Thank you for the excellent review of El Cid. I go there 3 times a year and love it every time! I want to expand a little to share that there is nightly entertainment, so definitely check the activity sheet. Music in the lobbys as well dancing, magic show, mariachi, singing, movie night, etc., outside under the stars. In one of the replies, you mentioned that people do not like the Mexican restaurant. I love the Mexican restaurant not only for their food but for their decor and the flair and "show" if you order an after after dinner coffee. I especially love the Mexican restaurant at lunchtime for their salad buffet bar as well as made to order pasta, fish grilled to perfection as well as burgers, chicken and steak. If you are lucky to be there when they offer a baked potato, grab them, yum!! Plus, their soups and breads (and, crepe bar!). I, too, will be returning in May!
Thanks for watching! And agreed, there are lots of activists and shows we did not cover. We love the Mexican for lunch and when they were open for breakfast long ago, the ambiance is great in there and the Mexican coffee for dinner is always amazing to watch and enjoy. Unfortunately we knew lots of people + my mom who have gotten sick/ food poisoning from the dinner so we usually like to skip out on it now.
Want best bang for your buck in Mexico? Stay at El CID Castilla Mazatlan if you AVOID Mexican holidays) restaurants inside & outside hotels are super affordable (half price compared to Riv Maya) and many within 20-min WALK, soft sand beaches and NEVER with sargassum unlike Riv Maya/Playa del Carmen/Tulum.
Hi Larry, Unfortunately they do not have free wifi. For one device it is $15 USD for 24 hours or $60 USD for one week. Once activated the wifi can NOT be transferred to another device. Sometimes platinum bookings will include free codes or if you book through Costco travel. Our last booking through allinclusiveoutlet did include 2 devices for our stay.
Hiii, going there in June. Just had a few questions for you. We are staying at Ventus Ha, are all the activities only at Hotel Marina? Or will the other hotels have their own activities as well? Is the cafe included for all guest? And out of all the sister hotels, which one do you recommend staying at? Marina rooms look more outdated. Thank you!
Hi, that’s so exciting! I would say 70ish% of activities are at the Marina side of the Hotel, the Ventus and Ventus Ha usually have yoga/ stretching/ and kids activities. But defiantly not as much as the Marina, which has volleyball, soccer, water aerobics, crazy hour, beer drinking competitions, FOAM PARTY, etc. (check the activity sheets posted daily by the elevators for all activities) Yes the Aromas Cafe is available to all guests! We like staying at the Marina because it’s the closest to all the fun, main lobby, and “action” (we’re only in our rooms to sleep 😅 so the outdated rooms don’t bother us too much), we also really like staying at the Ventus (including my parents) because the Hotel Rooms are a lot newer and it’s close to the hot tubs/ French restaurant/ sport bar/ dance club and the Dolores/cafe (It’s just a bit more expensive than the Marina). We’ve never stayed at the Ha but it’s the newest addition to El Cid so the rooms are the most modern. It’s defiantly more “zen” and people say it’s usually for the older/ more quiet crowd. The Rüf is an adults only rooftop bar/infinity pool, and whenever we were on that side of the hotel we never really saw any kids unless at dinner. Hope that helped, let us know if you have any additional questions we can answer for you 😊
Yes!! All alcoholic drinks are included at the resort. There is no limit on how much you can drink, but if you puke in the pool they’ll probably cut you off 😂
Kids are welcomed on all sides of the hotel; the only place that is “adults only“ is the Ventus infinity pool/ hot tubs. For transportation to and from the resort we alternate between a private taxi service or get a rental car. If you book through Costco travel, transportation is included + free wifi.
Hi! Thanks for the awesome review. 1) How is the beach, and was it full of sargassum? 2) I believe you stated that reservations must be made for all restaurants - - was it difficult obtaining said reservations? 3) Was the food in buffets subpar as stated in reviews by some guests? THANK YOU!
