loved the heated pool! Thanks for another amazing vacay with our besties on the books!

Charly AKA Carlos at the hot tub Infiniti adult pool was amazing. He was friendly, service was great, efficient, and we never had to wait for a drink. The staff around the pools and the grounds area were super friendly and always greeted us when we walked by and they did a great job keeping everything clean. The restaurants were fantastic. The food was great However, the reservation system was very unfortunate. The only meal times we could arrange were 5 or 830 at night to pick from. The casino night was in an area that was overcrowded for the amount of people that showed up. It should’ve perhaps been in a more open part of the resort. We never had turned down service and several mornings we did not get maid service in the room at all. The team at the resort did a great job of trying to keep the Sargasm in control but it’s like a never-ending chore for them. El cid forgot my birthday again this year when we were to get chocolate covered strawberries and wine, but it never came. Our concierge Elizabeth L was the one to set that up, but forgot. The quality of the food was very very good , especially the seafood. The waves bar has the best smoked drinks we have tasted including the chocolate martinis. For the quality, friendliness we most likely will return but may try somewhere else in the area. It is almost always a sure bet, despite a few small letdowns this year.

We had excellent BUTLERS Alajandro Niemo and Ivan B. They were so kind, thoughtful, timely, pleasant, and courteous too. They got us comfortable pillows, bottled h20, gave us golf rides, helped us with luggage, made our return taxi reservation, made our restaurant reservations and told us all about daily entertainment and weather. They always asked us if we needed any help or wanted anything daily. We requested them again for our next vacation too!

Had a great time at El Cid. Fun for the whole family. Casino night was great especially Alejandro

We love El Cid. It is our home away from home. Great food, great people. We request the same butlers every time we go and they are the absolute best. Are Mendes and Manuel Dias. They can’t do enough for anyone and they have become part of our family. They go above and beyond to make sure we have everything we need and having them makes the stay that much better. They handle all our dinner reservations, reserve beach chairs, take care of our transportation back to the airport, and on and on. They offer a personalized experience that we so appreciate. Highly recommend this resort.

Excellent location, atmosphere and our butlers Ricardo and Freddy were excellent. We enjoyed the food and all the amenities.

We love Marina! The access to dining, pools and entertainment is key! The beautiful foliage, interesting birds and other wildlife is fun to observe. The main lobby is a gathering place for entertainment and visiting! There is a feeling of community at Marina. Our butlers Ricardo and Sebastian have welcomed us wonderfully and have taken care of us. They are great at keeping in touch daily seeing if we need assistance. Dedicated workers we appreciate!! El Cid is lucky to have them on staff!

The staff was absolutely wonderful! My Butler’s Freddy, Omar, and Ricardo did a fantastic job!! Our room was was great, always clean! Filled with the beverages we always wanted in Our Butler’s made sure of that as well! The restaurants have fabulous food and all the waiter staff were great! The only negative I have was there was not enough chairs by the pools people got up at four in the morning to save chairs and we never got a chair.

Amazing !!! Staff, food, cleanliness, entertainment !!!!!!! Especially our maids yobana building 15 and Carmen building 30!!!!! The best Barista ever Noe, kindest most genuine ❤️best capacious ever . Our waiter Jason who is the best ever !!! Most kind and genuine !!! Adrian , Jose at Waves and Jorge on Ruf Naha for the best ever drinks!!!!!! Then there are Pedro and Magill and Nicholas from Italian and Ackat and French you are amazing and so welcoming when you great us !!!!! There’s so many others Liz and Jerry and of course Marie Carmen and Natalio at Marina Platinim !!!! All the ladies at Marina platinum : Mary , ananda , Liliana , Alma etc …… Our amazing butlers Leo and Erik !!!!!!! Thank you and I am sorry for those I missed ❤️ See you next year

