Hotel Marina El Cid Spa and Beach Resort - All Inclusive

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

10524 reviews

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  Disappointed by Too Much

  Our family of four stayed at El Cid Marina for five days and four nights during spring break. We booked through Expedia, and I specifically chose this resort for the pool (which includes a slide and cliff dive), the number of on-site restaurants, and how close it is to the ocean. Once you're there, it really feels like El Cid and Ventus are one large resort. It’s hard to tell when you’re crossing from one to the other. However, to get to Ventus Ha, you do have to cross a road and walk around some barriers, so it definitely feels more separate. That said, movement between the three properties is generally easy, and all of them are very clean and well-maintained. I was excited to try the restaurants after reading so many positive reviews, but honestly, the food was just “good.” Nothing stood out as amazing, but I also didn’t have much to complain about. It was solid, but not memorable. The real issues started with check-in. We arrived around 5 p.m. and were told our room was in Ventus Ha—in a building as far from the beach as possible. I politely explained that my reservation was for El Cid Marina and asked if there was any way to change that. The staff said we could stay one night at Ventus Ha and then move to El Cid the next day. They reviewed my reservation and ultimately blamed Expedia for the error. Switching rooms during a short vacation was far from ideal, but it was all they would offer. I asked if they could at least allow me to book all of our dinner reservations in advance, as a gesture for the inconvenience, but they said that wasn’t possible because the dinner reservation department was separate. That really started to frustrate me. I was still polite and respectful, but I didn’t feel like I was being helped in any meaningful way. Eventually, I agreed to the room change and asked that our bags be moved for us when the new room was ready. They said, “of course.” The next morning, I checked in with the front desk after breakfast—no room available. Came back at noon—still nothing. Came back again at 3 p.m., and only then was I given keys to the new room. When we got there around 4 p.m., our bags weren’t there. My son and I went back to the lobby and found them just sitting there, so we carried them up ourselves. At that point, I was clearly unhappy, but I didn’t want to ruin the trip by getting angry. I just wanted to be on vacation. As for the rooms themselves, while they looked nice, they were uncomfortable. Both rooms had the same issue: the AC was running, but the humidity in the room was overwhelming. Everything felt damp, including the bedding, and it made sleeping unpleasant. Even with just a sheet, I’d wake up in the middle of the night too warm and sticky. On our first morning at Ventus Ha, housekeeping knocked once and entered our room at 7:10 a.m.—I had to call out to let them know we were still inside. That felt way too early and intrusive. The only other time our room was cleaned was the day before we left. Sure, I could have called to ask for cleaning, but again, that’s just one more thing I didn’t want to deal with while on vacation. Finally, the beach was a disappointment. The sandbags in the water are much larger than they appear online—waist-high and about the width of a small car. They’re covered in seaweed, barnacles, and slime, making them hard and unappealing to get over. I had hoped to easily swim around them, but that just wasn’t realistic. Even with very low expectations, the ocean experience didn’t meet them. Overall, while the resort was clean and the food was okay, the experience was marred by a frustrating check-in process, lack of service flexibility, uncomfortable rooms, and a disappointing beach. I wouldn’t go back.

  Apr 24, 2025
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  A Perfect Blend of Relaxation, Fun, and Exceptional Service!

  Our stay at Marina El Cid was nothing short of amazing—for both adults and families alike! From the moment we arrived, Yovani and his front desk team made everything effortless. They were always ready with a smile and quick to arrange rides around the resort or back to our unit, making our experience smooth and stress-free. Dining was a highlight thanks to the exceptional service from Guriel, Gilberto, Francisco, Miguel, and the two Wilberths—each of whom went above and beyond to ensure our meals were enjoyable, our drinks full, and our kids well taken care of. Their warmth and professionalism truly elevated every meal. A special thank you to Yolanda, who kept our room immaculate—no small feat after our nightly dips in the jacuzzi and indulgent room service! The buffet and activity teams kept the energy high, and Tony at the lobby bar became a fast favorite, crafting amazing drinks to match the mood—most often festive! We also met so many wonderful families around the main pool and left with new friends and memories to last a lifetime. Already counting down the days until our next trip to Marina El Cid!

  Apr 21, 2025
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  Wedding of a lifetime!!