Hello!! And thanks for watching, The beach is kind of nonexistent since the hurricane a few years back, it’s really rocky and full of seaweed. I’d recommend taking a day trip to Puerto Morelos, their beach is much better and not to far from el cid. Reservations can be made over the phone or at the front desk, we recommend making them as soon as you check in because a lot of the times get taken early and by premium members who book well in advanced. I was very insistent on booking for our entire stay on the first night but they will try to tell you, you can only book 2 days in advanced. Kobo and French are the hardest to get into, and most people don’t like the Mexican restaurant. I’ve been coming here for about 12 years now, and you kind of figure out what’s good what isn’t at the buffets. Our favorite is the Delorace Market; Cheesy Tacos, Gyros, the Asian grill and fresh crêpes are to die for! Hope that helps ☺️🫰🏻
Hi Eric! You wear them at all time. They are also color coded by hotels and if you’re platinum or not. Also, the wristbands have new QR codes on them that get scanned at the restaurants, so they can keep track of the capacity!
I’ve never done an all inclusive stay. We just booked our trip here. Is all food and drinks really included? Do you tip? Any helpful info is appreciated. Is there anything to see walking distance of the resort?
Hi Jason!! That’s so exciting, you’re going to have an amazing time!! YES, all the food, drinks, resort shows/ activities and room service are included! Tipping is not mandatory but we always bring about $100-200 in small bills to tip, (bartenders, waiters, cart drivers, and cleaning staff) the staff here is absolutely amazing. Puerto Morelos is the town close by, it’s about a 5 minutes taxi ride, 10 minute bike ride, or about 20-25 minute walk. They have shops, restaurants, lots of boating activities and a beautiful beach! We will have a video out soon about the town, so be sure to subscribe and stay tuned 😊😊 Let us know if you have any more questions!
If you walk down the beach to the right you'll come to a marina where they have a dolphin enclosure and a gift shop. You can swim with the dolphins if you want (for money). Its not even a 5 minute walk. I would recommend the bike tour, the morning one is longer, it goes through the town and the afternoon one just goes to the main shopping spot, which is maybe a 10-15 minute ride.. I believe they give you half an hour to look around/shop.
Hello I’m going to ventus el cid on July. I have a question can you go to the rooftop pool even if you are not staying at el cid ha? Your video is very informative Thank you 😊
Yes! No matter which hotel you stay at Ventus, Marina or Ventus Ha, you have access to the entire resort! This goes for all the restaurants as well. Check out the Kabo restaurant when you’re by the rooftop (Ruf) Only areas you may be restricted to are platinum club areas only.
That’s true; there isn’t much beach left at the resort after the hurricane a few years back. There’s a small section at the Mariana side including a beach bar, volleyball court and some beach beds. The only other place is the far left Ventus side, but it’s small and only for Platinum member. The water is full of seaweed and is VERY rocky so water shoes are recommended. If you want a nicer beach, past the marina is the Now Jade that has a nice beach and Puerto Morelos the town close by also has very great beaches. Hope that helps! And thanks for your feedback 😊
In total there are 9 restaurants at the Resort and you will have access to ALL restaurants and buffets on the property ⬇️ Below is the Link to their Menus ⬇️ www.elcid.com/riviera-maya/hotel-marina-el-cid-spa-and-beach-resort/restaurant/
Hi Krista, Unfortunately they do not have free wifi. For one device is it $15 USD for 24 hours or $60 USD for one week. Once activated the wifi can NOT be transferred to another device. Sometimes platinum bookings will include free codes.
Thank you for the excellent review of El Cid. I go there 3 times a year and love it every time!
I want to expand a little to share that there is nightly entertainment, so definitely check the activity sheet. Music in the lobbys as well dancing, magic show, mariachi, singing, movie night, etc., outside under the stars.
In one of the replies, you mentioned that people do not like the Mexican restaurant. I love the Mexican restaurant not only for their food but for their decor and the flair and "show" if you order an after after dinner coffee. I especially love the Mexican restaurant at lunchtime for their salad buffet bar as well as made to order pasta, fish grilled to perfection as well as burgers, chicken and steak. If you are lucky to be there when they offer a baked potato, grab them, yum!! Plus, their soups and breads (and, crepe bar!).
I, too, will be returning in May!
Thanks for watching! And agreed, there are lots of activists and shows we did not cover.
We love the Mexican for lunch and when they were open for breakfast long ago, the ambiance is great in there and the Mexican coffee for dinner is always amazing to watch and enjoy. Unfortunately we knew lots of people + my mom who have gotten sick/ food poisoning from the dinner so we usually like to skip out on it now.