Overall our teenagers would rate this resort 5/5. My husband and I, who have traveled more would give it a strong 3. Endless things to do (pool, whirlpool, cliff jumping, activities, pool bubble party, excursions) and no one went hungry. Rooms and service were all excellent!! Teens said they would come back here in a second!! Downfalls; the beach was horrible. They didn’t their best to clean it daily but they can’t keep up with seaweed. It’s endless. Al la carte reservations only for 9:00 or 9:30 pm. We wound have a “snack” at the buffet and eat supper later. Could not book anything at a decent hour. Which meant we missed all but one of the nightly entertainment. We had to leave half way through to make our reservation. They would only let us book 2 at a time. But still very late to eat. And lastly… ugh! We paid $40 US right off the plane for what we’re still unsure. Refundable they said but no refund ever made or offered. Then they wanted us to sit through a 90 minute presentation so we could receive reward credits and a free excursion. We refused and the heat was on. They pressured us over and over again. All we wanted to do was have a relaxing vacation. We had to just walk away. We booked excursions through a company running out of the hotel. Plus, once we got to the hotel the first night there was a $150 resort fee (which we didn’t realize) and they gave us 4 Wi-Fi passwords. We are a family of 5. But no worries, for a fee we could get another password. It was endless with people pestering for money. We came to this resort because the website had said it is perfect for families 5+. Mmmm….for a price. It’s been 10 years since we’ve been to Mexico so maybe this is how they all are.

My husband and I have been to several resorts in this area and have had good experiences. Not at this resort. We were there for 4 nights over New Year’s Eve and were not able to do any dinner reservations because they said they were all Closed for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and the other nights were already full. We are both vegetarians and had a very hard time finding anything edible to eat besides the breakfast buffet. We ordered the “veggie burger” from room service and it was literally steamed mixed stir fry vegetables in between a hamburger bun!!!!!!!!????? Ridiculous. Usually there is at least pasta at the buffets for us to eat and there wasn’t even that. We literally had to ordered mashed potatoes and a cheese quesadillas for our lunch and dinner meals. And that was gross. The rooftop adults only pools were really nice and the buildings are beautiful but the signage and communication for the rest of the resort was extremely lacking. We were so confused where anything was. The staff seemed overworked and not very helpful- usually that’s why we love Mexico is the resort workers are usually so friendly and helpful. Didn’t get this feeling here. The beach was also not good but we did know that in advance. But if you are a vegetarian do not come to this resort or bring lots of protein bars.

The grounds of this resort are some of the most gorgeous I’ve seen at a resort. There is nothing left uncared for. Simply beautiful. The staff are trained well and are very attentive to their roles. The food is good and portions well delivered for an all inclusive plating- eat it all and have more or enjoy and no waste. There is adequate opportunity out for recycling which is nice throughout the resort. The big downfall for this resort and it is a downfall is the dinner reservation system. You can only book one sit down prior to arrival and then two more each day when you are here. Then, when you are doing this, it seems the only seatings available are very early or very late. Not at all convenient. Another bonus that must be mentioned about the grounds are the wildlife- it is abundant and wonderful. All safe and sound fun to see.

This place has good Wifi connection, the food was fine and the activity pool was fine. But it has alot of mosquitoes and I got bitten all over my legs. Never coming to this resort again.

We had 4 couples n Freddy n Ricardo were our butlers for the week. They contacted everyone twice a day to check on us, fulfilled every request n our rooms were ready for the night when we got back. We are not a very needy group n they exceeded our needs. Been many times n they upheld the reputation of El Cid butlers! Eric Parker

Went for a 4 night getaway with my bestie. Had a blast. First room we were given was very musty smelling so we asked to change rooms. They charged us $50/night tk upgrade but was absolutely worth it! Beauty ocean front room. There were lots of pool options. Lunch and breakfast were fantastic. Dinner was my only complaint. Reservations were extremely limited. We never got a reservation before 9pm. But it was just the 2 of us so we made the best of it. If we were traveling with our famlies that would have been a deal breaker. Service was great. Everything was great. I would absolutely return!

