Sometimes you just need to get away. Sometimes the all-inclusive bug hits at an unusual time (say, mid-summer). What to do about it? One option is go. Yep, head to the Caribbean, even when the temps in the upper Midwest are in the upper 80s.
Such was the case this past July. I wanted to take a vacation badly. Numerous destinations were possible, of course. At one point, I ran some hypothetical numbers for a vacation in the States. A four-day weekend in the States turned out to cost about the same as a five-day all-inclusive trip.
And with a lot less work in planning involved. That was attractive to me.
I settled on El Dorado Royale near Playa del Carmen. The trip would cover five nights in early July (July 7 – 12). And while is quite hot and humid down there, it proved to be nice escape.
Vacation turns into culinary exercise
I have taken numerous all-inclusive vacations before. Several occurred in Mexico, but I’ve also traveled to Aruba, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.
Those were the typical vacations: Mostly just lounge around and enjoy the amenities.
The difference this time? I made a point to visit as many of the restaurants as possible. Yes, the vacation turned into a culinary exercise. A major factor was time: I had just four full days and parts of two more. Of all that, just five dinners.
Bottom line: Not enough time to savor all the meals I wanted to. But I still enjoyed those that I did.
When you think of an all-inclusive resort, sipping pina coladas at poolside comes to mind immediately. How about enjoying fine dining, too?
Scheduling my evening meals
A little background on the property is in order. El Dorado Royale is just one of three properties at this location. The other two are El Dorado Casitas and Generations. El Dorado sections are adults only. Generations, which has its own hotel, is for families. The entire property stretches about one mile.
Because several restaurants require reservations, I sat down with a concierge on Wednesday to place those reservations.
Here is how my vacation went, from a culinary perspective.
Tuesday: Supper only. Ate at Generations, the buffet restaurant at the north end of the property.
Wednesday:
Breakfast at Generations. I would later learn of Cocotal, a buffet restaurant in the Eldorado Royale end of the property.
Lunch at La Cabana pizzeria. Alongside of the main pool. I ordered a salmon salad. Very good and plenty for a lunch. The waitress was a bit surprised that I didn’t order a pizza as well. Many people did during my stay. That’s something to check out.
Supper at Santa Fe. Considered a steak house, its menu features a few steak-based entrees. I started with an appetizer of thinly sliced beef. Very tender and tasty. Entree was beef short ribs. Not the same as in the States. Essentially the meat without the bones. Cooked to a very tender state, this portion had a rich beef flavor. (Incidentally, their website says this place is open for breakfasts, too.)
Thursday:
Breakfast at Cocotal. A buffet restaurant on the southern end, this was my breakfast destination for the rest of the trip.
Lunch at Palm. Airy, seaside restaurant near Generations. A nice place. I enjoyed two appetizers. Planned to come back for the fish fry (“fish and chips”). A table nearby ordered that. It looks like a traditional American fish fry.
Supper at D’italia Casitas. As the name suggests, it’s an Italian-themed restaurant (white tablecloths and such). I ordered the baked fish. Slightly seared fillet of whitefish. Quite good. (There’s supposed to be another Italian restaurant near the main building. I didn’t have time to visit.)
Friday:
Breakfast at Cocotal.
Lunch at Kick. This is a casual, beachside restaurant at the southern end of the property. Other guests talked highly of the burgers; had to check out the place. They offered two styles of burgers and some other items. I ordered the BBQ burger. Nice-sized patty flame broiled and topped with bacon, cheese and BBQ sauce. Quite tasty.
Supper at Kampai. They call Kampai an “Asian fusion” restaurant. Its menu features a number of sushi dishes along with a mixture of Thai. I started with a seafood soup (oysters and shrimp). The entree was a shrimp and fried rice. Very filling meals. The waitress offered dessert. I had no room.
Saturday:
Breakfast at Cocotal.
Lunch: I intended to return to Palm for the fish fry. Instead, I enjoyed a special lunch the hotel prepared at pool side. Enjoyed some grilled fish and shrimp, along with cocktails.
Supper at Ricon Mexicano. A Mexican-themed restaurant, as the name suggests. I chose the beef brisket, for a change. Not the same as brisket served in the States. This was tender portions of baked beef. The entree came with a potato and hearty soup. Another hearty meal. (Helped along by chips and guacamole beforehand.) The only drawback was the milk. See the comment below.
I spent most of the five days at poolside. My own diversion occurred on Friday morning. I took advantage of the Eco Tour. Held a couple times a week, it’s a tour of the greenhouse on the western end of the property. Eduardo was my guide and translator for this fascinating tour. They grow the plants and shrubs used to replace those needed throughout Lomas Group’s properties.
During a recent eight-month period, the greenhouse had supplied 45,153 plants, which saved the organization more than 2 million pesos. Quite impressive. They planned to reopen a shuttered vegetable garden nearby. Once up and running, that will supply fresh greens for their restaurants.
On lighter note, I became a “daddy” while touring the greenhouse. At the end of the tour, guests are invited to participate in a little transplanting exercise. Here, I’ve planted several clippings of one plant. After about 30 days, the plant was expected to be large enough to transplant on the grounds. Unfortunately, I lost the notes from this excursion. I can’t tell you what that plant’s name is.
A few items of note
While this was a great vacation overall, there were a few hiccups.
- They don’t provide a map upon check-in. I learned that they assume guests carry smartphones. I’m part of the tiny portion of the world that doesn’t live off a smartphone. A staff member printed a copy for me.
- It would be nice to have a sign along the trail pointing to the Santa Fe and D’italia Casitas restaurants. They must assume the most guests hitch a ride, especially those from the Royale area. The building holding those restaurants has no markings on the back (ocean) side. As you walk north on the main trail, look for the address 3201. Once there, look left. That building set back a bit with the tall windows is the Santa Fe/D’Italia Casitas building. (Houses Bar Bellinis as well.)
- Rincon Mexicano, the Mexican restaurant, can be difficult to find. Staff members told me it was behind Fuentes, another restaurant. Go to the second (southern) pool. The thatched building adjacent is Fuentes. Rincon Mexicano is on the backside of that building. Follow the sidewalk around. You’ll see the sign.
- I was disappointed in what passes for cold milk there. I first ordered milk at the Mexican restaurant (Saturday). It was room temperature at best. A manager told me later that they offered cold milk, too. I asked for a glass of cold milk for breakfast on Sunday (at Cocotal). That milk was a little cooler but not cold. I don’t know why they don’t have chilled milk. Perhaps other guests will have better luck.
Feel free to leave a comment.
Tom Fuszard
New Berlin, Wisconsin
Tom@TomFuszard.com
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