Great place to stay at!! My family and I were there in June of 2023!!❤
Loved meeting you and spending our vacation together! Can’t wait to go back! ❤
We stumbled across El Cid because of an all inclusive for $712 per person. We too like El Cid and have been there multiple times.
beyond amazing, I will be back soon ...
Top❤🎉
Very nice
Thank you for the great review and VLOG! We are considering this resort for our 26th anniversary.
Congrats!! El cid is a wonderful location for that!! They have couple massages and private dinners on the beach!! So romantic 😍
Great place, returning in May for another visit
Have fun! We planning to go back with a lot of our friends too
Absolutely wonderful trip!❤ loved meeting you all 💕
They repainted ittt when I went to there years ago the one with the rock jump off thing the building near it was orange/red and blue and etc not white
Correct!! I think they repainted it before COVID, it’s been white for awhile now 😊
Want best bang for your buck in Mexico? Stay at El CID Castilla Mazatlan if you AVOID Mexican holidays) restaurants inside & outside hotels are super affordable (half price compared to Riv Maya) and many within 20-min WALK, soft sand beaches and NEVER with sargassum unlike Riv Maya/Playa del Carmen/Tulum.
Sounds like an idea for another video 👀
Thanks!
Hi, great review. What is the situation with Wifi, is it free in the rooms and through out the resort?
Hi Larry,
Unfortunately they do not have free wifi. For one device it is $15 USD for 24 hours or $60 USD for one week. Once activated the wifi can NOT be transferred to another device. Sometimes platinum bookings will include free codes or if you book through Costco travel. Our last booking through allinclusiveoutlet did include 2 devices for our stay.
Hiii, going there in June. Just had a few questions for you.
We are staying at Ventus Ha, are all the activities only at Hotel Marina? Or will the other hotels have their own activities as well?
Is the cafe included for all guest?
And out of all the sister hotels, which one do you recommend staying at? Marina rooms look more outdated.
Thank you!
Hi, that’s so exciting!
I would say 70ish% of activities are at the Marina side of the Hotel, the Ventus and Ventus Ha usually have yoga/ stretching/ and kids activities. But defiantly not as much as the Marina, which has volleyball, soccer, water aerobics, crazy hour, beer drinking competitions, FOAM PARTY, etc.
(check the activity sheets posted daily by the elevators for all activities)
Yes the Aromas Cafe is available to all guests!
We like staying at the Marina because it’s the closest to all the fun, main lobby, and “action” (we’re only in our rooms to sleep 😅 so the outdated rooms don’t bother us too much), we also really like staying at the Ventus (including my parents) because the Hotel Rooms are a lot newer and it’s close to the hot tubs/ French restaurant/ sport bar/ dance club and the Dolores/cafe (It’s just a bit more expensive than the Marina).
We’ve never stayed at the Ha but it’s the newest addition to El Cid so the rooms are the most modern. It’s defiantly more “zen” and people say it’s usually for the older/ more quiet crowd. The Rüf is an adults only rooftop bar/infinity pool, and whenever we were on that side of the hotel we never really saw any kids unless at dinner.
Hope that helped, let us know if you have any additional questions we can answer for you 😊
Thank you so much! That definitely helped with planning our stay!
Does all inclusive include alcoholic drinks? If so is there a limit per day?
Yes!! All alcoholic drinks are included at the resort. There is no limit on how much you can drink, but if you puke in the pool they’ll probably cut you off 😂
😂😂😂😂 thank you so much for your reply.
Hopefully no puking 😅
Great video place looks nice ,going there in may . Do you know if Att phones work there
Thanks! 🙏🏽
Yes! AT&T phones do work there. Verizon and T-Mobile as well
Hello! Great video! Are kids welcome on the Ventus side? Also what way of transportation did you use from airport to hotel? Thanks
Kids are welcomed on all sides of the hotel; the only place that is “adults only“ is the Ventus infinity pool/ hot tubs.
For transportation to and from the resort we alternate between a private taxi service or get a rental car. If you book through Costco travel, transportation is included + free wifi.
Hey were thinking of this place but how is the beach? Didn't see much of it highlighted...small?
We answered this question in a comment below, yes it’s very small, let us know if you have any additional questions 😊
Hi! Thanks for the awesome review. 1) How is the beach, and was it full of sargassum? 2) I believe you stated that reservations must be made for all restaurants - - was it difficult obtaining said reservations? 3) Was the food in buffets subpar as stated in reviews by some guests? THANK YOU!