This is our second time coming here and returned this year for our honeymoon. Everything about this place is amazing. The food is great. The drinks come fast. ALL of the staff are amazing. Everyone seems to genuinely enjoy what they do at the resort and it shows the kindness and attitude they put forward. The resort has it all. If you want to sit by the pool all day, you can. If you want to sit on the beach all day you can. Our room was perfect. We had somewhat of an ocean view on the fifth floor of the building. We opted for the platinum package this time around and the experience was well worth it. Hugo, Noah, and Luis were all 3 amazing butler to have! Sociable and fun to be around. Made dinner reservations for us, was able to provide rides throughout the property when needed. Anything we asked for was made to happen. Will absolutely be coming back. No matter which hotel you stay at on property, it will be an amazing time.

We came over Christmas and there was “no reservations” at any restaurants but when you looked in there was plenty of empty tables. We ate at a buffet with sub par food nightly. Staff was either rude or always on their phones being inattentive. This wasn’t the first time staying at an all inclusive but it was the worst. Too many rules. Too many bossy workers. Would NEVER recommend this resort to people.

Our two butlers Manul and Sebastian went over and above for us when we stayed at Ventus Ha El Cid Marino and spa in Port Morales Mexico . This was our second visit to this resort. My husband and I went to celebrate my birthday.. Manuel and Sebastian always made sure that everything was perfect for us. They went all out to decorate my room for my birthday, which made my day even more special..

Edel and Rooster were downright rude to us - tried to ignore our golf cart request in a sneaky fashion. Most resort workers were on their cell phones most of the time and we felt like we were ‘bothering’ them just by being there. There are so many beautiful records in this part of the country; go somewhere else. Food was okay. So many rules. Hard to get dinner reservations, ATM machines down for 18 months I was told. Terrible experience.

My husband and I have discovered that El Cid Marina Spa and beach resort is a wonderful way to begin our Christmas season. This is our third time vacationing there in December. The weather is not under anyone's control, but usually includes several days of warm, not too humid temperatures. If it rains on you, then you can still go swimming or curl up with a book, a drink and a card game with new friends. While those activities are important, they are not what brings us back to the El Cid resort. It is the total atmosphere including the staff, the food, the property . This time our butlers were Erik and Leo. They arranged for dinner reservations, rides to some of the restaurants, and my hydro therapy spa appointments, plus other helpful assistance. There are 9 restaurants and each is 5 star. You can't go wrong with the food. The Christmas show and the Abba review show were just two of the shows during the week. Wonderful entertainment, all day entertainment. This was a fantastic break during the beginning of the winter season.

Hugo Noah and Luis did an excellent job during our stay. They were attentive and efficient in every way always ready to help and make any and all changes. Its staff like this that makes guests want to return

Our trip to Hotel Marina El Cid was incredible! Food was good for a resort, most the staff were very helpful and nice (some were not) We had platinum club so it can with butlers. Luis, Hugo, and Noah were absolutely amazing!! Always helpful, very nice, if I asked them for something, they got it done and done quickly. The resort is large, lots to do, great beach. We had an amazing time! Would go here again.

This resort was stunning! The rooms were spacious and beautiful. The food was amazing - whether a la carte or regular buffet. Always freshly made and delicious. The staff were so friendly and helpful. Everyone was great but I do want to give a special shout out to Raul on the entertainment team. He was a wonderful guide on the bike ride to town, and helping us make anklets / bracelets. Everytime I ran into him on the resort he remembered me and asked if there was anything he could help me with. Such a sweetie!! I highly recommend this resort - well worth the money!!