  We had our wedding here on April 12, 2025. All of the staff were exceptional! Big shout out to our wedding coordinators Pedro and Guadalupe- they made everything happen the way I envisioned. They were patient, understanding, and accommodating. Everything from the food, decorations, and dj were great! If you are looking to do a destination wedding - do not hesitate, go to El cid!!! Shout out to our photographer Alex and his team - they captured our intimate moment before walking down the aisle so beautifully. Our photos of our event and family came out wonderful! I cry everytime I look at them! Thank you for your talent, vision, and direction. Another special shoutout goes to our butlers Manuel and Are! Great team! Manuel was with us on our wedding day and made sure every request that was made was honored in timely fashion - especially on the most craziest days of our lives. Both were very pleasant. In conclusion, our wedding day and time spent there was top notch. For many of our guests, this was the first time they have ever traveled internationally. Our guests all came to the same conclusion - El cid is truly our home away from home. Many of our guests are looking forward to coming back for their own vacation at the resort. Thank you to everyone who works there daily to make this place be what it is. The hotel manager runs a tight ship and it shows! THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS 💕

  Apr 18, 2025
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  Nice relaxing resort for us

  The first day did not go good. I had been in communication with the recommended transfer company from the airport to the hotel. I had supplied all my information, including payment card information, and when we got to the airport instead of seeing a driver with our name on his board - we found nothing. This has nothing to do with the hotel, but an FYI if you book transportation, make sure to get an email confirmation - even if you use the online booking form. The airport transfer area people were wonderful. They called the company, who had no record of us, and got us a taxi to the resort. When we got to the resort, check in was quick and easy. We were directed to a restaurant that was open and went to grab something to eat. I was disappointed in the buffet. It did not have a lot of selection - burgers, chicken strips, basically kid friendly food. Went back to the lobby, made reservations for 2 restaurants, and we were driven to our room along with our luggage. Just an FYI - you are allowed to make one restaurant reservation before you arrive. You can make 2 reservations per day when you are there. We did not go to the hibachi restaurant, but were told it was hard to get into because of the seating times, so if that is somewhere you want to dine, try to reserve it as soon as possible. We were told numerous times it was fabulous. The room was vary spacious, well cleaned, and had a great view. The only issue we had with the room is the outside patio area. had a cracked and missing large area of tile that was under the rug. I am guessing the resort did not even know it was there, because the whole resort was very well maintained. We did turn in a maintenance form about it. That evening we dined at the French restaurant. The food was fabulous, and the service extraordinary. It made up for the buffet earlier in the day. The next morning, we went to one of the adult only pools. It was a very nice area with a lot of tables and couches under the roof, and infinity pool and 2 large jacuzzis. We had no problem getting a chair, but as with other resorts that could change with the guests they have that week. At lunch we went to the other buffet. It had everything - pizza, burgers, ceviche, many different salads, pasta dishes, fish dishes, poke bowls, Chinese, Thai, made to order crepes, and the list went on. I then realized the restaurant we went to the prior day, was basically a pool grill that was open between lunch and dinner. The buffet was very good and had a lot of selections. The food at the resort is very good. We did not care for the Mediterranean restaurant, but that is personal taste, not food quality. The staff is very friendly and accommodating everywhere. When you check in, the check in form asks if you want your room cleaned every 2, 4 or 7 days. I was thinking I come on vacation and have to make my bed. However, they make your bed and restock the mini bar every day. They "clean" the days you select. They also do nightly turn down service with little chocolates. From looking at the schedule, they have pool activities for both adults and children. We chose not to do them, as we just wanted to relax around the adult pool. We enjoyed this resort. The food was great. The staff superior. The drinks tasty. The adult pool very relaxing. The room spacious and clean. I would recommend going to this resort. We will not be returning to this resort as we always go to a different resort, and never go to the same one twice. However, we would definitely stay at an El Cid resort elsewhere.

  Apr 18, 2025
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  Great vacation!

  Overall a wonderful place to vacation! The people who work there are so friendly and go out of their way for you. It is nice to be able to have two resorts with all of the amenities. Don’t fall for the “welcome breakfast” when you arrive! They are timeshare sales people. The reservation restaurants were top notch and I just can’t say enough about the service and how good the food was. Kobo is a top favorite! The place is clean and felt very safe. If I had any complaints at all it would be 1) the beds are very firm and we aren’t used to that 2) there is laundry by the marina and none of the washers and dryer work and who doesn’t need laundry done when your traveling? The in house laundry is expensive! 3) probably not a popular complaint but the music by the pool is so incredibly loud that we decided to go to a different pool the entire time we were there. We were thankful there are plenty to choose from. Really though, even if you are staying anywhere near the pool don’t plan on any kiddos napping or taking a nap yourself it’s that loud. We loved the resort though and would recommend. The beach isn’t great but good enough. Most beaches in the area have berms up to keep seaweed at bay. The buffets were great with plenty of options and the views there are spectacular!

  Apr 17, 2025