Hello!! And thanks for watching,
The beach is kind of nonexistent since the hurricane a few years back, it’s really rocky and full of seaweed. I’d recommend taking a day trip to Puerto Morelos, their beach is much better and not to far from el cid.
Reservations can be made over the phone or at the front desk, we recommend making them as soon as you check in because a lot of the times get taken early and by premium members who book well in advanced. I was very insistent on booking for our entire stay on the first night but they will try to tell you, you can only book 2 days in advanced. Kobo and French are the hardest to get into, and most people don’t like the Mexican restaurant.
I’ve been coming here for about 12 years now, and you kind of figure out what’s good what isn’t at the buffets. Our favorite is the Delorace Market; Cheesy Tacos, Gyros, the Asian grill and fresh crêpes are to die for!
Hope that helps ☺️🫰🏻
I have a really quick question! So do the wristbands scan in or do you just have to wear them around?
Hi Eric!
You wear them at all time. They are also color coded by hotels and if you’re platinum or not. Also, the wristbands have new QR codes on them that get scanned at the restaurants, so they can keep track of the capacity!
Can we go with 2 teens here?
Of course!! All ages are welcomed at El cid ❤️ it’s a wonderful family resort.
I’ve never done an all inclusive stay. We just booked our trip here. Is all food and drinks really included? Do you tip? Any helpful info is appreciated. Is there anything to see walking distance of the resort?
Hi Jason!!
That’s so exciting, you’re going to have an amazing time!!
YES, all the food, drinks, resort shows/ activities and room service are included!
Tipping is not mandatory but we always bring about $100-200 in small bills to tip, (bartenders, waiters, cart drivers, and cleaning staff) the staff here is absolutely amazing.
Puerto Morelos is the town close by, it’s about a 5 minutes taxi ride, 10 minute bike ride, or about 20-25 minute walk. They have shops, restaurants, lots of boating activities and a beautiful beach! We will have a video out soon about the town, so be sure to subscribe and stay tuned 😊😊
Let us know if you have any more questions!
If you walk down the beach to the right you'll come to a marina where they have a dolphin enclosure and a gift shop. You can swim with the dolphins if you want (for money). Its not even a 5 minute walk. I would recommend the bike tour, the morning one is longer, it goes through the town and the afternoon one just goes to the main shopping spot, which is maybe a 10-15 minute ride.. I believe they give you half an hour to look around/shop.
Hello I’m going to ventus el cid on July. I have a question can you go to the rooftop pool even if you are not staying at el cid ha? Your video is very informative Thank you 😊
Yes!
No matter which hotel you stay at Ventus, Marina or Ventus Ha, you have access to the entire resort! This goes for all the restaurants as well. Check out the Kabo restaurant when you’re by the rooftop (Ruf)
Only areas you may be restricted to are platinum club areas only.
You didnt cover enough of the beach itself and water quality's
That’s true; there isn’t much beach left at the resort after the hurricane a few years back. There’s a small section at the Mariana side including a beach bar, volleyball court and some beach beds. The only other place is the far left Ventus side, but it’s small and only for Platinum member. The water is full of seaweed and is VERY rocky so water shoes are recommended.
If you want a nicer beach, past the marina is the Now Jade that has a nice beach and Puerto Morelos the town close by also has very great beaches.
Hope that helps! And thanks for your feedback 😊
Is transportation is included in all inclusive package?
Transportation between the Hotel and Airport is available but not included
How many restaurants do u have access to?
In total there are 9 restaurants at the Resort and you will have access to ALL restaurants and buffets on the property
⬇️ Below is the Link to their Menus ⬇️
www.elcid.com/riviera-maya/hotel-marina-el-cid-spa-and-beach-resort/restaurant/
Did you guys happen to go to Cozumel ? Also the beach that you mentioned earlier. Did you have to rent beach chairs?
Great review! So if i book one of the hotels i get to enjoy all three ?
Correct, staying at any El Cid Hotel gives you access to the entire property 😊
Is wifi included?
Hi Krista,
Unfortunately they do not have free wifi. For one device is it $15 USD for 24 hours or $60 USD for one week. Once activated the wifi can NOT be transferred to another device. Sometimes platinum bookings will include free codes.