My wife and I have been Platinum members at El Cid for 9 years now, and have enjoyed each of our stays, which have been up to 16 weeks at one time. During this time, we have met numerous staff members that have served us in a memorable way. There are even those who stand out well beyond the others that you automatically think of when reminiscing about the wonderful times you spent at El Cid. Miguel Chan is one of the people who made each and every day of our stay special. One of the great things about All Inclusive is the food and drink opportunities. Normally my wife and I do not drink much, so when asked what we would like to drink, it can be difficult to select a favorite. We met Miguel Chan while he was tending bar at the beach-side Jacuzzi Bar. From the moment we met him, he stood above the rest with his pleasant personality and friendliness. My wife said for her it was his Huge Heart and Great Smile. Miguel went beyond expectations, helping us to hone-in on the cocktails we would come to enjoy as favs. He asked questions about what drinks and liquors we enjoy and made drinks for us that ultimately provided a means to find our favorites! There are many traditional and menu-based specialty drinks that are very good, but with Miguel making them, it was so much more enjoyable. Miguel Chan created a connection with us that had us looking for him each day. When he rotated to new locations, we would find him just to spend time with him and his mad mixology skills and his friendly demeanor. If during your visit to El Cid you see Miguel Chan working at one of the bars, be sure to stop by for a drink and see for yourself. There are many bartenders that can make a great drink, but Miguel made a difference that went well beyond the drinks he made. We had so much fun when we were being taken care of by Miguel, and we cannot wait until we see him in 2026!

We had a wonderful family vacation at Marina el Cid. Everything was almost perfect. Rooms were dated but always clean. Wait staff (aside from one very rude experience at Delores) were all great and ensured we were taken care of. Food seemed above average compared to other resorts we have stayed at. Lunch at Delores was especially excellent and a nice change from the buffet. Drinks were average but always readily available- a cocktail menu at the restaurants would be handy. The evening shows were fun for the kids and they especially enjoyed the urban show and Michael Jackson. The kids went to kids club once and enjoyed themselves. We always found a pool chair but were up early with kids so can’t speak to how it is after 8:30. Tried almost all restaurants- French, Kobo, and Mediterranean being our top ones. We had platinum club with two butlers. Not sure if I found it worth the upgrade- both butlers were wonderful but maybe I just didn’t know what to ask for. If you have kids pack snacks- there is no taking food out of the buffet and room service took forever. There is a small store that is extremely overpriced (a bag of chips cost $16 USD!!) but we did find it handy to get a ball for the pool. Bell staff was knowledgeable. Overall I felt very taken care of all week and well fed. Would for sure consider returning again in the future.

We stayed at the Marina from Nov 29-Dec 10 with 2 adults and 1 young teen. First of all, we loved that we had access to all 3 resorts. After getting SO LOST on our first evening we quickly learned all the walking paths. The golf carts are frequent and always happy to offer a ride if needed. Room: We got upgraded to an ocean view, pool access room. Perfect for us. AC was cold, towels were plentiful. Food: Knowing all tastes differ, we are easy to please. Absolutely loved the mimosa bar at the Marina breakfast. Bacon every day for alla y’all. Mercado de Delores was our favorite lunch spot, and DIY fish tacos at Hacienda are also delicious. We had no trouble getting dinner reservations, but to be fair we do enjoy a late dinner. Room service was quick and made for a great midnight snack. Drink: We were regular visitors, not platinum or anything special. We thought the selection of spirits was really nice. My personal favorite being the Diega pink gin. Bartenders and servers really got to know us and our preferences. Our besties this week were DIEGO, CARLOS, JUAN at the Marina Congo bar. Ask Diego for the hot pink Barbie drink, Carlos will make you a delicious fresh melon cocktail and Juan will see you from a mile away when you’re ready for another. Entertainment: There is something going on at this place almost 24/7 (just a slight exaggeration). My first Spanish lesson with LESLIE and CYNTHIA, to pool dance lessons and crafts with IXCHEL. If you have a shy kid or teen like we do, just point the entertainment staff in their direction and they will try their best to get them included. Right TONY (“I see you Isabelle come join us!!”)?? So thankful to all these staff for keeping us a tiny bit active and giving us so many memories. ATMOSPHERE: Whether you’re in the mood for beach bumming in peace, pool volleyball with blasting music or making new friends, there seems to be a place for everyone across all 3 resorts. We made good use of each “vibe” of space. All the staff here from the front desk to the maintenance staff are incredible. A smile and hola from everyone. So special to build first-name basis relationships with everyone. See you again soon! Jessica, Adams and Isabelle

We had a family of 7 and had a fantastic time! Everyone was so friendly and helpful at the Hotel Marina El Cid resort! We got Platinum service through Interval International which included butler service! Saul and Alberto were our butlers for the week and we couldn’t have been happier! They were very attentive and helpful each and every day we were there. Kudos to their excellent customer service!!

Here now. We travel once or twice a year to all inclusive usually in Mexico. We are very easy going and don’t not pick. This resort has hit different as it buckles and dimes. You only get 2 devises that are able to connect to wifi. We have 4 people in our room. We were aware of the wifi situation so pre- purchased e- SIM cards for the other 2 people. The e-sims weren’t working at first. You have to change them from 5G to 3G. Beauvais they weren’t working we downloaded our 2 wifi codes on the adult devices. Later found out that once you change the E -sims to 3G they wil work intermittently. We only had the codes downloaded for a few houses and went to front desk to ask to change the devices and they said no. We wanted to cancel on the one devise and add it to another. This is 2025 and supposed to be a luxury all inclusive resort in the cancun area. There is no reason to not allow is to cancel one device and change it to another. We weren’t asking for an extra code. Just help us out. Otherwise they change $60 USD for an extra code. Really starts off the vacation on a sour note.

We have been to El Cid many times and we are never disappointed. The food is very good and you have many choices. We had 3 butlers--Noah, Hugo and Luis. They were all excellent. They contacted me several times a day to make sure we had everything we needed. If I did need something, all 3 were always available.

El cid is always great to come back to. Food selections are good but would like to see the menus change or have chef specials. It is truly the staff that makes it the vacation great. Use butlers to get reservations and anything needed -- Ivan and Alejandro were great this trip. Greeter like Elizabeth always had a smile for us. Other staff like cinthia. Patty, gregorio, luis, Gilbert, violetta, Liz, Jeremy and so many more at the italiano for breakfast. Thank you all

We spent Thanksgiving week 2025 at the Marina El Cid Puerto Morelos. We had the best time! The staff make you feel like family from the moment you arrive. The beautiful Christmas trees everywhere made the holiday experience amazing! Our butlers decorated our room for our anniversary and it was such a sweet touch and made our last night extra special. We are already planning our trip for 2026. Special shout out to our butlers Are Mendez and Manuel Diaz. We have made friends for life!

Great food and resort. This is our 8th year coming here and we always enjoy it! Plenty of pools and services available. The staff is amazing. Gilberto and Patty at the Marina pool are fantastic! Leo and Erik were excellent! They kept our room stock with water and beer all week and booked out dinner reservations.

The lush vegetation on the property is amazing. Didn’t go in the ocean because the many pools are fantastic. We upgraded to platinum and it was worth it. Our butlers Ricardo and Freddy were very attentive and helpful, as well as the maids. It was so nice to have our room well stocked with bottled water and other drinks. The food is excellent and I ate way too much. The espresso barista remembered our coffee preferences after the first day. The many places to enjoy the sun or shade outside were more than enough for everyone. The hammocks were a favourite under a canopy with a warm breeze.I enjoyed seeing the critters…coati, raccoons, iguanas, crocodiles. My favourite was sitting in the outdoor hot pool in the evening and seeing the stars above me. All the staff were so very friendly and helpful.

Wonderful resort in general. The grounds were immaculate as well as the rooms. There are plenty of pools to choose from from adults to kid friendly. There is a coffee cafe with fruit and pastries which seems to be open all day and into the evening. We paid the extra money for platinum room (jr suite) that has a jacuzzi and three butlers who are there to help with whatever we needed. Our butlers Luis, Hugo and Noah did a fantastic job! Downside is that in order to not eat at the buffet every night you need a reservation at the other restaurants. When we arrived our butler was able to secure one reservation. The buffet is good but if you don’t arrive and stand in line before they open at 6:30 you will be waiting a while as the dining room is not big enough for everyone. It also has a lot of the same foods. The restaurants onsite that were great were the seafood and American. The Mediterranean one was probably the worst food we had. The Japanese place Cobo was just ok with small portions. We did not try the Italian or French restaurants. The marketplace for lunch had good food and a great variety Overall we recommend this resort.

We have been going to El Cid twice a year for the last seven years. We love our time there. With all those visits Ricardo and Freddy stand out as the best butlers we have ever had. They respond quickly to meet all our needs and many times do things before we ask. We will ask for them in the future .

We were put in an old studio unit in the worst area-a lot of commercial fan noise and very loud generator when the lights went out on 2 occasions. They were also re-roofing a building next to us so that was noisy as well. The worst was the small ants/bugs crawling on the counters/nightstands. We were told they'd try to move us then said it was full and they couldn't change our room. Later we talked with another couple who had problems with their room and they were told the resort was at 67% capacity so they got a different room but had to pay more money to change.

Once again the resort didn’t disappoint! We have come here many times and we’ve always had a great experience. The staff here is amazing. The resort is so well maintained and the standard of the food remains outstanding. I do need to specifically highlight Luis Diaz and Manuel Diaz, the butler “A” team that made our stay extra special. We can’t say enough about how they treated us and helped us with our asks. Thank you to you both!

The resort is amazing. It is so clean, pools are gorgeous and food is outstanding. We had two butlers(Ricardo and Freddy) that checked in with us daily, got us great reservations and made sure our rooms were stocked. We will definitely request both of them again when we stay there.

We had a great vacation! Our Butlers, Ricardo and Fredy, were incredible!! They were so attentive to our needs! Our concierge, Christina was amazing too! So helpful! We had a fantastic time!! We’ll be back soon!!

This is a huge hotel of just under 1000 rooms. In order to house and feed all guests, it is going to be busy, loud and chaotic and you aren’t necessarily guaranteed a tranquil experience that you may hope from a holiday nor consistency in delivery of the expected service. The rooms are fairly dated and tired. The plumbing is not always up to dealing with a large number of guests. Regular maintenance men walking around with plungers visiting hotel rooms. Food is aplenty you won’t ever go hungry although quality of food and service differs. There are not always reservations available for the restaurants for the evenings. You can book up two reservations in advance per day but there are not that many reservations available in the first place. When you do manage to get one the experience is of stark difference to that of the chaotic loud hectic buffet that you are consigned to otherwise. The Iberian-American restaurant was such a treat. Just make sure you dress up warm as the air conditioning is set to Arctic temperatures. The food however is amazing. The Kobo Japanese restaurant is pure theatre. Chefs stood in the middle of group tables cooking steak, chicken and shrimp. Some chefs are more exuberant than others. The Italian felt more like an Indian in ambience and the food wasn’t quite up to scratch but still a lot nicer to sit and eat in than the buffet. My recommendation would be to not order steak/beef, the cuts served at this hotel are very tough and fatty. Evidenced by much nicer steak at our next hotel we stayed in half an hour away. The welcome on arrival is not brilliant, while the porters at the front door are very efficient the reception staff not so and the sales team who then greet you after your long tiring reception experience is not great. You really do not want to be thrust into a sales patter the second you start your holiday. Much better to be invited to go to meet them after you have settled in. You are also supposed to receive a welcome drink when you are in reception. This would have been a welcome touch especially given it is an all inclusive so it isn’t going to cost them over and above but you spend the first 30-60 mins stood waiting at the desk absolutely parched dealing with slow reception service and then straight into a sales person. Despite being told a welcome drink is meant to be given when I mentioned this as a suggestion, I didn’t once see anyone provided with one on arrival. Even a bottle of water would have been welcome. You are not tagged with your arm band until the second you are about to leave reception where you turn and instantly get pounced in by the sales person. You have access to the two neighbouring hotels, golf carts are available to transport you. It is good manners to have some peso or dollars available to tip when there has been good service or following a trip on the golf cart. The other two hotels are in stark difference to the Marina hotel which is tired. They are much more modern, the staff there appear to be much more welcoming and the facilities nicer. The pool at the marina is packed with guests and has loud music from about 11am through to 4pm with staff screaming and shouting with excitement to try to drum up hotel guests to join them. Foam parties, conga and balloons feature regularly and you will need noise cancelling headphones if you would like to be able to sit by the pool and read a book I found I repeated the same page for the whole morning and gave up in the end. There is a very small beach area with a few sun loungers which is quieter. Alternatively, you will need to move on to the other two hotels where there is a much more tranquil experience awaiting you. The newest hotel has the nicest pools with a choice between two roof top pools and two large pools with plenty of space between the sun loungers. Note all sun loungers in the three hotels are cheap plastic ones that are often sagging or broken parts. There are no cushions for good reason. It rains a lot and with that cushions become a breeding ground for mosquitos which are a problem in Mexico and I would recommend you bring plenty of repellent and not just for the evening. Dotted about the three hotels are some very inviting looking double beach loungers with curtains that do have thick cushions but we found when sitting on them we were eaten alive by mosquitoes. The beach towel station only opens at 9am. So if you want to sit out before then make sure to swap for a clean towel before they close around 5pm. They regularly run out of clean towels so be mindful you might need to wait until the next day anyway even in the middle of the day we had to wait a good hour for clean towels. We weren’t given towel cards on our arrival (assume that was something reception should have given) but the towel station refused to give us towels and wanted to charge to our room $40 fine per person for losing our towel. The hotel were exceptionally tight on internet provision. They provide a code for each person staying at the hotel and they will only give you one per person. So if you want to use your phone and an iPad or laptop that is an additional $60 US per device and that is only to get a very slow connection. It is an additional $90 US for anything of reasonable speed. It also has a very poor range not always accessible by the pool. They also cut you from it the minute you check out so if you are trying to connect with your transfer company make sure you do so before you check out otherwise that will cost you a lot on data. Note Ubers are not generally welcomed in Mexico. They may be cheaper but you will not be able to get one at the airport nor will the hotel permit one arriving at the hotel you will have to take yourself off the complex in order to meet your driver and in our case when we were leaving with our suitcases we had to drag them in the pouring rain down a steep slope to the boundary of the hotel. Manuele the hotel duty manager was lovely and approachable for the issues that occurred during our stay however it is disappointing to have had so many. Most staff had smiles on their faces but I do wonder about their conditions behind the scenes. Lots of staff were coughing and one of the reception staff was sneezing over customers. Do they get paid sick leave. Do they get adequate rest days. They seem to be worked very hard.

We've been to close to 20 all inclusive and this El Cid is where you get the most value for your money. Food - 5/5 Amazing food and service at all the restaurants, bars and room service. Rarely had to leave our chairs to get a drink by the pool. Though, we had to do the buffet the first two nights because no bookings were available for two days upon arrival. Every restaurant we went to knew the exact ingredients to avoid allergies and some cooked a fully dairy free version of the meal ordered. Access to water was great, better than any resort. Dial the front desk and they will bring up however many bottles you need. Coffee shop was amazing as was the lunch option next door. Poke bowls galore! Cleanliness - 4.5/5 everywhere you step someone is cleaning something. Would have loved another room clean during the week, ours was done twice. Medical - not always something you need to rate but the lifeguards and medical staff helped me on 3 separate occasions with a bad scrape and blistering and they were being kind, compassionate and empathetic. Entertainment 5/5- there are some amazing bands that play at Waves, the lobby bar and the adults bar through the week. The actual shows were less than appetizing as they are inside a warm theater with limited seating. Hilarious pool side entertainment every day. Also, they had some fantastic mashups of various artists playing at the main pool which was great for the atmosphere. Returning? Yes!